Forward :
Due to ff.net's downtime I elected to begin using a yahoogroup to post my
stories to. For those of you who wish to catch the latest parts ahead of
the ff.net readers by at least 24 hours then I suggest/ask/beg that you
join up at :
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Journeyverse/
I tend to try to post 1-2 parts per day on this group... There also a surprising amount of discussion going on about the verse as well... shrug so if you like that kinda thing then drop by. :)
For those still reading these stories here, and I don't know if there is anyone... I'm seriously considering halting posts to ff.net and using the group as the primary site with the wandererverse web page as the archive. I'll finish posting this story here for certain, but I don't know about any later ones.
Now, On to the story
*****
Jack Crow didn't bother knocking on the door to the Watchers apartment, he just twisted the knob and headed in. Inside he found an abridged portion of the Sunnydale group, including Xander, The Slayer, Her Soldierboy, the Watcher, the Redhead witch, and a new girl.
"Oh great," Buffy growled, "The jerk. Just what we need."
Jack whistled as he looked over the new one. She was a beauty. Fine Asian features, nice body, the full package.
He walked over to Xander, "Damn Kid, how the fuck do you manage to attract all these fine babes?" He asked, looking straight at the Asian.
Xander winced, and looked at Crow with a piercing glare. "Jesus, Jack. For one thing I don't curse every second word out of my mouth... and for the record I really wish you wouldn't say things like that while I'm close enough to get caught in the crossfire."
Jack spared another fast glance at the Asian, "Why? She another Slayer?"
"No." Grace spoke quietly, "Whatever a Slayer is. I'm a Cop with six black belts and a 9mm in my pocket."
Jack stared at her for a long second, "Christ Kid, are you insane? You keep collecting women like this and one of them is gonna kill you sooner or later."
"Hey, leave me out of this!" Xander protested, "Besides, All things considered I think death would be a small price to pay... I can think of worse company to spend my last days with..." he looked pointedly at Jack as he finished speaking.
Crow laughed, "Sometimes kid, I think you're completely insane... then you say something like that and I realize that we're not so different after all."
"Oh god!" Xander moaned. "You had to ruin my day, didn't you?"
"It's what I do, kid." Jack grinned, pulling out a cigar.
"No smoking!" Buffy growled, batting the offending item out of his hands.
"Aw fuck!" Jack growled right back, "That was a Cuban!"
Grace raised her eyebrow, "That's Illegal..."
Jack matched her stare, "So's half the shit I do for a living... what's your point?"
"Who are you people?" Grace looked around the room.
Jack looked around in confusion himself. "You guys never told her?"
"Told me what?"
Xander smiled, "Tonight's her... initiation."
"What are you talking about!?"
Jack grinned, "Hoo boy, I love it when they break their cherries..."
"Jesus, Jack..." Xander groaned.
"Ewww..." Buffy threw a throw cushion at Crow, nailing him in the head.
"Hey!" Jack grinned, "It's accurate ain't it?"
"What the hell are you people talking about?" Grace demanded.
Giles sighed, pinching his nose, "Miss Chen, I assure you that you'll understand our hesitancy to speak of it later."
Buffy looked over at the police detective, "Why are we bringing Cop Girl along anyway?"
Xander looked over at her, "Detective Chen has been assigned to investigate certain... oddities... in the Sunnydale PD. She already visited Willy's a couple nights ago..."
"Oh."Buffy said. "Exactly." Xander said, "I figure we may as well give her a fighting chance at survival in Sunnydale."
The blond Slayer just nodded, not arguing the point.
Grace Chen looked around the room, still lost. "What!? What are you people talking about?"
Have the room smiled, the other half shook their heads. No one answered her.
*****
That Night Sunnydale Highschool Ruins
"Lord..." Chen breathed out as she looked over the remains of the school. "What happened to this place?"
"Officially? Giles asked rhetorically, "A gas leak."
"And unofficially?"
"Ask me that when we get back to my apartment."
Grace shook her head again, these people are starting to ride my last nerve.
