SURVIVOR'S GUILT
Part II
Buffy walked along the seashore, breathing in the cool night sea air. She couldn't recall what had made her come out here at night. . .it wasn't exactly a vampire hot spot. Somehow, it felt right. The light of the moon and stars allowed her to see clearly, and as she approached the seaside cliffs she saw a small cave opening exposed by the low tide. Curious, she walked over and entered the cave. Phosphorescent moss gave off a dim light that allowed her to see as she moved along, and she soon reached what seemed to be a crudely carved walkway in the rock.
After a few minutes of walking, she saw flickering torch light ahead. She moved towards it and abruptly came out into a large cavern lit by torches resting in fixtures carved into obscene parodies of living things. Buffy gasped at what she saw: about twenty of the most horrible looking demons she had ever seen were sitting in a semicircle around what appeared to be a throne on some sort of swivel. The throne appeared to be occupied, from the behavior of the demons, but it was turned away from them, and the high back of the seat hid the occupant from Buffy. The demons were blue green, with dank black hair, wicked teeth and claws, and appeared to be female. Buffy had the distinct impression that one of them would be a handful for her: if they chose to attack her en masse, Kendra would have to get used to a new fellow Slayer rather abruptly. As if in response to her thoughts, the familiar voice came from her right, whispering, "Dis is not a situation we want to be in, Buffy."
Buffy looked over and saw Kendra, and for some reason was not surprised. She frowned and asked, "All right, you're the smart one. . .what do we do now? Get out of here and find a whole lot of backup?"
Kendra shook her head and replied, "Too late." Buffy looked over and saw that all of the demons were watching them, soft snarls coming from their throats. . .but they seemed disinclined to attack. Abruptly, the demons broke their semicircle, and formed two parallel rows, creating a pathway to the foot of the throne.
Buffy turned and inquired, "Well, isn't that cozy. . .should we accept the invitation, or make a break for it?"
Kendra looked behind them, and Buffy could see Kendra's mind evaluating the chances of outrunning the larger demons over the uneven ground of the corridor, and realized that the younger Slayer had come to the same conclusion as she had. Kendra frowned and replied, "We have very little to lose. . .let's go."
The Slayers walked slowly along the created path, warily eyeing the vicious looking demons standing at attention. As they passed, the creatures performed what appeared to be a display of convoluted choreography and split second timing as they made odd motions with their arms, legs, and torsos. It seemed to be going smoothly until one of the ones in the front rank made a misstep and stumbled, falling onto its back. It got up quickly, and the Slayers could hear the other demons snarling at it in disapproval.
The throne swiveled about, and Buffy could hear Kendra gasp in surprise at the appearance of the occupant of the throne. She was inclined to make some sort of display herself, but contented herself with a fascinated stare.
Giles had often speculated that one of the most important edges that a Slayer had was the tendency for opponents to take her less seriously because she did not look like a killing machine: even though the demon quickly figured out that she was not just an easy lunch, the subconscious image still had an impact. That theory came to mind as Buffy watched the figure come down from the throne and walk up to the Slayers. The apparent mistress of this awesome looking force of demons was smaller than either Buffy or Kendra, though not by much. She wore a form-fitting red dress with short sleeves, and simple flat black shoes. Her dark brown hair was cut to medium length, accenting her deathly pale, but flawless features. Her eyes. . .they were brilliant blue, and as they focused on Buffy, she felt a shudder go through her at the absolute malice that she sensed lurking behind the amusement that the eyes tried to project.
The woman smiled and purred, "Buffy. . .Kendra. . .welcome. I wanted to greet you properly. . .which reminds me, give me a moment, will you?" She walked up to the demon who had stumbled and whispered with the sound of venom dripping on ice, "I set all of this up so that we could greet our enemies properly, and you had to spoil it all. . .I must say, I'm quite upset with you."
