A/N: Thanks to Nodakskip who pointed out a glaring omission. Hopes this
deals with it (I'm almost sure it won't).
Paladin Project 9: Marshalling Forces
"God Cordy I'm sorry."
Xander's whispered apology rang out through the hushed room as he stared guiltily at the bed's occupant. His ex looked so peaceful, so beautiful just lying there. And for all his connections he was helpless to assist her, just like he'd been helpless to make up for the way he'd messed up between them. "Damn it."
After he'd helped Angel Investigations defeat Jasmine he'd contacted Leo in the hope that the angel could heal her but Leo said that because of the Ancients pre-dating the Powers That Be as the dominant force on the planet he was powerless to help. Then he'd considered contacting Tok'ra for help but he was far from certain that even a symbiote could heal the damage done to Cordy, if it ended not only at the physical and mental levels but went onto the spiritual plane too. Besides Angel was less than enthusiastic at the thought of an alien residing in Cordelia, especially so soon after the demonic possession. All the people he knew and he was helpless.
"I'm sorry Cordy, I really am. I'd have come earlier if I could," he stroked a stray hair off his former girlfriend's face. "But I've been kinda of busy. I shouldn't be here now 'cept that Ethan, Syd and the others are doing the planning. You always told me the brain stuff wasn't my strong point," he laughed softly. "You know this is the longest we've been in a room together without me hearing the words 'dweeb' or 'geek'. I'm so sorry for the mess I made of things between us. We had something really special but I was too dumb to see it."
He lapsed into an uncomfortable silence for a few minutes before continuing. "Things have been real wild the last week or so. Angel Investigations and the Project have both moved to Sunnydale. Apparently the First has risen. And here's the kicker, a couple of days after I arrived, General Summers turned up and started barking orders. Blade offed Spike, she'd lowered herself to screwing a soulless vampire now, so she attacked me and I kicked her ass." He chuckled. "Bet you'd have paid good money to see that. But, and here's the thing, Faith's out of the big house and working for the good guys now. She's changed, on the outside she's still the kick-ass bitch but deep down she's different, more in control, more at peace." He glanced down at the comatose brunette, hoping for a reaction, a flutter of an eyelid, a twitch of a finger, anything. He sighed wearily when he didn't get any. After rising he bent over the body and kissed the woman's forehead. "I've got to go and fight the good fight," he grinned "as a kid I always wanted to be a super-hero. Maybe I should get a cape with 'DB' on it." His face sobered. "I'll be back as soon I can Cordy."
"What's happening here?" Xander's brow furrowed in puzzlement as he reached the private clinic's car park. Half a dozen men were stood around his 4*4, it was a great car but there were far racier models parked around. "Or maybe not," he grinned slowly as he realised the reason for the interest in his car. "Hi Faith."
The shapely brunette turned from entertaining her new admirers and winked at him. "Hi boytoy, we off?" he nodded, so that nickname was apparently getting another airing. The Slayer turned back to her fans and shrugged. "Sorry boys. Gotta motor."
"So Faith," Xander started up the car as the last of Faith's groupies had reluctantly departed. "What are you doing here?"
"Jeez Xman I bet you're just a killer with ladies with lines like that," his front seat passenger jibed before turning serious. "I saw you leaving the hotel with a bunch of flowers and figured you were coming to see Queen C so I rang Fang for the address and hot-footed it over 'case you needed someone to talk to."
"Faith offering emotional support? You have changed!"
His jibe gained him a slight slap to the back of the head. "You're talking to the new reformed Faith now boytoy," the woman let out an amused snort. "I'd say improved but how do you improve on a face this pretty and a body this hot?"
"Yet still not modest."
"When you look this fine what the fuck you gotta be modest about?" his passenger's voice turned serious. "Xman, you five by five? Seeing Queen C like that I mean?"
Xander felt his heart tighten. "It was hard," he finally replied, "really hard seeing the first girl I ever loved like that and not being able to do anything to help."
"First girl you ever loved uh? I thought that was B?"
There was an odd note in Faith's voice that he didn't recognise. After a second he spoke. "No, that was a crush. I think for feelings to grow into anything resembling love they have to be returned," Xander replied, "given a chance to grow."
"Shit Xman's that's deep. So there's anyone serious since? Anyone now?"
Xander thought for a second before answering. He'd certainly been physical with women since then - Paige Matthews, Grace Chen, Lara Croft, Sarah Ryback, and Isabel Evans to name just a few. But nobody had captured his heart. "No."
"Still hankering after C?"
