". and that's everything you need to know about screechers and ass
blasters." Burt finished.
Angel was still trying to digest the information he had just been given. Just when you thought things couldn't get any weirder.
"So, what's the plan?" Angel asked.
"I'll take Buffy and hit them high. We can get above them." Burt said. "You and Tyler take the low side and cut off any escape route."
"Fine." Angel answered. "How far away are we now?" Angel asked, hoping to come to terms with the fact he was going to be stuck with Buffy's new flame.
"About 8 miles." Burt answered. "Any questions?"
No one had any questions and the drive was completed in silence.
~~ * ~~
The armed guard looked at the young woman in front him and stated firmly, again. "I'm sorry, miss. No one is allowed in the valley at this time."
Faith looked at the guard in distain. "Well, can you at least tell me why?" she demanded.
"There is a situation in the valley."
"To hell with your situation. I've got friends in there." Faith yelled, starting to get mad.
The guard seemed undisturbed at her ire. After all, she was just a girl and a small one at that, or so he thought.
Faith fought back the killing anger that came to the surface. If the situation was that dangerous she had to get inside and help Angel and Buffy. She thought back to what Spike had told her, which wasn't much. He just said Buffy had found a place as weird as Sunnydale but without demons and vampires. Damn Spike for not filling her in.
Faith came out of her thoughts as she realized the guard was speaking to her again. "I'm sorry, miss. But I have to ask you to leave the area."
"What about my friends?"
"I'm sorry, miss. There's nothing you can do. Now, please exit the area before I have you removed forcefully."
Faith literally had to bite her tongue to keep from laughing in his face. She only counted four guards in the area. That wasn't nearly enough to stop her. But wisdom and good judgment prevailed. She would have to find another way into the valley.
She turned to get back into her car but couldn't resist the temptation of one last comment. She turned back to the guard and said, "Bite me, asshole." Before getting in her car and driving away.
~~ * ~~
Angel felt the tension in Burt as they neared their destination. He began to sweat ever so slightly and his heart rate increased a few beats per minute. Sensing the change in Burt, Angel began to get a little nervous, too. Burt always seemed in complete control and unshakeable. It made Angel wonder just how bad these things could be.
"This is as far as we go in the truck." Burt said as he stopped. "Any closer and they could sense the heat from the engine. We walk from here."
Buffy and Tyler didn't seem to catch the change in Burt. They got out of the truck and put on their heat dusters. Buffy grabbed her bag and slung it over her shoulder.
"What's in the bag?" Tyler asked. "Burt brought the firepower."
"Just a few things in case we need them." Buffy answered cryptically.
"Speaking of firepower." Said Burt opening his stash of weapons. He kept the most rounds and biggest gun for himself. He gave Tyler a high- powered rifle and extra cartridges. Angel got the same plus a handgun. Buffy received a 22-rifle. She wasn't happy about it but decided she could make it with that and what was in her bag. Burt went on to give details of the plan as he handed out weapons.
Burt double-checked the location of the screechers. "All right people, let's move."
They separated in to their two groups. Angel and Tyler took off to cover the lower part of the area while Burt and Buffy started climbing to get above them.
Burt and Buffy walked in silence both preparing themselves mentally for battle. Burt knew exactly what he was walking into and was going over every detail in his mind. Screechers got smarter and he didn't like to walk into anything unprepared. Buffy had the facts but no real experience with screechers. This didn't bother her too much. She was used to walking into situations that required her to think on her feet. But it had been a while, too long. She hoped she still had it. It had been well over a year since her last battle. Still, she worked out and kept her body in good shape. Although no one knew it, she occasionally went out to play with El Blanco. She would let him find her and then evade him. The warrior in her just couldn't stop completely. She didn't know why she did it; she just knew she had to have something to fight, even if it was a battle of wits.
Tyler and Angel walked in uncomfortable silence for a while. Angel was preparing himself for battle. Just like Buffy and Burt, he was a warrior. Tyler, on the other hand, was not. Yes, he could and would fight, but it wasn't him. He liked adventure and excitement but didn't have the warrior spirit. Warriors fought to win. Tyler fought for the thrill of the game.
Finally, Tyler couldn't take the silence any longer. "So, how did you meet Buffy?" Tyler asked.
Angel didn't like to be interrupted while preparing for battle. "None of your business." Angel responded curtly.
"Look. I know you don't like the fact Buffy and I went out, but she's not yours. She said you two haven't been an item since she was a teenager."
Angel looked and the man and had to admire his guts. "Look, Tyler. Buffy and I are none of your business. I've known her for a long time." Angel said in a tone that told Tyler to drop the subject. He listened.
"So, Buffy tells us that you're a detective."
"Yeah, that's right." Angel said.
"What's it like? Do you get to save the girl a lot?" Tyler asked.
Angel sighed to himself. No use trying to mentally prepare with this guy around. Still, he couldn't help but find himself starting to like him.
"I help a lot of people. Sometimes it's girls and sometimes it's guys. It's a job."
"Yeah, but what made you decide to do it? It isn't exactly a common profession."
"It chose me." Angel replied sadly. Tyler noticed the change in his tone, but didn't comment.
The two groups walked in silence until they reached their destination.
"O.K. There they are." Burt said.
Buffy looked over and down the ridge. Sure enough, there they were. There were already more than twelve. What ever they found to eat was plentiful.
Burt had already loaded his rifle and was getting the first screecher in his sights as Buffy prepared her weapon. She didn't have a scope on hers like Burt did, but it didn't matter. He probably just expected her to fire into the crowd and hope for the best.
Burt had his prey in his sights and his finger was tightening on the trigger when his wrist seismo went off. Buffy and Burt both went perfectly still. The ground underneath them shifted as they felt the graboid pass under them. It was headed for the group of screechers.
Burt carefully turned his head and grinned at Buffy. If the graboid wanted to help kill the screechers he didn't have a problem with it.
At the bottom of the ridge Angel and Tyler were waiting when Tyler's wrist seismo went off. He looked anxiously at it but grinned a little when he saw where the graboid was.
"It's headed for the screechers." Tyler whispered to Angel.
"So, what do we do?" Angel whispered back.
"We wait. We don't do anything until Burt makes a move. Maybe this graboid will do most of the work for us."
Both groups waited. Angel and Tyler couldn't see much that was going on higher on the ridge. Burt and Buffy had the advantage. They could see just about everything. For a couple of minutes everything was quiet.
