The Traitor - March 2009
Chapter Forty-Three
The lobby of the Hyperion had turned into a makeshift research room. Texts and books were spread all over the place. No one was exactly sure what they were looking for, but Buffy just kept telling them they would know when they found it. It had been nearly twenty-four hours since Giles capture, and while everyone was about ninety percent sure that Giles was alive, there was a nagging feeling in the back of their minds that things were not going to be OK.
They were pretty much barricaded in. There was about fifty or so vamps surrounding the perimeter of the hotel, and no one was exactly sure how many Spike had recruited in the short time since his turning. Anya had attempted a few locating spells, but nothing that worked. She simply didn't have the power that Willow had once had, or even Tara for that matter.
"This is so useless." Xander said, throwing his hands up in defeat.
"I know, but there isn't much else we can do until we can find out where Spike is hiding." Willow said gently.
"Come on you guys. We'll find him, and then Buffy and Angel will take turns beating the hell out of him and then he and Buffy will get back together and everything will be just peachy." Gunn piped in, sarcasm dripping from his voice.
"Yeah, you apparently have never lived on a hellmouth. There is no such thing as a happy ending. Hey, I know, maybe some vamp will betray Spike and come here and lead us to him." Xander quipped, Gunn's sarcasm lost on him.
Just then there was a knock on the door, they looked up and saw a man standing at the door. He was pretty average looking, except for the mullet that is. He was wearing a black T-shirt and blue jeans. The three knew he was a vamp, but they weren't sure why it was there.
"Hey, maybe a million dollars will fall from the ceiling." Willow then said hopefully.
Gunn grabbed a crossbow before he let Xander proceed to the door.
"Let me guess, you work for Spike." Xander said dryly.
"Yeah, let me in. I need to talk to the slayer, right now." Nick said.
"And why would we do that?" Xander asked skeptically.
"Because if you don't your British watcher guy is going to end up a pile of assorted body pieces that all the kings horses and all the kings men won't be able to put back together again. Now let me the fuck in before one of his guys sees me standing here." Nick fumed.
Xander gave Gunn a look, and Gunn just nodded, giving the OK to let the vampire into the hotel.
"Fine, you can come in. Just warning you that your white flag doesn't mean shit if you start treating this like an all you can eat buffet."
"No problem big guy." Nick said before he walked in.
Xander and Gunn immediately grabbed Nick and moved him to a chair, where they proceeded to duct tape his arms and legs to the chairs. They noticed that Nick accepted their actions and didn't attempt to struggle. They exchanged glances and Xander went to get the rest of the gang.
After the group was assembled Wesley took the roll of interrogator, with Angel being his second in command.
"What kind of trick is this?" Wes began.
"No trick, swear it. You guys all know Spike, he was never one for stealthy plans. He's just trying to get the wards down so he can torch this place." Nick answered.
"So, why are you here then?" Wes pressed.
"I guess you could say that watcher of yours talked some sense into me. I had no idea what the plan was, I was just promised some respect and a decent amount of cash. I honestly had no clue what I was getting into." Nick answered honestly.
"You're the one that turned Spike aren't you?" Angel asked.
"Guilty party here." Nick responded meekly.
Buffy shot up before anyone could move, Buffy was out of her seat, pulling a stake out of her waist band and was on Nick. Angel pulled her off of him and removed her to a safe distance from the hostage.
"You are so fucking dead." Buffy screamed at Nick.
"Boy, Giles wasn't kidding about the kicking my ass part. Hey, I get it though, I mean I'd want to stake me too under the circumstances." Nick replied nonchalantly.
"Angel, why don't you take Buffy upstairs, we aren't going to make much progress if she tries to kill the prisoner."
"Sure thing Wes, go ahead without me." Angel said before taking Buffy up to her room.
"Where were we. Yes, why did you turn Spike? It's obvious that it wasn't an accident." Wesley implied.
"My boss has had him pegged for a few years now. I mean me and a few others have been following Spike around for a few years now, getting to know his routine, waiting for the word to turn him."
"Why did your boss want to turn Spike? It's seems a little strange that another master vampire would want Spike back to his old tricks?" Wes asked.
"First question. My boss wanted Spike to kill Buffy, and Angel if it was at all possible. Second question. My boss is human and Spike was to be eliminated as soon as he finished his mission." Nick said matter-of- factly.
"So who is your boss. And don't tell me you won't tell me because you know I won't dust you. I won't dust you, but I will make you want me to if you don't answer my questions." Wesley said in a threatening voice.