There it was again that, odd note in his companion's voice. He glanced across at the Slayer but her beautiful face was unreadable. "No, it's just with being a wandering warrior," he snorted, now that sounded conceited, "you don't get to put down roots. But maybe stating in one place I'll get that chance."
"Do you want to?"
Xander shrugged. "I'd like to but it's a hard life, not really fair to involve innocents."
"Any chance for C?"
Thrown by the sudden subject change he didn't answer immediately. "Maybe. I'll ask Doc. Strange when he gets back, but other than that no."
"Shit Xand I'm sorry. I didn't much like her but she had serious balls, gotta respect that." The Slayer fell silent for a few minutes. "What you doing for the rest of the day?"
"I'm meeting some guy Syd thinks can supply us with some useful equipment for tomorrow."
"Want some company?"
"Thanks but the guy's a little shy and you're frightening for us confident, devilishly handsome world saver types - ow!" he rubbed his head where the Slayer had slapped him again. "Enough with the violence!" Apparently the reformed Slayer wasn't all that reformed.
* * *
"Hi Marshall, it's good to see you."
The short man stood beside the door smiled tentatively. "You too Sydney," the man's voice shook slightly.
Sydney returned the man's smile with one of her own. "Relax Marshall, Xander's not with the CIA, he's here to purchase some of your gadgets."
"Oh?" the man's eyes grew wary, obviously his experiences at SD-6 had left deep scars.
"Relax Marshall," Sydney placed a hand on the man's forearm, "he's on the up and up. I vouch for him personally."
The man stared at his friend for a few seconds before letting out a breath and nodding. "Okay, so what do you need?"
Xander glanced across at Sydney, she was the technical one. He was only here out of interest to meet the genius 'Marshall' that Sydney had told him about. "Something that allows us to control a building's computer system from a remote location." "Not hacking?"
"No," Sydney shook her head, "we need an electronic piggy-back."
Marshall pursed his lips in thought for a few seconds before brightening. "Follow me."
The scientist\engineer led them into the basement. Xander whistled between his teeth at the rows of tables covered with pieces of machinery, engineering equipment, and computers. He chuckled as he noticed something. "Nice posters."
Marshall reddened at his mention of the Playmate posters stuck to the walls. Averting his gaze from a smiling Sydney, the inventor hurried over to one of the tables and lifted up a pair of earrings. "Here they are!"
Xander raised an eyebrow. "Nice jewellery, not my type though."
"No, no, no," the inventor shook his head. "They're transmitters, if the wearer's inside the building I can bounce off their signal into their security system as long as I'm within a mile of the building."
"How do they work Marshall?"
Xander zoned out as Marshall began to excitedly babble to Sydney. Science wasn't his thing and it would be Ethan and Syd's responsibility to get the transmitters inside. He started to look through the table's contents, curious he picked up a pen and brooch. "What are these?"
"The brooch," the inventor beamed, "is a signaller. If you press the third encrusted diamond," a beeping went off at the other side of the room, "then the holder of the receiver knows you're ready for their part of the operation. And the pen fires a tranquiliser dart strong enough to down a lion at sixty feet."
Or a vampire, Xander smiled. "You got any job offers Marshall?"
The inventor shrugged. "I've had offers from Stark Industries, Microsoft, Skynet, and Luther Corp."
"Well I'd like to add my offer," the scientist's eyes gleamed with interest. "The job would involve you running base security and computer system as well as doing your designer gig. You'll have this guy Andrew working for you -."
"Xander," Sydney had a forced smile, "can I speak to you upstairs?"
He shrugged. "Sure." What was Syd's problem?
He'd barely stepped out of the basement when the secret agent launched into him, her eyes flashing. "What are you playing at? I won't let you put Marshall into harm's way!"
Xander kept his calm in the face of his friend's anger. "Marshall reminds me a lot of a kid I went to school with, Jonathan. John was really smart, probably the smartest gut there, but he was really quiet, even the kids who didn't bully him just ignored him. In senior year Buffy had to save him from blowing his head off. Three years later and he's so lonely and directionless he ends up working with two other misfits as criminals. Then this year he's sacrificed to open up the hellmouth."
"Marshall's not like that," Sydney had paled.
"Isn't he?" Xander glanced towards the closed basement door. "You've seen all the stuff he's been inventing, it's his life. You told me how proud he was when you used his inventions in operations."
"He's already got job offers."
"True," Xander conceded the point, "but you know how I operate. Marshall ends up in any of those organisations he mentioned, he won't be anything but a cog in a machine. With us he'll part of a team, don't you think that he needs to belong to something?"
