Disclaimer listed on First Part of the Story
Last Part.
Angel Investigations
Los Angeles Ca.
July 7th 2002 3:00 PM
Angel was reading over a report that he got from a tame demon at the demon karaoke bar Caritas. According to him there was an unknown man who was asking around to see if anyone was interested in accepting a contract to take out the Slayer. As far as he knew, no one there was interested, and the man left after a very short time.
He stood up and walked out to Cordelia's desk.
"Cordelia, could you make Giles aware of this? I want someone to know, and I don't think Buffy would pay any attention right now," Angel said. "I'm going to check around some more tonight to see if I can find out anymore."
"Sure Angel," answered Cordy.
Part 4
Mercy Hospital
Sunnydale Ca.
July 8th 2002 11:00 PM
Xander was having trouble getting to sleep tonight, his mind running away with itself. He was beginning to have really strong doubts that he would be able to do what the PTB asked of him.
After all, he was the normal one of the group, and he had always had problems with self-esteem.
One of the nurses had noticed him earlier, and finally came in with some sleeping medication.
"Problems sleeping?" She asked.
"Yea, too much on my mind tonight I guess." Xander replied.
"Do you want some help?" The Nurse asked holding up the syringe.
"That would be nice," answered Xander.
The nurse slipped the needle into the IV line and injected the medication into it. She disposed of the empty needle and walked in front of the patient.
"The doctor may let you try laying on your back tomorrow." She said. "You are doing so well, that it may only be a few more days till you get to go home." She paused. "You know, you are lucky to have the friends that you do, and a girlfriend who cares as much as she does."
"She's not my girlfriend, just a good friend," retorted Xander. "She doesn't think of me like that."
"Are you sure?" Asked the Nurse. "I saw her when you first came in, and the devastated look on her face told me that she loved you very much."
Xander really didn't have anything to say, the medication started to take effect and he slowly drifted off to sleep.
~~~~~**********~~~~~
White Room
Unknown Location
Xander faded into the familiar place, again dressed all in white. This time he was not entirely comfortable. He paced the length of the room and kept running the nurses words through his mind again and again. Did Buffy really care about him?
The visitor faded in quietly, dressed impeccably in a charcoal gray three-piece suit. His white silk shirt was adorned strangely enough with a Jerry Garcia tie. The stranger stood quietly while
Xander paced, muttering to himself.
After a moment Xander looked up and saw the man standing there.
"Oh, sorry, had a lot on my mind. I'm Xander." He said.
"That's quite alright Xander. My name is George Badon, once known as Gildas Badonicus. I am here to instruct you how to survive as an immortal. Once I have imparted my knowledge to you, you will know all about The Game, how to fit in anywhere, and have enough knowledge to get around all over the world. Before you ask, I died in 1976, victim of a less than honorable attack. I was shot, and my head taken before I could heal enough to defend myself. I was very honored to be selected to pass my knowledge on to one of mankind's champions."
"Thank you Mr. Badon, and I must apologize for my behavior when you got here. I have had some things on my mind that distracted me." Xander said.
"That was not a problem for me, Mr. Harris. I can imagine that anyone going through what you are, could have quite a few distracting thoughts. ." Replied George.
"Please, Call me Xander. It's an old problem, has to do with loving someone who doesn't love you back." Xander sighed.
"You should never think that you know what is in a woman's head. You will usually find out that you are wrong almost all of the time. Just relax. Let things happen at their own pace. Now let us begin." George said as he pushed Xander onto the couch and placed his hands on the sides of Xander's head.
"Good journeys my young friend. I can only hope that my knowledge will be of some use to you." George said as he faded out.
~~~~~**********~~~~~
Giles had spent a fruitless evening in research, trying to match up the design appearing on Xander's arm, and then talking to Cordelia. Finding out that someone was trying to kill Buffy was like a blow to the stomach, and he literally had to bite back the taste of bile in his mouth.