Suddenly, the graboid emerged and grabbed a screecher. The other screechers sensed it's heat and headed for the spot but the graboid was back underground before they reached it.
"One down." Burt said with a grin.
The graboid managed to get three more screechers before they started to wise up. As a group the screechers started moving, but not up or down. They moved to the side and around the side of the ridge. Burt and Buffy lost sight of the herd.
"Burt are you there?" came Tyler's voice on the radio.
"Yeah, I'm here." Burt replied.
"What's going on up there? It's sounds like herd of cattle running."
"The graboid spooked them and the entire group took off to the other side of the ridge. They are out of site."
"So, what's the plan?" Tyler asked.
"We regroup back at my vehicle. We'll make a new battle plan there. Burt out."
They met up almost to Burt's SUV. They made small talk until reached the vehicle and saw the infrared screen. There were no screechers anywhere on the screen!
"Where did they go?" Buffy asked in confusion.
Burt looked puzzled. He stared intently at the screen and until he noticed three pairs of eyes on him.
"What?" he asked.
"Where did they go, Burt?" Tyler asked.
"I don't know." Burt replied.
"What do you mean, you don't know?" Buffy asked. "You're Burt. You're supposed to know these things."
"I keep telling you. These things get smarter and they get smarter fast. Maybe they found a cave or overhang that will hide their body heat."
"So, what do we do now?" Angel asked.
"We have to find them. It won't be long until they morph into ass blasters."
"Maybe they have already started to morph. Maybe that's why their body heat isn't showing up." Buffy speculated.
"No." Burt said. "It hasn't been long enough. They've found someway to hide their body heat."
"Let's get back to town." Burt said. "It will be dark in a couple of hours. We don't have time for a complete search. I don't like trying to hunt when my prey can see me better than I can see them. We'll start back first thing in the morning."
~~ * ~~
Faith surveyed with area with binoculars. The guards were more alert than she had hoped. They never left their post and were more alert than the usual guard. She suspected it was because of whatever was happening in the valley. That made her worry even more.
She was trying to decide on a plan when a car pulled up to the barricade. A short, heavy man got out of the car. The guards immediately went to talk to him, but instead of telling him to leave led him into their command tent.
Faith decided to get a closer look. Maybe she could find out what this "situation" was.
~~ * ~~
"Sir, the screechers have disappeared from our heat sensors. Three people were in the area at the time. We assume one of these people was Burt Gummer, sir. They had on protective dusters but their engine heat gave us their position. They are on their way back to town."
"But where did they go?" Twitchell asked, referring to the screechers.
"We're not sure, sir." The man answered.
"All right. I'm going into town. I'll get a report from Burt and the others."
"Yes, sir."
Faith heard the man say he was going into town. She moved back over to his car. Working for a detective did have its up side. Faith used her set of lock picks to open the trunk of the car and slipped inside.
Twitchell got into his vehicle and the guard removed the barricade to allow him to pass.
Faith wasn't very comfortable in the trunk but she had been in worse spots. At least now she was headed for her friends.
~~ * ~~
Jody, Nancy, and Rosalita met them when they pulled in at the store.
"Well, how did it go?" Jody demanded.
"They vanished." Burt said. "The graboid got three of them and then the herd took off and vanished."
"We thought you killed the graboid. It's disappeared from the seismo." Jody informed them.
"It's probably in the process of changing." Burt sighed.
They all looked to see a car coming up the road. Burt groaned. It was no secret he and Twitchell didn't see eye to eye.
Twitchell parked his car and got out. He liked to act like he was important. He strolled over to the group, who still hadn't spoken.
"Hey, guys. What's up?" Twitchell asked.
"Oh, just a few screechers who will soon be ass blasters." Burt answered.
"So, what happened out there tonight? My guys were tracking you and then the screechers vanished."
"So we noticed." Burt responded dryly. "The other graboid got a few of them and then they took off and disappeared."
"So, what now?" Twitchell asked.
"We wait for morning and sent out a search party." Burt answered. He had opened his mouth to say more when they heard someone beating and shouting.
"What's that?" Twitchell asked.
Angel's ears picked up the location of the sound and he ran to the back of Twitchell's car.
"Someone's in here!" Angel said. He knew exactly who it was.
"That's impossible." Twitchell said while running to car and fumbling with his keys. He got the key in the lock and threw open the trunk. Faith lay there with a big smile on her face.
"Hi, guys." She said, rising from the trunk.
Angel came forward to help her. He didn't know she was coming but was glad she was here. Faith gracefully exited the trunk and pulled a large bag out with her and slung it over her shoulder.
Buffy just stood back and watched.
"Who are you and what were you doing in my car?" Twitchell yelled.
Faith looked undisturbed as she turned to face him. "Your guard dogs wouldn't let me in. I decided to hitch a ride."
"I'll have you arrested." Twitchell blustered.
"Go ahead and try." Faith commented. "You better have a lot of back up though."
"She's a friend of mine." Buffy spoke up. Twitchell could be a real ass and Faith had no patience. It was not a good thing. This could get real ugly.
"Friend or not, she shouldn't be here!" Twitchell yelled.
Burt stepped in. "Look, she here. We can use all the help we can get. The screechers have come up with something new. Unless of course you want to drive her back to the barricade in that car the screechers can see from a mile off. They could be anywhere by now." Burt finished slyly.
"Fine." Twitchell said, defeated. "She can stay. But I take no responsibility for her safety."
"Listen, man. No one is responsible for my safety but me. I can take care of myself." Faith said.
"Buffy, aren't you going to introduce us?" Nancy asked.
Buffy introduced Faith as a friend for back home. She noticed Tyler drooling a little over Faith. She grinned. Good. Maybe he would back off her a little.
"Now that we're all acquainted, let's figure out what to do about this situation." Burt said. He walked toward the hotel and everyone followed.
Buffy, Angel, and Faith took up the rear.
"What are you doing here, Faith?" Buffy asked.
"Angel called and told us he found you. Things have been too quiet in LA for a while. I always wanted to visit Nevada, so here I am."
"Well, it's good to see you." Angel said.
"By the way, what's with those stupid dusters you are all wearing?" Faith asked.
"Oh, these. Well, that's a very interesting story." Buffy said with a grin.
Angel removed his duster and handed it to Faith. "Here, put this on."
Faith looked at it for a moment. "I don't think so. Not really my style."
"Put it on. You're going to need it. It hides your body heat. It'll make sense when we explain what's going on. For now, don't go outside without one of these on." Angel explained.
