"Caves?" Giles asked.
"That's what the. . . " Faith paused and frowned. "Well, I guess technically he's a man. That's what Willy said. Caves."
"Interesting." Giles paused. "Do you know -"
"I don't know squat, bossman," Faith said. "I know the cemeteries, and the streets and the alleys. That's it. Red or X-man's your best shot for the caves."
"Actually, I was going to ask if you knew when the package from Wesley was supposed to arrive," Giles said.
"Oh," said Faith. "No. Haven't heard about it. What are you expecting?"
"Oh, just a book or two that have more. . . in depth descriptions of some fairly archaic spells. Not that, I suppose, there are very many modern spells. Or even any recent ones. In fact, I'm not sure I've really run across any written after the early sixteenth century."
Faith looked at Giles with a raised eyebrow. "That's great, G," she said. "Really."
"Right," he said, picking up some papers off the counter. "I'll be in my office. If Xander or Willow come by?"
"Caves, right."
Giles nodded and left the room and Faith pulled out a catalogue.
"What are you reading?"
Faith jumped, startled.
"Jesus, Ollie, you fucking scared me."
"Ollie?" Pike asked from his spot leaning against the door to the training room. "The last person who called me Ollie is dead."
"That a fact?" Faith asked.
"Well, yeah," Pike said. "But that's cuz he's a vampire."
Faith shook her head. "Thanks for tellin' me," she said. "Don't wanna be copyin' the bleached wonder."
"No, not Spike," Pike said. "Benny. He's an old friend. He didn't really change much when he became a vamp, either. Still sits around, smokes pot, drinks, lives in his mom's basement. It's really funny."
"His mom still alive?"
"Oh, yeah," Pike said. "She gets him the blood, and she stopped yelling at him to get a job."
Faith laughed. "So what'd you show up for? My sparkling conversation, or some real reason."
"Well, not that talking to you isn't reason enough," Pike said, flashing a charming smile at Faith, "But I did need to talk to Watcher-man."
Faith nodded at Giles' office door.
"Thanks."
Pike walked into Giles' office, shut the door, sat down and propped his feet up on Giles' desk.
"You know, you could knock," Giles said.
"Could. Didn't."
"Is there something you need?"
"Just a question," Pike said. "This thing, Adam. He's tough. But we know he's got a master, right? Someone the vamps call Mother."
"That's correct."
"Here's the thing. You think the Initiative's behind this."
"I do," Giles said. "Although, I have no evidence of it. Why?"
"Well, I think you're probably right. Spike does too."
"And we all know how reliable he is," Giles said sarcastically.
Pike looked at Giles pointedly.
"Sorry, he's your friend, I know. Continue."
"Right," Pike said. "Okay. You know Soldier Boy's commanding officer?"
"Maggie Walsh, yes. We've met, spoken a few times over the phone. Why?"
"I guess you haven't made the connection yet, but if the Initiative *is* behind this, and Walsh is the head of the Initiative. . . "
Giles sat there, looking at Pike. "I am the stupidest man on the face of the planet," he said.
"I'm sure there's someone out there who's got you beat," Pike said, smiling. He pulled his feet off of Giles' desk. "Look this is really what I came in about. If Walsh is behind this, and it comes down to it, do we do what I think might have to happen?"
Giles glanced at the door to make sure it was indeed closed.
"I see," Giles said. "Our first priority is to see that it does *not* come to that."
"Right, I agree," said Pike, "but it needs to be talked about it. And Buffy, Xander, even Faith. . . they're not the people to talk about it with. I assume you know why."
"Yes," Giles said. "They would not entertain such thoughts. What made you think I would?"
"Buffy mentioned Ethan Rayne once."
"Ah. And I assume you have some. . . experience?" Giles asked.
"Yeah," he said. "Not proud of it, but I've had to take a few people out."
"Buffy, Faith, Xander. . . they are heroes. They do not kill. Especially not Faith, after her. . . do you know-"
"I got the gist," Pike said. "So, if it comes to it, it's you or me?"
"Yes," Giles said. "Unless you can get Spike to do it."
"Killing a human would probably put him in the vamp version of a coma," Pike said.
"Yes," Giles said. "And that would be such a shame. Sorry, right, out of the question."
Pike nodded. "You or me, then," he said.
"Yes," Giles said, rocking back in his chair. "And this discussion never leaves this room."
