Title: The Wrong Side of the Line
Chapter 7
Author: Rylee Jane
See Chapter 1 for disclaimers, ratings and summary
Still wanting those summaries. C'mon, read and review. What could it possibly hurt?
Thanks, as always, to Spoikespet and Shaw_thang!
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Spike made it a point to go back to his office that morning before turning in. He shuffled some papers around and called up a few things on his computer, but all he was really doing was buying some time. He couldn't move too fast on this or it would definitely draw attention.
The explosion rocked the compound, throwing him out of his chair. It was immediately followed by the announcement of a code red. The halls filled with soldiers so quickly that by the time Spike stumbled out into the hall, he had to fight his way through the crowd.
"Out of the way!" he yelled, pushing towards the stairwell. "Get back!"
Harris met up with him just as he reached the lower level. "It's in the boiler room. Most of the hallway is caved in."
"Do we know what happened?"
"Not yet."
"Keep everyone out of the area. I don't want anyone getting hurt if the structure is unstable."
Harris grabbed his arm as he started towards the site. "You aren't going down there are you?"
"Someone has to."
"We have people who are trained to do this. Let them do their job."
Spike pushed his hand away and pointed to the stairwell. "Your orders are to keep people off this level. I expect you to follow orders."
Xander looked a bit stunned, but he straightened and saluted. "Yes, sir."
When he'd gone back to his post, Spike continued down the hallway. He stopped when he reached a large pile of rubble. "Hello?" he called, then listened for any signs of life. "Hello?"
He knew there had been people in the hall when the explosion had happened, and he hated that, but sometimes it was necessary to make some sacrifices. He stared into the thick darkness past the cement mess at his feet. He was looking for the best path across it when his radio crackled to life.
"Donovan! Where are you?"
"Lower level, sir. Looks like most of the tunnel is gone."
"Never mind that!" the voice snapped. "Get your ass up here to Commander Travers' office immediately."
"It's going to be a few minutes, sir. This tunnel's completely blocked. I'll have to go around to the other side."
"Fine. Whatever it takes. Just get here."
**********************************************************************************
Spike stared down at the blood on the desk, shaking his head. "Didn't anybody check this before they gave it to him, for Christ's sake?"
The Lieutenant in front of him looked way past nervous. "It was from his private stock, sir. It was checked when we first brought it in and then taken to his refrigerator. He prepared it himself."
"You idiot!" Spike yelled, getting up in the young man's face. "You don't think someone could have gotten in here and tampered with his stash? Get the security guys up here now! I don't want anybody touching a bloody thing until this area's been searched. Is that clear?"
The lieutenant nodded, seeming glad to get out of Spike's line of fire.
Watkins, Travers' next in command, watched the whole scene with an amused expression. "I think you need to calm down, William. I know that it's been a very hectic and--- disparaging day for you, but we have to keep a level head at times like these."
Spike was still pacing the length of the office. "Of course, sir," he said softly. "I'm sorry. I just--- I can't believe someone killed him. He was--- like a father to me. Bloody pillocks around here just let him have this without checking it first." He sighed, a little more dramatically than was necessary. "I want to know who did this."
"We'll have it thoroughly investigated, I assure you. Quentin Travers was the best leader this camp has ever had. His death will not go unpunished."
Spike stopped pacing. "We need to find out what was in that blood. It was obviously purposely contaminated. If someone got to him, they could have gotten to the troop supply too."
Watkins nodded. "Relax, William. We'll have it checked. Do you think the tapes will show anything?"
"It's possible. Only we don't know when it was done, so it could take weeks to look through them all, and we still may not find anything. No, we need to find out what was in there. I think if we can figure out what was used, we may be able to trace it back to the assassin."
Watkins nodded. "I'll have it sent to the lab. What's the report on that explosion? Bomb?"
Spike shrugged. "Don't know yet. We're going to have to get the roof supported before we can go in and start cleaning up the mess. It could be a while before we actually get to the site."
"Let's get some people in there as soon as possible. I need to know if it was a human attack."
"Yes, sir."
"Rupert Giles," Watkins said, and Spike jumped.
"What was that?"
"I was just going to ask you if you'd made any progress with our old colleague yet."
Spike bit back a relieved sigh. "Uh, maybe a little. He's a stubborn man, you know, but he listened to me, which is a step."
"That's fine," Watkins said, slapping him on the shoulder. "Keep on him. It would be nice to have him back on our team."
Spike nodded, heading for the door. "We'll get him. I can almost guarantee it."
**********************************************************************************
So, you've seen part of what's to come...who wants more?? All right, all right. Give me a few days and I'll post the next chapter. Stay tuned...