"Fine, but if anything happens to him -."
"I'm dog food, I know. Shall we go back down?" Once they'd re-entered Xander spoke to a nervous-looking Marshall. "Are you interested?"
The inventor glanced at his companion. "Is he-?"
"He's on the level Marshall," Sydney soothed after shooting him a warning glance.
After a second the inventor nodded. "So what's the mission brief? Who are your rivals?"
"Ah," this was a problem. Telling Marshall the truth would have him laughing in their faces. On the other hand he deserved to know the truth. Finally he smiled. "Marshall, what are you doing tonight?"
* * *
Marshall started at the knock on the door. Today had been the strangest since the closedown of SD-6. At first he'd thought that Syd's companion was CIA, his air of danger was unmistakeable, reminding him of the aura surrounding Syd's dad. He'd figured that Syd had been unable to protect him. But then the man had revealed that not only did he want to buy some equipment but also offered him a job. After taking a second to compose himself he hurried to the door and opened it. His mouth dropped open at the sight that greeted him. Syd, wearing a black mini and sleeveless matching silk blouse, looked as amazing as ever. But the other woman with Xander was pure molten sex.
The young woman's raven-dark hair cascaded down onto her shoulders, framing a high-cheeked face containing pouty red lips parted in a cocksure grin and coal black eyes. The brunette's black leather pants hugged the curves of her slender yet muscular legs and sinfully-rounded ass while her black midriff top showed off both the impressively developed abs of a workout fanatic and the generous swell of her breasts.
Suddenly he realised Xander was chuckling. "Looks like you've got a new admirer. Faith, meet Marshall."
"Just one of many, Xand. Hi Swampy," the brunette held out a hand.
After a second he took the offered hand, surprised by the strength of the woman's grip, he spoke, his tone tentative. "Swampy?"
"Don't worry about it Marsh," Xander smiled at him, "Faith's got this annoying habit," the younger man raised an eyebrow, "one of several actually. She gives everyone a nickname."
The woman winked. "Only those I like, Swampy."
His face reddening, Marshall glanced down at his feet. He wasn't comfortable dealing with people, especially women, machines and electronics were his thing. He only really felt at ease around Syd.
The brunette chuckled. "Aw, he's sweet. Can I keep him?"
"Faith play nice," Xander scolded. "Ignore her Marsh. She's got a good heart, her mouth and head don't work too well -, oww!"
Marshall looked up to see Xander rubbing his head and the two women grinning. Faith grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the house. "I bet you know all the wicked clubs Swampy?"
"Not really no."
"That case we'll just have to follow our noses, let's hit the road Swampy."
Five hours later and they were leaving their third club. Marshall was unable to stop grinning, he'd had the night of his life, Faith had taught him to dance and he'd spent the whole time on the dancefloor being passed from Syd to Faith. But he still hadn't been found out what organisation Xander and the others worked for did.
Suddenly Faith broke off in mid-laugh. "Xman, bandits between us."
"Our sort?" All previous warm had left the man's voice.
"Uh, huh."
"How many, how far?"
"Five, maybe six. Four hundred yards behind."
"Plenty of time to practice where I've been Xman," the brunette's tone turned serious. "What's the plan boss?"
Xander groaned. "Now I know how Giles felt when I called him G-Man. Next alley we come to Syd, you take Marsh into it and act as a diversion. We'll take them from behind -."
"Long time since I've been tak-."
"Don't Faith," Xander interrupted.
Marshall blinked. From what he'd learnt of operations procedure that meant both Faith and Xander were better fighters than Syd, the best fighter he'd ever seen.
"You five by five Swampy?" he nodded, his throat too tight for speech. "Don't worry," Faith punched him lightly on the shoulder, "I look after my buds. That's right ain't it Xand?"
"I'm going to resist the urge make a smart-ass comment."
"Make a change Xman," Faith chuckled, "hey Xand you remember how Slaying gets me?"
"We'll have to stop off at McDonald's afterwards."
"That's not what I meant Xman."
"Didn't think it was. Your stop Syd."
Marshall followed his friend into the alley. "What's happening?" he whispered.
"Relax Marshall, Xander won't let anything happen to us."
Sydney's confidence was reassuring but any calm he felt was quickly eroded when the mouth of the alley was filled by six thuggish looking men in their mid to late twenties. "Well you look nice babe," one of them said in a Texas drawl, "where did the other honey go?"
