God Shuffled His Feet: An Alias/Buffy Crossover
By: Sam Lincoln

Rating PG-13

Summary: An ancient evil stalks Agent Sydney Bristow

Spoilers: General spoilers for the current seasons of Alias, and Buffy, but nothing specific to any storyline.

Disclaimer: All characters from Buffy and Angel are property of Mutant Enemy. All characters from Alias are property of Bad Robot and Touchstone Television. All characters are used without permission and no infringement is intended.

God Shuffled His Feet: Chapter Fourt

-Sunnydale-

"Giles, where are you?" Anya shouted as the group burst into the Summers household. The trip from the Bronze had proven to be relatively zombie free; Xander assumed that meant the zombies were focused on destroying downtown.

"I was just in the kitchen making some tea," Giles said as he walked into the room, "What's the matter?"

"We found out what the First's plan is," Anya said, "Zombies."

"Zombies? Are you sure?" Giles asked.

"Of course I'm sure, I know what zombies look like."

"Well, I admit that is unexpected, but given the number of corpses in Sunnydale there is quite a base for a zombie army," Giles noted.

"Uh guys, we've got a problem," Dawn said. She pointed out the window at a shambling horde of zombies advancing down the street.

"Get weapons and bar the doors and windows," Giles ordered.

"Hey, wait a second," Will said as the Scoobies leapt into action. "Why are we staying here? Wouldn't it be safer if we stayed mobile? Barricading the doors doesn't do much in horror movies after all."

"Good lord, he has a point," Giles said. "New plan, run for the hills."

"Too late," Xander called out, "Zombies in the backyard.

"That settles that," Kennedy said as she picked up an axe.

"I've imagined thousands of painful deaths for myself, but being eaten by a zombie never crossed my mind," Anya told no one in particular.

"We're not dead yet," Dawn told the former demon.

"No but it's only a matter of time. They're going to bang on the house until something gives and then pour in here. We'll kill a bunch of them, but their relentless thirst for brains will overwhelm us and we'll be eaten. I've seen this story enough times to know how it ends."

"Wait a second, I thought you said that zombies were a joke?" Will demanded.

"They are, to demons, are you a demon and just forgot to tell us?" Anya shot back.

"Anya, would you please go fetch the weapons," Giles ordered Anya.

"Fine, for all the good it will do," Anya muttered.

"Sorry about that, Anya gets a major case of the wigs whenever she's in a near death situation," Xander explained as he pushed a sofa against the front door.

"That happen often around here?" Will asked.

"Well you know, between the apocalypse and zombie hordes we keep busy."

Anya dragged a chest into the dining room, "Weapons are here."

Giles opened the chest and handed out swords and axes to the group. "Xander, Anya, Kennedy, guard the kitchen. Dawn, Mr. Tippin and myself will hold the front door. If they break through head upstairs that way we can try to effect an escape." The group nodded and took up positions around the barricaded doors. They anxiously waited for the first sign of the zombie attack. "I'm terribly sorry you got yourself caught up in all this," Giles told Will.

"Not your fault," Will assured Giles. "I'm here because I thought it might help Sydney, plus that whole car thing."

"Ah of course, still, my apologies." The front door began to shake as the undead horde outside began its attempt to beat their way in. "Dawn," Giles snapped, "get a crossbow and go upstairs. Take out as many as you can." Dawn nodded and ran upstairs. "I don't know why I didn't think of that sooner," Giles commented.

Their attention was diverted from the door by the sound of breaking glass in the dining room. Giles and Will looked and saw a zombie crawling through the open window. Giles ran over and decapitated the zombie with a switch blow from his axe.

"Kennedy, come out here and watch this window," Giles shouted before returning to Will's side.

"What exactly can we do to stop them?" the reported asked.

"Kill themagain," Giles replied. "There is no such thing as zombie repellant."

"Too bad," Will muttered.

They looked up and saw the plywood placed in front of the living room bay window start to buckle. At the same time the sofa leaning against the front door began to slid backwards.

"Get ready to run," Giles told Will.

"What about you?"

