"Just One Girl." As the elevator started it's downward journey, Riley
turned to look at his fellow passengers. "Sorry about all the Cloak and
Dagger stuff. Maggie'll kill me if I showed you where our headquarters."
"Maggie?" Willow's squeak was slightly muffled by the blindfold covering the upper half of her face to the top of her mouth. Buffy and Xander, also blindfolded, turned toward the sound.
"Yeah, you're gonna find out anyway so I don't suppose it matters. Maggie Walsh is the leader of this section."
"Can I take my blindfold off now, cause I'm feeling kinda silly. It's not like we can see anything in the elevator?" Xander raised his hands halfway to his mask in anticipation of the other man's response.
Riley sighed. "I suppose it won't hurt. But when Maggie asks, we waited until just before the doors opened, right?"
The others murmured their assent as they removed their blindfolds. Xander was right. There was nothing to see, just a square box taking them further down into the bowels of the earth. Into an area where none of them had any control over what would happen. The three friends looked toward each other with a little trepidation in their eyes.
The elevator slowed to a stop, the doors swinging open a few seconds later. Willow stepped back at the sight before them. Half a dozen young men stood facing them, guns drawn and at the ready. Professor Walsh stood before them, and by the look on her face Riley was not going to be welcome with open arms. What was truly shocking though was the activity behind the young soldiers. The corridor seemed to stretch for miles, and was at least half a football field wide. And all around was activity. Scientists, more soldiers, large transport vehicles. It was obvious that this wasn't a recent addition to the underground activities of Sunnydale.
"You better have a good reason for bringing civilians here Finn."
Riley saluted to attention, ignoring his companions completely. "The slayer has agreed to work with us, but she refused to come alone."
Professor Walsh looked toward Buffy with her eyebrows raised. Buffy returned the look, tilting her head slightly in defiance. "If you can't obey a direct order, then we may have trouble in the future."
"I haven't said there is a future." Buffy glanced at Riley before moving closer to the Professor. "I'm here to stop the demon, that's all. Riley thought we'd get better results if we worked together."
Professor Walsh nodded. "Fair enough. Let's get to work." She turned on her heel, walking past the soldiers now standing at ease.
Willow lifted her hand in greeting to the men she recognized before trotting to catch up to the others. Riley flanked Professor Walsh's right, whilst Buffy walked at her left. Xander stayed slightly behind Buffy, literally watching her back. As Willow moved beside him, Riley's friend Forrest joined her.
"There was a report last night of a mutilation..."
"Severed limbs, blood everywhere, heads missing. Yeah I know." Professor Walsh was obviously annoyed at Buffy's interruption. "Do you know what caused it?"
"A demon of some kind. From the description the computer has narrowed it down to two possible candidates." She stopped in front of a large computer console, picking up a folder resting on the top. Passing a drawing to Buffy, she continued. "This one is a ravager demon. Moves into town, causes havoc, kills some people and moves on."
Buffy looked at the image before her. The blue scales on the demon added to the feeling of slime caused by the look on the monster's face. The red eyes looked almost maniacal, and the large protruding teeth appeared ready to bite anything that came near enough. A tale approximately two feet long dropped behind the demon, its forked tip resting on what would be the ground. "Well, it's ugly enough to scare people to death."
"This is the other one." Buffy took the second picture. Other than green flesh, the most remarkable difference was in the eyes. They looked almost sad. "There isn't much known about this one. It appears rarely, but wherever it is death follows. And there's at least one disappearance."
"So much for the sadness." At the querying looks of the others, "Never mind. Which one is it?"
Walsh looked uncomfortable. "The computer can't give a hundred percent answer."
"Maybe we should go ask," at Buffy's look Willow changed tact, "our friend. The one who has all the books."
"Who?" Professor Walsh looked toward Riley. He just shrugged, although he had a suspicion who they were talking about.
"Just somebody who collects books. And there's no need for them to be brought in." Buffy gave both Willow and Xander a warning look before returning to the Professor. "Well, can your computer guess?"
The older woman nodded. "Yes. The green one, with a sixty percent certainty. Not good I know, but the nearest we can get."
"Well," Buffy put the pictures back on the computer console, "let's go kick some demon butt."
................
The joint was hopping, or so they say. Trouble with the regular clientele of Willie's bar, that usually meant that somebody or something had ripped off another patron's leg. Not that Willie was gonna argue with them. Oh no, they could do what they liked as long as the tab was paid at the end of the night. No it wasn't the regulars that worried him. It was the guy, definitely of the human variety, sitting at the end of his bar that was his concern.
