Chapter 12
Spike couldn't believe how slow the car was going, it felt like they'd been driving for hours, when in fact it was only about ten minutes. Even though it had only gone two minutes since he did it the last time, he turned around to face Alex who were sitting in the backseat holding her map that was currently glowing after the location spell she'd done earlier.
"How much further is it?" he asked impatiently. He could just imagine all of the bad things that could be happening to his Buffy at that exact time.
But the ever so calm Alex just shrugged and eyed the map closer.
"Only a couple of minutes. But it would go much faster if you would just concentrate on driving and let me worry about this," she said, pointing at the map.
He sighed and drove even faster, even though he'd already exceeded the speed limit much more then was comfortable for his passenger. She clutched the side of the door and lost her calm visage fore a moment.
"What the hell!" she breathed out. "I said concentrate on your driving, not kill me with your driving. I don't care if you've owned a car for like a century, everyone can be killed by sliding on the ice into a tree."
He smirked and chuckled, amused by her fear.
"Not me, but you on the other hand." he teased her, but to his disappointment she had regained control over herself again and she ignored him. He chuckled gain, and slowed down slightly. He maybe wouldn't die by a car accident, but it would slow him down.
But he knew it might already be too late.
~*~
Nils was let in to the headquarter without any of the safety procedures that would have taken place if he had been someone else. Ignoring the men and hurried up to his brothers office at the top floor. He still couldn't help but stare at the expensive-looking paintings and furniture that was on that floor. All of the other offices and hallways had barely any furniture at all, only the real necessities had been bought. His brother really liked being the boss.
"Hej, e' Marcus inne? Jag behöver prata me' honom," he said to the secretary outside his brothers door. (Hi, is Marcus in? I need to talk with him.)
She nodded and pushed a button.
"Din bror är här, ska jag skicka in honom?" she asked with a non-caring voice. (Your brother's here, should I send him in?)
There wasn't any answer, but seconds later the door opened and a dark- haired man in his early thirty's stepped outside, giving Nils a warm smile. Nils smiled back and walked into the huge office. The walls were clad with dark brown wallpaper, and all the furniture looked like they had been taken directly from a 18th century museum. Uncomfortable in the big room, Nils chose the simplest looking chair he could find and sat down.
If Marcus felt his unease, he didn't show it. The two brothers had never been very close, but they hadn't been fighting that much either. Still none of them had uttered a word.
"Så, varför är du här? Nån stor kris?" he said, sounding amused. (So, why are you here? Some big crisis?)
Nils shrugged and gave him a thoughtful gaze.
"Nej, inte egentligen," he said slowly. "Jag är bara här för att berätta att flickan som kallas The Slayer är här med sina följeslagare, och att jag lovat dem vår hjälp." (No, not really. I'm just here to tell you that the girl that is called The Slayer is here with her companions, and that I've promised them our help.)
Marcus looked surprised for a moment, but then quickly composed himself. He eyed his younger brother thoughtfully, like he wasn't sure what to think. Nils felt his gaze and shifted uncomfortably in his chair. Finally Marcus spoke.
"Jag antar att Rupert Giles in talat med dig än," he said like someone talking to a child. Then he sighed. "Då får jag vel göra det själv då. Vi ska inte hjälpa Buffy, eller någon av hennes vänner. Detta kan komma some en chock för dig, och jag förstår om du blir arg och besviken på mig för att jag hållit det hemligt, men vi arbetar inte för rådet, vi arbetar for mister Giles." (I guess Rupert Giles haven't spoken to you yet. Then I'll have to do it myself. This may come as a chock to you, and I will understand if you get angry and disappointed at me for keeping this a secret from you, but were not working for the Council, we're working for Mr. Giles.)
Nils stared at him. What was this that he was hearing? How could Marcus have held this a secret from him, he was supposed to be Marcus right hand, the one he told all of the plans. And all of the time he'd been lying. This was too much. He rose from his chair and walked up to his brother and shook him violently.
"En chock? Fattar du inte vad du gjort? Jag litade på dig, och jag har lovat dem vår hjälp. Jag har inte tänkt svika dem nu!" (A shock? Don't you understand what you've done? I trusted you, and I've promised them our help. I'm not planning on letting them down now!)
Marcus smirked and gave him a look that could kill. Slowly Nils calmed down and let go of him. But he was far from happy about this.