Buffy and Kendra were transfixed at the sight of the demon, who towered a good foot and a half over the scolding woman, looking simultaneously abashed and terrified. She smiled at the demon and commented, "Oh well, these things happen. . .I suppose. I guess I'll just have to figure out a way for you to make it up to me." The demon managed to look relieved, and the leader turned away for a moment, then turned back and commented, "Oh, I just thought of a way." Her right hand moved in a blur that challenged even the perception of the two watching Slayers, and abruptly the demon was missing its throat. It stayed erect for a few seconds, blood spurting, before it collapsed into a heap and died without further ado. The leader nodded, then commented, "That'll do it," as she walked back up to her throne and commented, "Please accept my apologies for the unpleasantness. . .they try hard, but sometimes they prove wanting. . .and the example will be instructive to the others."
Buffy and Kendra were speechless for a moment, then Buffy managed to reply, "Uh, yeah, whatever. . .I don't suppose you'd like to tell us who you are and what you're doing here? I don't mean to be all James Bondy, but as long as you're talking to us and not trying to eat us, I thought I'd give it a shot."
The woman smiled, and her expression somehow managed to simultaneously communicate simple matter of factness and utter malice as she replied, "My name is Tanara . . .I think your Watchers will recognize the name when you run to them after this is over. These lovely ladies are my servants, who will share in the glory when I bring about the end of this miserable little world." She turned the throne slightly, then pointed at a darkened section of the cavern. Torches abruptly flared, and Buffy and Kendra could clearly see what appeared to be a stone figure of a demon with a sword protruding from its chest. Tanara smiled and commented, "Not the most impressive thing in the world, is it? But with the right rituals . . .it will suck your pathetic world into the demon dimension, and then the fun begins."
Buffy looked at Kendra, then back at Tanara as she commented, "So, the Apocalypse is here, huh? Been there, done that. . .so why are you telling us this? Seems to me that having two Slayers knowing what you're up to might put a crimp in your plans."
Tanara laughed, and the unholy sound of it sent chills down the Slayers' backs as the demoness replied, "Because you can't stop it. . .and even if I thought you might be able to, the glory of doing what I will do with two Slayers attempting to stop me. . .why, what greater accomplishment could be imaginable?"
"Oh, I don't know. . .making a product that's both a floor wax and a dessert topping?" Buffy was appalled at what she was seeing and hearing, but she was damned if she'd let this arrogant bitch intimidate her. . .or at least let her know that she was. Tanara smiled coldly at the quip, and Buffy pressed on: "So, what's the plan? You beat the hell out of us and dump us on the beach while you move your operation to the supersecret base full of minions with color coordinated uniforms?"
Tanara laughed, then replied, "We'll be moving. . .but there's no need to beat you up. . .not yet, anyway. Haven't you figured it out yet? This is a dream. . .I'm just here to give you a message. . .you're all going to die. . .and I'm going to be there to enjoy every last twitch." She gestured, and four of the demons moved forward, effortlessly seizing the two Slayers and preventing their movement as Tanara moved forward and continued, "I'll leave you a little momento to make you realize this wasn't just the aftermath of some bad seafood." Carefully, she took a crimson fingernail and moved it down Buffy's arm, drawing blood. She then repeated the procedure with Kendra and stepped back to view her handiwork, after which she gestured again, causing the demons to release the Slayers.
Buffy glanced down at the bloody scratch on her arm and commented dismissively, "Big deal. Rip-off of 'The Golden Child'. . .and not even a good one."
Tanara shrugged and commented, "They can't all be gems, Buffy. . .and besides. . .it would ruin all of the fun if I simply ripped your throats out." She sat on her throne and waved her hand casually, saying bluntly, "You can go now. . .see you soon."
There was a flash of light, and Buffy sat up in her bed, breathing heavily and heart racing. She pulled down the sleeve of her nightgown. . .and saw a pink line that had not been there when she had gone to sleep. She leapt out of bed and ran to her bedroom door, opening it to find Kendra standing there, similarly out of breath. The younger Slayer showed Buffy the wound on her own arm, and commented tersely:
"We're in a lot of trouble."
