Greeting and Salutations. Sorry about the time it's been taking lately. I just got a new job recently and its taking up a lot of time I used to have for writing. Hopefully I can get back into a rhythm soon. Just be patient. Please?
Big thinks to Manitcor Gurl for betaing for me. Appreciated.
Two hours later, the scientist returned with a young blonde maybe two years older than the girls.
"This is Shalimar," Adam said, "She'll be staying with us."
"Hi. I'm Buffy, and this is Faith."
"Welcome to our humble abode," Faith added. Shalimar looked at the two like they were crazy.
"You call living in a secret base 'humble'?" She asked. Buffy shrugged.
"We like our privacy," she said with a grin.
"Beats the Brit Brigade beatin' our door down," Faith threw in.
"Yeah, I guess," Shalimar said, "What's with those guys, anyway? Why'd they keep calling me 'Slayer'?"
"It's what they think you are," Adam said.
"You got somethin' special that they think make you theirs," Faith said.
"You mean… my eyes?"
"Your eyes?" Buffy looked at them body parts in question, "What about your WHOA!" Buffy screamed as Shalimar's eyes changed temporarily, looking like gold cats eyes, "Let me guess; super agile, really good senses and a little stronger than normal?"
"How'd you know that?" Shalimar demanded.
"A Slayer is stronger than a normal person," Buffy said, "That's why they were calling you that. You're not though. Faith and me would know."
"And how's…" Without warning, Buffy leapt up and over, landing behind Shalimar and grabbing her arms.
Faith, meanwhile, had moved in front of her and quickly swept her legs from underneath her. At that moment, Buffy let her go and the girl found herself on the ground.
"'Cause that's what we are," Faith said with a grin, "'Course, your powers are so similar, they didn't make the connection."
"This 'New Mutant' deal Adam told me about?" Shalimar said, picking herself up, "That's what this is about? They can't tell the difference between me and you?"
"You got it," Buffy said, "C'mon. We'll show you to the rooms, then we'll start you on some training."
"Why?"
"You could win any gymnastic competition in the world with your powers," Buffy said, "You telling me you don't want to know how to use them?"
"Would I be able to beat you guys?" Shalimar asked. Faith laughed as they walked out.
"Oh, I like this one, B," she said, "Can we keep her?"
Jamaica, 1995.
"Kendra Morgan?" Sam Zamboto walked up to the girl.
"Yes?" She said, "Can I help you?"
"My name is Mr Zamboto," he said, glad that he had finally found the girl, "I have come to show you your destiny."
Buffy sat bolt upright, fear in her eyes. Fear for the girl, Kendra, her sister Slayer. Zamboto was a Watcher. Kendra would be dead within two years and there wasn't a damn thing she could do about it.
Or was there?
Connor said that Slayers had prophetic dreams. Maybe Zamboto hadn't gotten to Kendra yet. Buffy could still save her!
Hope rushing through her, Buffy leapt out of bed and rushed to the door. There may not be much time, she thought as she exited the room…
And ran straight into Faith.
"Buffy!" The younger Slayer was terrified, "I had a dream! There was this Slayer…"
"Kendra?" Buffy asked. This couldn't be right. Connor said no two Slayers ever had the same dream. What the hell was going on here?
"You too?" Faith seemed relieved, "Do you think we're too late?"
"Only one way to find out," Buffy said as they ran to the communications room. Connor could help. He had to.
"MacLeod," Connor muttered as he answered the phone, "This had better be good."
"Connor!" Buffy's voice stormed through his head, waking him instantly, "We had a dream, me and Faith. There was this Slayer and a Watcher and…"
"Buffy, calm down," Connor said soothingly, grabbing pen and paper, "What's her name?"
"Kendra Morgan," Buffy said, "I think she's in Jamaica or something. That's what I got from the dream."
"And you and Faith had the same dream?" Connor asked. This was unheard of. Someone wanted to make sure both girls knew who this Kendra was.
"Word for word," Faith's voice chimed in, "We gotta hurry, C. There was a feeling of panic on this one."
"Don't worry," Connor said, "I'll get someone on it. Thankyou."
"Save her, Connor," Buffy begged, "Please! We can't let them get her!"
"Buffy, calm yourself," Connor said, "Why are you so desperate?"
"I don't know," Buffy said, "I just got this dread, like she's important," now Connor was really paying attention.