"Jag tänker inte svika dem," he said, deadly calm. "Och du kan inte tvinga mig. Ifall du tänker fortsätta med det här du håller på med, så kommer jag och du vara på olika sidor." (I won't betray them. And you can't make me. If you're going to go through with what you're doing, you and I will be on different sides.)
Marcus just smiled and shrugged.
"Synd. Jag antar att du vill gå nu?" he said, just as calm as Nils had been seconds earlier. (Too bad. I guess you want to leave now?)
Nils stormed out of the office without looking back even once.
~*~
Something about the place really creeped Buffy out. Maybe it was all the dust and the spooky noises that the wind made when it blew through the broken windows. She wandered around on the first floor, looking for any signs of vampires. But she found none. And all the time Giles stood there by the door, completely silent.
She sighed and walked up to him.
"There's no one here, obviously the ones that told you about this place were wrong, or they were just playing with you." When he didn't make any move that showed that he had even heard her, she frowned and gazed at him worriedly. "Giles, is something wrong?" When he still didn't answer she felt a chill go down her spine.
Wanting to forget about it, she tried to find something to do. Her eyes stopped at the stairs leading up to the second floor of the four-floored house and she started walking towards it.
"Where is the vampires when you need them?" she muttered. Halfway up she heard something behind her. Turning around she saw Giles standing there, and she gave him a smile, but it was quickly cut off by the needle that was suddenly stuck in her arm, and she gasped in horror and surprised before everything went black.
"This is for you," Giles whispered to her unconscious form. "Always for you."
~*~
Willow pressed the key slowly as she waited for the information to come up on her screen. Beside her, Dawn sat by another computer searching unsuccessfully for any information about what was happening.
But when Willow had finished downloading the file she jumped up and let out a high cry of victory. A surprised Dawn looked up at her and ran to the witch's computer to see what all the fuss was about. When all she could see was words written in a language she didn't understand she gazed at Willow expectantly. She didn't have to wait long, because soon the red-haired girl sat down again and started translating out-loud for Dawn.
"And so it's said, at one hour in the cold land where the sun don't rise, the One will arise, and feed off the unhappiness of the strong ones. Its power will grow bigger, and Its slaves will do as It wishes. All will in the end bow for Its will. For his slaves are not controlled by force, or by greed, not they are controlled by Its mind. No physical power can hurt the One, and all will be for nothing."
Dawn stared at her, hoping she had heard it wrong.
"What do you mean? 'It's all for nothing', what's up with that? We don't have a chance?"
Willow put a soothing hand on the teenager's arm and gave her a reassuring smile.
"No, this is if we cant stop it before it has done whatever it has planned. And we will stop it." She sighed unhappily and looked like she was lost in thought. "I just don't know how yet."
"But what about this then? 'At one hour in the land where the sun don't rise'? Where and when is that?" Dawn asked, quickly starting to panic.
"It's today," Willow replied after a moments of thought. "It has to be today. We're so far up north that at one day every year the sun never rises. And that is today. We just have to figure out where exactly it is."
She picked up her cell and called Xander.
"Xander? Hi. I need you, Anya and Nils to meet me in my room in fifteen minutes, I think we have a lead." After saying her good byes she logged out of the computer and picked up her bag.
"Come on Dawnie, it's time to go save your sister," she said and hurried out to the cold winter air.
~*~
Buffy slowly woke up and when she sat up, the whole room started spinning. She was in a small room with gray concrete walls and no windows. The door was made of steel and she held no hope of that she could break it down. Panic started to fill her, and she started banging on the door until her hands were bleeding. Feeling the pain, she stopped.
She had no idea where she was, but as the memory started coming back she realized that she must still be inside the house. Whatever was in that shot, it sure had to be strong. Every time she made a quick move she felt dizzy and had to sit down.
She sighed and leaned against the wall. Nothing to do but wait and see what was to happen.
~*~
They could see the house in the dim light from the moon. For some reason Spike couldn't really enjoy that the sun hadn't been up the whole day, he maybe had been around humans too long.
The house looked like it had at least four floors, and it looked so old that he wouldn't be surprised if it collapsed right there in front of him. Alex seemed to be thinking the same thing, because she shuddered as she saw the broken windows and the shaky stairs.
But before anyone of them got to express their discomfort, someone grabbing Spike and throwing him into a nearby tree interrupted them. For a moment everything was black, but he shook it off and ran to Alex's aid. He ignored the stabbing pain in his shoulders and in his left arm and pushed the big green slimy demon aside. That was when everything went black again.