* * * * *
"Your collection seems quite extensive, Rupert. . .though one could wish that the Council would be more generous with loaning the Field Watcher some of the rarer texts in their collection. . .with all that has happened here, one would think that they would realize the need." Samuel Zabuto spoke quietly as he glanced at a fifteenth century work on the habits of a cult of axe wielding demons. He turned back to Giles, whose expression made it clear that he agreed with his fellow Watcher. He smiled and continued, "But there seems to be adequate information on Acathla here to proceed, and from what you've said we have more help on the way."
Giles nodded and replied, "Yes." He had phoned Angel, who had predictably been disturbed at the news, and had immediately agreed to consult all of his sources and report back as quickly as possible. He had placed a call to Willow at 6 AM, and she had promised to bring Xander and Oz for research duty. He heard footsteps coming from the stacks, and he turned to greet Jenny, who offered her cheek to him to kiss. He turned to Zabuto, saying, "Sam, I'd like you to meet Jenny Calendar. Jenny, this is Samuel Zabuto, Kendra's Watcher."
Zabuto took Jenny's hand and shook it firmly, commenting, "Rupert has managed to tell me a lot about you, considering the gravity of our situation. . .it's nice to meet you. . .please call me Sam."
Jenny smiled, noting that the Watcher had not noticed the coolness of her hand. * The glamour spell is working perfectly. . .thank goodness, the last think we need is a paranoid Watcher on our hands. * She replied, "From what Rupert said at the time that Kendra came to visit us, you have quite a reputation with the Council. . .it's a shame that we only get to meet when things are this bad." She turned back to Giles and asked, "So where are we at?"
Giles frowned and replied, "The beginning, I'm afraid. . .the legend of Acathla is well known to the Council, but the specifics of how it might be used to bring about the end of the world now are a bit sketchy. . .we need to do extensive research-"
"Which is why he's called in the troops." Willow piped up as she, Xander and Oz walked up to the two Watchers and Jenny. Giles quickly made introductions: Willow smiled broadly as she shook hands with Zabuto, while Oz settled for a brief handshake and nod. Xander shook hands with the Watcher, then gave him an odd look, as if remembering something. He wandered off into the stacks while Willow and Oz settled down into chairs, preparing to dig into the pile of books that Giles had placed on the main table. Willow asked, "When will Buffy and Kendra get here?"
Giles frowned and replied, "They should be here in a little while. . .we had them out looking for signs of unusual activities until rather late. . .given the stakes here, they should both be well rested before they need to go into battle." She shook his head in disgust and commented, "They've both seen a lot, but that scene at the museum was rather disturbing. . .not to mention the apocalyptic implications. . .I hope they had an undisturbed rest."
Zabuto nodded and replied, "Both of them are quite capable, Rupert. . .and given the events of the last few months, I think that Buffy at least will not be unduly disturbed. . .unless the dreams have a purpose."
"I don't believe it. . .it is you. Sam 'The Tornado' Zabuto." Xander's voice carried across the room, causing the others to freeze in surprise. . .except for Zabuto, who slowly turned to see Xander holding an open book in his hands. The Watcher smiled and commented, "No one's called me that in over twenty years, Xander. . .I'm surprised that anyone your age would have even know there ever was such a person."
"What are you talking about, Xander? Why would anyone call Sam 'The Tornado'?. . .it sounds like he was some sort of natural disaster." Jenny's voice was puzzled, and she was further surprised as Zabuto laughed deeply, an unfamiliar sound in the library.
"I used to follow track and field really closely when I was a kid," Xander explained, "and I know recent American track stars pretty well. . .Mr. Zabuto was a sprinter for the University of Louisiana in the mid-70's. . .he would have made the '76 Olympics for sure if he hadn't torn up his knee in the trials. I remembered this book in the sports section and looked for a picture that I knew was there." He showed the others the picture: it depicted a much younger Zabuto in the starting blocks preparing to run the 100 meters, which the caption stated he won in a time of 9.99 seconds. . .very creditable for the era. Xander turned to the Watcher and asked, "What did you do after you stopped running? You were a Rhodes scholar, weren't you?"
