Buffy dreaded the upcoming list that she was about to receive. The
list that would name everybody that would be dead the next morning.
Buffy knew her nerves were showing, and that the computer screen
probably noted it exactly, but she didn't care. She wished she would
have asked what they wanted her to do for patrol. Did she go ahead and
kill the people, to keep her identity as a member of the Brotherhood
a secret? Or try and secretly let them get away?
And even if she were supposed to kill them, would she be able to? Now
that she found out they were as human as she was, could she still
plunge the stake through their heart?
Buffy glanced at the clock it was 7:55. In five minutes she would
begin her patrol. What used to be routine was beginning to become a
nightmare, and Buffy once again questioned if she was doing the right
thing.
The logical thing to do would be to report all of them to the Thought
Police. She would be even more of a hero, capturing five of the
vampires. Also, she would be saving herself, from either death or
the Minilove.
Buffy didn't want to die. She had seen death every day of her life,
as she was the Slayer. She saw the expressions on their faces as they
slumped to the ground in pain. They were terrified. They all knew
that within seconds they'd disappear from the face of the earth
forever. They'd lose all consciousness for the rest of eternity. And
that frightened them, and it frightened Buffy as well, now that she
thought about it.
Before, there was never any need for thought, in fact, it was pretty
much prohibited. Buffy understood why, look at the way things are.
Anyone who thought about their great society would be afraid, or
start questioning.
8:00. The list slipped under the door as usual. Buffy glanced
through the names. Tara McClay. Jennifer Calander. Riley Finn.
Rupert Giles?!
Buffy felt something sink in her stomach, and felt as though she would
be sick.
They had somehow found out.
***
"We have to act now. It's now or never. Sooner or later they will
find out!" Alexander argued with Rupert. "And when they find out,
that's our last hope!"
"That is a lie." Liam spoke up. "Why would they find out, we gave
them no reason to. You said so yourself, Alexander, that she can do
whatever she pleases during the day. No one watches her, not like
us."
"Even if that were true, which no one here has any way of knowing,
we still need to act fast! The Thought Police, spies, they're
everywhere. Act now, before it's too late! Before we're all caught
and killed!" Alexander slammed his hand down on the desk in a fit of
passion.
In contrast to Alexander's heated argument, Rupert replied wearily,
"Even if we did act, and even if we won, we would never be rid of
Big Brother. He has been implanted in peoples' minds and there is no
attack that will change that. If we attack now, there will be another
to take his place, Alexander, for the majority of the people are happy
in this society. They're safe.
It all started with a simple, but destructive vampire attack. Everyone
was afraid, grieving for their losses. And the government stepped in
and declared war on vampires. The people felt better, because they
felt safe. The Slayer slayed the vampires, and everything should've
gone back to normal. Except it didn't.
The government declared war on another group of vampires, which, while
potentially dangerous, hadn't done anything to harm anyone. They
couldn't, they were products of the Initiative, they had chips in their
brain which kept them from fulfilling their evil task. Soon, they
were all dead.
Some people questioned the morality of the issue, and the government
had them arrested, proclaiming they were aiding the enemy. After all,
'if you're not with us, you're against us'. The government became
absolutely corrupt with power, no one could stop them if they wanted
to. They began to spot 'vampires' all over the world, and struck
each of them pre-emptively. Again, people would start to question
but they'd get arrested or executed for treason. Because of all of
that, people stopped, and they just took everything. After all, this
was for the best? Once the vampires were gone, things would go back
to normal.
A Great War broke out between all the of the world, and everyone
fought in it. Nations crumbled, and three emerged. Oceania, Eurasia,
and Eastasia. History records Big Brother being born that day, but
in truth, he was born years ago.
And as for those who figured things would go back to normal after the
war ended? They're still waiting. Our 'wars' with Eastasia and
Eurasia are simply used to keep fear in people's hearts. Without the
fear of another attack, people would begin to question again. Vampires
are only people who actively oppose Big Brother, the breed died out
long ago.