But luckily Alex had already started chanting, and soon a small ball of fire burned between her lifted hands, and after a whispered word from her, it flew away at their attacker. The demon staggered and fell, and before it had time to get up again, Alex beheaded him with a sword they'd brought for the possibility that something like this might happen.
Shaking slightly, Spike sat up slowly and looked around for the demon. When he saw it lying lifeless on the ground and Alex standing unharmed beside it he smiled in relief. He'd actually grown pretty fond of the witch, even though her calm way of acting annoyed him sometimes.
"You okay?" she asked just then and helped him up.
Afraid that his voice would betray him, he just nodded. No need to make her worry about him when there was much more important things to worry about, like Buffy. Remembering their reason for being by the old abandoned house, he took a deep breath to calm himself down and started walking while hiding his grimaces of pain from the witch.
He was the one that opened the door, and that was probably what saved Alex. She wouldn't have survived the gunshot that had now gone through Spike's chest and made him fall to the ground, fainting by the pain. Alex was too shocked to be able to do anything when Giles rushed forward and stabbed her with a needle. The last thing she saw before everything went black was Giles eyes looking at her like he was completely insane.
~*~
When Willow and Dawn reached the hotel the others were already gathered in Willows room. They watched them expectantly; all of them eager to find out what were really going on. Dawn didn't want to be the one to tell them, so she quickly sat down, leaving Willow in the center of attention.
"We have a problem," the witch started. Nils snorted and Xander hit him quite hard in the head. Nils started to rise his hand, but Anya put a stop to the oncoming fight by giving them both a look of steel.
When Willow saw that she had their undivided attention again, she continued.
"As I said, we have a problem. Something big is coming, and I think it's coming tonight. I have no idea where, but since this is a hellmouth, my guess is that it's somewhere close to us. But our biggest problem is-" she stopped, she didn't really want to tell them about Giles connection to the thing. "This demon has the power to make people his slaves. Right now it isn't strong enough to control that many people, but after some kind of ritual that takes place tonight, it can control everyone. And I mean EVERYONE."
Xander and Nils stared at her in disbelief. Why was this happening just when they didn't know where Buffy and Giles where?
"But what about Buffy and Giles?" Anya said, putting a voice to their question. "Don't you think we'll need them? I know all of you are convinced that Giles gone bad or something, but I still don't think he would stand by and let some demon take over the minds of every person in the world."
"Giles is one of it's slaves," Dawn said shakily, only a whisper. Nils, Anya and Xander stared at her like she was crazy.
"Giles? Is Giles this thing's slave? I thought you said it couldn't control minds yet, not until after this ritual thingy," Xander said to Willow.
She shook her head at him.
"No, I said it wasn't strong enough to control many people, but maybe ten or twenty or so." When they all gasped in horror of having to fight humans under the control of the demon, she desperately wanted to say that it wasn't true, that she and Dawn had just played a joke on them. But she couldn't. "I don't know how his thing got control over Giles, but it has, and I don't know how to break the connection. I don't think it's even possible." Willow turned to Nils and watched him expectantly. He moved uneasily under her gaze and looked down.
"Your brother and those soldiers, will they help us?" she asked hopefully.
He looked down, like he was ashamed or something.
"No," he said quietly. "Neither my brother or the soldiers will help you. They only do what Giles tells them to do."
All eyes were now on Nils, and he still looked down.
"I didn't know, I promise," he said pleadingly, now looking at Anya. "You all have to believe me, my brother has been lying to me for months. The council has never been involved in out little organization; it has been only Giles all along. So, no, you want get any help from them."
"This just gets worse and worse every second," Xander muttered.
Dawn squeezed his hand softly, just as much to sooth herself as him.
"It'll all work out," she said, actually managing to sound convinced. "It has too. We just have to find Buffy."
"Spike and Alex are out doing that right now, but I think it's time for us to join them," Willow said and hoped that they were all right. As Dawn said; it would all work out, it had too.
~*~
Buffy was startled when the door suddenly opened and she jumped up quickly into a fighting stance. Unfortunately she was still feeling faint, and she wasn't sure she would be able to fight as good as usual. But only half of her strength would be enough for most beasties.
But to her surprise no one came. Slowly she walked up to the door, only to be met by the barrel of a gun pointing directly at her head. And the person who held it was Giles. She froze, making sure she didn't do anything that could make him pull the trigger, and then she noticed the bodies lying behind him.