"Behind you shithead," Marshall heard Faith call from behind the thugs, "oh and by the way this honey's name's Faith and she's the Slayer."
The man gulped. "I heard the Slayer was called Buffy."
"She's retired," replied Xander, "aren't you going to introduce me to your new friends Faith?"
"Yeah, guys say hello to Xander."
Marshall heard Xander sigh. "My work name Faith."
"Oh yeah, he's Demonsbane."
Now the previously arrogant man looked terrified. "Get them!"
Marshall's mouth dropped open at what happened next. The six men charged Faith and Xander and then the two facing them moved.
Faith was first into action. Her movements quicksilver, the brunette rushed to meet the gang members. Grabbing hold of the nearest thug's outstretched arms at the wrists she twisted, somehow flinging the man twice her size head-first into the near-by wall. Despite the sickening impact of his collision the man leapt to his feet. Marshall gasped in shock, in the flickering light it almost seemed as if the man's eyes had changed to yellow.
The man let out a bestial roar before darting at the slight woman only for her to snap out a flawless side kick that caught the man in his throat before twisting round and slamming a piece of wood into the man's chest. "Oh my god!" Marshall let out a scream as the man exploded into dust. What was happening?
Two more of the men leapt at Faith but she leapt into the air, her legs flicking out to catch her attackers square in their faces knocking them into the wall behind. Upon landing, Faith darted forward thrusting her piece of wood into one of the men's chests. The man followed the first in disappearing but as the woman turned to deal with the third she was met by a punch to the jaw that sent her stumbling backwards. Her attacker let out a growl of victory as he surged forward, his fists flying. Faith leaned away from the attack, bending her torso like a limbo dancer going under the pole, before grabbing hold of her attacker's right arm at the wrist and elbow.
The man's scream almost drowned out the sounds of bones cracking when Faith snapped his wrist down while forcing his elbow upwards. The man's bellow only ended when Faith slammed her wooden spike into the man's chest.
While Faith's movements were a sort of deadly dance, Xander's were brutally efficient. The other trio charged him en masse, Xander shot out a foot smashing his heel into one of the men's knees, sending him staggering onto Xander's wooden spike.
Another of Xander's assailants grabbed him around the shoulders and pulled him towards him. Xander's elbow flew up, the point smashing into the man's chin, knocking the man's head back, giving Xander the chance to shove his wood into the man's chest.
The third man turned away from Xander and charged them. Marshall blood chilled as he saw the man's glowing eyes, ridged brow, and drooling fangs. What was it?
Sydney raced to meet the beast; Marshall noted she had a wooden spike like Xander and Faith's. His friend's arm arced up but as quick as the secret agent was the monster facing her was even quicker, grabbing her arm at the wrist and twisting it violently. Syd let out a gasp of pain and her wooden spike clattered to the ground. She shot out a kick that smashed into the beast's side but the beast just let out a hoarse laugh and flung Syd into the wall. The secret agent staggered away from the wall and dived towards her dropped weapon but the demon intercepted her, grabbed her around the throat, and flung her back into the wall.
Seeing his friend crumple to the ground, Marshall summonsed his courage, snatched up a steel pipe from the top of a skip and swung it at the monster's back. His arm shuddered with the blow's impact but the beast just grunted before turning, snatching the pipe from him, grabbing him round the throat and throwing him into the wall. He swallowed as the creature advanced on him. "I'm going to enjoy drinking you dry runt."
"Not fucking likely." Suddenly the beast exploded into dust and Faith was there easing him to his feet. "That took wicked balls Swampy."
He reddened at the respect in the raven-haired beauty's voice. Then, remembering what he'd seen her do, he retreated from her, his heart pounding with fear. "W..what were they? And what are you?"
Hurt flickered across the woman's face. "Xand," there was a begging note in her voice, "tell him I won't hurt him, please."
Ten minutes later Xander finished talking. "S..so you're demon hunters?" this was crazy but he'd seen the proof.
"Faith and I full-time-."
"Well between comas and prison stays," Marshall noted Faith's swagger had returned.
"Faith, shut up. Sydney helps out in an emergency."
"And this is an emergency right?" Marshall asked. "The First I mean?" "It is," Xander nodded. "Once the First is dealt with you can move to Sunnydale to work if you're still interested."
Marshall decided to gamble. "No," he shook his head, "I don't get to come now I'll have to take one of the other job offers."
Xander's eyes widened. "You're trying to blackmail me?"
"Let him come Xand."
Xander sighed. "Fine, we leave tomorrow. After raiding W&H."