Faith threw the duster on carelessly and they continued on to the hotel.
They arrived inside to find the others going over plans. El Blanco was keeping to his normal travel patterns. The other graboid had disappeared from the seismo not long after chasing the screechers away. The only heat on the monitor was that of the other animals of the valley, cattle, mules, horses, a couple of wolves, and things like that.
Burt was studying topographical maps of the area. Suddenly he let out a yelp. "I've got it." He yelled.
"What is it, Burt?" Nancy asked.
"The old mine. They must have found a way to get into the mine." Burt exclaimed.
"But the mine is miles away from the area." Rosalita said.
"The mine had access tunnels that ran in a lot of different directions. They closed most of them, but what if they found a way in?" Burt argued.
"So, now they are underground?" Buffy asked.
"Possibly. It would explain why we can't see them." Burt said.
"That's not good." Tyler put in. "How are we going to find them if they're underground?"
"The old-fashioned way." Burt said. "We'll just have to track them. I suggest everyone get some sleep. We'll head out tomorrow at nine hundred hours."
Everyone left, leaving Faith, Angel, and Buffy to talk. Buffy explained graboids, screechers, and ass blasters to Faith. She took it well, but then this was Faith, her sister slayer.
"Cool." Faith commented when Buffy told her how ass blasters took off and how they got their name. "Sounds like fun."
"No, Faith." Buffy said. "Not fun. These things are dangerous. They are powerful. Don't let your guard down. These things will kill you in a heart beat."
"So, what else is new?" Faith asked. "I fight demons and vamps. I'm used to things trying to kill me. What are their weaknesses?"
~~ * ~~
Burt was on his way home. He passed near the spot he had found Angel the night the graboid had cornered him and remembered the item Angel had left behind. He had never got to check that out. Burt turned his SUV sharply and headed for the rock.
Burt looked around the area. Something about Angel just seemed off. He didn't know what it was, just a tingle in his senses.
Burt spotted the plastic container laying in the crevice of two rocks. He picked it up and looked at it. "What the hell?" he said out loud. He studied it for a few moments, a frown on his face. He decided to take it home and check it out in more light.
~~ * ~~
Burt turned on the lights to his underground home. Surrounded underground by concrete and above with a fence Burt felt safe here.
He pulled the bag out and looked at it again. Sure enough, it was a blood bag. The label said the blood that was inside was O+. What on earth was this guy doing with a blood bag? And where was the blood that was inside? Burt suspicions of Angel grew. He needed answers. He recalled that Angel was from LA. He supposedly ran some sort of detective agency.
Burt turned his computer on and began to search for detective agencies in LA. His search came up with a web site called "Angel Investigations.com". He clicked on the page and saw a god-awful drawing of what he assumed was an Angel. He continued to study the page and became more confused. This had to be some sort of joke. According to the web site they investigated the paranormal along with run of the mill cases. The web sit gave a phone number.
"Angel Investigations. We help the hopeless." Came a female voice over the line.
Burt didn't know what to say. He had assumed the number was fake. He never expected someone to actually answer.
"Hello. Is anyone there?" the voice said again.
"Um, hello. I think I may have the wrong number. Who is this?" Burt asked.
"This is Angel Investigations. I'm Cordelia." She said.
"Is Angel in?" Burt asked.
"No, he isn't. He's on vacation right now. What can we do for you?"
"When will Angel be back?" Burt asked, fishing for information.
"When he finishes his vacation." Cordelia answered, starting to get annoyed.
"Tell me, honestly. Is there really an Angel, or is it just the name of the company?"
"Yes, there is an Angel. No, he's not here, but we have someone filling in for him. Now, do you have a problem or are you just trying to annoy me?" Cordelia snapped.
"Well, I'm not sure. This guy showed up the other night and he didn't seem quite right. Then I found a bag that came from a blood bank. At one time is contained human blood, but it was empty. This guy left it laying around."
"Well, there are a couple of explanations for that." Cordelia said. "He could have a medical problem. What's that disease where they have to have blood transfusions? It could be that, or he could be a vampire. Is he hostile at all?"
"No, not really."
"I see. Have you ever seen him in the sun?"
"Yes, I have. He was out in the sun today."
"Well, then he's not a vampire. They spontaneously combust in sunlight, unless he's found another Ring of Amara." Cordelia rambled.
Burt's mind was racing. Vampire? Ring of Amara? What was this woman talking about?
"Listen, lady. Are you trying to tell me vampires are real?" Burt asked in disbelief? And what is a Ring of Amara?"
"Yes, vampires are real. They drink blood and kill people, the usual you see in the movies. They get most of it right. The Ring of Amara is a green stone in a ring that protects a vampire, makes him almost indestructible. He can walk in sunlight and crosses don't bother him, that sort of thing. But, don't worry. As far as I know there's only one and I know where it is."
"So, what about this guy?" Burt said, still playing the part.
"Well, if he can walk in the sun, he's not a vamp. However, he could be some weird human who thinks he's a vampire. There are cults that worship vampires. I can send someone over to check it out. Just give me your address."
"No. That's all right. I think I'll handle this on my own. Thanks." Burt hung up. That didn't help much. Angel didn't look sick. He was a little pale but anyone who needed blood transfusions to survive wouldn't volunteer to go looking for screechers where there was a good chance of getting hurt. Maybe he was part of one of these cults that worshiped vampires. The woman he talked to seemed sane enough and spoke with confidence.
Burt went back to his computer and the web site. He noticed something he hadn't noticed before. He clicked on the photo icon and there was Angel. He was with several other people. So, he really did run a detective agency. That was a point in his favor. His story was checking out but what was with the blood bag?
Burt looked at his watch. It was getting late and he needed to get some sleep.
~~ * ~~
Buffy, Angel, and Faith were in the kitchen when Tyler arrived the next morning.
"Good morning. Sleep well?" Tyler asked everyone.
Faith answered. "No. I don't like to sleep alone."
Angel and Tyler grinned and Buffy gave her a disgusted look. Faith saw the look and decided to tease Buffy a little.
"Look, B. Just because I don't chose a celibate lifestyle doesn't mean I'm a bad person. People need a good roll in the hay every now and then." Faith said, grinning, knowing that she hadn't had sex since before she went to prison. She wanted something more than a roll in the hay now. She wanted someone to look at her like Angel looked at Buffy. It didn't stop her from flirting though. Flirting was part of her nature.
Before Buffy could respond to Faith's comment Jody, Rosalita, and Nancy came in.