"Someone has to hold them off," Giles said, "And you look more likely to cut your own foot off than hitting a zombie. Don't worry, I don't intend to stay behind all that long."

"Giles, they're breaking through back here," Xander yelled.

"Then fall back upstairs, Kennedy you too."

Kennedy and Anya ran past Will and Giles on their way upstairs. Xander came to a stop next to the other two men. "Better get upstairs Will, things are about to get sticky."

Before Will had a chance to protest, the barricade blocking the front door gave way and a flood of zombies began streaming into the room. Giles and Xander threw themselves at the rush and began hacking zombies down.

"Run," Xander shouted at Will.

Will stared at the battle for a moment before running up the stairs. Giles and Xander let the crush of zombies push them back towards the staircase.

"This isn't some suicidal stand to buy the others time right?" Xander asked Giles.

"It most certainly is not. I have no intention of becoming a zombie," Giles indignantly replied.

"Good because neither do I," Xander said as he cut down another zombie. "Run on three?"

"Agreed."

"OK, one, two three!" Xander and Giles turned and ran up the stairs.

"Giles, Xander down here!" Anya shouted from Buffy's room. They ran into the room and Anya slammed the door behind them. "Quick, block the door," Anya told Kenney and Will who shoved a dresser in front of the door. "That ought to slow them down."

"So when do we run away?" Dawn asked.

Giles looked out the window, "Soon, I want to let more of the zombies into the house. It will make it harder for them to follow us." The door began to rattle as the zombies in the hall pounded on it. "We can also hold out here for a while. There's only one way for the zombies to get in."

"Maybe we won't have to wait that long," Kennedy said. "Check it out." She pointed out the window.

The rest of the group looked outside and saw a dark-green Hummer pull up in front of the house. Mounted on the roof of the Hummer was a machine gun. A soldier stood up and manned the machine gun as three other figures dressed in black jumped out of the vehicle. The machine-gunner fired and mowed down the zombies in the front yard, clearing a path for the three soldiers on the ground.

"I'd say we're being rescued," Xander observed as the four soldiers ran into the house. He waved at the Hummer "We're upstairs!" He shouted.

"Should we go outside and meet them?" Anya asked.

"No, it would be best if we waited here, that way we won't get accidentally shot," Giles said.

The group listened as the sound of gunfire echoed through the house. The zombies continued their assault on the group's hideout despite the counter attack that raged downstairs. The zombies managed to knock a hole in the door before being cut down in a hail of bullets.

"Upstairs is clear," they heard a muffled female voice say. "Checking the status of the objective now." A head, completely covered by a helmet, nightvision goggles and a black balaclava, appeared in the hole in the door. "It's ok folks, this floor is clear.

Will and Xander pushed the dresser out of the way and the group walked out into the hallway. The floor outside the room was littered with zombie remains.

"Oh great, I'm going to have to put in some serious overtime to fix this mess up," Xander said as he surveyed the bullet riddled walls. "The whole hall needs new drywall hung."

"Hostages are safe," the masked soldier said into her radio. "All units report in to me, is the house clear?" The soldier waited. "Good, we're clear." The soldier removed her helmet and mask to reveal the face of a woman in her late thirties with shoulder-length red hair; green, penetrating eyes; and a very determined stare. "Well Mr. Giles, it looks like this 'rank amateur' just pulled your irons out of the fire."

"Yes, and thank-you very much for that Colonel O' Connell," Giles said. "If you don't mind me asking, what brings you here?"

"You mean other than the walking dead?" Colonel O' Connell asked in obvious amusement."

"I only asked because I know you have limited resources and more defenseless targets to protect."

"We received intel that something bad was brewing and that you guys would be the target," the colonel said. "And wouldn't you know the spooks at Langley were right for a change."

"Lucky for us," Xander commented.

"Plus I heard the police reports over the radio. I figured that Rupert Giles would be right in the middle of a zombie attack, and that he'd probably be in need of a rescue."

"I'll have you know I am capable of taking care of myself," Giles protested.

"And you were doing such a bang up job of it too," O' Connell said dryly.

"See, what did I say, unresolved tension, these two need to be locked in a room and have animalistic sex," Anya told Will.