"Buffy was right," Xander whispered, "Way too much activity here for my liking."
"What you want to do about it kid?"
Xander looked the place over, "Break out the hardware."
Crow grinned nastily and ducked back, heading for the Church owned van that had brought them here. He returned quickly with two large duffels and dropped then to the ground at the groups feet.
"Time to really give the kids party favors a field test."
Xander didn't bother to acknowledge that, he knew the ammunition would work fine. he busied himself preparing for the confrontation. He quickly shed his long blank trench coat, stealth would be the last thing he had to worry about in a moment, revealing a black kevlar vest and twin colts in shoulder leather. He reached into the first duffel and pulled out an MP5- SD6 and tossed it to Chen, "You checked out on that?"
Chen looked at the weapon in shock, but nodded. "I did some training in counter terrorism in Germany."
Xander nodded, "Don't worry about where you aim for. The ammo we're using makes a kill a virtual certainty. But don't miss either. You hit one of us or a civilian with that and I guarantee you'll have nightmares for a long time to come."
"Now hold on!" Chen raised her voice as she spoke, "I'm not letting you guys go in to whatever this is like Rambo or whatever other movie icon you people worship. I'm a cop, I can't let you do this."
Xander nodded, "I know. But you don't know what we're up against here. Tell me, Miss Chen, have you ever heard of Vampires?"
"What!?"
"Vampires." Xander repeated himself, "The undead. Demonic spirits in human form."
"You don't really expect me to believe that crap?"
Crow barked in laughter, "lady, we don't give a shit."
Grace lifted the MP5 toward Crow.
"Point that thing somewhere else, lady, or I'll feed it to ya."
"I'd like to see you try, creep."
Crow's hand flashed in a motion that seemed like a blur to Grace, and the MP5 was suddenly in his hand, pointed the opposite direction.
"Wha? how?"
"lady," Crow snarled, "I fight monsters that average four times the speed of a normal human... you think I wouldn't be used to working fast myself?"
"I still don't buy it." Grace said as she looked at the muzzle of the weapon.
"then don't." Crow growled. "You stay back and watch."
"I can't let you..."
Xander interrupted. "You really don't have much choice...."
He picked up a metal bar that had once been part of the school and tossed it to Buffy, "Show her."
Buffy smiled and took the bar in both hands, and with little force bent it into a clover leaf. She then handed the four pound piece of metal to Chen. The Asian stared at the piece of metal in shock, and tried to bend it straight but couldn't manage to so much as flex the bar. "How?"
Xander looked at her with a smile, "More things on heaven and earth..."
With that the group finished gearing up and turned back to the center of the commotion.
*****
Grace watched, helpless, as the group made their way toward the ruins of the old school. She looked around, unsure of what to do, but finally decided to follow her gut and stick close to the kid. She shook her head and drew her service pistol, following the heavily armed group into the wreckage.
*****
Prue had finally had enough. "That's it!"
"What?" Phoebe looked up in surprise at the outburst.
"You!" Prue growled, "You are going to go back and talk to Xander. I'm sick of you moping around here."
"I'm not sure..."
"I don't care!" Prue said, cutting her sister off, "Leo!"
The Whitelighter orbed into the room, "What's up?"
"Phoebe needs to go to Sunnydale."
Leo just nodded, he agreed with Prue but this was Phoebe's decision. He hoped she'd make the right choice, having a sister around moping over man trouble was making his time with Piper a real pain.
Reluctantly Phoebe nodded, "Ok... Let's go."
Leo smiled, mostly in relief, and took her hand. Maybe tonight Piper will be in a better mood.
*****
Xander moved in quietly, his motions unhurried yet fast as he wove through the debris and wreckage in a cool and casual manner. He slipped up against the remains of an old wall and flattened against it, risking a quick look around the corner.
Quickly he drew his head back and glanced back toward Crow. He held up three fingers, then closed his hand into a fist.
Crow nodded once and returned the closed fist signal then flashed his hand, palm outward, toward the far side of the wall. He pointed to his eyes with his left hand and then motioned around the far corner.