"What have you done to them?" she cried, as she couldn't see neither Alex nor Spike breathing, the thing about Spike not needing it was totally forgotten.
Giles didn't say anything at first; he just stood there with the gun in his hand, looking strangely absent. But then he suddenly stared her directly into her eyes.
"Carry them in there," he said, his voice sounding different somehow, totally vacant of feelings. "If you try anything, I will shot them."
The way he said it made Buffy feel no doubt about whether or not he would actually do it. Not seeing any way she could rescue them and get out of there without risking all of their life's she did as she'd been asked. Quickly see got to Alex's side and lifted her up and half dragged, half carried her into the small room. Feeling Giles' eyes upon her she hurried up and got Spike. When both of them lay lifeless on the floor Giles smiled wickedly.
"No you go inside," he said, sounding like one of those psycho murderers from an old horror movie.
She took the small step that put her inside the room and waited. Giles chuckled and pushed the door shut with his foot. Soon she could hear the sound of the lock being turned.
~*~
Giles stepped down on the floor and watched his work. It had taken him several days to complete it; he'd spent every moment he could there for the last week. The old gray walls on the second floor had been painted with pigs-blood, and large areas of the floor were completely covered with candles. And all of the windows had been drawn shut. The place was ready for the One to finally arise.
"You have done good, Watcher," the dark voice said. "Almossst ready."
Giles was now so deep in Its control that the voice didn't bother him anymore. He stood there like a slave waiting for orders. A hideous laughter was heard and all of the remaining windows shook.
"Jussst one more thing, if you are to get what you asssked for."
"What is that, Master?" Giles asked like he was in a trance.
The laughter was heard again, now even louder.
"Kill them all," it said, sounding almost like a whisper. "Kill them all and leave the Ssslayer alone in her misssery, and I will free her from her resssponsssibilitiesss."
"Yes, Master," Giles replied.
~*~
The whole group gathered as many weapons as they could and packed them into Nils car. Just as they all were about to get in, a tall dark-haired man stepped forward from the shadows.
"So your leaving now, are you?" he asked. For some reason that seemed to amuse him. "Aren't you going to say goodbye first, Nils?"
None of the others recognized the man, but slowly they started to realize who it was.
"Why would I, Marcus? It isn't like you and I have that much in common anymore. Me being on the good side and you being on the bad, I say that could be a problem at the family gatherings in the future."
Marcus smirked and made a signal with his hands.
"I was actually hoping that you would switch side's, but I didn't really think you would. It's too bad though, because now you'll have to die together with your American friends."
Suddenly at least forty men and women attacked them both from the forest surrounding them and from the hotel. Five against forty isn't very good odds.
~*~
She didn't know what to do. She's made sure that Alex was alive, and the witch had started to move slightly and she could her small moans coming from her. But Spike still hadn't made any move at all. He had several wounds on his shoulders and arms, and one big one on his chest, and the last one wouldn't stop bleeding.
"He's been shot," Alex whispered hoarsely from her position in one of the corners. "Giles shot him right in the chest, he fell and then Giles put a needle on my arm. I couldn't do anything." The witch drifted away again and Buffy rushed forward.
"Alex! Wake up, I need your help!" she cried while holding her in her arms. "You have to wake up, please."
It was like Alex found strength from the Slayers voice, because her eyes opened again and she was able to sit up almost without any help.
"Where are we?" she asked raggedly, her voice felt like she hadn't used it for weeks.
"In the old house," Buffy answered, happy to see her awake again. "I need your help with Spike."
That was when Alex noticed Spike for real for the first time. When she saw all of the blood she made a gagging sound. Buffy looked at her pleadingly and she tried to get herself together.
"I'm sorry, I just can't stand blood." She shakily rose to her feat and walked to Spike's side. "I can help him," she said determinedly. "If it wasn't for him I'd be dead. If I had gone in first." She left the last sentence unfinished as she sat down beside the vampire. "I just have to remember the right spell."
Buffy wasn't sure what to do. She wanted Spike to be okay, seeing him lying there lifeless put her in more pain then she'd been in for a very long time. She knew that she didn't want to loose him, that he was a big and important part of her life that she. loved.
"Oh my God," she mumbled.
"I can do it Buffy, don't worry," Alex said, thinking that Buffy had been talking about her spell. "Just give me a minute to think it through."
Buffy whispered absently and sat down beside the unconscious body. She put Spike's head in her lap and held his hand tightly.