"Yes, Xander, I was. . .and as you might guess, it was then that the Council decided to approach me. With my running career cut short, I was looking for new direction in my life, and I had. . .personal. . .reasons for choosing to take up the battle against the undead." Zabuto did not elaborate, and the others respected his reticence. The Watcher turned to Xander and concluded, "I'd love to discuss this if we have time, Xander. . .but given the circumstances. . ."
Xander nodded and replied, "No problem, but if we avert the apocalypse, I want an autograph."
Zabuto smiled and was about to reply when Buffy and Kendra burst in. Everyone turned to the grim Slayers, and Buffy broke the brief silence by stating bluntly, "We've got a situation here. Giles, pack up the weapons from the cage. . .Xander, if you've got any weapons from your little procurement trip in January, go get them. I called Cordy. . .we can use her car and Giles' to haul the weapons over to the beach-"
"Buffy. . .what's wrong? Do you know where Acathla is?" Giles was anxious, though he trusted Buffy's instincts. . .hauling large amounts of lethal weaponry in broad daylight was not to be taken lightly.
"If we're lucky. . .if not, we just have a big problem. . .but if we are lucky, we need some heavy firepower." Buffy's tone was grim, and she locked eyes with her Watcher as she concluded, "Let's get going, guys. . .I'll explain as we load up."
* * * * *
Three hours later, Giles and Jenny were going over the Acathla materials, having volunteered to keep up the research efforts while the others investigated the caves that the Slayers had seen in their dreams, when the group filed back in, carrying the bags that they had taken out with them and looking grim. Giles looked over at Buffy and asked, "No luck?"
Buffy shook her head and replied, "Nothing left but the body of that demon we saw die. . .and this." She held out a piece of paper, on which was written in blood a short message:
"See you soon . . ."
. . .to be continued.
As always, comments are welcome and desired.
Part II
Buffy walked along the seashore, breathing in the cool night sea air. She couldn't recall what had made her come out here at night. . .it wasn't exactly a vampire hot spot. Somehow, it felt right. The light of the moon and stars allowed her to see clearly, and as she approached the seaside cliffs she saw a small cave opening exposed by the low tide. Curious, she walked over and entered the cave. Phosphorescent moss gave off a dim light that allowed her to see as she moved along, and she soon reached what seemed to be a crudely carved walkway in the rock.
After a few minutes of walking, she saw flickering torch light ahead. She moved towards it and abruptly came out into a large cavern lit by torches resting in fixtures carved into obscene parodies of living things. Buffy gasped at what she saw: about twenty of the most horrible looking demons she had ever seen were sitting in a semicircle around what appeared to be a throne on some sort of swivel. The throne appeared to be occupied, from the behavior of the demons, but it was turned away from them, and the high back of the seat hid the occupant from Buffy. The demons were blue green, with dank black hair, wicked teeth and claws, and appeared to be female. Buffy had the distinct impression that one of them would be a handful for her: if they chose to attack her en masse, Kendra would have to get used to a new fellow Slayer rather abruptly. As if in response to her thoughts, the familiar voice came from her right, whispering, "Dis is not a situation we want to be in, Buffy."
Buffy looked over and saw Kendra, and for some reason was not surprised. She frowned and asked, "All right, you're the smart one. . .what do we do now? Get out of here and find a whole lot of backup?"
Kendra shook her head and replied, "Too late." Buffy looked over and saw that all of the demons were watching them, soft snarls coming from their throats. . .but they seemed disinclined to attack. Abruptly, the demons broke their semicircle, and formed two parallel rows, creating a pathway to the foot of the throne.
Buffy turned and inquired, "Well, isn't that cozy. . .should we accept the invitation, or make a break for it?"