Xander smiled, nodded, and turned back to the corner.
*****
"Xander?" Phoebe looked around.
"Xan-man's not here!" She hear faith yell down the stairs as she stepped down, "How's it goin Wiccan One?"
Phoebe shook her head, but smiled slightly, "I'm ok, Faith. You?"
"Better and better." Faith grinned at her as she stepped down.
"Where's Xander?"
Faith shrugged, "Don't know. Give 'em a call."
Phoebe nodded, "K. Leo?"
"Yeah?"
"Hang on a second will you? I may need a lift."
Leo smiled, "I live to serve."
Faith walked over to him, "Oh really? Hmmm... Just what do you serve anyway?" She asked in a suggestive tone.
Leo blanked out.
"Back off, Faith." Phoebe warned, "This one is spoken for."
"Story of my life, girl." Faith grinned at the two.
"Phoebe?"
"Yes Leo?"
"Hurry up." *****
Xander stepped around the corner, sneaking quietly up on the vampire who seemed to be standing some kind of guard. He was only a few feet away when a silent buzz from his pants pocket surprised him.
"Huh?" He blurted stupidly as he glanced down.
The Vampire spun around, "Hey! Who'r you?"
Xander looked up and rushed the guy, driving them both to the ground as he felt the buzz again. Damned phone!
The struggle didn't last long, Xander was able to drive a stake into the vamp fairly easily, but even as the creature dusted the noise had drawn others.
"Oh fabulous." Xander muttered, fishing the phone from his pocket as Elan flashed into his free hand.
"Hello?"
*****
"Hello?"
"Xander?" Phoebe said, "I'm at your place, I think we should talk."
Leo and Faith watched as the witch paused for a second, "No. I don't think this is a bad time. Xander! We need to deal with this... what's that noise? Don't tell me it's nothing, that sounds like yelling... are you at a bar?"
*****
"No I'm not at a bar, I'm..." Xander was cut off as he ducked another vampire's punch and swept the creature's legs from under him with a smooth sweep of Elan. "Phoebe... will you listen for a sec... No! Look, I'm serious this really isn't a great..."
Xander dove to the side, almost losing the phone as he rolled clear of another vampire's outstretched hands.
*****
"Xander? Xander!?" Phoebe said into the phone, "Where are you?"
"You're *where*?" her voice was shocked, "I'll be right there."
Before Xander could respond she slammed the phone down and turned to Leo, "I need to get to the old highschool."
"The Hellmouth!?" Faith said, shocked, "What's Xan-man doing there?"
"Hellmouth?" leo paled, "That can't good."
"It aint." Faith said, "And I'm coming too."
*****
"Phoebe?" Xander said into the phone as he leapt over a broken wall, three vampires on his tail. "Pheobe!? Hello? Damn it!"
The two vampires watched in confusion as the human they were tailing stopped short, cursed, and put his cell phone away casually.
"What is it with this guy?" The first said as they approached him, "They usually fight or flee... This guy practically ignores us."
The second vamp shrugged, "Donno. Let's kill him."
The first nodded, "Yeah. Sounds good."
The two continued closing on their prey as th young man turned and looked at them with a calm demeanor. As he did they saw his fists come up, closed around two big pistols that glinted in the moonlight.
*****
The loud echoing shots from Xander's .45's reverberated through the entire field. They didn't add much to the chaos of the fight though, most everyone was already knee deep in too much trouble of their own to pay much attention to the double crack that sounded.
Grace's pistol sounded only seconds behind Xander's emptying both clips into a charging brute that had been trying to kill her for the past two minutes. She had tried every move she knew, but her best hits only seemed to daze it momentarily.
To her horror the things face shifted into an inhuman caricature of a human being as the bullets ripped through its chest. But it kept coming.
"What are you!?" Grace demanded as the thing got close enough to grab her, her eyes widening as she saw the bloodless holes in the things chest healing over even as it growled.
"Your death, bitch."