"Do whatever you have to do." TBC
Spike couldn't believe how slow the car was going, it felt like they'd been driving for hours, when in fact it was only about ten minutes. Even though it had only gone two minutes since he did it the last time, he turned around to face Alex who were sitting in the backseat holding her map that was currently glowing after the location spell she'd done earlier.
"How much further is it?" he asked impatiently. He could just imagine all of the bad things that could be happening to his Buffy at that exact time.
But the ever so calm Alex just shrugged and eyed the map closer.
"Only a couple of minutes. But it would go much faster if you would just concentrate on driving and let me worry about this," she said, pointing at the map.
He sighed and drove even faster, even though he'd already exceeded the speed limit much more then was comfortable for his passenger. She clutched the side of the door and lost her calm visage fore a moment.
"What the hell!" she breathed out. "I said concentrate on your driving, not kill me with your driving. I don't care if you've owned a car for like a century, everyone can be killed by sliding on the ice into a tree."
He smirked and chuckled, amused by her fear.
"Not me, but you on the other hand." he teased her, but to his disappointment she had regained control over herself again and she ignored him. He chuckled gain, and slowed down slightly. He maybe wouldn't die by a car accident, but it would slow him down.
But he knew it might already be too late.
~*~
Nils was let in to the headquarter without any of the safety procedures that would have taken place if he had been someone else. Ignoring the men and hurried up to his brothers office at the top floor. He still couldn't help but stare at the expensive-looking paintings and furniture that was on that floor. All of the other offices and hallways had barely any furniture at all, only the real necessities had been bought. His brother really liked being the boss.
"Hej, e' Marcus inne? Jag behöver prata me' honom," he said to the secretary outside his brothers door. (Hi, is Marcus in? I need to talk with him.)
She nodded and pushed a button.
"Din bror är här, ska jag skicka in honom?" she asked with a non-caring voice. (Your brother's here, should I send him in?)
There wasn't any answer, but seconds later the door opened and a dark- haired man in his early thirty's stepped outside, giving Nils a warm smile. Nils smiled back and walked into the huge office. The walls were clad with dark brown wallpaper, and all the furniture looked like they had been taken directly from a 18th century museum. Uncomfortable in the big room, Nils chose the simplest looking chair he could find and sat down.
If Marcus felt his unease, he didn't show it. The two brothers had never been very close, but they hadn't been fighting that much either. Still none of them had uttered a word.
"Så, varför är du här? Nån stor kris?" he said, sounding amused. (So, why are you here? Some big crisis?)
Nils shrugged and gave him a thoughtful gaze.
"Nej, inte egentligen," he said slowly. "Jag är bara här för att berätta att flickan som kallas The Slayer är här med sina följeslagare, och att jag lovat dem vår hjälp." (No, not really. I'm just here to tell you that the girl that is called The Slayer is here with her companions, and that I've promised them our help.)
Marcus looked surprised for a moment, but then quickly composed himself. He eyed his younger brother thoughtfully, like he wasn't sure what to think. Nils felt his gaze and shifted uncomfortably in his chair. Finally Marcus spoke.
"Jag antar att Rupert Giles in talat med dig än," he said like someone talking to a child. Then he sighed. "Då får jag vel göra det själv då. Vi ska inte hjälpa Buffy, eller någon av hennes vänner. Detta kan komma some en chock för dig, och jag förstår om du blir arg och besviken på mig för att jag hållit det hemligt, men vi arbetar inte för rådet, vi arbetar for mister Giles." (I guess Rupert Giles haven't spoken to you yet. Then I'll have to do it myself. This may come as a chock to you, and I will understand if you get angry and disappointed at me for keeping this a secret from you, but were not working for the Council, we're working for Mr. Giles.)
Nils stared at him. What was this that he was hearing? How could Marcus have held this a secret from him, he was supposed to be Marcus right hand, the one he told all of the plans. And all of the time he'd been lying. This was too much. He rose from his chair and walked up to his brother and shook him violently.
"En chock? Fattar du inte vad du gjort? Jag litade på dig, och jag har lovat dem vår hjälp. Jag har inte tänkt svika dem nu!" (A shock? Don't you understand what you've done? I trusted you, and I've promised them our help. I'm not planning on letting them down now!)
Marcus smirked and gave him a look that could kill. Slowly Nils calmed down and let go of him. But he was far from happy about this.