"Hey, I am all for cooperating. I came here of my own free will. Before I say anymore though, I want a couple of things." Nick said.
"And what would that be?"
"I want you to let me go after I tell you where Spike is. I'll leave the country, whatever. And I want you to let me take Drusilla with me."
"I can't promise you anything. I'd have to talk to Angel and Buffy first. I don't think they'll go for letting Dru go, but you they might be willing to bend the rules on. Now talk." Wesley said.
"Fair enough, I got myself into this mess. My boss is Quentin Travers."
Everyone in the room just stared at one another. None of them could believe it. That wasn't true, none of them had any problems believing that Quentin would do something this low. None of them could figure out why he would bring Spike into the picture.
"I see. I'm not all that surprised. Why Spike though?"
"This is what I was told. After the council found out that Spike had been humanized, QT got this big hard-on to find out what happened to Spike's demon. He finally figured it out, as I'm sure you all have by now. He decided to hire Spike through the council so he could keep an eye on him. He then hired me to trail Spike over the last five or so years, our orders were find out what we could about him. Honestly, there wasn't all that much to tell, aside from him fooling around with the kid sister."
Dawn's face turned about a thousand shades of red at that very moment.
"So if Quentin wanted to turn Spike, why didn't he just do it right away?" Willow asked.
"I guess he wanted to make sure the demon was good and pissed. QT wanted Spike turned because he wanted Angel and Buffy dead and a disposable assassin."
"So why didn't he just hire you to do it then?" Gunn asked.
"If you ever saw me fight, you would know why. I'm small potatoes my friends. Most the time I feed off homeless people and crack whore hookers. In the grand scheme of things I'm not a threat to any of you." Nick replied honestly.
"So why did you come to us?" Wesley asked.
"I just wanted to make some cash. Following Spike around was a good paying job, so was turning him. I'm telling you right now, I did the guy a favor, he was miserable as a human. Sorry, my opinion. I'm a vampire, dead slayer, sounded like a good plan. It wasn't anything personal, I'm sure your Buffy is a great gal and everything. And Angel is really just a pain in the ass for all vampire kind."
"OK, so why did you come to us?" Wes asked again.
"I didn't really think about the repercussions of my actions. I mean this could turn into a real war. Spike is gone. He keeps muttering to himself about putting *everyone* out of their misery. I thought he just wanted to kill the Slayer, turns out that he wants all of you dead and seemingly the rest of the planet. He keeps telling me that this is just the start. After the Slayer and her little friends are gone there would be no stopping him. And he's strong too, QT had me put some sorta mojo on him that made him a little stronger than most vampires. There was no way that I coulda killed him even if I would have wanted to."
"So how were you going to dispose of him after he killed Buffy?" Wes asked
"Was gonna torch the warehouse. I know my limits, I would last about thirty seconds if I tried to take him on myself." Nick replied.
"Well, I have to admit that I'm a little taken aback by your seemingly noble actions. I'll talk to Buffy. In the mean time, we'll put you in my office with Drusilla. I'm not trying to be inhospitable but I'm afraid the restraints will have to remain intact." Wes said.
"No problem, completely understand." Nick responded compliantly.
*************************
Buffy and Angel were sitting her room. Buffy was near hysterics, she was so pissed. Her world was completely falling apart, and if she didn't think of something then she would have to kill Spike and that was something that she really wasn't prepared to deal with.
"This is just so fucked up Angel." Buffy finally sobbed.
"It'll be OK Buffy, you just have to be willing to do what needs to be done." Angel said.
"OK, this is getting too creepy for words. You are now the fourth person that has told me that."
"Told you what?" Angel asked, clearly confused.
"You don't remember saying it either, do you?" Buffy asked.
"What did I say? I know I said something, I just can't remember what it was, it's a little fuzzy." Angel responded.
"You told me that I had to be willing to do what needs to be done. You don't suppose the powers are playing cryptic again do you?"
"Sounds like it to me. What could they mean by that though?" Angel said thoughtfully.
Suddenly it hit Buffy like a ton of bricks. She wasn't sure of what exactly, but she knew her brain was trying to tell her something. It was so close that Buffy could almost touch it.
"What is it Buffy?" Angel asked.
"Could you go get Lorne and Clem for me? I think I may know what the Powers are trying say, but I'm not sure how to do it exactly."
"Sure thing Buffy."
With that Angel left her. Her brain struggled for a few more moments, and the solution finally dawned on her. No one was going to like it, but they weren't the ones that were going to have to do anything. She just had no idea of how she was going to get to Africa.