"Buffy, can you describe it?" he said, "This may be important."
"Like there's an eel or something in my gut," the girl said, trying to put her fears into words.
"Yeah," Faith agreed, "Like there's something really slimy crawling around down there when I even think this girl may be in danger."
"Do you get the same feeling when either of you is in danger?" Connor asked.
"Yeah," Buffy said, slowly, "That night, when Faith started living with Amanda and me. I saw her in trouble and I panicked. When I saw the look on her face…"
"It's alright," Connor said. He had a Slayer Team on his hands, "I've seen this before. The three of you are supposed to work together. I'll find her and send her your way if possible."
"Hurry Connor," Buffy begged.
"I will," he said. They hung up, then Connor dialled another number, first was to an agent in Jamaica. The second was more local. This was starting to sound very familiar.
"Please be in time," Buffy whispered as they hung up, "Please, let us make it."
"They'll get her, B," Faith said, holding her sister Slayer close, "Connor won't let us down."
"What's going on?" Adam asked, walking in, "What are you two up to?"
"We had a Slayer dream," Buffy said, "We had to tell Connor."
"Bad?" Adam asked.
"The Council getting their claws on another Slayer," Faith said bitterly. Adam made a face.
"Alright," he said, almost knowingly, "Off to bed, both of you."
"Can we…?"
"Go on," Adam said with a nod.
"Thanks, A," Faith said as they both headed to Buffy's room. Adam made his way to the gym. Damn those Watchers.
One week later.
"They've got her?" Buffy breathed.
"I'm afraid so," Connor said sadly over the phone, "We found her parents an hour too late. Zamboto claimed she'd won a scholarship for a school in America."
"Well, that cuts it down anyway," Adam said, "I'll get my people to watch for her."
"We failed," Buffy whispered.
"Easy there, Buff," Jesse, who had arrived barely a year ago, tried to comfort the two girls, "It's alright. We'll find her," he looked up at Adam, "I need to get a message to friend of mine. I think she can help."
"How?" Connor, still on the line, asked. Jesse grinned.
"If the Hackmeister of Sunnydale can't find her, no one can," the mass morpher said confidently.
Sunnydale.
"Hello?" Willow Rosenberg answered the phone.
"Hey Wills. How's tricks?"
"Jesse!" The red head shouted down the phone, "How are you? Where are you? I've searched everywhere and I couldn't find a sign of you."
"Adam's a good hider," Jesse said, "Look, Willow, I wish this were a social call, but I need a favour. The… sister of some friends of mine has gone missing, and they're really worried. Think you can find her?"
"I-I can try," Willow said hesitantly, grabbing pen and paper. Everyone said her hacking skills were A grade. In her opinion, they were more C-. Not good enough for her standards, "Name?"
"Kendra Morgan," Jesse said, "Moving from Jamaica to America, probably with a guy named Sam Zamboto sometime within the last the week. No clue where in America…"
"That's alright," Willow said, "That should be enough, I think. I- I'll do my best, but…"
"Your 'best' is usually good enough, Wills," Jesse said with a grin. His childhood friend was still had confidence trouble, but he knew she could do this, "I'll call in a month, 'kay?"
"I should have something by then," Willow said, "So these friends of yours. Male, female and are they cute?"
And the small talk began.
Sanctuary.
"Willow's on the case," Jesse said proudly, "I gave her a month. More than enough time, 'specially if this other Slayer gets constructive with the Slayage," everyone within Sanctuary knew about Slayers, vampires and demons.
"We might be able to help with that," Faith said, "C said bonded Slayers can talk to each mentally. Problem is, it takes focus over long distances. We'll be totally wiped afterwards."
"How about trying those meditation techniques I've tried to teach you?" Adam suggested.
"It's worth a shot," Faith said. Buffy nodded.
"We'll try now," Buffy said, "Maybe we can convince her to run or something."
"Tell her to head to Sunnydale," Jesse said, "Wills and Xander can watch her until we can pick her up."
Los Angeles.
Kendra sat in the lotus position, breathing calmly. Something was wrong, she didn't know what. She focused inward, concentrating on her meditation…
"Kendra!" The girl whirled, faced with two girls. Just looking at them, she knew. They were like her. Slayers.