"I think I'll settle for finding a way out of our current predicament," Giles said, clearly mortified by Anya's claim.

"Shooting them in the head's worked so far," Colonel O' Connell said. "Why not stick with that?"

"Because Colonel, that only treats the symptom, not the disease. Something is causing the dead to rise, if we can stop that then all of this will end."

"Ok, how do we do that then?"

"I do not know, the necromantic arts are quite diverse" Giles paused, "but it cannot be a smiple raising spell. It has to be something sustained. I will have to consult my texts." Giles walked downstairs, a look on intense concentration on his face.

"Giles, what should we do?" Xander asked. "Giles?" He called out as he and the others followed the Watcher downstairs.

Colonel O' Connell turned and saw Will for the first time. "You must be the man from the Agency. Lieutenant Colonel Anne O'Connell at your service. I'm the CO of the HST Response Team Training Center."

"Will Tippin, analyst, pleased to meet you."

"What's a CIA analyst doing in Sunnydale? If I can ask that."

"Xander and I are friendswell more like drinking buddies actually. I came down for a visit and picked the wrong time." Will congratulated himself on his half truth.

Colonel O'Connell stared intently at Will. She might have been a full head shorter than Will, but the force of her personality more than made up the difference. "And you had nothing to do with the Flash traffic we received from the LA Ops Center regarding HUMINT gathered in Sri Lanka?"

"I honestly have no idea what you just said."

O'Connell laughed, "What sort of analyst are you?"

"A very new one," Will truthfully replied.

"That's a good one," Colonel O'Connell clapped Will on the shoulder, "Come on, let's go blow some zombies the hell up."

They joined the others downstairs. Xander and the other soldiers were dragging zombie remains outside while Giles read through an ancient text. Kennedy sat next to the front door and nervously peaked outside from time to time.

"Find anything yet?" Colonel O'Connell asked Giles.

"Yes, I found the solution to all our troubles in the time it took you to walk down the stairs," Giles sarcastically replied. "It's a complicated process, these things do take time you know."

"Would it help to know that the attacks originated in the cemetery and so far have been limited to within the boundaries of the town?"

"Actually, yes, that does narrow things down. Xander, while I work on this I want you and the others to go patrolling, check all the usual places for anything out of the ordinary."

Xander nodded, "We're on it."

"Mr. Harris, before you go I brought some supplies you might want. Sergeant Hickman, would you and Corporal Scott unpack the Humvee?" Colonel O'Connell ordered two of the soldiers.

"I don't think that's necessary," Giles protested.

"Nonsense, guns put down zombies, why not use them?"

"Giles we hear out the scary military lady," Xander said. "What sort of supplies?" He asked Colonel O'Connell.

"Nothing special, just standard anti-personnel firearms, shotguns and things like that."

"We get shotguns?" Kennedy asked. "Neat."

The two soldiers returned to the living room carrying several heavy crates between them. They set the crates down and the sergeant opened the top crate up. Kennedy brushed past the two soldiers and reached inside the crate.

"Be careful," Giles admonished the girl, "These are not toys."

"I know that," Kennedy replied as she examined a shotgun. "I used to shoot skeet at the family farm."

"Oh, of courseif anyone needs me I'll be with my books," Giles walked off leaving the others standing around the weapons crates.

"Oooh, what's this?" Xander asked as he picked up a rifle.

"That's a flechette gun. It's like a shotgun except it fires ten tungsten darts that can punch through steel plating."

"And makes zombies go splat, I like it," Xander's face turned serious, "Uhm, what about the rest of the Potentials?"

"I ordered the rest of the Initiative troops to sweep the town, when they come across your people they're going to escort them back to our base, they'll be safe enough there."

"Great, when we leave could you take Dawn there?

"Xander, no!" Dawn protested.

Xander set down his rifle and held Dawn by her shoulders, "Look Dawnie, it's obvious the First is trying to kill us to get at Buffy. She could handle one of us dying, but she couldn't handle you dying. You've got to stay safe and alive for Buffy. You don't have to lie it, but you do have to accept it."