Marshall smiled and nodded. Working again and this time for the good guys.
Paladin Project 9: Marshalling Forces
"God Cordy I'm sorry."
Xander's whispered apology rang out through the hushed room as he stared guiltily at the bed's occupant. His ex looked so peaceful, so beautiful just lying there. And for all his connections he was helpless to assist her, just like he'd been helpless to make up for the way he'd messed up between them. "Damn it."
After he'd helped Angel Investigations defeat Jasmine he'd contacted Leo in the hope that the angel could heal her but Leo said that because of the Ancients pre-dating the Powers That Be as the dominant force on the planet he was powerless to help. Then he'd considered contacting Tok'ra for help but he was far from certain that even a symbiote could heal the damage done to Cordy, if it ended not only at the physical and mental levels but went onto the spiritual plane too. Besides Angel was less than enthusiastic at the thought of an alien residing in Cordelia, especially so soon after the demonic possession. All the people he knew and he was helpless.
"I'm sorry Cordy, I really am. I'd have come earlier if I could," he stroked a stray hair off his former girlfriend's face. "But I've been kinda of busy. I shouldn't be here now 'cept that Ethan, Syd and the others are doing the planning. You always told me the brain stuff wasn't my strong point," he laughed softly. "You know this is the longest we've been in a room together without me hearing the words 'dweeb' or 'geek'. I'm so sorry for the mess I made of things between us. We had something really special but I was too dumb to see it."
He lapsed into an uncomfortable silence for a few minutes before continuing. "Things have been real wild the last week or so. Angel Investigations and the Project have both moved to Sunnydale. Apparently the First has risen. And here's the kicker, a couple of days after I arrived, General Summers turned up and started barking orders. Blade offed Spike, she'd lowered herself to screwing a soulless vampire now, so she attacked me and I kicked her ass." He chuckled. "Bet you'd have paid good money to see that. But, and here's the thing, Faith's out of the big house and working for the good guys now. She's changed, on the outside she's still the kick-ass bitch but deep down she's different, more in control, more at peace." He glanced down at the comatose brunette, hoping for a reaction, a flutter of an eyelid, a twitch of a finger, anything. He sighed wearily when he didn't get any. After rising he bent over the body and kissed the woman's forehead. "I've got to go and fight the good fight," he grinned "as a kid I always wanted to be a super-hero. Maybe I should get a cape with 'DB' on it." His face sobered. "I'll be back as soon I can Cordy."
"What's happening here?" Xander's brow furrowed in puzzlement as he reached the private clinic's car park. Half a dozen men were stood around his 4*4, it was a great car but there were far racier models parked around. "Or maybe not," he grinned slowly as he realised the reason for the interest in his car. "Hi Faith."
The shapely brunette turned from entertaining her new admirers and winked at him. "Hi boytoy, we off?" he nodded, so that nickname was apparently getting another airing. The Slayer turned back to her fans and shrugged. "Sorry boys. Gotta motor."
"So Faith," Xander started up the car as the last of Faith's groupies had reluctantly departed. "What are you doing here?"
"Jeez Xman I bet you're just a killer with ladies with lines like that," his front seat passenger jibed before turning serious. "I saw you leaving the hotel with a bunch of flowers and figured you were coming to see Queen C so I rang Fang for the address and hot-footed it over 'case you needed someone to talk to."
"Faith offering emotional support? You have changed!"
His jibe gained him a slight slap to the back of the head. "You're talking to the new reformed Faith now boytoy," the woman let out an amused snort. "I'd say improved but how do you improve on a face this pretty and a body this hot?"
"Yet still not modest."
"When you look this fine what the fuck you gotta be modest about?" his passenger's voice turned serious. "Xman, you five by five? Seeing Queen C like that I mean?"
Xander felt his heart tighten. "It was hard," he finally replied, "really hard seeing the first girl I ever loved like that and not being able to do anything to help."
"First girl you ever loved uh? I thought that was B?"
There was an odd note in Faith's voice that he didn't recognise. After a second he spoke. "No, that was a crush. I think for feelings to grow into anything resembling love they have to be returned," Xander replied, "given a chance to grow."
"Shit Xman's that's deep. So there's anyone serious since? Anyone now?"
Xander thought for a second before answering. He'd certainly been physical with women since then - Paige Matthews, Grace Chen, Lara Croft, Sarah Ryback, and Isabel Evans to name just a few. But nobody had captured his heart. "No."
"Still hankering after C?"