"Morning everybody." Nancy said, cheerfully.
They talked about the screechers and what was going to happen today as they prepared breakfast and packed the supplies they thought they would need. Angel excused himself and went back up to his room. Buffy and Faith exchanged a look. They knew Angel was going to feed. He would need it.
"Everybody ready." Burt asked as he came into the room.
"We're just finishing up the supplies." Jody answered.
"Good. I plan on leaving in 15 minutes." Burt responded.
Angel walked back into the room and Burt eyed him suspiciously. Then, Burt noticed the ring on his finger and his mind went back to the conversation with Cordelia the night before.
"Nice ring." Burt commented innocently to Angel.
Angel looked down at the ring. "Thanks." He responded.
"That's an unusual stone. It's not an emerald. What is it?" Burt asked.
"I'm not sure." Angel asked, starting to get suspicious. Burt wasn't known for small talk or interest in jewelry.
"May I see it?"
Angel felt momentary panic. Sunlight was streaming from the windows in the kitchen. He would be dust if he took the ring off here. He looked at Burt to see triumph in his eyes. Angel narrowed his eyes. Somehow, he knew.
Buffy and Faith also caught the panic in Angel.
"We can admire the ring later, Burt. We have screechers to hunt." Buffy said.
"Right." Said Burt. "But I like to know who or what I'm going hunting with."
"Burt, what's going on?" Tyler asked.
"I found something very interesting last night. I found it out in the desert at that rock I found you on the other night." Burt said to Angel.
Angel suppressed a groan. He had left the blood bag. How could he be so stupid? He just never thought Burt would go back out there.
"What did you find?" Tyler asked, interested now.
"This." Said Burt as he pulled the blood bag out of his vest pocket.
Everyone, except Buffy, Faith, and Angel, looked intently at the bag. Then, all eyes turned to Angel.
Angel turned pleading eyes to Buffy and Faith. Buffy decided this had gone far enough and decided to come clean.
"So, what do you want to know?" Buffy asked.
"I want to know what this guy is doing carrying around human blood?" Burt asked.
"Human?" Buffy said, confused and turned to look at Angel.
"It isn't what you think." Angel said quickly to Buffy. "It's blood they couldn't use for some reason or another. Some of it is perfectly good. It just came from questionable sources. They were going to throw it out. So, I bought it through a friend."
"O.K." Rosalita interrupted. "Why do you need blood?"
Buffy looked and Angel and he just shrugged. It was going to come out.
Buffy took a deep breath. "Angel is a vampire. He has to drink blood to survive."
Four pairs of stunned eyes focused on her and one pair that wasn't so stunned.
"If you're not going to tell us, fine. But, don't lie about it." Tyler said.
"She's not lying." Burt said.
"How did you know about the ring?" Angel asked Burt.
"I made a few calls last night. One call was to LA. A very helpful woman named Cordelia mentioned the ring when I told her about a strange man I had met."
Buffy cursed Cordelia under her breath. "Stupid bitch."
Angel heard her. "Buffy, it wasn't her fault."
"Oh, really." Buffy began. "Does she tell everyone about you when they call the office?"
Tyler broke in. "What are you all talking about? He's a vampire?" Tyler yelled. His voice was enough to start everyone talking at once.
Faith's shrill whistle brought everyone to silence. "Look." She began. "We have some things to explain. Yes, Angel is a vampire, with a soul. He doesn't hurt people. He helps them. Angel is a good guy."
"You dated a vampire?" Tyler turned to Buffy in astonishment. "Didn't that freak you out just a little?"
"No, not really." Buffy answered. "My life hasn't been normal since I was fifteen years old."
"Look, this all very interesting but can we get back to the problem at hand?" Faith asked. Everybody looked at her and she made a gesture with her hands. "Screechers. You know those things that will change into ass blasters if we don't stop them."
"This is too much." Nancy said, rubbing her fore head to try to stop the headache that was forming.
Rosalita looked at Angel and the dawn of understanding came into her eyes. "Lorne said you were special. He said some things that didn't make sense at the time. They do now. You're the champion he was always referring to."
"Yes." Angel answered.
Another realization hit Rosalita. "Oh my God!" She exclaimed. "His green skin and horns weren't make up were they?"
"No. Lorne is an empath demon. Perfectly harmless, but able to read people's destinies. That's what those guys wanted with him. They were stealing people's destinies and selling them."
Rosalita had to sit down. She knew Lorne was strange, but a demon. Wow!
"Enough. We have to stop the screechers. This discussion can wait for another time." Buffy said, taking charge.
"No. I want to discuss it now. I'm not going out there with a vampire." Tyler said.
Buffy started to get angry. "You were out there with him yesterday. Today is no different. He's the same person today except you know what he is. Angel is the finest man I have met, bar none. Every person here has something about them they want to hide. The only difference is that Angel's secret is now out in the open. None of this is helping us. Angel is on our side. Angel, Faith, and I will go out on our own if we have to, but we want your help. You know these things better than I do. So, what's it going to be? Are you all going to let fear and prejudice stop you from doing what's right or are you going trust me?"
"All right, Buffy. We'll take your word for it." Burt said. "We have to find the screechers before they change."
"Wait." Tyler said. "What's your secret?" he asked Buffy.
"I didn't ask your secret. Don't ask mine." Buffy said, coldly.
"I just want to know what I'm getting myself into." Tyler said. "You're not freaked out vampires and come to think of it, you weren't freaked out by El Blanco."
"I thought El Blanco was a demon. I came here to kill it." Buffy answered.
"Why?" Tyler asked.
"It's a long story." Buffy answered. "It's a story we'll save for later." She finished with finality.
"Now that we have everything settled, let's get moving." Angel said. He headed for the door and was stopped by Burt's voice.
"Don't forget your heat duster." He said.
Angel grinned. "Don't need one." He paused and grinned wider. "I'm dead. I don't have body heat." He said and walked out the door. He smiled all the way to the truck. Sometimes being a vampire could be fun. The look on their faces when he said he was dead was priceless.
Burt turned to Buffy. "What?" she asked innocently. "He doesn't."
Burt shook his and still had reservations about this. But, the screechers wouldn't wait.
Everyone packed up and headed out. Rosalita, Nancy, and Jody watched them drive away and headed back inside for a long discussion about vampires.
~~ * ~~
A/N- Next chapter will be screecher hunting. Maybe revealing a little about slayers to the others. I haven't decided yet. Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Don't forget to review and give suggestions.