The lobby of the Hyperion had turned into a makeshift research room. Texts and books were spread all over the place. No one was exactly sure what they were looking for, but Buffy just kept telling them they would know when they found it. It had been nearly twenty-four hours since Giles capture, and while everyone was about ninety percent sure that Giles was alive, there was a nagging feeling in the back of their minds that things were not going to be OK.
They were pretty much barricaded in. There was about fifty or so vamps surrounding the perimeter of the hotel, and no one was exactly sure how many Spike had recruited in the short time since his turning. Anya had attempted a few locating spells, but nothing that worked. She simply didn't have the power that Willow had once had, or even Tara for that matter.
"This is so useless." Xander said, throwing his hands up in defeat.
"I know, but there isn't much else we can do until we can find out where Spike is hiding." Willow said gently.
"Come on you guys. We'll find him, and then Buffy and Angel will take turns beating the hell out of him and then he and Buffy will get back together and everything will be just peachy." Gunn piped in, sarcasm dripping from his voice.
"Yeah, you apparently have never lived on a hellmouth. There is no such thing as a happy ending. Hey, I know, maybe some vamp will betray Spike and come here and lead us to him." Xander quipped, Gunn's sarcasm lost on him.
Just then there was a knock on the door, they looked up and saw a man standing at the door. He was pretty average looking, except for the mullet that is. He was wearing a black T-shirt and blue jeans. The three knew he was a vamp, but they weren't sure why it was there.
"Hey, maybe a million dollars will fall from the ceiling." Willow then said hopefully.
Gunn grabbed a crossbow before he let Xander proceed to the door.
"Let me guess, you work for Spike." Xander said dryly.
"Yeah, let me in. I need to talk to the slayer, right now." Nick said.
"And why would we do that?" Xander asked skeptically.
"Because if you don't your British watcher guy is going to end up a pile of assorted body pieces that all the kings horses and all the kings men won't be able to put back together again. Now let me the fuck in before one of his guys sees me standing here." Nick fumed.
Xander gave Gunn a look, and Gunn just nodded, giving the OK to let the vampire into the hotel.
"Fine, you can come in. Just warning you that your white flag doesn't mean shit if you start treating this like an all you can eat buffet."
"No problem big guy." Nick said before he walked in.
Xander and Gunn immediately grabbed Nick and moved him to a chair, where they proceeded to duct tape his arms and legs to the chairs. They noticed that Nick accepted their actions and didn't attempt to struggle. They exchanged glances and Xander went to get the rest of the gang.
After the group was assembled Wesley took the roll of interrogator, with Angel being his second in command.
"What kind of trick is this?" Wes began.
"No trick, swear it. You guys all know Spike, he was never one for stealthy plans. He's just trying to get the wards down so he can torch this place." Nick answered.
"So, why are you here then?" Wes pressed.
"I guess you could say that watcher of yours talked some sense into me. I had no idea what the plan was, I was just promised some respect and a decent amount of cash. I honestly had no clue what I was getting into." Nick answered honestly.
"You're the one that turned Spike aren't you?" Angel asked.
"Guilty party here." Nick responded meekly.
Buffy shot up before anyone could move, Buffy was out of her seat, pulling a stake out of her waist band and was on Nick. Angel pulled her off of him and removed her to a safe distance from the hostage.
"You are so fucking dead." Buffy screamed at Nick.
"Boy, Giles wasn't kidding about the kicking my ass part. Hey, I get it though, I mean I'd want to stake me too under the circumstances." Nick replied nonchalantly.
"Angel, why don't you take Buffy upstairs, we aren't going to make much progress if she tries to kill the prisoner."
"Sure thing Wes, go ahead without me." Angel said before taking Buffy up to her room.
"Where were we. Yes, why did you turn Spike? It's obvious that it wasn't an accident." Wesley implied.
"My boss has had him pegged for a few years now. I mean me and a few others have been following Spike around for a few years now, getting to know his routine, waiting for the word to turn him."
"Why did your boss want to turn Spike? It's seems a little strange that another master vampire would want Spike back to his old tricks?" Wes asked.
"First question. My boss wanted Spike to kill Buffy, and Angel if it was at all possible. Second question. My boss is human and Spike was to be eliminated as soon as he finished his mission." Nick said matter-of- factly.
"So who is your boss. And don't tell me you won't tell me because you know I won't dust you. I won't dust you, but I will make you want me to if you don't answer my questions." Wesley said in a threatening voice.