There it was again that, odd note in his companion's voice. He glanced across at the Slayer but her beautiful face was unreadable. "No, it's just with being a wandering warrior," he snorted, now that sounded conceited, "you don't get to put down roots. But maybe stating in one place I'll get that chance."
"Do you want to?"
Xander shrugged. "I'd like to but it's a hard life, not really fair to involve innocents."
"Any chance for C?"
Thrown by the sudden subject change he didn't answer immediately. "Maybe. I'll ask Doc. Strange when he gets back, but other than that no."
"Shit Xand I'm sorry. I didn't much like her but she had serious balls, gotta respect that." The Slayer fell silent for a few minutes. "What you doing for the rest of the day?"
"I'm meeting some guy Syd thinks can supply us with some useful equipment for tomorrow."
"Want some company?"
"Thanks but the guy's a little shy and you're frightening for us confident, devilishly handsome world saver types - ow!" he rubbed his head where the Slayer had slapped him again. "Enough with the violence!" Apparently the reformed Slayer wasn't all that reformed.
* * *
"Hi Marshall, it's good to see you."
The short man stood beside the door smiled tentatively. "You too Sydney," the man's voice shook slightly.
Sydney returned the man's smile with one of her own. "Relax Marshall, Xander's not with the CIA, he's here to purchase some of your gadgets."
"Oh?" the man's eyes grew wary, obviously his experiences at SD-6 had left deep scars.
"Relax Marshall," Sydney placed a hand on the man's forearm, "he's on the up and up. I vouch for him personally."
The man stared at his friend for a few seconds before letting out a breath and nodding. "Okay, so what do you need?"
Xander glanced across at Sydney, she was the technical one. He was only here out of interest to meet the genius 'Marshall' that Sydney had told him about. "Something that allows us to control a building's computer system from a remote location." "Not hacking?"
"No," Sydney shook her head, "we need an electronic piggy-back."
Marshall pursed his lips in thought for a few seconds before brightening. "Follow me."
The scientist\engineer led them into the basement. Xander whistled between his teeth at the rows of tables covered with pieces of machinery, engineering equipment, and computers. He chuckled as he noticed something. "Nice posters."
Marshall reddened at his mention of the Playmate posters stuck to the walls. Averting his gaze from a smiling Sydney, the inventor hurried over to one of the tables and lifted up a pair of earrings. "Here they are!"
Xander raised an eyebrow. "Nice jewellery, not my type though."
"No, no, no," the inventor shook his head. "They're transmitters, if the wearer's inside the building I can bounce off their signal into their security system as long as I'm within a mile of the building."
"How do they work Marshall?"
Xander zoned out as Marshall began to excitedly babble to Sydney. Science wasn't his thing and it would be Ethan and Syd's responsibility to get the transmitters inside. He started to look through the table's contents, curious he picked up a pen and brooch. "What are these?"
"The brooch," the inventor beamed, "is a signaller. If you press the third encrusted diamond," a beeping went off at the other side of the room, "then the holder of the receiver knows you're ready for their part of the operation. And the pen fires a tranquiliser dart strong enough to down a lion at sixty feet."
Or a vampire, Xander smiled. "You got any job offers Marshall?"
The inventor shrugged. "I've had offers from Stark Industries, Microsoft, Skynet, and Luther Corp."
"Well I'd like to add my offer," the scientist's eyes gleamed with interest. "The job would involve you running base security and computer system as well as doing your designer gig. You'll have this guy Andrew working for you -."
"Xander," Sydney had a forced smile, "can I speak to you upstairs?"
He shrugged. "Sure." What was Syd's problem?
He'd barely stepped out of the basement when the secret agent launched into him, her eyes flashing. "What are you playing at? I won't let you put Marshall into harm's way!"
Xander kept his calm in the face of his friend's anger. "Marshall reminds me a lot of a kid I went to school with, Jonathan. John was really smart, probably the smartest gut there, but he was really quiet, even the kids who didn't bully him just ignored him. In senior year Buffy had to save him from blowing his head off. Three years later and he's so lonely and directionless he ends up working with two other misfits as criminals. Then this year he's sacrificed to open up the hellmouth."
"Marshall's not like that," Sydney had paled.
"Isn't he?" Xander glanced towards the closed basement door. "You've seen all the stuff he's been inventing, it's his life. You told me how proud he was when you used his inventions in operations."
"He's already got job offers."
"True," Xander conceded the point, "but you know how I operate. Marshall ends up in any of those organisations he mentioned, he won't be anything but a cog in a machine. With us he'll part of a team, don't you think that he needs to belong to something?"