Angel was still trying to digest the information he had just been given. Just when you thought things couldn't get any weirder.
"So, what's the plan?" Angel asked.
"I'll take Buffy and hit them high. We can get above them." Burt said. "You and Tyler take the low side and cut off any escape route."
"Fine." Angel answered. "How far away are we now?" Angel asked, hoping to come to terms with the fact he was going to be stuck with Buffy's new flame.
"About 8 miles." Burt answered. "Any questions?"
No one had any questions and the drive was completed in silence.
~~ * ~~
The armed guard looked at the young woman in front him and stated firmly, again. "I'm sorry, miss. No one is allowed in the valley at this time."
Faith looked at the guard in distain. "Well, can you at least tell me why?" she demanded.
"There is a situation in the valley."
"To hell with your situation. I've got friends in there." Faith yelled, starting to get mad.
The guard seemed undisturbed at her ire. After all, she was just a girl and a small one at that, or so he thought.
Faith fought back the killing anger that came to the surface. If the situation was that dangerous she had to get inside and help Angel and Buffy. She thought back to what Spike had told her, which wasn't much. He just said Buffy had found a place as weird as Sunnydale but without demons and vampires. Damn Spike for not filling her in.
Faith came out of her thoughts as she realized the guard was speaking to her again. "I'm sorry, miss. But I have to ask you to leave the area."
"What about my friends?"
"I'm sorry, miss. There's nothing you can do. Now, please exit the area before I have you removed forcefully."
Faith literally had to bite her tongue to keep from laughing in his face. She only counted four guards in the area. That wasn't nearly enough to stop her. But wisdom and good judgment prevailed. She would have to find another way into the valley.
She turned to get back into her car but couldn't resist the temptation of one last comment. She turned back to the guard and said, "Bite me, asshole." Before getting in her car and driving away.
~~ * ~~
Angel felt the tension in Burt as they neared their destination. He began to sweat ever so slightly and his heart rate increased a few beats per minute. Sensing the change in Burt, Angel began to get a little nervous, too. Burt always seemed in complete control and unshakeable. It made Angel wonder just how bad these things could be.
"This is as far as we go in the truck." Burt said as he stopped. "Any closer and they could sense the heat from the engine. We walk from here."
Buffy and Tyler didn't seem to catch the change in Burt. They got out of the truck and put on their heat dusters. Buffy grabbed her bag and slung it over her shoulder.
"What's in the bag?" Tyler asked. "Burt brought the firepower."
"Just a few things in case we need them." Buffy answered cryptically.
"Speaking of firepower." Said Burt opening his stash of weapons. He kept the most rounds and biggest gun for himself. He gave Tyler a high- powered rifle and extra cartridges. Angel got the same plus a handgun. Buffy received a 22-rifle. She wasn't happy about it but decided she could make it with that and what was in her bag. Burt went on to give details of the plan as he handed out weapons.
Burt double-checked the location of the screechers. "All right people, let's move."
They separated in to their two groups. Angel and Tyler took off to cover the lower part of the area while Burt and Buffy started climbing to get above them.
Burt and Buffy walked in silence both preparing themselves mentally for battle. Burt knew exactly what he was walking into and was going over every detail in his mind. Screechers got smarter and he didn't like to walk into anything unprepared. Buffy had the facts but no real experience with screechers. This didn't bother her too much. She was used to walking into situations that required her to think on her feet. But it had been a while, too long. She hoped she still had it. It had been well over a year since her last battle. Still, she worked out and kept her body in good shape. Although no one knew it, she occasionally went out to play with El Blanco. She would let him find her and then evade him. The warrior in her just couldn't stop completely. She didn't know why she did it; she just knew she had to have something to fight, even if it was a battle of wits.
Tyler and Angel walked in uncomfortable silence for a while. Angel was preparing himself for battle. Just like Buffy and Burt, he was a warrior. Tyler, on the other hand, was not. Yes, he could and would fight, but it wasn't him. He liked adventure and excitement but didn't have the warrior spirit. Warriors fought to win. Tyler fought for the thrill of the game.
Finally, Tyler couldn't take the silence any longer. "So, how did you meet Buffy?" Tyler asked.
Angel didn't like to be interrupted while preparing for battle. "None of your business." Angel responded curtly.
"Look. I know you don't like the fact Buffy and I went out, but she's not yours. She said you two haven't been an item since she was a teenager."
Angel looked and the man and had to admire his guts. "Look, Tyler. Buffy and I are none of your business. I've known her for a long time." Angel said in a tone that told Tyler to drop the subject. He listened.
"So, Buffy tells us that you're a detective."
"Yeah, that's right." Angel said.
"What's it like? Do you get to save the girl a lot?" Tyler asked.
Angel sighed to himself. No use trying to mentally prepare with this guy around. Still, he couldn't help but find himself starting to like him.
"I help a lot of people. Sometimes it's girls and sometimes it's guys. It's a job."
"Yeah, but what made you decide to do it? It isn't exactly a common profession."
"It chose me." Angel replied sadly. Tyler noticed the change in his tone, but didn't comment.
The two groups walked in silence until they reached their destination.
"O.K. There they are." Burt said.
Buffy looked over and down the ridge. Sure enough, there they were. There were already more than twelve. What ever they found to eat was plentiful.
Burt had already loaded his rifle and was getting the first screecher in his sights as Buffy prepared her weapon. She didn't have a scope on hers like Burt did, but it didn't matter. He probably just expected her to fire into the crowd and hope for the best.
Burt had his prey in his sights and his finger was tightening on the trigger when his wrist seismo went off. Buffy and Burt both went perfectly still. The ground underneath them shifted as they felt the graboid pass under them. It was headed for the group of screechers.
Burt carefully turned his head and grinned at Buffy. If the graboid wanted to help kill the screechers he didn't have a problem with it.
At the bottom of the ridge Angel and Tyler were waiting when Tyler's wrist seismo went off. He looked anxiously at it but grinned a little when he saw where the graboid was.
"It's headed for the screechers." Tyler whispered to Angel.
"So, what do we do?" Angel whispered back.
"We wait. We don't do anything until Burt makes a move. Maybe this graboid will do most of the work for us."
Both groups waited. Angel and Tyler couldn't see much that was going on higher on the ridge. Burt and Buffy had the advantage. They could see just about everything. For a couple of minutes everything was quiet.