Kendra looked behind them, and Buffy could see Kendra's mind evaluating the chances of outrunning the larger demons over the uneven ground of the corridor, and realized that the younger Slayer had come to the same conclusion as she had. Kendra frowned and replied, "We have very little to lose. . .let's go."
The Slayers walked slowly along the created path, warily eyeing the vicious looking demons standing at attention. As they passed, the creatures performed what appeared to be a display of convoluted choreography and split second timing as they made odd motions with their arms, legs, and torsos. It seemed to be going smoothly until one of the ones in the front rank made a misstep and stumbled, falling onto its back. It got up quickly, and the Slayers could hear the other demons snarling at it in disapproval.
The throne swiveled about, and Buffy could hear Kendra gasp in surprise at the appearance of the occupant of the throne. She was inclined to make some sort of display herself, but contented herself with a fascinated stare.
Giles had often speculated that one of the most important edges that a Slayer had was the tendency for opponents to take her less seriously because she did not look like a killing machine: even though the demon quickly figured out that she was not just an easy lunch, the subconscious image still had an impact. That theory came to mind as Buffy watched the figure come down from the throne and walk up to the Slayers. The apparent mistress of this awesome looking force of demons was smaller than either Buffy or Kendra, though not by much. She wore a form-fitting red dress with short sleeves, and simple flat black shoes. Her dark brown hair was cut to medium length, accenting her deathly pale, but flawless features. Her eyes. . .they were brilliant blue, and as they focused on Buffy, she felt a shudder go through her at the absolute malice that she sensed lurking behind the amusement that the eyes tried to project.
The woman smiled and purred, "Buffy. . .Kendra. . .welcome. I wanted to greet you properly. . .which reminds me, give me a moment, will you?" She walked up to the demon who had stumbled and whispered with the sound of venom dripping on ice, "I set all of this up so that we could greet our enemies properly, and you had to spoil it all. . .I must say, I'm quite upset with you."
Buffy and Kendra were transfixed at the sight of the demon, who towered a good foot and a half over the scolding woman, looking simultaneously abashed and terrified. She smiled at the demon and commented, "Oh well, these things happen. . .I suppose. I guess I'll just have to figure out a way for you to make it up to me." The demon managed to look relieved, and the leader turned away for a moment, then turned back and commented, "Oh, I just thought of a way." Her right hand moved in a blur that challenged even the perception of the two watching Slayers, and abruptly the demon was missing its throat. It stayed erect for a few seconds, blood spurting, before it collapsed into a heap and died without further ado. The leader nodded, then commented, "That'll do it," as she walked back up to her throne and commented, "Please accept my apologies for the unpleasantness. . .they try hard, but sometimes they prove wanting. . .and the example will be instructive to the others."
Buffy and Kendra were speechless for a moment, then Buffy managed to reply, "Uh, yeah, whatever. . .I don't suppose you'd like to tell us who you are and what you're doing here? I don't mean to be all James Bondy, but as long as you're talking to us and not trying to eat us, I thought I'd give it a shot."
The woman smiled, and her expression somehow managed to simultaneously communicate simple matter of factness and utter malice as she replied, "My name is Tanara . . .I think your Watchers will recognize the name when you run to them after this is over. These lovely ladies are my servants, who will share in the glory when I bring about the end of this miserable little world." She turned the throne slightly, then pointed at a darkened section of the cavern. Torches abruptly flared, and Buffy and Kendra could clearly see what appeared to be a stone figure of a demon with a sword protruding from its chest. Tanara smiled and commented, "Not the most impressive thing in the world, is it? But with the right rituals . . .it will suck your pathetic world into the demon dimension, and then the fun begins."
Buffy looked at Kendra, then back at Tanara as she commented, "So, the Apocalypse is here, huh? Been there, done that. . .so why are you telling us this? Seems to me that having two Slayers knowing what you're up to might put a crimp in your plans."
Tanara laughed, and the unholy sound of it sent chills down the Slayers' backs as the demoness replied, "Because you can't stop it. . .and even if I thought you might be able to, the glory of doing what I will do with two Slayers attempting to stop me. . .why, what greater accomplishment could be imaginable?"
