Twist of Fate: Chapter 23
by Lisette
Legalese: See Chapter 1 for disclaimers and ratings.
"Watch it Wills, Big, Fat, and Ugly heading your way!" Xander called out as he ducked beneath the vampire's angry swipe, quick enough to avoid one blow but not so speedy as to miss the back swing that sent him rolling to the ground. "Ouch!" he hissed as old bruises protested to the action, yet never pausing long enough to fully appreciate the pain. Instead, he was on his feet again and diving for his dropped stake, snagging it in one hand and rolling onto his back in time to get a full view of the face of fangs headed for his jugular. "Whoa, hold up Fang Boy!" he protested as the vampire hauled him bodily to his feet.
In response, the vampire merely hissed, his yellow eyes sparkling in the dim lighting as he shoved Xander back against a crypt. "Didn't anyone ever tell you that good food doesn't talk back?" it growled, arching forward.
"Sorry, Mom must have missed that one!" Xander grunted as he brought up the stake just in time to land it in the vampire's heart, crumbling him into dust. "'Sides, I doubt I would have tasted very good - very little meat on these bones," he added as he absently began wiping away the ashes, his momentary distraction broken by Willow's startled yelp. Turning, Xander felt month's of experience kick in as he quickly took in the scene around him. Giles was off to the side, trying to hold his own against a tag team of vamps and looking like he wasn't faring too badly, with only a bit of blood running unchecked from his efforts, while Willow was about ready to become snack food for the big vampire that he had tried warning her about.
"No, no! Bad vampire, bad!" she screeched, desperately ducking beneath his clumsy swipe and scuttling across the grassy opening - only to have her foot snagged by the vampire, dragging her slender form right back to her tormentor. "Xander!" she wailed, her frightened eyes locking with her best friend's.
"That's it Willow, you tell 'em," he urged as he shoved away from the crypt and took a flying leap onto the large vampire's back, sending them both crashing to the ground.
"Xand- ooh, ouch," Willow murmured, having finally gained her foot's freedom in time to witness her friend's spectacular dive. "That had to hurt."
"Darn tootin'," Xander agreed, wincing as the vampire reached back and tossed him aside as the angry vamp's attention returned to his best friend.
"Uh.. how about a Plan B?" Willow asked tentatively as she began backing away from Big Ugly, stumbling around the miscellaneous tombstone that stood in her way.
"That was Plan B!" Xander countered as he climbed to his aching feet, a quick glance assuring him that not only was Giles still holding his own, but he had somehow whittled down his fighting opponents to one nasty looking vampire. "Damn, G-Man is really racking up the points tonight," he muttered crossly as he reared back and took yet another flying leap at Willow's tormentor. This time, however, the move paid off as the vampire went head first into a large piece of granite, stunning it long enough for Xander to reclaim his trusty stake and take aim. "Hey Willow, remember this one?" he asked, risking a quick glance to his best friend before tightening his hold on the stake. "You eat this late and you're going to get heartburn!" he quipped as he brought the stake home as hard as he could, feeling the wood slide between ribs and impale the unbeating heart, grinning as the vampire dissolved into ash.
"Yeah, I heard Buffy working on that one last year," Willow added with a bright smile as she hurried over to Xander and helped pull him to his feet. "I told her then that it was funny, but I don't think she had a chance to use that pun-"
"Will you two quit jabbering long enough to give me a hand?" Giles' voice cut in, interrupting their fond memories as he struggled against the remaining vampire, a lucky punch knocking the vamp to the side. "And what did I bloody tell you about those stupid jokes?" he added as he wearily cradled his aching fist, the weak light glinting off of his glasses. "Such distractions can get you-" he broke off as, sufficiently distracted, his opponent retaliated with a swift upper-cut that sent the Watcher stumbling.
"Giles!" Willow screamed, both she and Xander still too far away to help their friend - unable to do more than watch as the vampire went in for the killing blow - which was when things really got interesting.
"Hold it!" a new voice called out, freezing everyone as the group turned and watched as a tall, slim brunette entered the clearing, her long coat parting around her.
"Hey, don't I know-" Xander began, his voice dying away as he took in the gun that was held in the woman's hand, trained on the remaining vampire.