"Fine, but if anything happens to him -."
"I'm dog food, I know. Shall we go back down?" Once they'd re-entered Xander spoke to a nervous-looking Marshall. "Are you interested?"
The inventor glanced at his companion. "Is he-?"
"He's on the level Marshall," Sydney soothed after shooting him a warning glance.
After a second the inventor nodded. "So what's the mission brief? Who are your rivals?"
"Ah," this was a problem. Telling Marshall the truth would have him laughing in their faces. On the other hand he deserved to know the truth. Finally he smiled. "Marshall, what are you doing tonight?"
* * *
Marshall started at the knock on the door. Today had been the strangest since the closedown of SD-6. At first he'd thought that Syd's companion was CIA, his air of danger was unmistakeable, reminding him of the aura surrounding Syd's dad. He'd figured that Syd had been unable to protect him. But then the man had revealed that not only did he want to buy some equipment but also offered him a job. After taking a second to compose himself he hurried to the door and opened it. His mouth dropped open at the sight that greeted him. Syd, wearing a black mini and sleeveless matching silk blouse, looked as amazing as ever. But the other woman with Xander was pure molten sex.
The young woman's raven-dark hair cascaded down onto her shoulders, framing a high-cheeked face containing pouty red lips parted in a cocksure grin and coal black eyes. The brunette's black leather pants hugged the curves of her slender yet muscular legs and sinfully-rounded ass while her black midriff top showed off both the impressively developed abs of a workout fanatic and the generous swell of her breasts.
Suddenly he realised Xander was chuckling. "Looks like you've got a new admirer. Faith, meet Marshall."
"Just one of many, Xand. Hi Swampy," the brunette held out a hand.
After a second he took the offered hand, surprised by the strength of the woman's grip, he spoke, his tone tentative. "Swampy?"
"Don't worry about it Marsh," Xander smiled at him, "Faith's got this annoying habit," the younger man raised an eyebrow, "one of several actually. She gives everyone a nickname."
The woman winked. "Only those I like, Swampy."
His face reddening, Marshall glanced down at his feet. He wasn't comfortable dealing with people, especially women, machines and electronics were his thing. He only really felt at ease around Syd.
The brunette chuckled. "Aw, he's sweet. Can I keep him?"
"Faith play nice," Xander scolded. "Ignore her Marsh. She's got a good heart, her mouth and head don't work too well -, oww!"
Marshall looked up to see Xander rubbing his head and the two women grinning. Faith grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the house. "I bet you know all the wicked clubs Swampy?"
"Not really no."
"That case we'll just have to follow our noses, let's hit the road Swampy."
Five hours later and they were leaving their third club. Marshall was unable to stop grinning, he'd had the night of his life, Faith had taught him to dance and he'd spent the whole time on the dancefloor being passed from Syd to Faith. But he still hadn't been found out what organisation Xander and the others worked for did.
Suddenly Faith broke off in mid-laugh. "Xman, bandits between us."
"Our sort?" All previous warm had left the man's voice.
"Uh, huh."
"How many, how far?"
"Five, maybe six. Four hundred yards behind."
"Plenty of time to practice where I've been Xman," the brunette's tone turned serious. "What's the plan boss?"
Xander groaned. "Now I know how Giles felt when I called him G-Man. Next alley we come to Syd, you take Marsh into it and act as a diversion. We'll take them from behind -."
"Long time since I've been tak-."
"Don't Faith," Xander interrupted.
Marshall blinked. From what he'd learnt of operations procedure that meant both Faith and Xander were better fighters than Syd, the best fighter he'd ever seen.
"You five by five Swampy?" he nodded, his throat too tight for speech. "Don't worry," Faith punched him lightly on the shoulder, "I look after my buds. That's right ain't it Xand?"
"I'm going to resist the urge make a smart-ass comment."
"Make a change Xman," Faith chuckled, "hey Xand you remember how Slaying gets me?"
"We'll have to stop off at McDonald's afterwards."
"That's not what I meant Xman."
"Didn't think it was. Your stop Syd."
Marshall followed his friend into the alley. "What's happening?" he whispered.
"Relax Marshall, Xander won't let anything happen to us."
Sydney's confidence was reassuring but any calm he felt was quickly eroded when the mouth of the alley was filled by six thuggish looking men in their mid to late twenties. "Well you look nice babe," one of them said in a Texas drawl, "where did the other honey go?"
"Behind you shithead," Marshall heard Faith call from behind the thugs, "oh and by the way this honey's name's Faith and she's the Slayer."