Grace struggled in its iron grasp but couldn't break loose as she saw its teeth come for her throat.
*****
Xander stepped over the two drifting piles of smoking dust and hopped back over the wall he had used to slow them down. Total clusterfuck.
He glanced around, looking for the others, but didn't see any. He growled and started off in a loping run toward the sound of gunshots.
*****
Anise looked at the chaos emerging as the battle began to shape up, "Jacob, what is going on?"
"I don't know."
"I thought you lived around here once?"
"In this country, sure... but that's not the point. This type of thing is too damned weird. Why are those things vanishing into dust?"
"I do not know." Anise admitted, "Perhaps those weapons are similar to Zat'nicatel?"
Jacob shook his head, "Nope. Good old fashioned firearms... nothing spectacular about those... hey! Isn't that Harris?"
Anise' eyes narrowed as she watched a black clad form appear from the shadows and jog toward a fight between a female and one of the unknown creatures. "Yes it is."
"We know who's side we're on here?" Jacob asked questioningly.
Anise shrugged, "The boy's I presume. He was helping the SGC..."
"True." Jacob conceded. "Perhaps we should give him a hand?"
Anise nodded, "yes. I believe that would be prudent... but we must take care."
Jacob smiled, charging the Zat as he plucked it from his belt. "No worries."
*****
Grace struggled with the thing that was grappling with, she could smell blood and decay on its breath and gagged as she tried to force its teeth away from her neck.
Then, suddenly, the pressure was gone, the creature turning to dust in her hands. "Wha?"
Above her she saw Harris, grinning down at her as he held a silver staff in a light grip.
"That would be a vampire, Detective."
"Oh." Was all she could manage to say.
"Here," Xander handed her one of his Colts, "This is loaded with magnesium flares... vamps are highly 'allergic' to fire."
"Oh."
Xander raised an eyebrow, "Maybe I should hang on to that... if your mind isn't on the game you could kill someone with those..."
Grace shook her head clear, "No...no. I'm ok."
Xander smiled, "Good, come on. We still have to check on the others."
Grace gripped the big pistol and nodded once as she got to her feet. "Let's go."
*****
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Journeyverse/
I tend to try to post 1-2 parts per day on this group... There also a surprising amount of discussion going on about the verse as well... shrug so if you like that kinda thing then drop by. :)
For those still reading these stories here, and I don't know if there is anyone... I'm seriously considering halting posts to ff.net and using the group as the primary site with the wandererverse web page as the archive. I'll finish posting this story here for certain, but I don't know about any later ones.
Now, On to the story
*****
Jack Crow didn't bother knocking on the door to the Watchers apartment, he just twisted the knob and headed in. Inside he found an abridged portion of the Sunnydale group, including Xander, The Slayer, Her Soldierboy, the Watcher, the Redhead witch, and a new girl.
"Oh great," Buffy growled, "The jerk. Just what we need."
Jack whistled as he looked over the new one. She was a beauty. Fine Asian features, nice body, the full package.
He walked over to Xander, "Damn Kid, how the fuck do you manage to attract all these fine babes?" He asked, looking straight at the Asian.
Xander winced, and looked at Crow with a piercing glare. "Jesus, Jack. For one thing I don't curse every second word out of my mouth... and for the record I really wish you wouldn't say things like that while I'm close enough to get caught in the crossfire."
Jack spared another fast glance at the Asian, "Why? She another Slayer?"
"No." Grace spoke quietly, "Whatever a Slayer is. I'm a Cop with six black belts and a 9mm in my pocket."
Jack stared at her for a long second, "Christ Kid, are you insane? You keep collecting women like this and one of them is gonna kill you sooner or later."
"Hey, leave me out of this!" Xander protested, "Besides, All things considered I think death would be a small price to pay... I can think of worse company to spend my last days with..." he looked pointedly at Jack as he finished speaking.
Crow laughed, "Sometimes kid, I think you're completely insane... then you say something like that and I realize that we're not so different after all."
"Oh god!" Xander moaned. "You had to ruin my day, didn't you?"