"You're right, I don't like it," Dawn pouted. "But I do see your point, kind of. Can I at least take one of the cool guns?"

Xander smiled, "Sure, and you never know, you might get ambushed by zombies on your way there, or get trapped in a desperate zombie siege."

"Aww, you're just saying that to make me feel better," Dawn said as she hugged Xander. She noticed the strange looks on the non-Scoobies in the room. "What?"

"You people are weird," Will said.

"Ok, I'll stay behind and keep an eye on Mr. Giles," Colonel O'Connell said, "Sergeant Hickman you're with Mr. Harris and his team. Corporal Ridley take the Slayer's sister back to HQ in the Humvee. Master Sergeant Judge, you're with me."

"Uh, what about me?" Will asked.

Colonel O'Connell shrugged, "That's up to you, I'm not your CO."

Will looked around the room, "I think I'll go with Xander, try being a moving target for a change, with guns."

Xander nodded, "Cool, how about you Anya?"

"You know my feelings about these soldier types, I'm going with you."

"Hey guys, has anyone seen Andrew?" Dawn asked suddenly.

"No, do you suppose the little twit got his brains eaten, or is that too much to hope for?" Anya asked the group.

"Did somebody say my name?" Andrew asked. "I fell asleep in the basement...whoa, zombies," he said when he saw the mess in the dining room.

"You'll want to take Andrew to your base, just to get him out of your hair," Xander told the Colonel.

"Wait a second, I know a lot about zombies, take me with you," Andrew insisted. "I don't mix well with soldiers."

"Yes, let's take him with us. We ca use him as a decoy to distract the zombies," Anya said to Xander.

"That wasn't quite what I had in mind," Andrew stammered.

Xander sighed, "Ok fine, Andrew can come along too."

"Can I carry a gun?" Andrew asked Xander.

"No!" Everyone in the room said in unison.

-Sri Lanka-

"He was hiding in that tree," Vaughn explained as the group stood over the body of a dead Bringer. Clutched in its hands was the distinctive shape of an AK-47 assault rifle.

"Good eyes Vaughn," Jack said.

"I guess the First wasn't kidding," Buffy commented.

"This changes nothing," Jack declared. "We just have to be that much more vigilant that's all. Let's move out."

Willow paused to bend down and touch the AK. It glowed red then fused into an unusable lump of metal. "What can I say, I don't like guns," she explained as the group got underway.

After they were away from the attempted ambush Mr. Gupta slow to let Jack catch up with him. "Mr. Bristow, I have a question for you."

"Yes, what is it?"

"After we rescue your daughter, what then?"

"There's a Navy special operations ship sitting off the coast. As soon as I give the signal a Pave-Low Nighthawk helicopter with a pair of Comanche gunship escorts will take off and rendezvous with us at the temple. From there the Nighthawk will fly to the USS Theodore Roosevelt where we'll then fly to Diego Garcia and then home."

"That's not what I meant," Mr. Gupta said.

"As I said before, you'll be well compensated for your assistance."

"That's also not what I meant," Mr. Gupta said again.

"Then what did you mean?"

"You are a man full of guilt Mr. Bristow. I wonder will you be able to set it down."

"What are you talking about?"

"You're a man defined by your guilt. It's obvious to anyone who knows where to look." Mr. Gupta paused. "You feel guilty about Sydney's capture."

"I do not, there was nothing I could have done," Jack protested.

"Whoever said that guilt was rational?" Mr. Gupta rhetorically asked. "You feel guilty about her capture because you feel guilty about her joining SD-6."

"How do you know that?" Jack asked in shock.

"That is my gift, I can see the unseen things. I cannot read you mind, but I can read your heart, and these things are easy to spot."

"I never intended her to get involved in any of this. I wanted her to live an ordinary life. One without the violence and lies," Jack explained.

Mr. Gupta nodded, "That is the natural, but parents do not get to choose their children's path. Sydney has the warrior spirit. This what she is destined to do."

"Destiny," Jack snorted. "You make it sound like there's some sort of grand plan that we're nothing more than cogs in the machine."