The man gulped. "I heard the Slayer was called Buffy."
"She's retired," replied Xander, "aren't you going to introduce me to your new friends Faith?"
"Yeah, guys say hello to Xander."
Marshall heard Xander sigh. "My work name Faith."
"Oh yeah, he's Demonsbane."
Now the previously arrogant man looked terrified. "Get them!"
Marshall's mouth dropped open at what happened next. The six men charged Faith and Xander and then the two facing them moved.
Faith was first into action. Her movements quicksilver, the brunette rushed to meet the gang members. Grabbing hold of the nearest thug's outstretched arms at the wrists she twisted, somehow flinging the man twice her size head-first into the near-by wall. Despite the sickening impact of his collision the man leapt to his feet. Marshall gasped in shock, in the flickering light it almost seemed as if the man's eyes had changed to yellow.
The man let out a bestial roar before darting at the slight woman only for her to snap out a flawless side kick that caught the man in his throat before twisting round and slamming a piece of wood into the man's chest. "Oh my god!" Marshall let out a scream as the man exploded into dust. What was happening?
Two more of the men leapt at Faith but she leapt into the air, her legs flicking out to catch her attackers square in their faces knocking them into the wall behind. Upon landing, Faith darted forward thrusting her piece of wood into one of the men's chests. The man followed the first in disappearing but as the woman turned to deal with the third she was met by a punch to the jaw that sent her stumbling backwards. Her attacker let out a growl of victory as he surged forward, his fists flying. Faith leaned away from the attack, bending her torso like a limbo dancer going under the pole, before grabbing hold of her attacker's right arm at the wrist and elbow.
The man's scream almost drowned out the sounds of bones cracking when Faith snapped his wrist down while forcing his elbow upwards. The man's bellow only ended when Faith slammed her wooden spike into the man's chest.
While Faith's movements were a sort of deadly dance, Xander's were brutally efficient. The other trio charged him en masse, Xander shot out a foot smashing his heel into one of the men's knees, sending him staggering onto Xander's wooden spike.
Another of Xander's assailants grabbed him around the shoulders and pulled him towards him. Xander's elbow flew up, the point smashing into the man's chin, knocking the man's head back, giving Xander the chance to shove his wood into the man's chest.
The third man turned away from Xander and charged them. Marshall blood chilled as he saw the man's glowing eyes, ridged brow, and drooling fangs. What was it?
Sydney raced to meet the beast; Marshall noted she had a wooden spike like Xander and Faith's. His friend's arm arced up but as quick as the secret agent was the monster facing her was even quicker, grabbing her arm at the wrist and twisting it violently. Syd let out a gasp of pain and her wooden spike clattered to the ground. She shot out a kick that smashed into the beast's side but the beast just let out a hoarse laugh and flung Syd into the wall. The secret agent staggered away from the wall and dived towards her dropped weapon but the demon intercepted her, grabbed her around the throat, and flung her back into the wall.
Seeing his friend crumple to the ground, Marshall summonsed his courage, snatched up a steel pipe from the top of a skip and swung it at the monster's back. His arm shuddered with the blow's impact but the beast just grunted before turning, snatching the pipe from him, grabbing him round the throat and throwing him into the wall. He swallowed as the creature advanced on him. "I'm going to enjoy drinking you dry runt."
"Not fucking likely." Suddenly the beast exploded into dust and Faith was there easing him to his feet. "That took wicked balls Swampy."
He reddened at the respect in the raven-haired beauty's voice. Then, remembering what he'd seen her do, he retreated from her, his heart pounding with fear. "W..what were they? And what are you?"
Hurt flickered across the woman's face. "Xand," there was a begging note in her voice, "tell him I won't hurt him, please."
Ten minutes later Xander finished talking. "S..so you're demon hunters?" this was crazy but he'd seen the proof.
"Faith and I full-time-."
"Well between comas and prison stays," Marshall noted Faith's swagger had returned.
"Faith, shut up. Sydney helps out in an emergency."
"And this is an emergency right?" Marshall asked. "The First I mean?" "It is," Xander nodded. "Once the First is dealt with you can move to Sunnydale to work if you're still interested."
Marshall decided to gamble. "No," he shook his head, "I don't get to come now I'll have to take one of the other job offers."
Xander's eyes widened. "You're trying to blackmail me?"
"Let him come Xand."
Xander sighed. "Fine, we leave tomorrow. After raiding W&H."
Marshall smiled and nodded. Working again and this time for the good guys.