In the six years that he had been Buffy Summers' Watcher, he had grown to love her as a daughter, and had been forced to observe all the terrible things that had happened to her. After the near death of her mother and the murder of one of her friends Buffy was not really ready to deal with what had happened to Xander. They were now fairly sure that someone was out to kill her, but the reason why, was still unknown.
Giles' frustration was further increased as he had not found out what that bloody symbol on Xander's arm meant.
~~~~~**********~~~~~
When Xander woke that morning, thoughts of what to do about Buffy had disturbed his dreams from the time he left the white room. He still loved her, of that he was sure, but he didn't know if he could trust that love right now. There was just too much going on right now.
Mercy Hospital
Sunnydale Ca.
July 9th 2002 10:00 AM
Giles, Willow and Buffy were the first to arrive that morning, and entered Xander's room to find him looking rather pensive.
"Morning Xander, how ya feelin'?" Buffy asked rather bubbly.
"Could be better" coolly, answered Xander.
Buffy could tell that he was in a mood so she backed off with the cheerfulness.
"So, what's the latest news Xander?" asked Willow.
"Going home Friday if everything continues to go right." Xander replied. "I wanted to talk to you Giles, would it be possible for me to stay in the room at the store? The Doc said I need to have someone around for a while before they would let me go, and my parents have already said they were too busy."
"But, I thought you could stay with mom and me?" Buffy interrupted.
"Thanks for the offer Buff, but I really want to be more or less alone for awhile, I have some things to work out on my own." Xander said quietly.
"Well okay, if you're sure you'll be all right." Buffy said equally softly.
"I see no problem with you staying in the back room, but you will need someone to stay with you during the night won't you?" Asked Giles.
"According to the doctor, once I take my meds it's doubtful that I will ever get up during the night, so I should be okay." Xander answered. "Besides you are usually there till almost midnight every night."
"Yes, I suppose I am." Replied Giles as he removed his glasses to clean them.
The tension between Buffy and Xander was getting thicker when Xander stretched and exposed the, for lack of a better word, tattoo.
"Xander, when did this pentagram show up on your arm?" Asked Willow.
"It's something that just started showing up. I have no idea what it means." Xander answered with a voice tinged with curiosity.
Giles walked over to look closer when Buffy spoke up.
"Isn't it like the symbol for evil or Satan worship or something like that?"
"No Buffy it isn't." Stated Giles. "The pentagram has long been believed to be a potent protection against evil, a symbol of conflict that shields the wearer and the home. The pentagram has five spiked wards and a womb shaped defensive, protective pentagon at the center. It is a very ancient and powerful symbol of good. The inverted pentagram has come to be seen by many pagans as representing the dark side and it is abhorred as an evil symbol. Fundamental Christians, indeed, see any form of pentagram as such."
"Oh." Was all that Xander said as he drifted off.
Giles left to return to the store to get the back room ready for Xander, and his two best friends sat with him as he slept. After talking some after he awoke and had lunch, Willow and Buffy finally left when they took him up for physical and respiratory therapy.
~~~~~**********~~~~~
"Xander hates me." Stated Buffy as they walked down the street.
"No he doesn't Buffy, he is just confused right now." Willow said.
"Why would he be confused, I told him I thought I loved him." Buffy spoke softly, tears threatening to spill from her eyes.
"Because he is your 'Xander-shaped friend'. He has loved you since he first met you. Cordy, Anya and me, well we were all just temporary replacements to help take away the hurt. He has had to watch you with Angel, Owen, Parker, Riley, and then Spike. You never gave him any hope, and now that you have told him, he thinks that it is because of gratitude or something else." Willow said.
"You need to take it slow if you mean it. And Buffy." Willow said stopping to look at her friend.
"Yes?" Buffy replied meekly.
"Don't hurt him again!" Willow said, her eyes clouding over with blackness for a brief moment before she turned and walked away.
Buffy stopped and sat down at a bus stop bench thinking. Willow had been right, she had always taken Xander for granted, and now maybe it was too late. She sat there alone, sobbing quietly for a long time before she finally got up and headed home.