"I don't know what's going on here," she began, her voice icy as the vampire turned and she got her first good look at the man's attacker, "and I don't know what in the hell happened to your face," she continued, her voice wavering only slightly before her resolve returned. "But I do know that you better back the hell off."
"Or what?" the vamp asked, a wicked grin lifting his lips as he slowly abandoned his earlier prey and began to move towards the newest player. "You gonna shoot me?"
"If you don't stop right now, then yes, I will," Miss Parker countered, cocking her weapon for effect - only to find that apparently the threat of her firearm just wasn't going to cut it this time. "I said, stop!" she cried, her voice rising slightly as the guy continued to move towards her. And then, when there was just feet between them, Miss Parker had no choice and quickly let off two shots - the slugs tearing into the man's chest and sending him to the cold ground. For a moment, she could only stand there in shock as she slowly lowered her gun, barely able to believe that she had actually just shot and killed a man. "I had no choice," she murmured, more to assuage the guilt that was already threatening to drowned her, than anything else, when the man's cold voice brought her attention snapping back.
"Hmm, that kind of burns," he muttered as he climbed back to his feet, a grim smile lifting his lips as he took the time to poke at one of the holes in his chest. Lifting the finger before him, he inspected the red fluid that stained his fingers before he met Miss Parker's eyes - and began to lick the blood from his fingers.
Horrified, Miss Parker could only watch as the thing advanced on her... and then disappeared into a cloud of ash, bringing her face to face with the impish face of a young man with unruly black hair.
"Now, as I was saying before," Xander began as Willow helped Giles to his feet, the older man slowly stepping forward and taking the gun from the woman's hands, her face white and eyes glassy, "don't we know her?"
"Miss?" Giles asked, ignoring Xander as he quickly unloaded the firearm and tucked it in his waist band.
In response, Miss Parker did something completely uncharacteristic - a first for her. She fainted.
"-and I'm going to need a complete computer analysis on the twin's spectrograph," Sydney murmured, his softly accented words drifting over the computer technician and lulling him into distraction.
"Complete spectrograph," Broots agreed absently, his fingers tapping on the file that he was holding as his eyes seemed to be focused on nothing at all.
"Yes, and in addition," Sydney added, his voice slowly trailing away as he finally looked away from the heap of paperwork that was piled on his desk and took note of his friend's distraction. "And in addition I'd like a full analysis of the complete ingredients to Aladdin's lamp and Pinnochio's blue fairy."
"Full analysis blue, what?" Broots mimicked, finally breaking out of his stupor as the words registered. "You want a what?" he queried, his eyes meeting those of the aging psychiatrist.
"To know what has you so distracted today," Sydney replied with a small smile, slowly leaning back in the soft leather chair as his eyes took in the computer technician. "These last few days your attention has been minimal, if best... everything is alright with Debbie, right?" he asked, concern flitting across his features as he thought of the man's young daughter.
"What? Oh, n-no, Debbie's fine," Broots stuttered, awkwardly shuffling the papers that he held in his hand, obviously thrown at being caught so easily.
"Then what has been troubling you? You... you haven't heard anything on Jarod, have you?" the older man continued, a small glint of hope brightening his eyes as he leaned forward, the chair creaking around his frame. It had been days since Jarod's return, and he had yet to be granted the privilege to see his... he didn't even know what to call Jarod, in reference to himself, but the point was that he still hadn't been allowed to see him, let alone continue his work with him. To be honest, Sydney had always hoped that Jarod would never be returned to the Centre - that his ward would finally be granted his freedom and the chance to live the life that he, himself, had helped to steal from the man. But if he had to be back in the Centre, Sydney at least wanted to know how he was - if he was doing alright under Lyle's care.
"No, I - I haven't heard anything about Jarod," Broots admitted quickly, pretending that he hadn't seen the look of distress that quickly faded into a mask of indifference. "I've just been... worried. About Miss Parker."
"Miss Parker? Why would you be worried about Miss Parker?" the man asked, quickly leaning forward, his eyes intensely searching Broots' for an answer. "She's free of the Centre now. You don't have to-"
"Have you heard from her? Since she left?" Broots interrupted, fidgeting nervously.
"No," Sydney answered slowly, a small frown creasing his features. "Have you?"
"Well... you see..."
"Broots?"