The point of you all knowing this is simple. Big Brother has the
people on his side. He's protecting them from attack, they will not
listen to us. To win, we have to change everyone's hearts. I wish
it were as simple as blowing up a Ministry, but it won't work."
Alexander stood up. "I'm going to find Buffy." He said plainly and
walked outside. Rupert had finally told them what he had held back for
many years. And it was a lot of information to take in, it was
unaltered history. Then a familiar blond walked past him.
"Buffy! Wait up!" He called out to her, ignoring all the looks he
was getting from people passing by. He sprinted over to her, and
was shocked by her appearance.
She was pale and trembling, her hand clutching a piece of paper.
She looked as though she would snap at any moment, her eyes gave that
away. She kept looking around her, as if expecting somebody to attack.
Then Alexander felt sick.
They must've found out.
"I can't kill these people!" Buffy shrieked loudly, and if she had
not been the slayer, everyone would've pointed and stared. "I know
Rupert! And these other three! They're harmless! Except to Big
Brother! Down with Big Brother!" Buffy began to rip the list into
tiny pieces and Alexander grabbed her wrists.
"Buffy stop it!" He hissed loudly in her ear. She had to shut up,
she was going to give them away. She was going to get them straight
to the Minilove. All it took was one Thought Policeman. She had to
shut up!
"Down with Big Brother!" Buffy pushed Alexander away from her. "Down
with him! Bring on Goldstein!" Alexander stared at in fear, they
were going to be caught. She was going to give them away, Buffy lost
it. This had to be a dream, some insane dream. He was imagining this.
Perhaps he had too much Victory Wine at Ruperts. This couldn't be
happening!
This was only a dream, the Thought Police weren't handcuffing him and
Buffy. After all, if it had been real, Buffy would've been fighting,
instead of dropping the tiny pieces of her list to the ground. She
wouldn't give up, she wouldn't have the defeated look in her eyes.
She couldn't be defeated, not when she just started.
And if this were real, Alexander would be making a scene as well. He
would've been yelling to people, trying to get them to understand.
He wouldn't be going quietly into the car with the Thought Police.
Besides, this couldn't be real, Alexander's work wasn't finished.
He'd accomplished nothing, except for recruiting the Slayer. Surely
he was meant for far better things? Surely this wouldn't the end?
It was such a terrible ending, endings are supposed to be happy. Fill
you with hope, like some of the books that Rupert has. This had to be
a dream, because this couldn't be the end.
**
And Alexander woke up.
But not in his bed at his apartment like he had thought. No, he was
in the Ministry of Love, in a cell. It wasn't a dream. There were
four telescreens around him, watching his every move. There was
another man in his cell; he was short, skinny, and Alexander could
recognize his skull. The man was starving. Alexander was going to
starve to death in here.
Then Alexander saw Liam walk in with another guard. "They got you
too!" Alexander cried out in grief. Two were captured, as well as
Buffy.
"They got me a long time ago," Liam said grimly. "Take him. He wants
to interrogate him." Alexander stared at Liam in horror. He had
been against them all along? He betrayed them. All this time, he
had considered Liam an ally, while he was in reality an enemy.
The guard grabbed Alexander's arm and led him to a room. Alexander
walked numbly, wishing this never happened. He wished he hadn't
joined the Brotherhood, with Liam a traitor, there was no way the
others would escape. It had been a failure.
As they approached the door, Liam opened his mouth as to say something,
but changed his mind and just shoved Alexander in. Alexander looked
up at his interrogater and his jaw dropped open in shock.
It was Rupert.
"You?" Alexander asked in a voice that didn't sound like him at all.
It was too high-pitched and stammering to be his voice.
Rupert nodded to Liam. "Thank you Liam, that'll be all." Liam
nodded and closed the door as he left, and Rupert turned to Alexander.
"Yes, me. I was rather disappointed nobody ever guessed. I come
from a long line of Watchers."
"Why?"
"That's an inane question. I never made a conscious choice, as you
did. My parents were members of the Party, my grandparents and now I
am." Rupert sighed and sat back in his chair. "Don't try to run.