"How did you know my name?" The Slayer demanded. This was either a test, or a trap. Either way, she stood ready, "Who are you?"
"Chill, K," the dark haired one said. For some reason, both girls were smiling, like they were happy to see her, "We're not here to hurt you. Last thing on our minds."
"We thought we were too late," the blonde said.
"Too late for what?" Kendra demanded, though her voice had softened somewhat. For some reason she couldn't understand, she couldn't stay mad at these two, "Who are you?"
"Oh, right," the dark haired one said, "I'm Faith. Blondie here's Buffy. We're Slayers, like you."
"How…?" Kendra began, "Are you dead?"
"Not last we checked," the blonde, Buffy, said with a grin, "Let me guess, the whole 'there is one Slayer' spiel?"
"It's a fake," Faith said, "Zambioni was lyin' through his teeth. There's a thousand that we know of, probably some that kept under the radar like B an' me."
"But…" Kendra began. Buffy moved closer to her, placing a hand on her shoulder.
"Right now, Faith and me are meditating," Buffy said, "The only way we could get through to you. I'm guessing you are too, right?" Kendra nodded, confused, "First things first, you can't tell the Watcher."
"Why not?" Kendra asked suspiciously.
"He'd tell the Council," Faith said, deadpan, "If they found us, they'd kill us, and you. This link we have is proof there's more than one Slay-gal. They want to keep that fact secret," for some reason, Kendra found the chance of these two dying more horrifying than her own death, "Number two, we're trying to find you, but Sir Pain in the Ass is keeping his head down."
"That, I can help with," Kendra said. This was insane. Why did she trust them? "I'm in LA. I start at Hemery High tomorrow," Buffy looked relieved.
"We can tell Connor," she said, "He'll send someone to keep an eye on you, keep you safe."
"Don't worry," Faith said, "You can trust C. He's cool."
"If anyone comes to you and shows you a knife like this," an image of the knife Faith had found in Connor's safe appeared behind her, "they're with us. You can trust them."
"Hey, cool, B," Faith said, "How'd you do that?" Buffy shrugged.
"Beats me," she said. She looked back at Kendra, "Your other option is to run. We've got some friends of friends in Sunnydale, maybe two hours from you, if you want to do that. They can look after you until we get there."
"I can't run," Kendra said, "There's a vampire in the area, a Master named Lothos."
"He's sending you against a Master vampire, right after bringing you in?" Faith demanded, "I'm with Connor on this one, B. This guy's scum."
"Easy, Faith," Buffy said. She took a 'breath' and looked at Kendra, "Do you want us to come in to help?"
"Not yet," Kendra said, "I can handle things for now. I'll call if I need you though."
"We'll be there," Faith said, "And if we can't, someone else will be. We got lots of friends," Buffy wrapped her arms around Kendra.
"Take care, sis," she whispered.
"You too," Kendra muttered.
Sanctuary.
"Oh wow," Buffy muttered, opening her eyes.
"That was cool," Faith agreed. Buffy looked over at her.
"I really wish she didn't have to take on this Lothos guy, though," she whispered.
"I know B," Faith said, cuddling the girl she would always think of as her sister, "Come on. We'd better tell C," Buffy nodded. Please, Kendra, she thought. Stay safe.
"Buffy?" Buffy and Faith looked at each other in shock.
"Kendra?" Faith said out loud.
"Ow!" The word boomed through their minds.
"Kendra. Think the words," Buffy sent, hoping that worked.
"Can you hear me?" Kendra's words were quieter this time, more focused."OK, this is cool," Faith sent, "How'd this happen?"
"We'll ask Connor," Buffy suggested
"She actually heard your thoughts?" Connor asked.
"Yep, and we hear hers," Buffy said, "It's better than a phone."
"Gets a bit loud when you talk though," Faith said.
"Amazing," Adam muttered.
"Man, this is cool," Jesse said.
"Has potential," Shalimar agreed.
"This is a first," Connor admitted, "Though it does give us an edge the Watchers probably won't expect. Keep in practice with it."
"Got it," Buffy said, "Have you got someone on the way to watch her?"
"Actually, a friend of mine's already there," Connor said. They could hear him smiling.
"Alright, C," Faith asked, "What's the sitch. Who is this guy?"
Who is Kendra's back up? *grins* I'll tell. Eventually.
Stay tuned.
Doc.