Suddenly, the graboid emerged and grabbed a screecher. The other screechers sensed it's heat and headed for the spot but the graboid was back underground before they reached it.
"One down." Burt said with a grin.
The graboid managed to get three more screechers before they started to wise up. As a group the screechers started moving, but not up or down. They moved to the side and around the side of the ridge. Burt and Buffy lost sight of the herd.
"Burt are you there?" came Tyler's voice on the radio.
"Yeah, I'm here." Burt replied.
"What's going on up there? It's sounds like herd of cattle running."
"The graboid spooked them and the entire group took off to the other side of the ridge. They are out of site."
"So, what's the plan?" Tyler asked.
"We regroup back at my vehicle. We'll make a new battle plan there. Burt out."
They met up almost to Burt's SUV. They made small talk until reached the vehicle and saw the infrared screen. There were no screechers anywhere on the screen!
"Where did they go?" Buffy asked in confusion.
Burt looked puzzled. He stared intently at the screen and until he noticed three pairs of eyes on him.
"What?" he asked.
"Where did they go, Burt?" Tyler asked.
"I don't know." Burt replied.
"What do you mean, you don't know?" Buffy asked. "You're Burt. You're supposed to know these things."
"I keep telling you. These things get smarter and they get smarter fast. Maybe they found a cave or overhang that will hide their body heat."
"So, what do we do now?" Angel asked.
"We have to find them. It won't be long until they morph into ass blasters."
"Maybe they have already started to morph. Maybe that's why their body heat isn't showing up." Buffy speculated.
"No." Burt said. "It hasn't been long enough. They've found someway to hide their body heat."
"Let's get back to town." Burt said. "It will be dark in a couple of hours. We don't have time for a complete search. I don't like trying to hunt when my prey can see me better than I can see them. We'll start back first thing in the morning."
~~ * ~~
Faith surveyed with area with binoculars. The guards were more alert than she had hoped. They never left their post and were more alert than the usual guard. She suspected it was because of whatever was happening in the valley. That made her worry even more.
She was trying to decide on a plan when a car pulled up to the barricade. A short, heavy man got out of the car. The guards immediately went to talk to him, but instead of telling him to leave led him into their command tent.
Faith decided to get a closer look. Maybe she could find out what this "situation" was.
~~ * ~~
"Sir, the screechers have disappeared from our heat sensors. Three people were in the area at the time. We assume one of these people was Burt Gummer, sir. They had on protective dusters but their engine heat gave us their position. They are on their way back to town."
"But where did they go?" Twitchell asked, referring to the screechers.
"We're not sure, sir." The man answered.
"All right. I'm going into town. I'll get a report from Burt and the others."
"Yes, sir."
Faith heard the man say he was going into town. She moved back over to his car. Working for a detective did have its up side. Faith used her set of lock picks to open the trunk of the car and slipped inside.
Twitchell got into his vehicle and the guard removed the barricade to allow him to pass.
Faith wasn't very comfortable in the trunk but she had been in worse spots. At least now she was headed for her friends.
~~ * ~~
Jody, Nancy, and Rosalita met them when they pulled in at the store.
"Well, how did it go?" Jody demanded.
"They vanished." Burt said. "The graboid got three of them and then the herd took off and vanished."
"We thought you killed the graboid. It's disappeared from the seismo." Jody informed them.
"It's probably in the process of changing." Burt sighed.
They all looked to see a car coming up the road. Burt groaned. It was no secret he and Twitchell didn't see eye to eye.
Twitchell parked his car and got out. He liked to act like he was important. He strolled over to the group, who still hadn't spoken.
"Hey, guys. What's up?" Twitchell asked.
"Oh, just a few screechers who will soon be ass blasters." Burt answered.
"So, what happened out there tonight? My guys were tracking you and then the screechers vanished."
"So we noticed." Burt responded dryly. "The other graboid got a few of them and then they took off and disappeared."
"So, what now?" Twitchell asked.
"We wait for morning and sent out a search party." Burt answered. He had opened his mouth to say more when they heard someone beating and shouting.
"What's that?" Twitchell asked.
Angel's ears picked up the location of the sound and he ran to the back of Twitchell's car.
"Someone's in here!" Angel said. He knew exactly who it was.
"That's impossible." Twitchell said while running to car and fumbling with his keys. He got the key in the lock and threw open the trunk. Faith lay there with a big smile on her face.
"Hi, guys." She said, rising from the trunk.
Angel came forward to help her. He didn't know she was coming but was glad she was here. Faith gracefully exited the trunk and pulled a large bag out with her and slung it over her shoulder.
Buffy just stood back and watched.
"Who are you and what were you doing in my car?" Twitchell yelled.
Faith looked undisturbed as she turned to face him. "Your guard dogs wouldn't let me in. I decided to hitch a ride."
"I'll have you arrested." Twitchell blustered.
"Go ahead and try." Faith commented. "You better have a lot of back up though."
"She's a friend of mine." Buffy spoke up. Twitchell could be a real ass and Faith had no patience. It was not a good thing. This could get real ugly.
"Friend or not, she shouldn't be here!" Twitchell yelled.
Burt stepped in. "Look, she here. We can use all the help we can get. The screechers have come up with something new. Unless of course you want to drive her back to the barricade in that car the screechers can see from a mile off. They could be anywhere by now." Burt finished slyly.
"Fine." Twitchell said, defeated. "She can stay. But I take no responsibility for her safety."
"Listen, man. No one is responsible for my safety but me. I can take care of myself." Faith said.
"Buffy, aren't you going to introduce us?" Nancy asked.
Buffy introduced Faith as a friend for back home. She noticed Tyler drooling a little over Faith. She grinned. Good. Maybe he would back off her a little.
"Now that we're all acquainted, let's figure out what to do about this situation." Burt said. He walked toward the hotel and everyone followed.
Buffy, Angel, and Faith took up the rear.
"What are you doing here, Faith?" Buffy asked.
"Angel called and told us he found you. Things have been too quiet in LA for a while. I always wanted to visit Nevada, so here I am."
"Well, it's good to see you." Angel said.
"By the way, what's with those stupid dusters you are all wearing?" Faith asked.
"Oh, these. Well, that's a very interesting story." Buffy said with a grin.
Angel removed his duster and handed it to Faith. "Here, put this on."
Faith looked at it for a moment. "I don't think so. Not really my style."
"Put it on. You're going to need it. It hides your body heat. It'll make sense when we explain what's going on. For now, don't go outside without one of these on." Angel explained.