~~~~~**********~~~~~
The Magic Box
Sunnydale Ca.
July 9th 2002 5:00 PM
Willow had spent the rest of the afternoon helping Giles at the store, feeling somewhat guilty for dumping on Buffy like she did, but glad she got her point across. Finally she decided to head back to the hospital to visit before returning to Buffy's house.
"Giles, do you want anything before I leave?" Willow asked.
"No, thank you Willow, I really am fine. I'm still trying to find out what that marking on Xander is. Tell him I will be in to see him in the morning." Giles replied.
He rested his head on his hands for a minute before getting up to make another cup of tea. He absent-mindedly dunked the tea bag in the hot water for several minutes before the phone rang.
"Magic Box." Answered Giles.
\\ Hello Rupert, Roland Witherspoon speaking. //
"What can I do for you Rollie?" Giles sighed.
\\ Look Rupert, I know that there have been a few hard feelings in the past, but there is a new issue that has come up concerning the Hellmouth. //
"What is it this time?" Asked Giles sarcastically.
\\ A prophesy, one of Lady Byron's. It talks about a new master appearing, and that it takes the skill and dedication of 'both' slayers to stop him from opening the Hellmouth. //
Giles felt a pang of fear as the leader of the council mentioned Lady Byron, her prophecies were always right on the mark.
"But we don't have two slayers Roland." Giles stated flatly.
\\ We do, and we are making arrangements to get Faith released as we speak. //
"How? Faith confessed to the crime, and offered no defense." Asked Giles.
\\ We had enough evidence to prevent her conviction, but she felt that she had to be punished, so we withheld it. It will be presented as new evidence at a new trial, and she should be released within the next 6 weeks or so. //
"I don't know how things will go here for her. She did some terrible things to Buffy, and I don't know if they will be able to work together again." Giles said.
\\ That will be your job Rupert, you will have to convince your slayer that this is best. We will deliver her to you, and you will be the watcher for both. No interference this time, but do try to do a good job this time. // Said Roland as he hung up.
"Bloody hell!" Yelled Giles as he heaved the teacup across the room.
Just before the cup would have impacted on the wall it stopped, all of the liquid flowing back into the cup and then it slowly floated over to the table.
Giles looked around wildly for a minute looking for the cause. His eyes fell on the tame messenger demon of 'The Powers That Be".
"What do you want Whistler?" Asked Giles tiredly.
"Just passing on some information Rupert." Whistler said as he made a gesture, and pulled a book off the shelf. The book was levitated over in front of Giles, laid on the table, and then the pages were turned until a picture was displayed.
Giles grabbed the book and read the section as fast as he could.
"My God!" was all he could say.
"Yea, that pretty well sums it up." Stated Whistler. "But, let him be the one to talk about it. It is a big change for him." Whistler paused thinking. "When he was in the coma, and we asked him to come back, he refused at first. Said she had hurt him too much."
"That would be an understatement. He has loved her for years, and she always took him for granted. However I think she really loved him, and still does, but that was her way of protecting him." Giles said.
"Yep, and they have to work it out. But let him tell everyone what's going on, I just wanted you to stop looking for the answer and get some rest. Two slayers are not going to be easy to deal with." Whistler offered.
"Thank you for your trust in this matter, and I will keep it to myself." Giles said.
~~~~~**********~~~~~
White Room
Unknown Location
Xander faded into the now familiar room and sat brooding quietly. Thinking about Buffy, and their recent conversations, and everything that had happened this week. His mind was running one direction and another, and then from behind him came a booming voice.
"ATTENS HUT!" Barked a tall muscular man dressed in Marine Corps green.
As Xander jumped to attention the man proceeded to walk around him checking him out as if he were inspecting Xander.
"As you were. My name is Master Gunnery Sergeant Reuben Hunter, USMC. I am here to impart my knowledge of modern weapons, military hand-to-hand combat and small unit strategy and tactics. I have qualified as high expert with every weapon in the US, NATO and Warsaw Pact arsenals, both individual and Squad. I was involved in setting up the training programs for the Marine Corps Force Recon and the US Navy's SeAL Teams." The Sergeant said.
