CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT: ETHAN (III)
Saturday: 12noon
21st August 1999
London: Watcher's CouncilEthan snuck through the Council Archives, searching for anything that looked as though it would have information on the demon or creature 'Glorificus' that Buffy had had so much trouble fighting. As much as he hated the Council and everything they stood for, he did appreciate their resources.
He pulled a book from the shelf and flicked through it quickly, adding it to the pile of books in his increasingly heavy duffle bag. He had yet to work out how to get out of the Council grounds with the books without being spotted, but he wasn't worried about that at that moment.
He pulled out another book and was stopped by a familiar voice from behind him.
"Ethan Rayne."
He turned slowly, swallowing hard and trying to get a confident smirk onto his face.
"Quentin. How wonderful to see you again," Ethan said brightly.
Quentin Travers scowled and made a grab for the bag, but Ethan held it out of the man's reach.
"What are you doing down here Mr Rayne?" Travers asked coldly.
"Just some research," Ethan replied. "Dreary weather, makes for a day when you just want to spend it tucked up in the library."
"In the restricted section of the Council archives?" Travers asked.
Ethan just nodded. "What better place to be on a Saturday afternoon?"
"Still doing freelance work, I take it?" Travers asked conversationally.
Ethan stopped in his tracks, unsure where the conversation was about to head. He should have known not to answer, but, as always, he spoke first and thought later.
"You know me, old chap. Can't resist a bit of mischief when the price is right," he said.
Travers nodded, a thoughtful look on his face. Ethan felt a cold shudder run through him. As far as people went, Travers was as evil as they came.
"I may have a little job for you to do then Mr Rayne," Travers said.
Ethan fought to remain calm. "Oh. What and where might that be?"
"I need some information about someone," Travers replied. "In Sunnydale."
Ethan felt his heart leap into his throat but fought to remain calm.
"Sunnydale eh? Where's that?"
"California," Travers replied.
"Right. What's in California that needs puzzling out? Not another Potential I hope," Ethan said.
"No, not a Potential," Travers replied honestly.
Ethan nodded, holding back the urge to pummel the man in front of him. Travers was actually talking about harming Buffy. Ethan couldn't believe how thick Travers really was. For nearly seven years now, Ethan and Buffy had been meeting and exchanging letters and Travers still hadn't figured it out.
"So…who is it? And what do you need found out?"
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Sunday: 4pm
22nd August 1999
California: SunnydaleEthan strode through the front door of Giles' apartment, not berthing to knock. Buffy was the first to look up from her book, a smile appearing on her face. She jumped off the couch, scaling the back of it to reach Ethan. He pulled her into a tight hug, kissing her forehead gently.
"Ethan! I was so worried about you," she said, her voice muffled against his shirt.
"I'm alright luv. Takes more than a visit to the Council to kill this old fool," he assured her.
She stepped back and hit him across the chest. "Fool is about right. I can't believe you would even think about going to the Council without telling me."
"I knew you'd never let me leave if you knew where I was going," he said.
"Damn right she wouldn't have," Giles added, coming out of he kitchen. "And neither would I."
"I'm surprised that Faith let you go," Buffy said.
Ethan sighed and let himself be dragged to the couch by an energetic Slayer. He sat and put an arm around Buffy as she curled up beside him.
"So, what happened?" Buffy asked.
"Nothing really," Ethan said.
Buffy pulled back to look up at him. She scoffed when she saw the lie written in his eyes.
"Big dumb…liar guy," she said. "What happened?"
"Travers suspects something," Ethan admitted.
"Suspects what?" Giles asked, seating himself on the single couch opposite them.
"Suspects that Buffy may be having more of a life than Slayers are allowed to have," Ethan explained. "He uh…asked me to do some investigative work."
"And you agreed?" Giles asked.
"I couldn't bloody well say no. He'd suspect something was off if I did that," Ethan said. "And he'd have sent someone else to do it if I said no. Better me than some stranger."
Giles sighed and nodded. He'd been wondering when the Council would work out that Buffy was doing her job far better than the other Slayers. He'd never written anything about the 'Scoobies' in his Journals, so the Council wouldn't be able to have written proof that Buffy had been bending every rule in the Slayer's handbook.
"When are they expecting you to report back?" Giles asked.
"Within a week. And if I don't give them back some hard evidence of Buffy doing her duties as she is meant to, then…they'll come here themselves to investigate," Ethan said.
Buffy swallowed hard. She didn't want the Council in Sunnydale ever again. The last time they'd shown up had been bad enough, and she really wasn't in the mood to have to deal with them ever again.
"What exactly constitutes as hard evidence?" Giles asked.
Ethan rummaged through the bag at his side and pulled out a hand-held camcorder. Inside the bag, there were three others that Ethan was supposed to place strategically throughout the places that Buffy most frequently was.
"They want twenty-four hour surveillance for the next five days. I'm to take the tapes back to the Council by next Saturday," Ethan said.
Buffy and Giles exchanged worried glances. That meant that for the next week, Buffy would have to be the perfectly behaved Slayer that the Council believed her to be. That meant that her friends, her family would have to be cast to the side in favour of Buffy being a 'true Slayer'.
"Mom's not going to like this," Buffy said quietly.
"I know luv," Ethan replied. "But…it'll be worth it in the end. If it'll keep the Council off our backs, then it'll definitely be worth it."
Buffy sighed and nodded, closing her eyes as she leant against Ethan's shoulder. As almost an after thought, she pulled back again.
"What about stuff on Glorifcus? Did you find anything?"
Ethan shrugged and pulled out several volumes of ancient books. "We'll find out soon enough I suppose."
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Monday: 9pm
23rd August 1999
California: Sunnydale
Buffy wasn't thrilled with what Ethan had proposed, but she had agreed to undergo surveillance. Ethan was to set the cameras up to start filming early the next morning, and Buffy was enjoying her freedom until then. Giles had told her to enjoy an evening free of patrol, though Buffy had done a few quick sweeps, not willing to forego what she'd been Chosen to do. Xander, Jay and Faith had accompanied her, and the four friends were on their way back to Giles' apartment, ready to do more research on Glorificus and the Order of Dagon.
Buffy opened the apartment door, laughing and joking with her friends. She stopped abruptly, her heart sinking and her entire body beginning to shake. Xander saw the reaction instantly and his hands went to her hips as he stood behind her.
"Buffy, baby, what's wrong?" he asked quietly.
Buffy swallowed hard and looked at the four men in the living room. Faith managed to step up next to Buffy, Jay and Xander noticing that the ex-Potential seemed to be just as worried as the Slayer.
One of the four men stood, his face showing his unhappiness.
"Miss Summers," Quentin Travers greeted. "How wonderful to see you again."
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Ooo, the return of the evil council man. *grins* Heheh…my apologies for the lack of updates, but I'm seriously having trouble writing this fic…so…yeah. Thanks to everyone for reviewing and emailing. Ooo, I got nominated for an award for this fic as well. Very very cool!!
Toodles.
K.