"It's what I do, kid." Jack grinned, pulling out a cigar.
"No smoking!" Buffy growled, batting the offending item out of his hands.
"Aw fuck!" Jack growled right back, "That was a Cuban!"
Grace raised her eyebrow, "That's Illegal..."
Jack matched her stare, "So's half the shit I do for a living... what's your point?"
"Who are you people?" Grace looked around the room.
Jack looked around in confusion himself. "You guys never told her?"
"Told me what?"
Xander smiled, "Tonight's her... initiation."
"What are you talking about!?"
Jack grinned, "Hoo boy, I love it when they break their cherries..."
"Jesus, Jack..." Xander groaned.
"Ewww..." Buffy threw a throw cushion at Crow, nailing him in the head.
"Hey!" Jack grinned, "It's accurate ain't it?"
"What the hell are you people talking about?" Grace demanded.
Giles sighed, pinching his nose, "Miss Chen, I assure you that you'll understand our hesitancy to speak of it later."
Buffy looked over at the police detective, "Why are we bringing Cop Girl along anyway?"
Xander looked over at her, "Detective Chen has been assigned to investigate certain... oddities... in the Sunnydale PD. She already visited Willy's a couple nights ago..."
"Oh."Buffy said. "Exactly." Xander said, "I figure we may as well give her a fighting chance at survival in Sunnydale."
The blond Slayer just nodded, not arguing the point.
Grace Chen looked around the room, still lost. "What!? What are you people talking about?"
Have the room smiled, the other half shook their heads. No one answered her.
*****
That Night Sunnydale Highschool Ruins
"Lord..." Chen breathed out as she looked over the remains of the school. "What happened to this place?"
"Officially? Giles asked rhetorically, "A gas leak."
"And unofficially?"
"Ask me that when we get back to my apartment."
Grace shook her head again, these people are starting to ride my last nerve.
"Buffy was right," Xander whispered, "Way too much activity here for my liking."
"What you want to do about it kid?"
Xander looked the place over, "Break out the hardware."
Crow grinned nastily and ducked back, heading for the Church owned van that had brought them here. He returned quickly with two large duffels and dropped then to the ground at the groups feet.
"Time to really give the kids party favors a field test."
Xander didn't bother to acknowledge that, he knew the ammunition would work fine. he busied himself preparing for the confrontation. He quickly shed his long blank trench coat, stealth would be the last thing he had to worry about in a moment, revealing a black kevlar vest and twin colts in shoulder leather. He reached into the first duffel and pulled out an MP5- SD6 and tossed it to Chen, "You checked out on that?"
Chen looked at the weapon in shock, but nodded. "I did some training in counter terrorism in Germany."
Xander nodded, "Don't worry about where you aim for. The ammo we're using makes a kill a virtual certainty. But don't miss either. You hit one of us or a civilian with that and I guarantee you'll have nightmares for a long time to come."
"Now hold on!" Chen raised her voice as she spoke, "I'm not letting you guys go in to whatever this is like Rambo or whatever other movie icon you people worship. I'm a cop, I can't let you do this."
Xander nodded, "I know. But you don't know what we're up against here. Tell me, Miss Chen, have you ever heard of Vampires?"
"What!?"
"Vampires." Xander repeated himself, "The undead. Demonic spirits in human form."
"You don't really expect me to believe that crap?"
Crow barked in laughter, "lady, we don't give a shit."
Grace lifted the MP5 toward Crow.
"Point that thing somewhere else, lady, or I'll feed it to ya."
"I'd like to see you try, creep."
Crow's hand flashed in a motion that seemed like a blur to Grace, and the MP5 was suddenly in his hand, pointed the opposite direction.
"Wha? how?"
"lady," Crow snarled, "I fight monsters that average four times the speed of a normal human... you think I wouldn't be used to working fast myself?"
"I still don't buy it." Grace said as she looked at the muzzle of the weapon.
"then don't." Crow growled. "You stay back and watch."
"I can't let you..."