There are guards outside the door, and they'll capture you, and you'll
have to be bound to the chair. Cordelia tried to run."
Alexander felt sick to his stomach. "You got Cordelia?"
Rupert nodded. "We've taken care of your entire group. You and
Cordelia are being kept here. Liam and I were already here. Daniel
was killed by the Slayer. Willow must've known what was coming
because she slit her wrists before we could get her. And Buffy was
killed. A new Slayer has been activated. Her name is Faith. Luckily
we've had her captive for a while. She won't end up like Buffy, not
this one. Buffy was a mistake."
"What do you mean?" Alexander was horrified at the fate of his
friends, and wished once again, that this was all just a very bad
dream.
"She wasn't supposed to be activated. It was before her time, so
we were unable to control her mind like we wanted. She wanted to live
on her own, have her days to herself, she was far too independent.
It's not her fault, but you can't have a girl like that for a Slayer.
Faith will be different though. She's been properly trained, in the
body and mind."
"So this was only a test? Recruiting the Slayer? To see how strong
willed she is?" Alexander spat out bitterly at the man he once
considered a friend.
Rupert nodded. "We were also able to catch opposers of Big Brother.
But yes, this was the plan all along, which is why you weren't here
sooner. After we saw that she was against us, Liam put my name on
her list. We were in a win-win situation. If she tried to kill me,
we could say she was revolting. If she didn't kill me, she was not
obeying her orders. As it goes, she went insane on the streets.
Nobody blames us one bit for killing her. She was doomed the second
she stepped in for one of our meetings. Just as you were."
"All the stuff you told me last night-" Alexander asked weakly.
"It was true. Only a select few know all of it, and I'm one of them.
You are as well, but you won't live to tell about it, I'm afraid."
"You're going to kill me?" Even though Alexander knew this would
eventually happen, he couldn't help but to feel terrified.
"Not at first, I'm afraid. We can't make a martyr out of you. You'll
be tortured, you'll confess everything you did wrong, and you will
repent. And then, only then, will we kill you. I'm afraid your time
is out. It's hopeless for you.
Completely hopeless."
The End
list that would name everybody that would be dead the next morning.
Buffy knew her nerves were showing, and that the computer screen
probably noted it exactly, but she didn't care. She wished she would
have asked what they wanted her to do for patrol. Did she go ahead and
kill the people, to keep her identity as a member of the Brotherhood
a secret? Or try and secretly let them get away?
And even if she were supposed to kill them, would she be able to? Now
that she found out they were as human as she was, could she still
plunge the stake through their heart?
Buffy glanced at the clock it was 7:55. In five minutes she would
begin her patrol. What used to be routine was beginning to become a
nightmare, and Buffy once again questioned if she was doing the right
thing.
The logical thing to do would be to report all of them to the Thought
Police. She would be even more of a hero, capturing five of the
vampires. Also, she would be saving herself, from either death or
the Minilove.
Buffy didn't want to die. She had seen death every day of her life,
as she was the Slayer. She saw the expressions on their faces as they
slumped to the ground in pain. They were terrified. They all knew
that within seconds they'd disappear from the face of the earth
forever. They'd lose all consciousness for the rest of eternity. And
that frightened them, and it frightened Buffy as well, now that she
thought about it.
Before, there was never any need for thought, in fact, it was pretty
much prohibited. Buffy understood why, look at the way things are.
Anyone who thought about their great society would be afraid, or
start questioning.
8:00. The list slipped under the door as usual. Buffy glanced
through the names. Tara McClay. Jennifer Calander. Riley Finn.
Rupert Giles?!
Buffy felt something sink in her stomach, and felt as though she would
be sick.
They had somehow found out.
***
"We have to act now. It's now or never. Sooner or later they will
find out!" Alexander argued with Rupert. "And when they find out,
that's our last hope!"
"That is a lie." Liam spoke up. "Why would they find out, we gave
them no reason to. You said so yourself, Alexander, that she can do
whatever she pleases during the day. No one watches her, not like
us."