"Jag tänker inte svika dem," he said, deadly calm. "Och du kan inte tvinga mig. Ifall du tänker fortsätta med det här du håller på med, så kommer jag och du vara på olika sidor." (I won't betray them. And you can't make me. If you're going to go through with what you're doing, you and I will be on different sides.)
Marcus just smiled and shrugged.
"Synd. Jag antar att du vill gå nu?" he said, just as calm as Nils had been seconds earlier. (Too bad. I guess you want to leave now?)
Nils stormed out of the office without looking back even once.
~*~
Something about the place really creeped Buffy out. Maybe it was all the dust and the spooky noises that the wind made when it blew through the broken windows. She wandered around on the first floor, looking for any signs of vampires. But she found none. And all the time Giles stood there by the door, completely silent.
She sighed and walked up to him.
"There's no one here, obviously the ones that told you about this place were wrong, or they were just playing with you." When he didn't make any move that showed that he had even heard her, she frowned and gazed at him worriedly. "Giles, is something wrong?" When he still didn't answer she felt a chill go down her spine.
Wanting to forget about it, she tried to find something to do. Her eyes stopped at the stairs leading up to the second floor of the four-floored house and she started walking towards it.
"Where is the vampires when you need them?" she muttered. Halfway up she heard something behind her. Turning around she saw Giles standing there, and she gave him a smile, but it was quickly cut off by the needle that was suddenly stuck in her arm, and she gasped in horror and surprised before everything went black.
"This is for you," Giles whispered to her unconscious form. "Always for you."
~*~
Willow pressed the key slowly as she waited for the information to come up on her screen. Beside her, Dawn sat by another computer searching unsuccessfully for any information about what was happening.
But when Willow had finished downloading the file she jumped up and let out a high cry of victory. A surprised Dawn looked up at her and ran to the witch's computer to see what all the fuss was about. When all she could see was words written in a language she didn't understand she gazed at Willow expectantly. She didn't have to wait long, because soon the red-haired girl sat down again and started translating out-loud for Dawn.
"And so it's said, at one hour in the cold land where the sun don't rise, the One will arise, and feed off the unhappiness of the strong ones. Its power will grow bigger, and Its slaves will do as It wishes. All will in the end bow for Its will. For his slaves are not controlled by force, or by greed, not they are controlled by Its mind. No physical power can hurt the One, and all will be for nothing."
Dawn stared at her, hoping she had heard it wrong.
"What do you mean? 'It's all for nothing', what's up with that? We don't have a chance?"
Willow put a soothing hand on the teenager's arm and gave her a reassuring smile.
"No, this is if we cant stop it before it has done whatever it has planned. And we will stop it." She sighed unhappily and looked like she was lost in thought. "I just don't know how yet."
"But what about this then? 'At one hour in the land where the sun don't rise'? Where and when is that?" Dawn asked, quickly starting to panic.
"It's today," Willow replied after a moments of thought. "It has to be today. We're so far up north that at one day every year the sun never rises. And that is today. We just have to figure out where exactly it is."
She picked up her cell and called Xander.
"Xander? Hi. I need you, Anya and Nils to meet me in my room in fifteen minutes, I think we have a lead." After saying her good byes she logged out of the computer and picked up her bag.
"Come on Dawnie, it's time to go save your sister," she said and hurried out to the cold winter air.
~*~
Buffy slowly woke up and when she sat up, the whole room started spinning. She was in a small room with gray concrete walls and no windows. The door was made of steel and she held no hope of that she could break it down. Panic started to fill her, and she started banging on the door until her hands were bleeding. Feeling the pain, she stopped.
She had no idea where she was, but as the memory started coming back she realized that she must still be inside the house. Whatever was in that shot, it sure had to be strong. Every time she made a quick move she felt dizzy and had to sit down.
She sighed and leaned against the wall. Nothing to do but wait and see what was to happen.
~*~
They could see the house in the dim light from the moon. For some reason Spike couldn't really enjoy that the sun hadn't been up the whole day, he maybe had been around humans too long.
The house looked like it had at least four floors, and it looked so old that he wouldn't be surprised if it collapsed right there in front of him. Alex seemed to be thinking the same thing, because she shuddered as she saw the broken windows and the shaky stairs.
But before anyone of them got to express their discomfort, someone grabbing Spike and throwing him into a nearby tree interrupted them. For a moment everything was black, but he shook it off and ran to Alex's aid. He ignored the stabbing pain in his shoulders and in his left arm and pushed the big green slimy demon aside. That was when everything went black again.