Chapter 7
Author: Rylee Jane
See Chapter 1 for disclaimers, ratings and summary
Still wanting those summaries. C'mon, read and review. What could it possibly hurt?
Thanks, as always, to Spoikespet and Shaw_thang!
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Spike made it a point to go back to his office that morning before turning in. He shuffled some papers around and called up a few things on his computer, but all he was really doing was buying some time. He couldn't move too fast on this or it would definitely draw attention.
The explosion rocked the compound, throwing him out of his chair. It was immediately followed by the announcement of a code red. The halls filled with soldiers so quickly that by the time Spike stumbled out into the hall, he had to fight his way through the crowd.
"Out of the way!" he yelled, pushing towards the stairwell. "Get back!"
Harris met up with him just as he reached the lower level. "It's in the boiler room. Most of the hallway is caved in."
"Do we know what happened?"
"Not yet."
"Keep everyone out of the area. I don't want anyone getting hurt if the structure is unstable."
Harris grabbed his arm as he started towards the site. "You aren't going down there are you?"
"Someone has to."
"We have people who are trained to do this. Let them do their job."
Spike pushed his hand away and pointed to the stairwell. "Your orders are to keep people off this level. I expect you to follow orders."
Xander looked a bit stunned, but he straightened and saluted. "Yes, sir."
When he'd gone back to his post, Spike continued down the hallway. He stopped when he reached a large pile of rubble. "Hello?" he called, then listened for any signs of life. "Hello?"
He knew there had been people in the hall when the explosion had happened, and he hated that, but sometimes it was necessary to make some sacrifices. He stared into the thick darkness past the cement mess at his feet. He was looking for the best path across it when his radio crackled to life.
"Donovan! Where are you?"
"Lower level, sir. Looks like most of the tunnel is gone."
"Never mind that!" the voice snapped. "Get your ass up here to Commander Travers' office immediately."
"It's going to be a few minutes, sir. This tunnel's completely blocked. I'll have to go around to the other side."
"Fine. Whatever it takes. Just get here."
**********************************************************************************
Spike stared down at the blood on the desk, shaking his head. "Didn't anybody check this before they gave it to him, for Christ's sake?"
The Lieutenant in front of him looked way past nervous. "It was from his private stock, sir. It was checked when we first brought it in and then taken to his refrigerator. He prepared it himself."
"You idiot!" Spike yelled, getting up in the young man's face. "You don't think someone could have gotten in here and tampered with his stash? Get the security guys up here now! I don't want anybody touching a bloody thing until this area's been searched. Is that clear?"
The lieutenant nodded, seeming glad to get out of Spike's line of fire.
Watkins, Travers' next in command, watched the whole scene with an amused expression. "I think you need to calm down, William. I know that it's been a very hectic and--- disparaging day for you, but we have to keep a level head at times like these."
Spike was still pacing the length of the office. "Of course, sir," he said softly. "I'm sorry. I just--- I can't believe someone killed him. He was--- like a father to me. Bloody pillocks around here just let him have this without checking it first." He sighed, a little more dramatically than was necessary. "I want to know who did this."
"We'll have it thoroughly investigated, I assure you. Quentin Travers was the best leader this camp has ever had. His death will not go unpunished."
Spike stopped pacing. "We need to find out what was in that blood. It was obviously purposely contaminated. If someone got to him, they could have gotten to the troop supply too."
Watkins nodded. "Relax, William. We'll have it checked. Do you think the tapes will show anything?"
"It's possible. Only we don't know when it was done, so it could take weeks to look through them all, and we still may not find anything. No, we need to find out what was in there. I think if we can figure out what was used, we may be able to trace it back to the assassin."
Watkins nodded. "I'll have it sent to the lab. What's the report on that explosion? Bomb?"
Spike shrugged. "Don't know yet. We're going to have to get the roof supported before we can go in and start cleaning up the mess. It could be a while before we actually get to the site."
"Let's get some people in there as soon as possible. I need to know if it was a human attack."
"Yes, sir."
"Rupert Giles," Watkins said, and Spike jumped.
"What was that?"
"I was just going to ask you if you'd made any progress with our old colleague yet."
Spike bit back a relieved sigh. "Uh, maybe a little. He's a stubborn man, you know, but he listened to me, which is a step."
"That's fine," Watkins said, slapping him on the shoulder. "Keep on him. It would be nice to have him back on our team."
Spike nodded, heading for the door. "We'll get him. I can almost guarantee it."
**********************************************************************************
So, you've seen part of what's to come...who wants more?? All right, all right. Give me a few days and I'll post the next chapter. Stay tuned...