"Oh, I don't know. . .making a product that's both a floor wax and a dessert topping?" Buffy was appalled at what she was seeing and hearing, but she was damned if she'd let this arrogant bitch intimidate her. . .or at least let her know that she was. Tanara smiled coldly at the quip, and Buffy pressed on: "So, what's the plan? You beat the hell out of us and dump us on the beach while you move your operation to the supersecret base full of minions with color coordinated uniforms?"
Tanara laughed, then replied, "We'll be moving. . .but there's no need to beat you up. . .not yet, anyway. Haven't you figured it out yet? This is a dream. . .I'm just here to give you a message. . .you're all going to die. . .and I'm going to be there to enjoy every last twitch." She gestured, and four of the demons moved forward, effortlessly seizing the two Slayers and preventing their movement as Tanara moved forward and continued, "I'll leave you a little momento to make you realize this wasn't just the aftermath of some bad seafood." Carefully, she took a crimson fingernail and moved it down Buffy's arm, drawing blood. She then repeated the procedure with Kendra and stepped back to view her handiwork, after which she gestured again, causing the demons to release the Slayers.
Buffy glanced down at the bloody scratch on her arm and commented dismissively, "Big deal. Rip-off of 'The Golden Child'. . .and not even a good one."
Tanara shrugged and commented, "They can't all be gems, Buffy. . .and besides. . .it would ruin all of the fun if I simply ripped your throats out." She sat on her throne and waved her hand casually, saying bluntly, "You can go now. . .see you soon."
There was a flash of light, and Buffy sat up in her bed, breathing heavily and heart racing. She pulled down the sleeve of her nightgown. . .and saw a pink line that had not been there when she had gone to sleep. She leapt out of bed and ran to her bedroom door, opening it to find Kendra standing there, similarly out of breath. The younger Slayer showed Buffy the wound on her own arm, and commented tersely:
"We're in a lot of trouble."
* * * * *
"Your collection seems quite extensive, Rupert. . .though one could wish that the Council would be more generous with loaning the Field Watcher some of the rarer texts in their collection. . .with all that has happened here, one would think that they would realize the need." Samuel Zabuto spoke quietly as he glanced at a fifteenth century work on the habits of a cult of axe wielding demons. He turned back to Giles, whose expression made it clear that he agreed with his fellow Watcher. He smiled and continued, "But there seems to be adequate information on Acathla here to proceed, and from what you've said we have more help on the way."
Giles nodded and replied, "Yes." He had phoned Angel, who had predictably been disturbed at the news, and had immediately agreed to consult all of his sources and report back as quickly as possible. He had placed a call to Willow at 6 AM, and she had promised to bring Xander and Oz for research duty. He heard footsteps coming from the stacks, and he turned to greet Jenny, who offered her cheek to him to kiss. He turned to Zabuto, saying, "Sam, I'd like you to meet Jenny Calendar. Jenny, this is Samuel Zabuto, Kendra's Watcher."
Zabuto took Jenny's hand and shook it firmly, commenting, "Rupert has managed to tell me a lot about you, considering the gravity of our situation. . .it's nice to meet you. . .please call me Sam."
Jenny smiled, noting that the Watcher had not noticed the coolness of her hand. * The glamour spell is working perfectly. . .thank goodness, the last think we need is a paranoid Watcher on our hands. * She replied, "From what Rupert said at the time that Kendra came to visit us, you have quite a reputation with the Council. . .it's a shame that we only get to meet when things are this bad." She turned back to Giles and asked, "So where are we at?"
Giles frowned and replied, "The beginning, I'm afraid. . .the legend of Acathla is well known to the Council, but the specifics of how it might be used to bring about the end of the world now are a bit sketchy. . .we need to do extensive research-"
"Which is why he's called in the troops." Willow piped up as she, Xander and Oz walked up to the two Watchers and Jenny. Giles quickly made introductions: Willow smiled broadly as she shook hands with Zabuto, while Oz settled for a brief handshake and nod. Xander shook hands with the Watcher, then gave him an odd look, as if remembering something. He wandered off into the stacks while Willow and Oz settled down into chairs, preparing to dig into the pile of books that Giles had placed on the main table. Willow asked, "When will Buffy and Kendra get here?"