"Wow." Xander said. "Ummmm, could I ask you something?"
"Before you ask, let me tell you. I Slipped and fell in the shower, broke my neck at home."
Xander chuckled.
"How did you know that was what I was going to ask?"
"Just figured. Now set back and let me do this." Said Rueben.
Xander sat on the couch, and the marine placed his hands on Xander's head. The familiar glow started then faded out, leaving Xander asleep. A semi transparent form appeared next to the marine sergeant and offered his hand.
"Thanks for freeing a piece of me. I passed my skills onto him long ago, but was partially tied to him, now I can rest in piece, my knowledge added to yours to help him on his destiny. My name is Staff Sergeant John Timberlake, of the 1st Special Forces Group, US Army. I died during the last stages of Viet Nam. I guess my wife surplused my old fatigues, and they ended up in a costume shop. A Chaos mage used various costumes to make a large group of people become the characters the costumes suggested. The young man had picked up my fatigues and somehow a piece of me got pulled into him. Now I can rest." He said as he faded.
The marine sergeant shook his head as he watched the other old soldier fade away.
"God speed son, and good luck." He said as he disappeared.
Xander was sleeping on the couch and the room was empty until yet another man faded into existence. He was dressed in old Levis, cowboy boots, faded flannel shirt and wore a straw western hat. He looked at the sleeping man and spoke quietly.
"I heard what yer up against, kid, and wanted to help you. I don't got the skills that the others did, so I snuck in the back door to pass on what little bit of skill I got." He said, placing his hands on Xander's head. As the glow grew, then faded he again spoke.
"I gots a reputation for doin lot's of bad things, but it really wasn't bad at all. But I do know that you is goin' to be fightin' vampires and I wanted to give you an edge. You now have the skill of Cullen Baker, one of the first gunfighters to use a fast draw. I hope it helps you on your mission. Good bye son." And with that Cullen Baker faded back into obscurity.
~~~~~**********~~~~~
Last Part.
Angel Investigations
Los Angeles Ca.
July 7th 2002 3:00 PM
Angel was reading over a report that he got from a tame demon at the demon karaoke bar Caritas. According to him there was an unknown man who was asking around to see if anyone was interested in accepting a contract to take out the Slayer. As far as he knew, no one there was interested, and the man left after a very short time.
He stood up and walked out to Cordelia's desk.
"Cordelia, could you make Giles aware of this? I want someone to know, and I don't think Buffy would pay any attention right now," Angel said. "I'm going to check around some more tonight to see if I can find out anymore."
"Sure Angel," answered Cordy.
Part 4
Mercy Hospital
Sunnydale Ca.
July 8th 2002 11:00 PM
Xander was having trouble getting to sleep tonight, his mind running away with itself. He was beginning to have really strong doubts that he would be able to do what the PTB asked of him.
After all, he was the normal one of the group, and he had always had problems with self-esteem.
One of the nurses had noticed him earlier, and finally came in with some sleeping medication.
"Problems sleeping?" She asked.
"Yea, too much on my mind tonight I guess." Xander replied.
"Do you want some help?" The Nurse asked holding up the syringe.
"That would be nice," answered Xander.
The nurse slipped the needle into the IV line and injected the medication into it. She disposed of the empty needle and walked in front of the patient.
"The doctor may let you try laying on your back tomorrow." She said. "You are doing so well, that it may only be a few more days till you get to go home." She paused. "You know, you are lucky to have the friends that you do, and a girlfriend who cares as much as she does."
"She's not my girlfriend, just a good friend," retorted Xander. "She doesn't think of me like that."
"Are you sure?" Asked the Nurse. "I saw her when you first came in, and the devastated look on her face told me that she loved you very much."
Xander really didn't have anything to say, the medication started to take effect and he slowly drifted off to sleep.