Wiping the top absently, the owner and bartender made his way to his new customer. The guy had rolled in just before sundown, already pretty worse for wear. Now, three hours later, he was sure gonna have a hangover in the morning. Trouble was, he thought he knew the guy. "Should you be here? I mean, it's not the wisest place for one of you to be hangin' around."
The guy lifted his head up, concentrating heavily on bringing the bartender in front of him in focus. It took a while to realize that without his glasses that wasn't going to happen. "One of me?"
"Yeah. You know," Willie leaned in closer, not wanting one of the regulars to hear, "one of the good guys."
"One of the good guys." The man straightened as enlightenment dawned. "Oh yes. One of the, um. Never mind." He shoved the glass at Willie. "Get me another one."
"Hey, I don't mind what you do. Honest." Willie looked around again. "But I don't want the slayer after my ass."
The old guy laughed. "That's one thing you won't have to worry about." He pointed his finger at the sympathetic bartender for emphasis. "For the slayer to come after you, she would have to care. And she's made it quite obvious she doesn't care. After all, what am I to her now?" Unfortunately, he'd also increased his voice, ensuring that all the occupants of the room heard him. Even he noticed the deathly silence that followed his statement.
Willie swallowed audibly and knew he was probably about to commit professional suicide. Better than the slayer coming after him. Raising his own voice, he looked around as he spoke. "Well, you're her watcher an' all. I suppose she wouldn't like it if anybody came near you." As he expected, half the room emptied. The other half went back to what it was doing, keeping a watchful eye on the human at the bar.
"Watcher. Don't even have that hold over her now. Nope, have nothing to offer her. Nothing she wants anyway. Retired and thrown on the rubbish tip. And I'm not even forty five." At least this was said much quieter. "She doesn't want or need me. She's found somebody else to do the research now. And that was all I had left to do." He lowered his head as he went to take another drink.
"Do you know, there's nothing more depressing than a maudlin drunk." The newcomer walked up to the watcher, resting his hand on the other's wrist. He nodded at Willie. "That's alright, I'll take care of him. I'll make sure none of your other patrons kill him tonight." After a hesitant nod, Willie walked away. The newcomer looked down at Giles, who was staring at him open- mouthed. He smiled. "Hallo Ripper."
"Maggie?" Willow's squeak was slightly muffled by the blindfold covering the upper half of her face to the top of her mouth. Buffy and Xander, also blindfolded, turned toward the sound.
"Yeah, you're gonna find out anyway so I don't suppose it matters. Maggie Walsh is the leader of this section."
"Can I take my blindfold off now, cause I'm feeling kinda silly. It's not like we can see anything in the elevator?" Xander raised his hands halfway to his mask in anticipation of the other man's response.
Riley sighed. "I suppose it won't hurt. But when Maggie asks, we waited until just before the doors opened, right?"
The others murmured their assent as they removed their blindfolds. Xander was right. There was nothing to see, just a square box taking them further down into the bowels of the earth. Into an area where none of them had any control over what would happen. The three friends looked toward each other with a little trepidation in their eyes.
The elevator slowed to a stop, the doors swinging open a few seconds later. Willow stepped back at the sight before them. Half a dozen young men stood facing them, guns drawn and at the ready. Professor Walsh stood before them, and by the look on her face Riley was not going to be welcome with open arms. What was truly shocking though was the activity behind the young soldiers. The corridor seemed to stretch for miles, and was at least half a football field wide. And all around was activity. Scientists, more soldiers, large transport vehicles. It was obvious that this wasn't a recent addition to the underground activities of Sunnydale.
"You better have a good reason for bringing civilians here Finn."
Riley saluted to attention, ignoring his companions completely. "The slayer has agreed to work with us, but she refused to come alone."
Professor Walsh looked toward Buffy with her eyebrows raised. Buffy returned the look, tilting her head slightly in defiance. "If you can't obey a direct order, then we may have trouble in the future."
"I haven't said there is a future." Buffy glanced at Riley before moving closer to the Professor. "I'm here to stop the demon, that's all. Riley thought we'd get better results if we worked together."
Professor Walsh nodded. "Fair enough. Let's get to work." She turned on her heel, walking past the soldiers now standing at ease.
Willow lifted her hand in greeting to the men she recognized before trotting to catch up to the others. Riley flanked Professor Walsh's right, whilst Buffy walked at her left. Xander stayed slightly behind Buffy, literally watching her back. As Willow moved beside him, Riley's friend Forrest joined her.