Giles frowned and replied, "They should be here in a little while. . .we had them out looking for signs of unusual activities until rather late. . .given the stakes here, they should both be well rested before they need to go into battle." She shook his head in disgust and commented, "They've both seen a lot, but that scene at the museum was rather disturbing. . .not to mention the apocalyptic implications. . .I hope they had an undisturbed rest."
Zabuto nodded and replied, "Both of them are quite capable, Rupert. . .and given the events of the last few months, I think that Buffy at least will not be unduly disturbed. . .unless the dreams have a purpose."
"I don't believe it. . .it is you. Sam 'The Tornado' Zabuto." Xander's voice carried across the room, causing the others to freeze in surprise. . .except for Zabuto, who slowly turned to see Xander holding an open book in his hands. The Watcher smiled and commented, "No one's called me that in over twenty years, Xander. . .I'm surprised that anyone your age would have even know there ever was such a person."
"What are you talking about, Xander? Why would anyone call Sam 'The Tornado'?. . .it sounds like he was some sort of natural disaster." Jenny's voice was puzzled, and she was further surprised as Zabuto laughed deeply, an unfamiliar sound in the library.
"I used to follow track and field really closely when I was a kid," Xander explained, "and I know recent American track stars pretty well. . .Mr. Zabuto was a sprinter for the University of Louisiana in the mid-70's. . .he would have made the '76 Olympics for sure if he hadn't torn up his knee in the trials. I remembered this book in the sports section and looked for a picture that I knew was there." He showed the others the picture: it depicted a much younger Zabuto in the starting blocks preparing to run the 100 meters, which the caption stated he won in a time of 9.99 seconds. . .very creditable for the era. Xander turned to the Watcher and asked, "What did you do after you stopped running? You were a Rhodes scholar, weren't you?"
"Yes, Xander, I was. . .and as you might guess, it was then that the Council decided to approach me. With my running career cut short, I was looking for new direction in my life, and I had. . .personal. . .reasons for choosing to take up the battle against the undead." Zabuto did not elaborate, and the others respected his reticence. The Watcher turned to Xander and concluded, "I'd love to discuss this if we have time, Xander. . .but given the circumstances. . ."
Xander nodded and replied, "No problem, but if we avert the apocalypse, I want an autograph."
Zabuto smiled and was about to reply when Buffy and Kendra burst in. Everyone turned to the grim Slayers, and Buffy broke the brief silence by stating bluntly, "We've got a situation here. Giles, pack up the weapons from the cage. . .Xander, if you've got any weapons from your little procurement trip in January, go get them. I called Cordy. . .we can use her car and Giles' to haul the weapons over to the beach-"
"Buffy. . .what's wrong? Do you know where Acathla is?" Giles was anxious, though he trusted Buffy's instincts. . .hauling large amounts of lethal weaponry in broad daylight was not to be taken lightly.
"If we're lucky. . .if not, we just have a big problem. . .but if we are lucky, we need some heavy firepower." Buffy's tone was grim, and she locked eyes with her Watcher as she concluded, "Let's get going, guys. . .I'll explain as we load up."
* * * * *
Three hours later, Giles and Jenny were going over the Acathla materials, having volunteered to keep up the research efforts while the others investigated the caves that the Slayers had seen in their dreams, when the group filed back in, carrying the bags that they had taken out with them and looking grim. Giles looked over at Buffy and asked, "No luck?"
Buffy shook her head and replied, "Nothing left but the body of that demon we saw die. . .and this." She held out a piece of paper, on which was written in blood a short message:
"See you soon . . ."
. . .to be continued.
As always, comments are welcome and desired.