But luckily Alex had already started chanting, and soon a small ball of fire burned between her lifted hands, and after a whispered word from her, it flew away at their attacker. The demon staggered and fell, and before it had time to get up again, Alex beheaded him with a sword they'd brought for the possibility that something like this might happen.
Shaking slightly, Spike sat up slowly and looked around for the demon. When he saw it lying lifeless on the ground and Alex standing unharmed beside it he smiled in relief. He'd actually grown pretty fond of the witch, even though her calm way of acting annoyed him sometimes.
"You okay?" she asked just then and helped him up.
Afraid that his voice would betray him, he just nodded. No need to make her worry about him when there was much more important things to worry about, like Buffy. Remembering their reason for being by the old abandoned house, he took a deep breath to calm himself down and started walking while hiding his grimaces of pain from the witch.
He was the one that opened the door, and that was probably what saved Alex. She wouldn't have survived the gunshot that had now gone through Spike's chest and made him fall to the ground, fainting by the pain. Alex was too shocked to be able to do anything when Giles rushed forward and stabbed her with a needle. The last thing she saw before everything went black was Giles eyes looking at her like he was completely insane.
~*~
When Willow and Dawn reached the hotel the others were already gathered in Willows room. They watched them expectantly; all of them eager to find out what were really going on. Dawn didn't want to be the one to tell them, so she quickly sat down, leaving Willow in the center of attention.
"We have a problem," the witch started. Nils snorted and Xander hit him quite hard in the head. Nils started to rise his hand, but Anya put a stop to the oncoming fight by giving them both a look of steel.
When Willow saw that she had their undivided attention again, she continued.
"As I said, we have a problem. Something big is coming, and I think it's coming tonight. I have no idea where, but since this is a hellmouth, my guess is that it's somewhere close to us. But our biggest problem is-" she stopped, she didn't really want to tell them about Giles connection to the thing. "This demon has the power to make people his slaves. Right now it isn't strong enough to control that many people, but after some kind of ritual that takes place tonight, it can control everyone. And I mean EVERYONE."
Xander and Nils stared at her in disbelief. Why was this happening just when they didn't know where Buffy and Giles where?
"But what about Buffy and Giles?" Anya said, putting a voice to their question. "Don't you think we'll need them? I know all of you are convinced that Giles gone bad or something, but I still don't think he would stand by and let some demon take over the minds of every person in the world."
"Giles is one of it's slaves," Dawn said shakily, only a whisper. Nils, Anya and Xander stared at her like she was crazy.
"Giles? Is Giles this thing's slave? I thought you said it couldn't control minds yet, not until after this ritual thingy," Xander said to Willow.
She shook her head at him.
"No, I said it wasn't strong enough to control many people, but maybe ten or twenty or so." When they all gasped in horror of having to fight humans under the control of the demon, she desperately wanted to say that it wasn't true, that she and Dawn had just played a joke on them. But she couldn't. "I don't know how his thing got control over Giles, but it has, and I don't know how to break the connection. I don't think it's even possible." Willow turned to Nils and watched him expectantly. He moved uneasily under her gaze and looked down.
"Your brother and those soldiers, will they help us?" she asked hopefully.
He looked down, like he was ashamed or something.
"No," he said quietly. "Neither my brother or the soldiers will help you. They only do what Giles tells them to do."
All eyes were now on Nils, and he still looked down.
"I didn't know, I promise," he said pleadingly, now looking at Anya. "You all have to believe me, my brother has been lying to me for months. The council has never been involved in out little organization; it has been only Giles all along. So, no, you want get any help from them."
"This just gets worse and worse every second," Xander muttered.
Dawn squeezed his hand softly, just as much to sooth herself as him.
"It'll all work out," she said, actually managing to sound convinced. "It has too. We just have to find Buffy."
"Spike and Alex are out doing that right now, but I think it's time for us to join them," Willow said and hoped that they were all right. As Dawn said; it would all work out, it had too.
~*~
Buffy was startled when the door suddenly opened and she jumped up quickly into a fighting stance. Unfortunately she was still feeling faint, and she wasn't sure she would be able to fight as good as usual. But only half of her strength would be enough for most beasties.
But to her surprise no one came. Slowly she walked up to the door, only to be met by the barrel of a gun pointing directly at her head. And the person who held it was Giles. She froze, making sure she didn't do anything that could make him pull the trigger, and then she noticed the bodies lying behind him.