"Hey, I am all for cooperating. I came here of my own free will. Before I say anymore though, I want a couple of things." Nick said.
"And what would that be?"
"I want you to let me go after I tell you where Spike is. I'll leave the country, whatever. And I want you to let me take Drusilla with me."
"I can't promise you anything. I'd have to talk to Angel and Buffy first. I don't think they'll go for letting Dru go, but you they might be willing to bend the rules on. Now talk." Wesley said.
"Fair enough, I got myself into this mess. My boss is Quentin Travers."
Everyone in the room just stared at one another. None of them could believe it. That wasn't true, none of them had any problems believing that Quentin would do something this low. None of them could figure out why he would bring Spike into the picture.
"I see. I'm not all that surprised. Why Spike though?"
"This is what I was told. After the council found out that Spike had been humanized, QT got this big hard-on to find out what happened to Spike's demon. He finally figured it out, as I'm sure you all have by now. He decided to hire Spike through the council so he could keep an eye on him. He then hired me to trail Spike over the last five or so years, our orders were find out what we could about him. Honestly, there wasn't all that much to tell, aside from him fooling around with the kid sister."
Dawn's face turned about a thousand shades of red at that very moment.
"So if Quentin wanted to turn Spike, why didn't he just do it right away?" Willow asked.
"I guess he wanted to make sure the demon was good and pissed. QT wanted Spike turned because he wanted Angel and Buffy dead and a disposable assassin."
"So why didn't he just hire you to do it then?" Gunn asked.
"If you ever saw me fight, you would know why. I'm small potatoes my friends. Most the time I feed off homeless people and crack whore hookers. In the grand scheme of things I'm not a threat to any of you." Nick replied honestly.
"So why did you come to us?" Wesley asked.
"I just wanted to make some cash. Following Spike around was a good paying job, so was turning him. I'm telling you right now, I did the guy a favor, he was miserable as a human. Sorry, my opinion. I'm a vampire, dead slayer, sounded like a good plan. It wasn't anything personal, I'm sure your Buffy is a great gal and everything. And Angel is really just a pain in the ass for all vampire kind."
"OK, so why did you come to us?" Wes asked again.
"I didn't really think about the repercussions of my actions. I mean this could turn into a real war. Spike is gone. He keeps muttering to himself about putting *everyone* out of their misery. I thought he just wanted to kill the Slayer, turns out that he wants all of you dead and seemingly the rest of the planet. He keeps telling me that this is just the start. After the Slayer and her little friends are gone there would be no stopping him. And he's strong too, QT had me put some sorta mojo on him that made him a little stronger than most vampires. There was no way that I coulda killed him even if I would have wanted to."
"So how were you going to dispose of him after he killed Buffy?" Wes asked
"Was gonna torch the warehouse. I know my limits, I would last about thirty seconds if I tried to take him on myself." Nick replied.
"Well, I have to admit that I'm a little taken aback by your seemingly noble actions. I'll talk to Buffy. In the mean time, we'll put you in my office with Drusilla. I'm not trying to be inhospitable but I'm afraid the restraints will have to remain intact." Wes said.
"No problem, completely understand." Nick responded compliantly.
*************************
Buffy and Angel were sitting her room. Buffy was near hysterics, she was so pissed. Her world was completely falling apart, and if she didn't think of something then she would have to kill Spike and that was something that she really wasn't prepared to deal with.
"This is just so fucked up Angel." Buffy finally sobbed.
"It'll be OK Buffy, you just have to be willing to do what needs to be done." Angel said.
"OK, this is getting too creepy for words. You are now the fourth person that has told me that."
"Told you what?" Angel asked, clearly confused.
"You don't remember saying it either, do you?" Buffy asked.
"What did I say? I know I said something, I just can't remember what it was, it's a little fuzzy." Angel responded.
"You told me that I had to be willing to do what needs to be done. You don't suppose the powers are playing cryptic again do you?"
"Sounds like it to me. What could they mean by that though?" Angel said thoughtfully.
Suddenly it hit Buffy like a ton of bricks. She wasn't sure of what exactly, but she knew her brain was trying to tell her something. It was so close that Buffy could almost touch it.
"What is it Buffy?" Angel asked.
"Could you go get Lorne and Clem for me? I think I may know what the Powers are trying say, but I'm not sure how to do it exactly."
"Sure thing Buffy."
With that Angel left her. Her brain struggled for a few more moments, and the solution finally dawned on her. No one was going to like it, but they weren't the ones that were going to have to do anything. She just had no idea of how she was going to get to Africa.