~~~~~**********~~~~~
White Room
Unknown Location
Xander faded into the familiar place, again dressed all in white. This time he was not entirely comfortable. He paced the length of the room and kept running the nurses words through his mind again and again. Did Buffy really care about him?
The visitor faded in quietly, dressed impeccably in a charcoal gray three-piece suit. His white silk shirt was adorned strangely enough with a Jerry Garcia tie. The stranger stood quietly while
Xander paced, muttering to himself.
After a moment Xander looked up and saw the man standing there.
"Oh, sorry, had a lot on my mind. I'm Xander." He said.
"That's quite alright Xander. My name is George Badon, once known as Gildas Badonicus. I am here to instruct you how to survive as an immortal. Once I have imparted my knowledge to you, you will know all about The Game, how to fit in anywhere, and have enough knowledge to get around all over the world. Before you ask, I died in 1976, victim of a less than honorable attack. I was shot, and my head taken before I could heal enough to defend myself. I was very honored to be selected to pass my knowledge on to one of mankind's champions."
"Thank you Mr. Badon, and I must apologize for my behavior when you got here. I have had some things on my mind that distracted me." Xander said.
"That was not a problem for me, Mr. Harris. I can imagine that anyone going through what you are, could have quite a few distracting thoughts. ." Replied George.
"Please, Call me Xander. It's an old problem, has to do with loving someone who doesn't love you back." Xander sighed.
"You should never think that you know what is in a woman's head. You will usually find out that you are wrong almost all of the time. Just relax. Let things happen at their own pace. Now let us begin." George said as he pushed Xander onto the couch and placed his hands on the sides of Xander's head.
"Good journeys my young friend. I can only hope that my knowledge will be of some use to you." George said as he faded out.
~~~~~**********~~~~~
Giles had spent a fruitless evening in research, trying to match up the design appearing on Xander's arm, and then talking to Cordelia. Finding out that someone was trying to kill Buffy was like a blow to the stomach, and he literally had to bite back the taste of bile in his mouth.
In the six years that he had been Buffy Summers' Watcher, he had grown to love her as a daughter, and had been forced to observe all the terrible things that had happened to her. After the near death of her mother and the murder of one of her friends Buffy was not really ready to deal with what had happened to Xander. They were now fairly sure that someone was out to kill her, but the reason why, was still unknown.
Giles' frustration was further increased as he had not found out what that bloody symbol on Xander's arm meant.
~~~~~**********~~~~~
When Xander woke that morning, thoughts of what to do about Buffy had disturbed his dreams from the time he left the white room. He still loved her, of that he was sure, but he didn't know if he could trust that love right now. There was just too much going on right now.
Mercy Hospital
Sunnydale Ca.
July 9th 2002 10:00 AM
Giles, Willow and Buffy were the first to arrive that morning, and entered Xander's room to find him looking rather pensive.
"Morning Xander, how ya feelin'?" Buffy asked rather bubbly.
"Could be better" coolly, answered Xander.
Buffy could tell that he was in a mood so she backed off with the cheerfulness.
"So, what's the latest news Xander?" asked Willow.
"Going home Friday if everything continues to go right." Xander replied. "I wanted to talk to you Giles, would it be possible for me to stay in the room at the store? The Doc said I need to have someone around for a while before they would let me go, and my parents have already said they were too busy."
"But, I thought you could stay with mom and me?" Buffy interrupted.
"Thanks for the offer Buff, but I really want to be more or less alone for awhile, I have some things to work out on my own." Xander said quietly.
"Well okay, if you're sure you'll be all right." Buffy said equally softly.
"I see no problem with you staying in the back room, but you will need someone to stay with you during the night won't you?" Asked Giles.
"According to the doctor, once I take my meds it's doubtful that I will ever get up during the night, so I should be okay." Xander answered. "Besides you are usually there till almost midnight every night."
"Yes, I suppose I am." Replied Giles as he removed his glasses to clean them.
The tension between Buffy and Xander was getting thicker when Xander stretched and exposed the, for lack of a better word, tattoo.
"Xander, when did this pentagram show up on your arm?" Asked Willow.