"That is true, to a certain extent. We all are what we are. You daughter is like you, a warrior. That is her nature and this is what she would be doing in one way or another, regardless of how certain events in her life transpired. And if that was not the case she would not be the daughter of Jack Bristow and Irina Derevko." Mr. Gupta saw the stunned look on Jack's face and chuckled. "Come now Mr. Bristow, don't look so surprised, the guilt you feel over your ex-wife is the sharpest of all."

"As soon as we get out of this jungle I am placing you under arrest until we can figure out how you're getting this classified information," Jack fumed.

"Relax Mr. Bristow, you're operational security is safe. As I said I can sense that which is foremost in your heart, and you carry so much guilt over your wife. You feel guilty about not seeing through her cover sooner..."

"She was a well-trained operative with a nearly impenetrable cover, even James Bond would have had a hard time learning the truth," Jack countered.

"I am not the person who needs to be told that," Mr. Gupta replied. "It is perfectly understandable you know. You were betrayed by the woman you loved, the mother of your daughter. You thought you could trust her, and that misplaced trust lead to death. Yet despite all that you still love her."

"I want nothing more than to see that woman dead," Jack insisted.

"Of that I do not doubt, but tell me, how many dates have you gone on since your wife left you?"

"My career doesn't allow for it."

"Oh nonsense, it allowed you to marry and raise a child. Mr. Bristow, I am not saying you should forgive your wife for her crimes. All I am saying is that your feelings about her, the good and the bad, cloud your judgment."

"I know my duty and my personal feelings regarding Derevko will not hinder my ability to execute my mission."

"Mr. Bristow, there is a difference between executing your mission and your personal emotional well-being. It is the latter that concerns me, not the former."

"Why?"

"Because no man should be burdened by such guilt. You need to ask yourself Mr. Bristow, do you need to be carrying this cross?"

"Interesting choice of words," Jack noted.

Mr. Gupta shrugged, "In your case it is an apt metaphor. Besides Ghandi was well versed in Christian mythology, why can't I?"

Jack smiled, "I suppose so. Look, supposing what you say is true and I'm not saying it is, but the only way I'll stop worrying about my daughter is when she leaves this life behind. She didn't choose this life, she's had to correct the mistakes I made in the past. All I can do now is make sure Sydney gets out of this alive. I've already failed her once, I won't do it again."

"You have not failed your daughter, you succeeded in the most important way, you raised her."

Jack snorted, "I'm sure Sydney would have a few choice things to say about that."

"Your actions following your wife's departure you mean?"

"Yes, there wasn't much love in that household."

"You thought you were protecting Sydney yes?"

"In part, but I guess I was also protecting myself. There is a lot of her mother in Sydney."

"And you didn't like the reminder?"

"Who would?" Jack shot back.

"Then why all this over a person who reminds you of your most painful memory?"

"Because she's my daughter too," Jack fiercely replied.

Mr. Gupta nodded, "Of course, and you love her, naturally. You see Mr. Bristow, your daughter is a remarkable woman, more remarkable than you can imagine, and a lot of the credit for that goes to you. Throughout all your emotional turmoil you acted to protect your daughter. She might not have acknowledged it, but on some level she recognized the love that lay behind your actions. It is the drive of her mother tempered by your compassion that has made her the person she is."

"My compassion? Your second sight must be dimming," Jack scoffed.

"Your wife acts out of avarice, you act out of love, the difference is not even subtle. You would lay down your life for Sydney yes?"

"Of course."

"Do you think Derevko would?"

"No," Jack said without a moment's hesitation.

"There you are, your proof that you are a good father, and that you can set aside your guilt."

"I can't, it's all that I have to keep me going," Jack softly replied.

Mr. Gupta bowed his head, "Of course, I should have seen that sooner, but mark my words Mr. Bristow, you will never know peace as long as you allow your guilt to consume you. You must make peace with your past before you can face your future."

"You speak with great wisdom Mr. Gupta, but with all due respect you do knot know me, and it is presumptuous to think you do."

Mr. Gupta slowed his pace slightly, letting Jack get a head of him. "Oh I know you better than you think Mr. Bristow, but now is not the time to prove you wrong. Not when there is so much left to do."

-to be continued-