The Wrong Side of the Line
Chapter 9: For the love of Mike
Author: Rylee Jane
See Chapter 1 for summary, rating and disclaimer
A/N: Some people have been asking me what the chapter titles are supposed to mean. To be honest, nothing. They mean absolutely nothing. Don't try to look for too much meaning in them, because it's really not there. It's just my strange sense of humor. Hope everyone likes Chapter 9. If anyone is still reading it, and I'm not sure they are, it's going to get much more interesting in a while. In fact, you're probably going to hate me. MWahaha! Keep reading if you want to know why!
Without further ado, Chapter 9...
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
He took Giles out for another one of their "walks", this time walking him across the yard and over to the cafeteria. It was pretty crowded at that hour, but, being leader of the base, Spike had no trouble commandeering a private table for them. "How are they treating you?" he asked, as Giles took a long drink of his tea.
"Well, you know it's a bloody Hilton around here. Twenty-four hour room service, clean sheets, maid service..." He grinned at Spike. "How's everything with you?"
"Running smoothly. Shall I tell Watkins that you're up for rehab now?"
Giles sighed, the smile fading from his face. "I guess it has to be now, doesn't it. It can't wait any longer."
"I'm sorry. It's the way it has to be."
Giles glanced around, then began speaking in a fluent Cantonese. "How long until they find the evidence?"
Spike smiled, remembering the code that they'd always used when they were younger. It was rare to find anyone else who knew the language, especially since Giles was one of the few who'd ever been to China and had only learned it from the Chinese themselves, so they could speak freely without being overheard. "Two days, if everything goes well. The records are already in Watkins' office, he just doesn't know it yet. When the investigation on everyone else turns up nothing, I'll have to suggest that they check his files too, just in case. It'll break my heart to do it, of course, but leave no stone unturned and all that rot."
"Won't they find it a bit obvious though? Watkins isn't a stupid man."
"No, he isn't. But he also won't expect anyone to be looking at him. And who would ever suspect him anyway? He's Travers right hand man."
"It's risky. They may not find him guilty of it."
"True. We'll need some luck to get it pushed through. Cross your fingers."
"And with him out of the way, you'll be next-in-command."
"By default, yeh."
"It's a gamble, Spike. If they don't like the way you're doing the job, you know what could happen."
"Yeh, hello to the big pile of dust. I know."
"Maybe you should reconsider."
Spike laughed. "No need. I've thought it over for a while now, and it all comes down to the same thing. Either I do it, or your people fade off the planet without a second thought. Is that what you want?"
"We're not children, Spike. We can handle ourselves. Have for a couple hundred years now."
"That was before the virus, Giles. It was before the food supply was cut, and the security was stepped up. You're in a bad way now, you can't deny that."
Giles sighed. "It won't be easy, I'll give you that. But you're risking your life here for something that may not work, and may not even be necessary. We could still rebound in numbers."
"Not with that virus out there. Buffy told me herself that four people from her camp alone bought it last week from starvation and sickness."
Giles looked at him uncertainly. "When did you talk to Buffy?"
"She was here the other day. I gave her some food to take back with her."
"She came here? Just to ask for food?"
"Well, to trade for food. She offered me the gem of Amara for a month's worth of supplies."
Giles almost choked. "The gem? She offered you the gem?"
"Yeh. I didn't take it, though. I told her she might need it for a bigger trade later on sometime." His eyes narrowed when he noticed the shocked look on Giles' face. "What's the matter?"
Giles shook his head slowly, muttering something under his breath. "I--- I didn't realize. Things must be very bad for her to give that up for food. But you fed them?"
"Yeh, they have enough food to last them a while anyway. By the time they need food again, our plan should be well under way."
Giles nodded. "Right. The plan." He nodded again, looking only slightly more relieved. "The plan. So when do I start the program?"
"Tonight." Spike sighed. "I am sorry that you have to do this, Giles. I hate it for you."
"Don't. If everything goes well, it will be worth it."
**********************************************************************************
Spike was sitting in his office, cursing at his computer. They had just returned it, and he about half-wished they hadn't. "Damn irritating piece of plastic," he snapped. "I should throw you into the bloody compactor." As if in response, the computer beeped at him. "Shut up," he snapped at it, finally giving up and shoving the keyboard away.
The shrill ring of the phone interrupted his tirade, and he snatched it up. "What?"
"We need to talk. Now."
He didn't need to ask who it was. He recognized her voice. "Where?"
"Picnic. You remember the place."
It wasn't a question, because there was no way he could have forgotten where she was talking about. "Ten minutes."
"Five," she said, and hung up.
**********************************************************************************
There 'tis. I have only one chapter left that is ready for uploading, so here's hoping that I hear from the beta-reader soon! Until then, R&R and I'll update in a few days...