"Even if that were true, which no one here has any way of knowing,
we still need to act fast! The Thought Police, spies, they're
everywhere. Act now, before it's too late! Before we're all caught
and killed!" Alexander slammed his hand down on the desk in a fit of
passion.
In contrast to Alexander's heated argument, Rupert replied wearily,
"Even if we did act, and even if we won, we would never be rid of
Big Brother. He has been implanted in peoples' minds and there is no
attack that will change that. If we attack now, there will be another
to take his place, Alexander, for the majority of the people are happy
in this society. They're safe.
It all started with a simple, but destructive vampire attack. Everyone
was afraid, grieving for their losses. And the government stepped in
and declared war on vampires. The people felt better, because they
felt safe. The Slayer slayed the vampires, and everything should've
gone back to normal. Except it didn't.
The government declared war on another group of vampires, which, while
potentially dangerous, hadn't done anything to harm anyone. They
couldn't, they were products of the Initiative, they had chips in their
brain which kept them from fulfilling their evil task. Soon, they
were all dead.
Some people questioned the morality of the issue, and the government
had them arrested, proclaiming they were aiding the enemy. After all,
'if you're not with us, you're against us'. The government became
absolutely corrupt with power, no one could stop them if they wanted
to. They began to spot 'vampires' all over the world, and struck
each of them pre-emptively. Again, people would start to question
but they'd get arrested or executed for treason. Because of all of
that, people stopped, and they just took everything. After all, this
was for the best? Once the vampires were gone, things would go back
to normal.
A Great War broke out between all the of the world, and everyone
fought in it. Nations crumbled, and three emerged. Oceania, Eurasia,
and Eastasia. History records Big Brother being born that day, but
in truth, he was born years ago.
And as for those who figured things would go back to normal after the
war ended? They're still waiting. Our 'wars' with Eastasia and
Eurasia are simply used to keep fear in people's hearts. Without the
fear of another attack, people would begin to question again. Vampires
are only people who actively oppose Big Brother, the breed died out
long ago.
The point of you all knowing this is simple. Big Brother has the
people on his side. He's protecting them from attack, they will not
listen to us. To win, we have to change everyone's hearts. I wish
it were as simple as blowing up a Ministry, but it won't work."
Alexander stood up. "I'm going to find Buffy." He said plainly and
walked outside. Rupert had finally told them what he had held back for
many years. And it was a lot of information to take in, it was
unaltered history. Then a familiar blond walked past him.
"Buffy! Wait up!" He called out to her, ignoring all the looks he
was getting from people passing by. He sprinted over to her, and
was shocked by her appearance.
She was pale and trembling, her hand clutching a piece of paper.
She looked as though she would snap at any moment, her eyes gave that
away. She kept looking around her, as if expecting somebody to attack.
Then Alexander felt sick.
They must've found out.
"I can't kill these people!" Buffy shrieked loudly, and if she had
not been the slayer, everyone would've pointed and stared. "I know
Rupert! And these other three! They're harmless! Except to Big
Brother! Down with Big Brother!" Buffy began to rip the list into
tiny pieces and Alexander grabbed her wrists.
"Buffy stop it!" He hissed loudly in her ear. She had to shut up,
she was going to give them away. She was going to get them straight
to the Minilove. All it took was one Thought Policeman. She had to
shut up!
"Down with Big Brother!" Buffy pushed Alexander away from her. "Down
with him! Bring on Goldstein!" Alexander stared at in fear, they
were going to be caught. She was going to give them away, Buffy lost
it. This had to be a dream, some insane dream. He was imagining this.
Perhaps he had too much Victory Wine at Ruperts. This couldn't be
happening!
This was only a dream, the Thought Police weren't handcuffing him and
Buffy. After all, if it had been real, Buffy would've been fighting,
instead of dropping the tiny pieces of her list to the ground. She
wouldn't give up, she wouldn't have the defeated look in her eyes.
She couldn't be defeated, not when she just started.
And if this were real, Alexander would be making a scene as well. He
would've been yelling to people, trying to get them to understand.
He wouldn't be going quietly into the car with the Thought Police.
Besides, this couldn't be real, Alexander's work wasn't finished.