And then, as though a dam had been broken by this small prompt, Broots hurried forward and poured himself into the vacant chair before Sydney's desk, his fear and worry for their friend now prominently displayed across his features. "Before she left, Miss Parker asked me for a favor."
"What favor, Broots?"
"A few months ago she was asking about a Centre project that her brother was working on, Project Aradia. And before she left she wanted me to find everything I could on a girl named Buffy Summers. I found what I could and... and I haven't heard from her since."
For a moment, Sydney closed his eyes as a heavy weight pressed down on his aging shoulders. "Damn her," he muttered, his voice so low that Broots wasn't even sure that he had heard correctly. "Damn her," he repeated as he leaned back in the leather chair, his hands lifting until his fingers were steeped before him. After all these years, it would figure that Miss Parker would finally shrug off her father's mask and embrace her mother's destiny after she had finally gained the freedom that she long deserved. Somehow, he sensed that his ward had a hand in that. "Jarod," he murmured, a small, secret smile lifting his lips as he finally met eyes with the balding computer technician. "Broots, I want you to show me everything that you found on this Project Aradia and Buffy Summers. It seems that it's time to save Miss Parker from herself."
"Xander, I never knew that you had such a talent for bondage," Willow murmured appreciatively as Xander slowly made his way around their captive, testing his knots as he went.
"Yeah, well you know how it is," the teen replied, grinning easily as he tugged on the ropes, "I never was really into playing Doctor when I was little and my friends and I were too poor for handcuffs when playing cops and-"
"Xander, I was your childhood friend," Willow interrupted before the implication of their words quickly caused a bright blush to stain her cheeks. "Eek! I didn't mean," she began to stutter as she quickly backed away, falling onto the couch behind her.
"Eew, Willow bondage!" Xander added as he straightened and nodded toward his red-haired friend. "Okay, bad mental picture," he added as an afterthought as his nose wrinkled, almost missing the pillow that was sent careening towards his head.
"Yes, overall bad mental picture and a very torrid conversation, all of which are ending now," Giles added firmly as he left the kitchen, first aid kit in hand and a bag of ice being held against his raw and bloodied knuckles. "And Xander, do you really think that the ropes are necessary?" he added as he took in the brunette, now firmly tied to one of his wooden dining room chairs.
"Hey Giles, she was the one pointing a gun in our faces - again," Xander argued, his head nodding towards the firearm that was now resting on the table behind Giles. "And besides, I'm positive it's her!" he added as he looked back at the woman, taking in her slender form and tight pantsuit. "There's no way I could forget someone who dresses like that! She's the lady that held us off last summer - the one that that guy was running from, remember?"
"I'm with Xander on this one," Willow added from her spot on the couch. "Well, not about the whole cops and robbers with bondage thing," she quickly protested, Giles' affronted look confirming that he hadn't been that confused by her statement, "but with the psycho-gun-totin'-lady's ID. She's definitely the lady from last summer. 'Sides, Giles, I remember her voice," she finished, as though that settled everything.
"Not that I doubt her identity," Giles finally sighed as he began sorting through the large tin, occasionally sending a roll of gauze or some antiseptic ointment over to Willow on the couch, "I just wonder what she's doing back here in Sunnydale."
"You think that guy is back again? The one she was hunting?" Xander asked as he finally backed away from the chair and snagged another pack of ice.
"No, Jarod isn't in Sunnydale," the woman answered from behind them, causing Xander to yelp in surprise as he swung around and glared at the woman.
"You could have warned me that you weren't suffering from your fainting spell anymore!" he griped as he eased onto the couch beside Willow.
"Jarod's back in the Centre where he belongs," Miss Parker continued, pausing briefly to glare at the young man, trying to look as dignified as humanly possible when tied tightly to an uncomfortable wooden chair. "And I didn't faint. I don't faint," she added, jutting her chin out defiantly.
"Yeah, whatever," Xander quipped, rolling his eyes dramatically as Willow tossed his bag of ice to him once again.
"So you caught him," Willow added, a small frown pulling at her lips as she began applying a judicious amount of ointment to a nasty gash that marred her arm."
"No, I didn't catch him," Miss Parker murmured quietly, her eyes moving until they locked on the weary gray eyes of the older man, Giles, if she had heard correctly. "Buffy did."