Xander interrupted. "You really don't have much choice...."
He picked up a metal bar that had once been part of the school and tossed it to Buffy, "Show her."
Buffy smiled and took the bar in both hands, and with little force bent it into a clover leaf. She then handed the four pound piece of metal to Chen. The Asian stared at the piece of metal in shock, and tried to bend it straight but couldn't manage to so much as flex the bar. "How?"
Xander looked at her with a smile, "More things on heaven and earth..."
With that the group finished gearing up and turned back to the center of the commotion.
*****
Grace watched, helpless, as the group made their way toward the ruins of the old school. She looked around, unsure of what to do, but finally decided to follow her gut and stick close to the kid. She shook her head and drew her service pistol, following the heavily armed group into the wreckage.
*****
Prue had finally had enough. "That's it!"
"What?" Phoebe looked up in surprise at the outburst.
"You!" Prue growled, "You are going to go back and talk to Xander. I'm sick of you moping around here."
"I'm not sure..."
"I don't care!" Prue said, cutting her sister off, "Leo!"
The Whitelighter orbed into the room, "What's up?"
"Phoebe needs to go to Sunnydale."
Leo just nodded, he agreed with Prue but this was Phoebe's decision. He hoped she'd make the right choice, having a sister around moping over man trouble was making his time with Piper a real pain.
Reluctantly Phoebe nodded, "Ok... Let's go."
Leo smiled, mostly in relief, and took her hand. Maybe tonight Piper will be in a better mood.
*****
Xander moved in quietly, his motions unhurried yet fast as he wove through the debris and wreckage in a cool and casual manner. He slipped up against the remains of an old wall and flattened against it, risking a quick look around the corner.
Quickly he drew his head back and glanced back toward Crow. He held up three fingers, then closed his hand into a fist.
Crow nodded once and returned the closed fist signal then flashed his hand, palm outward, toward the far side of the wall. He pointed to his eyes with his left hand and then motioned around the far corner.
Xander smiled, nodded, and turned back to the corner.
*****
"Xander?" Phoebe looked around.
"Xan-man's not here!" She hear faith yell down the stairs as she stepped down, "How's it goin Wiccan One?"
Phoebe shook her head, but smiled slightly, "I'm ok, Faith. You?"
"Better and better." Faith grinned at her as she stepped down.
"Where's Xander?"
Faith shrugged, "Don't know. Give 'em a call."
Phoebe nodded, "K. Leo?"
"Yeah?"
"Hang on a second will you? I may need a lift."
Leo smiled, "I live to serve."
Faith walked over to him, "Oh really? Hmmm... Just what do you serve anyway?" She asked in a suggestive tone.
Leo blanked out.
"Back off, Faith." Phoebe warned, "This one is spoken for."
"Story of my life, girl." Faith grinned at the two.
"Phoebe?"
"Yes Leo?"
"Hurry up." *****
Xander stepped around the corner, sneaking quietly up on the vampire who seemed to be standing some kind of guard. He was only a few feet away when a silent buzz from his pants pocket surprised him.
"Huh?" He blurted stupidly as he glanced down.
The Vampire spun around, "Hey! Who'r you?"
Xander looked up and rushed the guy, driving them both to the ground as he felt the buzz again. Damned phone!
The struggle didn't last long, Xander was able to drive a stake into the vamp fairly easily, but even as the creature dusted the noise had drawn others.
"Oh fabulous." Xander muttered, fishing the phone from his pocket as Elan flashed into his free hand.
"Hello?"
*****
"Hello?"
"Xander?" Phoebe said, "I'm at your place, I think we should talk."
Leo and Faith watched as the witch paused for a second, "No. I don't think this is a bad time. Xander! We need to deal with this... what's that noise? Don't tell me it's nothing, that sounds like yelling... are you at a bar?"
*****
"No I'm not at a bar, I'm..." Xander was cut off as he ducked another vampire's punch and swept the creature's legs from under him with a smooth sweep of Elan. "Phoebe... will you listen for a sec... No! Look, I'm serious this really isn't a great..."