He'd accomplished nothing, except for recruiting the Slayer. Surely
he was meant for far better things? Surely this wouldn't the end?
It was such a terrible ending, endings are supposed to be happy. Fill
you with hope, like some of the books that Rupert has. This had to be
a dream, because this couldn't be the end.
**
And Alexander woke up.
But not in his bed at his apartment like he had thought. No, he was
in the Ministry of Love, in a cell. It wasn't a dream. There were
four telescreens around him, watching his every move. There was
another man in his cell; he was short, skinny, and Alexander could
recognize his skull. The man was starving. Alexander was going to
starve to death in here.
Then Alexander saw Liam walk in with another guard. "They got you
too!" Alexander cried out in grief. Two were captured, as well as
Buffy.
"They got me a long time ago," Liam said grimly. "Take him. He wants
to interrogate him." Alexander stared at Liam in horror. He had
been against them all along? He betrayed them. All this time, he
had considered Liam an ally, while he was in reality an enemy.
The guard grabbed Alexander's arm and led him to a room. Alexander
walked numbly, wishing this never happened. He wished he hadn't
joined the Brotherhood, with Liam a traitor, there was no way the
others would escape. It had been a failure.
As they approached the door, Liam opened his mouth as to say something,
but changed his mind and just shoved Alexander in. Alexander looked
up at his interrogater and his jaw dropped open in shock.
It was Rupert.
"You?" Alexander asked in a voice that didn't sound like him at all.
It was too high-pitched and stammering to be his voice.
Rupert nodded to Liam. "Thank you Liam, that'll be all." Liam
nodded and closed the door as he left, and Rupert turned to Alexander.
"Yes, me. I was rather disappointed nobody ever guessed. I come
from a long line of Watchers."
"Why?"
"That's an inane question. I never made a conscious choice, as you
did. My parents were members of the Party, my grandparents and now I
am." Rupert sighed and sat back in his chair. "Don't try to run.
There are guards outside the door, and they'll capture you, and you'll
have to be bound to the chair. Cordelia tried to run."
Alexander felt sick to his stomach. "You got Cordelia?"
Rupert nodded. "We've taken care of your entire group. You and
Cordelia are being kept here. Liam and I were already here. Daniel
was killed by the Slayer. Willow must've known what was coming
because she slit her wrists before we could get her. And Buffy was
killed. A new Slayer has been activated. Her name is Faith. Luckily
we've had her captive for a while. She won't end up like Buffy, not
this one. Buffy was a mistake."
"What do you mean?" Alexander was horrified at the fate of his
friends, and wished once again, that this was all just a very bad
dream.
"She wasn't supposed to be activated. It was before her time, so
we were unable to control her mind like we wanted. She wanted to live
on her own, have her days to herself, she was far too independent.
It's not her fault, but you can't have a girl like that for a Slayer.
Faith will be different though. She's been properly trained, in the
body and mind."
"So this was only a test? Recruiting the Slayer? To see how strong
willed she is?" Alexander spat out bitterly at the man he once
considered a friend.
Rupert nodded. "We were also able to catch opposers of Big Brother.
But yes, this was the plan all along, which is why you weren't here
sooner. After we saw that she was against us, Liam put my name on
her list. We were in a win-win situation. If she tried to kill me,
we could say she was revolting. If she didn't kill me, she was not
obeying her orders. As it goes, she went insane on the streets.
Nobody blames us one bit for killing her. She was doomed the second
she stepped in for one of our meetings. Just as you were."
"All the stuff you told me last night-" Alexander asked weakly.
"It was true. Only a select few know all of it, and I'm one of them.
You are as well, but you won't live to tell about it, I'm afraid."
"You're going to kill me?" Even though Alexander knew this would
eventually happen, he couldn't help but to feel terrified.
"Not at first, I'm afraid. We can't make a martyr out of you. You'll
be tortured, you'll confess everything you did wrong, and you will
repent. And then, only then, will we kill you. I'm afraid your time
is out. It's hopeless for you.
Completely hopeless."
The End