Chapter 9: For the love of Mike
Author: Rylee Jane
See Chapter 1 for summary, rating and disclaimer
A/N: Some people have been asking me what the chapter titles are supposed to mean. To be honest, nothing. They mean absolutely nothing. Don't try to look for too much meaning in them, because it's really not there. It's just my strange sense of humor. Hope everyone likes Chapter 9. If anyone is still reading it, and I'm not sure they are, it's going to get much more interesting in a while. In fact, you're probably going to hate me. MWahaha! Keep reading if you want to know why!
Without further ado, Chapter 9...
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
He took Giles out for another one of their "walks", this time walking him across the yard and over to the cafeteria. It was pretty crowded at that hour, but, being leader of the base, Spike had no trouble commandeering a private table for them. "How are they treating you?" he asked, as Giles took a long drink of his tea.
"Well, you know it's a bloody Hilton around here. Twenty-four hour room service, clean sheets, maid service..." He grinned at Spike. "How's everything with you?"
"Running smoothly. Shall I tell Watkins that you're up for rehab now?"
Giles sighed, the smile fading from his face. "I guess it has to be now, doesn't it. It can't wait any longer."
"I'm sorry. It's the way it has to be."
Giles glanced around, then began speaking in a fluent Cantonese. "How long until they find the evidence?"
Spike smiled, remembering the code that they'd always used when they were younger. It was rare to find anyone else who knew the language, especially since Giles was one of the few who'd ever been to China and had only learned it from the Chinese themselves, so they could speak freely without being overheard. "Two days, if everything goes well. The records are already in Watkins' office, he just doesn't know it yet. When the investigation on everyone else turns up nothing, I'll have to suggest that they check his files too, just in case. It'll break my heart to do it, of course, but leave no stone unturned and all that rot."
"Won't they find it a bit obvious though? Watkins isn't a stupid man."
"No, he isn't. But he also won't expect anyone to be looking at him. And who would ever suspect him anyway? He's Travers right hand man."
"It's risky. They may not find him guilty of it."
"True. We'll need some luck to get it pushed through. Cross your fingers."
"And with him out of the way, you'll be next-in-command."
"By default, yeh."
"It's a gamble, Spike. If they don't like the way you're doing the job, you know what could happen."
"Yeh, hello to the big pile of dust. I know."
"Maybe you should reconsider."
Spike laughed. "No need. I've thought it over for a while now, and it all comes down to the same thing. Either I do it, or your people fade off the planet without a second thought. Is that what you want?"
"We're not children, Spike. We can handle ourselves. Have for a couple hundred years now."
"That was before the virus, Giles. It was before the food supply was cut, and the security was stepped up. You're in a bad way now, you can't deny that."
Giles sighed. "It won't be easy, I'll give you that. But you're risking your life here for something that may not work, and may not even be necessary. We could still rebound in numbers."
"Not with that virus out there. Buffy told me herself that four people from her camp alone bought it last week from starvation and sickness."
Giles looked at him uncertainly. "When did you talk to Buffy?"
"She was here the other day. I gave her some food to take back with her."
"She came here? Just to ask for food?"
"Well, to trade for food. She offered me the gem of Amara for a month's worth of supplies."
Giles almost choked. "The gem? She offered you the gem?"
"Yeh. I didn't take it, though. I told her she might need it for a bigger trade later on sometime." His eyes narrowed when he noticed the shocked look on Giles' face. "What's the matter?"
Giles shook his head slowly, muttering something under his breath. "I--- I didn't realize. Things must be very bad for her to give that up for food. But you fed them?"
"Yeh, they have enough food to last them a while anyway. By the time they need food again, our plan should be well under way."
Giles nodded. "Right. The plan." He nodded again, looking only slightly more relieved. "The plan. So when do I start the program?"
"Tonight." Spike sighed. "I am sorry that you have to do this, Giles. I hate it for you."
"Don't. If everything goes well, it will be worth it."
**********************************************************************************
Spike was sitting in his office, cursing at his computer. They had just returned it, and he about half-wished they hadn't. "Damn irritating piece of plastic," he snapped. "I should throw you into the bloody compactor." As if in response, the computer beeped at him. "Shut up," he snapped at it, finally giving up and shoving the keyboard away.
The shrill ring of the phone interrupted his tirade, and he snatched it up. "What?"
"We need to talk. Now."
He didn't need to ask who it was. He recognized her voice. "Where?"
"Picnic. You remember the place."
It wasn't a question, because there was no way he could have forgotten where she was talking about. "Ten minutes."
"Five," she said, and hung up.
**********************************************************************************
There 'tis. I have only one chapter left that is ready for uploading, so here's hoping that I hear from the beta-reader soon! Until then, R&R and I'll update in a few days...