Xander dove to the side, almost losing the phone as he rolled clear of another vampire's outstretched hands.
*****
"Xander? Xander!?" Phoebe said into the phone, "Where are you?"
"You're *where*?" her voice was shocked, "I'll be right there."
Before Xander could respond she slammed the phone down and turned to Leo, "I need to get to the old highschool."
"The Hellmouth!?" Faith said, shocked, "What's Xan-man doing there?"
"Hellmouth?" leo paled, "That can't good."
"It aint." Faith said, "And I'm coming too."
*****
"Phoebe?" Xander said into the phone as he leapt over a broken wall, three vampires on his tail. "Pheobe!? Hello? Damn it!"
The two vampires watched in confusion as the human they were tailing stopped short, cursed, and put his cell phone away casually.
"What is it with this guy?" The first said as they approached him, "They usually fight or flee... This guy practically ignores us."
The second vamp shrugged, "Donno. Let's kill him."
The first nodded, "Yeah. Sounds good."
The two continued closing on their prey as th young man turned and looked at them with a calm demeanor. As he did they saw his fists come up, closed around two big pistols that glinted in the moonlight.
*****
The loud echoing shots from Xander's .45's reverberated through the entire field. They didn't add much to the chaos of the fight though, most everyone was already knee deep in too much trouble of their own to pay much attention to the double crack that sounded.
Grace's pistol sounded only seconds behind Xander's emptying both clips into a charging brute that had been trying to kill her for the past two minutes. She had tried every move she knew, but her best hits only seemed to daze it momentarily.
To her horror the things face shifted into an inhuman caricature of a human being as the bullets ripped through its chest. But it kept coming.
"What are you!?" Grace demanded as the thing got close enough to grab her, her eyes widening as she saw the bloodless holes in the things chest healing over even as it growled.
"Your death, bitch."
Grace struggled in its iron grasp but couldn't break loose as she saw its teeth come for her throat.
*****
Xander stepped over the two drifting piles of smoking dust and hopped back over the wall he had used to slow them down. Total clusterfuck.
He glanced around, looking for the others, but didn't see any. He growled and started off in a loping run toward the sound of gunshots.
*****
Anise looked at the chaos emerging as the battle began to shape up, "Jacob, what is going on?"
"I don't know."
"I thought you lived around here once?"
"In this country, sure... but that's not the point. This type of thing is too damned weird. Why are those things vanishing into dust?"
"I do not know." Anise admitted, "Perhaps those weapons are similar to Zat'nicatel?"
Jacob shook his head, "Nope. Good old fashioned firearms... nothing spectacular about those... hey! Isn't that Harris?"
Anise' eyes narrowed as she watched a black clad form appear from the shadows and jog toward a fight between a female and one of the unknown creatures. "Yes it is."
"We know who's side we're on here?" Jacob asked questioningly.
Anise shrugged, "The boy's I presume. He was helping the SGC..."
"True." Jacob conceded. "Perhaps we should give him a hand?"
Anise nodded, "yes. I believe that would be prudent... but we must take care."
Jacob smiled, charging the Zat as he plucked it from his belt. "No worries."
*****
Grace struggled with the thing that was grappling with, she could smell blood and decay on its breath and gagged as she tried to force its teeth away from her neck.
Then, suddenly, the pressure was gone, the creature turning to dust in her hands. "Wha?"
Above her she saw Harris, grinning down at her as he held a silver staff in a light grip.
"That would be a vampire, Detective."
"Oh." Was all she could manage to say.
"Here," Xander handed her one of his Colts, "This is loaded with magnesium flares... vamps are highly 'allergic' to fire."
"Oh."
Xander raised an eyebrow, "Maybe I should hang on to that... if your mind isn't on the game you could kill someone with those..."
Grace shook her head clear, "No...no. I'm ok."
Xander smiled, "Good, come on. We still have to check on the others."
Grace gripped the big pistol and nodded once as she got to her feet. "Let's go."
*****