"There was a report last night of a mutilation..."
"Severed limbs, blood everywhere, heads missing. Yeah I know." Professor Walsh was obviously annoyed at Buffy's interruption. "Do you know what caused it?"
"A demon of some kind. From the description the computer has narrowed it down to two possible candidates." She stopped in front of a large computer console, picking up a folder resting on the top. Passing a drawing to Buffy, she continued. "This one is a ravager demon. Moves into town, causes havoc, kills some people and moves on."
Buffy looked at the image before her. The blue scales on the demon added to the feeling of slime caused by the look on the monster's face. The red eyes looked almost maniacal, and the large protruding teeth appeared ready to bite anything that came near enough. A tale approximately two feet long dropped behind the demon, its forked tip resting on what would be the ground. "Well, it's ugly enough to scare people to death."
"This is the other one." Buffy took the second picture. Other than green flesh, the most remarkable difference was in the eyes. They looked almost sad. "There isn't much known about this one. It appears rarely, but wherever it is death follows. And there's at least one disappearance."
"So much for the sadness." At the querying looks of the others, "Never mind. Which one is it?"
Walsh looked uncomfortable. "The computer can't give a hundred percent answer."
"Maybe we should go ask," at Buffy's look Willow changed tact, "our friend. The one who has all the books."
"Who?" Professor Walsh looked toward Riley. He just shrugged, although he had a suspicion who they were talking about.
"Just somebody who collects books. And there's no need for them to be brought in." Buffy gave both Willow and Xander a warning look before returning to the Professor. "Well, can your computer guess?"
The older woman nodded. "Yes. The green one, with a sixty percent certainty. Not good I know, but the nearest we can get."
"Well," Buffy put the pictures back on the computer console, "let's go kick some demon butt."
................
The joint was hopping, or so they say. Trouble with the regular clientele of Willie's bar, that usually meant that somebody or something had ripped off another patron's leg. Not that Willie was gonna argue with them. Oh no, they could do what they liked as long as the tab was paid at the end of the night. No it wasn't the regulars that worried him. It was the guy, definitely of the human variety, sitting at the end of his bar that was his concern.
Wiping the top absently, the owner and bartender made his way to his new customer. The guy had rolled in just before sundown, already pretty worse for wear. Now, three hours later, he was sure gonna have a hangover in the morning. Trouble was, he thought he knew the guy. "Should you be here? I mean, it's not the wisest place for one of you to be hangin' around."
The guy lifted his head up, concentrating heavily on bringing the bartender in front of him in focus. It took a while to realize that without his glasses that wasn't going to happen. "One of me?"
"Yeah. You know," Willie leaned in closer, not wanting one of the regulars to hear, "one of the good guys."
"One of the good guys." The man straightened as enlightenment dawned. "Oh yes. One of the, um. Never mind." He shoved the glass at Willie. "Get me another one."
"Hey, I don't mind what you do. Honest." Willie looked around again. "But I don't want the slayer after my ass."
The old guy laughed. "That's one thing you won't have to worry about." He pointed his finger at the sympathetic bartender for emphasis. "For the slayer to come after you, she would have to care. And she's made it quite obvious she doesn't care. After all, what am I to her now?" Unfortunately, he'd also increased his voice, ensuring that all the occupants of the room heard him. Even he noticed the deathly silence that followed his statement.
Willie swallowed audibly and knew he was probably about to commit professional suicide. Better than the slayer coming after him. Raising his own voice, he looked around as he spoke. "Well, you're her watcher an' all. I suppose she wouldn't like it if anybody came near you." As he expected, half the room emptied. The other half went back to what it was doing, keeping a watchful eye on the human at the bar.
"Watcher. Don't even have that hold over her now. Nope, have nothing to offer her. Nothing she wants anyway. Retired and thrown on the rubbish tip. And I'm not even forty five." At least this was said much quieter. "She doesn't want or need me. She's found somebody else to do the research now. And that was all I had left to do." He lowered his head as he went to take another drink.
"Do you know, there's nothing more depressing than a maudlin drunk." The newcomer walked up to the watcher, resting his hand on the other's wrist. He nodded at Willie. "That's alright, I'll take care of him. I'll make sure none of your other patrons kill him tonight." After a hesitant nod, Willie walked away. The newcomer looked down at Giles, who was staring at him open- mouthed. He smiled. "Hallo Ripper."