Faith threw the duster on carelessly and they continued on to the hotel.
They arrived inside to find the others going over plans. El Blanco was keeping to his normal travel patterns. The other graboid had disappeared from the seismo not long after chasing the screechers away. The only heat on the monitor was that of the other animals of the valley, cattle, mules, horses, a couple of wolves, and things like that.
Burt was studying topographical maps of the area. Suddenly he let out a yelp. "I've got it." He yelled.
"What is it, Burt?" Nancy asked.
"The old mine. They must have found a way to get into the mine." Burt exclaimed.
"But the mine is miles away from the area." Rosalita said.
"The mine had access tunnels that ran in a lot of different directions. They closed most of them, but what if they found a way in?" Burt argued.
"So, now they are underground?" Buffy asked.
"Possibly. It would explain why we can't see them." Burt said.
"That's not good." Tyler put in. "How are we going to find them if they're underground?"
"The old-fashioned way." Burt said. "We'll just have to track them. I suggest everyone get some sleep. We'll head out tomorrow at nine hundred hours."
Everyone left, leaving Faith, Angel, and Buffy to talk. Buffy explained graboids, screechers, and ass blasters to Faith. She took it well, but then this was Faith, her sister slayer.
"Cool." Faith commented when Buffy told her how ass blasters took off and how they got their name. "Sounds like fun."
"No, Faith." Buffy said. "Not fun. These things are dangerous. They are powerful. Don't let your guard down. These things will kill you in a heart beat."
"So, what else is new?" Faith asked. "I fight demons and vamps. I'm used to things trying to kill me. What are their weaknesses?"
~~ * ~~
Burt was on his way home. He passed near the spot he had found Angel the night the graboid had cornered him and remembered the item Angel had left behind. He had never got to check that out. Burt turned his SUV sharply and headed for the rock.
Burt looked around the area. Something about Angel just seemed off. He didn't know what it was, just a tingle in his senses.
Burt spotted the plastic container laying in the crevice of two rocks. He picked it up and looked at it. "What the hell?" he said out loud. He studied it for a few moments, a frown on his face. He decided to take it home and check it out in more light.
~~ * ~~
Burt turned on the lights to his underground home. Surrounded underground by concrete and above with a fence Burt felt safe here.
He pulled the bag out and looked at it again. Sure enough, it was a blood bag. The label said the blood that was inside was O+. What on earth was this guy doing with a blood bag? And where was the blood that was inside? Burt suspicions of Angel grew. He needed answers. He recalled that Angel was from LA. He supposedly ran some sort of detective agency.
Burt turned his computer on and began to search for detective agencies in LA. His search came up with a web site called "Angel Investigations.com". He clicked on the page and saw a god-awful drawing of what he assumed was an Angel. He continued to study the page and became more confused. This had to be some sort of joke. According to the web site they investigated the paranormal along with run of the mill cases. The web sit gave a phone number.
"Angel Investigations. We help the hopeless." Came a female voice over the line.
Burt didn't know what to say. He had assumed the number was fake. He never expected someone to actually answer.
"Hello. Is anyone there?" the voice said again.
"Um, hello. I think I may have the wrong number. Who is this?" Burt asked.
"This is Angel Investigations. I'm Cordelia." She said.
"Is Angel in?" Burt asked.
"No, he isn't. He's on vacation right now. What can we do for you?"
"When will Angel be back?" Burt asked, fishing for information.
"When he finishes his vacation." Cordelia answered, starting to get annoyed.
"Tell me, honestly. Is there really an Angel, or is it just the name of the company?"
"Yes, there is an Angel. No, he's not here, but we have someone filling in for him. Now, do you have a problem or are you just trying to annoy me?" Cordelia snapped.
"Well, I'm not sure. This guy showed up the other night and he didn't seem quite right. Then I found a bag that came from a blood bank. At one time is contained human blood, but it was empty. This guy left it laying around."
"Well, there are a couple of explanations for that." Cordelia said. "He could have a medical problem. What's that disease where they have to have blood transfusions? It could be that, or he could be a vampire. Is he hostile at all?"
"No, not really."
"I see. Have you ever seen him in the sun?"
"Yes, I have. He was out in the sun today."
"Well, then he's not a vampire. They spontaneously combust in sunlight, unless he's found another Ring of Amara." Cordelia rambled.
Burt's mind was racing. Vampire? Ring of Amara? What was this woman talking about?
"Listen, lady. Are you trying to tell me vampires are real?" Burt asked in disbelief? And what is a Ring of Amara?"
"Yes, vampires are real. They drink blood and kill people, the usual you see in the movies. They get most of it right. The Ring of Amara is a green stone in a ring that protects a vampire, makes him almost indestructible. He can walk in sunlight and crosses don't bother him, that sort of thing. But, don't worry. As far as I know there's only one and I know where it is."
"So, what about this guy?" Burt said, still playing the part.
"Well, if he can walk in the sun, he's not a vamp. However, he could be some weird human who thinks he's a vampire. There are cults that worship vampires. I can send someone over to check it out. Just give me your address."
"No. That's all right. I think I'll handle this on my own. Thanks." Burt hung up. That didn't help much. Angel didn't look sick. He was a little pale but anyone who needed blood transfusions to survive wouldn't volunteer to go looking for screechers where there was a good chance of getting hurt. Maybe he was part of one of these cults that worshiped vampires. The woman he talked to seemed sane enough and spoke with confidence.
Burt went back to his computer and the web site. He noticed something he hadn't noticed before. He clicked on the photo icon and there was Angel. He was with several other people. So, he really did run a detective agency. That was a point in his favor. His story was checking out but what was with the blood bag?
Burt looked at his watch. It was getting late and he needed to get some sleep.
~~ * ~~
Buffy, Angel, and Faith were in the kitchen when Tyler arrived the next morning.
"Good morning. Sleep well?" Tyler asked everyone.
Faith answered. "No. I don't like to sleep alone."
Angel and Tyler grinned and Buffy gave her a disgusted look. Faith saw the look and decided to tease Buffy a little.
"Look, B. Just because I don't chose a celibate lifestyle doesn't mean I'm a bad person. People need a good roll in the hay every now and then." Faith said, grinning, knowing that she hadn't had sex since before she went to prison. She wanted something more than a roll in the hay now. She wanted someone to look at her like Angel looked at Buffy. It didn't stop her from flirting though. Flirting was part of her nature.
Before Buffy could respond to Faith's comment Jody, Rosalita, and Nancy came in.