"It's something that just started showing up. I have no idea what it means." Xander answered with a voice tinged with curiosity.
Giles walked over to look closer when Buffy spoke up.
"Isn't it like the symbol for evil or Satan worship or something like that?"
"No Buffy it isn't." Stated Giles. "The pentagram has long been believed to be a potent protection against evil, a symbol of conflict that shields the wearer and the home. The pentagram has five spiked wards and a womb shaped defensive, protective pentagon at the center. It is a very ancient and powerful symbol of good. The inverted pentagram has come to be seen by many pagans as representing the dark side and it is abhorred as an evil symbol. Fundamental Christians, indeed, see any form of pentagram as such."
"Oh." Was all that Xander said as he drifted off.
Giles left to return to the store to get the back room ready for Xander, and his two best friends sat with him as he slept. After talking some after he awoke and had lunch, Willow and Buffy finally left when they took him up for physical and respiratory therapy.
~~~~~**********~~~~~
"Xander hates me." Stated Buffy as they walked down the street.
"No he doesn't Buffy, he is just confused right now." Willow said.
"Why would he be confused, I told him I thought I loved him." Buffy spoke softly, tears threatening to spill from her eyes.
"Because he is your 'Xander-shaped friend'. He has loved you since he first met you. Cordy, Anya and me, well we were all just temporary replacements to help take away the hurt. He has had to watch you with Angel, Owen, Parker, Riley, and then Spike. You never gave him any hope, and now that you have told him, he thinks that it is because of gratitude or something else." Willow said.
"You need to take it slow if you mean it. And Buffy." Willow said stopping to look at her friend.
"Yes?" Buffy replied meekly.
"Don't hurt him again!" Willow said, her eyes clouding over with blackness for a brief moment before she turned and walked away.
Buffy stopped and sat down at a bus stop bench thinking. Willow had been right, she had always taken Xander for granted, and now maybe it was too late. She sat there alone, sobbing quietly for a long time before she finally got up and headed home.
~~~~~**********~~~~~
The Magic Box
Sunnydale Ca.
July 9th 2002 5:00 PM
Willow had spent the rest of the afternoon helping Giles at the store, feeling somewhat guilty for dumping on Buffy like she did, but glad she got her point across. Finally she decided to head back to the hospital to visit before returning to Buffy's house.
"Giles, do you want anything before I leave?" Willow asked.
"No, thank you Willow, I really am fine. I'm still trying to find out what that marking on Xander is. Tell him I will be in to see him in the morning." Giles replied.
He rested his head on his hands for a minute before getting up to make another cup of tea. He absent-mindedly dunked the tea bag in the hot water for several minutes before the phone rang.
"Magic Box." Answered Giles.
\\ Hello Rupert, Roland Witherspoon speaking. //
"What can I do for you Rollie?" Giles sighed.
\\ Look Rupert, I know that there have been a few hard feelings in the past, but there is a new issue that has come up concerning the Hellmouth. //
"What is it this time?" Asked Giles sarcastically.
\\ A prophesy, one of Lady Byron's. It talks about a new master appearing, and that it takes the skill and dedication of 'both' slayers to stop him from opening the Hellmouth. //
Giles felt a pang of fear as the leader of the council mentioned Lady Byron, her prophecies were always right on the mark.
"But we don't have two slayers Roland." Giles stated flatly.
\\ We do, and we are making arrangements to get Faith released as we speak. //
"How? Faith confessed to the crime, and offered no defense." Asked Giles.
\\ We had enough evidence to prevent her conviction, but she felt that she had to be punished, so we withheld it. It will be presented as new evidence at a new trial, and she should be released within the next 6 weeks or so. //
"I don't know how things will go here for her. She did some terrible things to Buffy, and I don't know if they will be able to work together again." Giles said.
\\ That will be your job Rupert, you will have to convince your slayer that this is best. We will deliver her to you, and you will be the watcher for both. No interference this time, but do try to do a good job this time. // Said Roland as he hung up.