"What have you done to them?" she cried, as she couldn't see neither Alex nor Spike breathing, the thing about Spike not needing it was totally forgotten.
Giles didn't say anything at first; he just stood there with the gun in his hand, looking strangely absent. But then he suddenly stared her directly into her eyes.
"Carry them in there," he said, his voice sounding different somehow, totally vacant of feelings. "If you try anything, I will shot them."
The way he said it made Buffy feel no doubt about whether or not he would actually do it. Not seeing any way she could rescue them and get out of there without risking all of their life's she did as she'd been asked. Quickly see got to Alex's side and lifted her up and half dragged, half carried her into the small room. Feeling Giles' eyes upon her she hurried up and got Spike. When both of them lay lifeless on the floor Giles smiled wickedly.
"No you go inside," he said, sounding like one of those psycho murderers from an old horror movie.
She took the small step that put her inside the room and waited. Giles chuckled and pushed the door shut with his foot. Soon she could hear the sound of the lock being turned.
~*~
Giles stepped down on the floor and watched his work. It had taken him several days to complete it; he'd spent every moment he could there for the last week. The old gray walls on the second floor had been painted with pigs-blood, and large areas of the floor were completely covered with candles. And all of the windows had been drawn shut. The place was ready for the One to finally arise.
"You have done good, Watcher," the dark voice said. "Almossst ready."
Giles was now so deep in Its control that the voice didn't bother him anymore. He stood there like a slave waiting for orders. A hideous laughter was heard and all of the remaining windows shook.
"Jussst one more thing, if you are to get what you asssked for."
"What is that, Master?" Giles asked like he was in a trance.
The laughter was heard again, now even louder.
"Kill them all," it said, sounding almost like a whisper. "Kill them all and leave the Ssslayer alone in her misssery, and I will free her from her resssponsssibilitiesss."
"Yes, Master," Giles replied.
~*~
The whole group gathered as many weapons as they could and packed them into Nils car. Just as they all were about to get in, a tall dark-haired man stepped forward from the shadows.
"So your leaving now, are you?" he asked. For some reason that seemed to amuse him. "Aren't you going to say goodbye first, Nils?"
None of the others recognized the man, but slowly they started to realize who it was.
"Why would I, Marcus? It isn't like you and I have that much in common anymore. Me being on the good side and you being on the bad, I say that could be a problem at the family gatherings in the future."
Marcus smirked and made a signal with his hands.
"I was actually hoping that you would switch side's, but I didn't really think you would. It's too bad though, because now you'll have to die together with your American friends."
Suddenly at least forty men and women attacked them both from the forest surrounding them and from the hotel. Five against forty isn't very good odds.
~*~
She didn't know what to do. She's made sure that Alex was alive, and the witch had started to move slightly and she could her small moans coming from her. But Spike still hadn't made any move at all. He had several wounds on his shoulders and arms, and one big one on his chest, and the last one wouldn't stop bleeding.
"He's been shot," Alex whispered hoarsely from her position in one of the corners. "Giles shot him right in the chest, he fell and then Giles put a needle on my arm. I couldn't do anything." The witch drifted away again and Buffy rushed forward.
"Alex! Wake up, I need your help!" she cried while holding her in her arms. "You have to wake up, please."
It was like Alex found strength from the Slayers voice, because her eyes opened again and she was able to sit up almost without any help.
"Where are we?" she asked raggedly, her voice felt like she hadn't used it for weeks.
"In the old house," Buffy answered, happy to see her awake again. "I need your help with Spike."
That was when Alex noticed Spike for real for the first time. When she saw all of the blood she made a gagging sound. Buffy looked at her pleadingly and she tried to get herself together.
"I'm sorry, I just can't stand blood." She shakily rose to her feat and walked to Spike's side. "I can help him," she said determinedly. "If it wasn't for him I'd be dead. If I had gone in first." She left the last sentence unfinished as she sat down beside the vampire. "I just have to remember the right spell."
Buffy wasn't sure what to do. She wanted Spike to be okay, seeing him lying there lifeless put her in more pain then she'd been in for a very long time. She knew that she didn't want to loose him, that he was a big and important part of her life that she. loved.
"Oh my God," she mumbled.
"I can do it Buffy, don't worry," Alex said, thinking that Buffy had been talking about her spell. "Just give me a minute to think it through."
Buffy whispered absently and sat down beside the unconscious body. She put Spike's head in her lap and held his hand tightly.
"Do whatever you have to do." TBC