"Morning everybody." Nancy said, cheerfully.
They talked about the screechers and what was going to happen today as they prepared breakfast and packed the supplies they thought they would need. Angel excused himself and went back up to his room. Buffy and Faith exchanged a look. They knew Angel was going to feed. He would need it.
"Everybody ready." Burt asked as he came into the room.
"We're just finishing up the supplies." Jody answered.
"Good. I plan on leaving in 15 minutes." Burt responded.
Angel walked back into the room and Burt eyed him suspiciously. Then, Burt noticed the ring on his finger and his mind went back to the conversation with Cordelia the night before.
"Nice ring." Burt commented innocently to Angel.
Angel looked down at the ring. "Thanks." He responded.
"That's an unusual stone. It's not an emerald. What is it?" Burt asked.
"I'm not sure." Angel asked, starting to get suspicious. Burt wasn't known for small talk or interest in jewelry.
"May I see it?"
Angel felt momentary panic. Sunlight was streaming from the windows in the kitchen. He would be dust if he took the ring off here. He looked at Burt to see triumph in his eyes. Angel narrowed his eyes. Somehow, he knew.
Buffy and Faith also caught the panic in Angel.
"We can admire the ring later, Burt. We have screechers to hunt." Buffy said.
"Right." Said Burt. "But I like to know who or what I'm going hunting with."
"Burt, what's going on?" Tyler asked.
"I found something very interesting last night. I found it out in the desert at that rock I found you on the other night." Burt said to Angel.
Angel suppressed a groan. He had left the blood bag. How could he be so stupid? He just never thought Burt would go back out there.
"What did you find?" Tyler asked, interested now.
"This." Said Burt as he pulled the blood bag out of his vest pocket.
Everyone, except Buffy, Faith, and Angel, looked intently at the bag. Then, all eyes turned to Angel.
Angel turned pleading eyes to Buffy and Faith. Buffy decided this had gone far enough and decided to come clean.
"So, what do you want to know?" Buffy asked.
"I want to know what this guy is doing carrying around human blood?" Burt asked.
"Human?" Buffy said, confused and turned to look at Angel.
"It isn't what you think." Angel said quickly to Buffy. "It's blood they couldn't use for some reason or another. Some of it is perfectly good. It just came from questionable sources. They were going to throw it out. So, I bought it through a friend."
"O.K." Rosalita interrupted. "Why do you need blood?"
Buffy looked and Angel and he just shrugged. It was going to come out.
Buffy took a deep breath. "Angel is a vampire. He has to drink blood to survive."
Four pairs of stunned eyes focused on her and one pair that wasn't so stunned.
"If you're not going to tell us, fine. But, don't lie about it." Tyler said.
"She's not lying." Burt said.
"How did you know about the ring?" Angel asked Burt.
"I made a few calls last night. One call was to LA. A very helpful woman named Cordelia mentioned the ring when I told her about a strange man I had met."
Buffy cursed Cordelia under her breath. "Stupid bitch."
Angel heard her. "Buffy, it wasn't her fault."
"Oh, really." Buffy began. "Does she tell everyone about you when they call the office?"
Tyler broke in. "What are you all talking about? He's a vampire?" Tyler yelled. His voice was enough to start everyone talking at once.
Faith's shrill whistle brought everyone to silence. "Look." She began. "We have some things to explain. Yes, Angel is a vampire, with a soul. He doesn't hurt people. He helps them. Angel is a good guy."
"You dated a vampire?" Tyler turned to Buffy in astonishment. "Didn't that freak you out just a little?"
"No, not really." Buffy answered. "My life hasn't been normal since I was fifteen years old."
"Look, this all very interesting but can we get back to the problem at hand?" Faith asked. Everybody looked at her and she made a gesture with her hands. "Screechers. You know those things that will change into ass blasters if we don't stop them."
"This is too much." Nancy said, rubbing her fore head to try to stop the headache that was forming.
Rosalita looked at Angel and the dawn of understanding came into her eyes. "Lorne said you were special. He said some things that didn't make sense at the time. They do now. You're the champion he was always referring to."
"Yes." Angel answered.
Another realization hit Rosalita. "Oh my God!" She exclaimed. "His green skin and horns weren't make up were they?"
"No. Lorne is an empath demon. Perfectly harmless, but able to read people's destinies. That's what those guys wanted with him. They were stealing people's destinies and selling them."
Rosalita had to sit down. She knew Lorne was strange, but a demon. Wow!
"Enough. We have to stop the screechers. This discussion can wait for another time." Buffy said, taking charge.
"No. I want to discuss it now. I'm not going out there with a vampire." Tyler said.
Buffy started to get angry. "You were out there with him yesterday. Today is no different. He's the same person today except you know what he is. Angel is the finest man I have met, bar none. Every person here has something about them they want to hide. The only difference is that Angel's secret is now out in the open. None of this is helping us. Angel is on our side. Angel, Faith, and I will go out on our own if we have to, but we want your help. You know these things better than I do. So, what's it going to be? Are you all going to let fear and prejudice stop you from doing what's right or are you going trust me?"
"All right, Buffy. We'll take your word for it." Burt said. "We have to find the screechers before they change."
"Wait." Tyler said. "What's your secret?" he asked Buffy.
"I didn't ask your secret. Don't ask mine." Buffy said, coldly.
"I just want to know what I'm getting myself into." Tyler said. "You're not freaked out vampires and come to think of it, you weren't freaked out by El Blanco."
"I thought El Blanco was a demon. I came here to kill it." Buffy answered.
"Why?" Tyler asked.
"It's a long story." Buffy answered. "It's a story we'll save for later." She finished with finality.
"Now that we have everything settled, let's get moving." Angel said. He headed for the door and was stopped by Burt's voice.
"Don't forget your heat duster." He said.
Angel grinned. "Don't need one." He paused and grinned wider. "I'm dead. I don't have body heat." He said and walked out the door. He smiled all the way to the truck. Sometimes being a vampire could be fun. The look on their faces when he said he was dead was priceless.
Burt turned to Buffy. "What?" she asked innocently. "He doesn't."
Burt shook his and still had reservations about this. But, the screechers wouldn't wait.
Everyone packed up and headed out. Rosalita, Nancy, and Jody watched them drive away and headed back inside for a long discussion about vampires.
~~ * ~~
A/N- Next chapter will be screecher hunting. Maybe revealing a little about slayers to the others. I haven't decided yet. Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Don't forget to review and give suggestions.