"Bloody hell!" Yelled Giles as he heaved the teacup across the room.
Just before the cup would have impacted on the wall it stopped, all of the liquid flowing back into the cup and then it slowly floated over to the table.
Giles looked around wildly for a minute looking for the cause. His eyes fell on the tame messenger demon of 'The Powers That Be".
"What do you want Whistler?" Asked Giles tiredly.
"Just passing on some information Rupert." Whistler said as he made a gesture, and pulled a book off the shelf. The book was levitated over in front of Giles, laid on the table, and then the pages were turned until a picture was displayed.
Giles grabbed the book and read the section as fast as he could.
"My God!" was all he could say.
"Yea, that pretty well sums it up." Stated Whistler. "But, let him be the one to talk about it. It is a big change for him." Whistler paused thinking. "When he was in the coma, and we asked him to come back, he refused at first. Said she had hurt him too much."
"That would be an understatement. He has loved her for years, and she always took him for granted. However I think she really loved him, and still does, but that was her way of protecting him." Giles said.
"Yep, and they have to work it out. But let him tell everyone what's going on, I just wanted you to stop looking for the answer and get some rest. Two slayers are not going to be easy to deal with." Whistler offered.
"Thank you for your trust in this matter, and I will keep it to myself." Giles said.
~~~~~**********~~~~~
White Room
Unknown Location
Xander faded into the now familiar room and sat brooding quietly. Thinking about Buffy, and their recent conversations, and everything that had happened this week. His mind was running one direction and another, and then from behind him came a booming voice.
"ATTENS HUT!" Barked a tall muscular man dressed in Marine Corps green.
As Xander jumped to attention the man proceeded to walk around him checking him out as if he were inspecting Xander.
"As you were. My name is Master Gunnery Sergeant Reuben Hunter, USMC. I am here to impart my knowledge of modern weapons, military hand-to-hand combat and small unit strategy and tactics. I have qualified as high expert with every weapon in the US, NATO and Warsaw Pact arsenals, both individual and Squad. I was involved in setting up the training programs for the Marine Corps Force Recon and the US Navy's SeAL Teams." The Sergeant said.
"Wow." Xander said. "Ummmm, could I ask you something?"
"Before you ask, let me tell you. I Slipped and fell in the shower, broke my neck at home."
Xander chuckled.
"How did you know that was what I was going to ask?"
"Just figured. Now set back and let me do this." Said Rueben.
Xander sat on the couch, and the marine placed his hands on Xander's head. The familiar glow started then faded out, leaving Xander asleep. A semi transparent form appeared next to the marine sergeant and offered his hand.
"Thanks for freeing a piece of me. I passed my skills onto him long ago, but was partially tied to him, now I can rest in piece, my knowledge added to yours to help him on his destiny. My name is Staff Sergeant John Timberlake, of the 1st Special Forces Group, US Army. I died during the last stages of Viet Nam. I guess my wife surplused my old fatigues, and they ended up in a costume shop. A Chaos mage used various costumes to make a large group of people become the characters the costumes suggested. The young man had picked up my fatigues and somehow a piece of me got pulled into him. Now I can rest." He said as he faded.
The marine sergeant shook his head as he watched the other old soldier fade away.
"God speed son, and good luck." He said as he disappeared.
Xander was sleeping on the couch and the room was empty until yet another man faded into existence. He was dressed in old Levis, cowboy boots, faded flannel shirt and wore a straw western hat. He looked at the sleeping man and spoke quietly.
"I heard what yer up against, kid, and wanted to help you. I don't got the skills that the others did, so I snuck in the back door to pass on what little bit of skill I got." He said, placing his hands on Xander's head. As the glow grew, then faded he again spoke.
"I gots a reputation for doin lot's of bad things, but it really wasn't bad at all. But I do know that you is goin' to be fightin' vampires and I wanted to give you an edge. You now have the skill of Cullen Baker, one of the first gunfighters to use a fast draw. I hope it helps you on your mission. Good bye son." And with that Cullen Baker faded back into obscurity.
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