"Got it," Pike said.
"Did your reconnaissance last night prove useful?" Giles asked.
"Nope, not a damn thing," said Pike.
"Well, Willy indicated that we might look at the caves. If you and Spike could show up later?"
"Sure, we'll be here," Pike said, standing up.
"Oh, and Pike?" Giles said as the younger man opened the door.
"Yeah?" he asked.
"I've been speaking to Joyce."
"Speaking?" Pike asked with a grin.
Giles ignored the comment. "If you could see your way to. . . softening your language around Dawn?"
Pike smirked. "Do what I can. Later, Tweed."
* * * * *
"All right," Riley said into the phone. "No, I'll be there, I just have some things to take care of. Yeah. See ya."
"Who was that?"
Riley looked up to see Forrest standing in his doorway.
"Xander," Riley said, sitting back in his chair. "Some things to discuss tonight."
"Faith related?" Forrest asked.
Riley shook his head. "Job related."
Forrest looked affronted. "You do know that *this* is your job, right?"
"I know that, man, I haven't forgotten. There's just some stuff going down that -"
"That you think we can't handle," Forrest said.
"It's not that," Riley said. "There's just a-"
Forrest cut Riley off with a wave and sat down on his bed. "Listen," Forrest said. "I know you and the Snoopy gang -"
"Scooby," Riley corrected.
"Whatever. I know you and them are pals, and that's cool, but you can't be keeping information from us. And I know you are."
"I haven't been keeping -"
"Look, Ri. It's cool. I get it. You're in love with Faith. Xander's a good guy, anybody can see that. Old British guy knows his shit, and ain't anywhere near as unstable as Walsh is. I get that you like hangin' with 'em. But your place is here. Your duty is here. You signed up for this, and you can't back out."
"I don't *want* to back out," Riley insisted.
"Look man. They're your friends, I get that. They'll stick by you, they'll make you feel better. Whatever. We'll stick by you too. It's what we do, bro. You know that. This isn't just a job. It's about the guy standing next to you, fighting next to you, tryin' to save your ass. And for us, it also happens to be about the rest of the world. "
"I know," Riley said. "But, they're doing good work."
"Well, so are we," Forrest said. "You'd know that, if you stuck around for a while."
"There's just things," Riley said.
"Well, what kind of things?"
Riley looked up, uncertain.
"Hey, I'm your commanding officer now," Forrest said with a smile. "Don't make me pull rank on you soldier."
Riley laughed and shook his head. "Okay," he said. "There's. . . this thing."
Forrest leaned in and listened while Riley explained everything. About Adam, about the attempts on Faith's life, the serum, the fights, how his leg got injured, everything. And when Riley was done, Forrest nodded, asked a few questions, and reassured Riley that everything was all right. Riley left to have dinner with Faith. And Forrest went to the Initiative compound below Lowell House, to report his findings to Walsh.
"I see," she said, leaning back in her chair as Forrest stood at attention in front of her desk. The door was closed to keep the meeting just between them. "And that's everything he told you?"
"Yes, ma'am," Forrest said. "And he's currently out at dinner with Faith. Professor, I would just like to say once again how uncomfortable I am using my personal relationship with Commander Finn to extract information about people who are ostensibly our allies."
"Understood, Commander Gates," Walsh said, standing up. "So, you're positive that you have told me everything Finn said? And that you told nobody else of this conversation?"
"Yes, ma'am," Forrest said.
Walsh pulled a pistol from under her lab coat and shot Forrest in the heart, killing him instantly. "Good," she said. Slipping the pistol back into her pocket, Walsh picked up the phone on her desk and dialed.
"Yes, Dr. Angleman. We have another subject for the study. In my office. It doesn't matter how he got here, just come get him!" Walsh slammed the phone back into the receiver and pressed another button on her console.
"Yes."
"You will have a brother, soon," Walsh said.
"Yes, Mother."
"Your eyes?"
"Completely replaced, and improved."
"Excellent," Walsh said. "And the schedule?"
"We will be ready."
Walsh cut off the audio interface as Dr. Angleman entered her office.
"What the hell?" he asked.
"This is your subject," Walsh said.
Angleman, a small man with dark hair, looked at Walsh, incredulity in his eyes. "You've got to be kidding me," he said, pointing to the body. "This is Commander Gates!"
"I'm perfectly aware of who it *was*" Walsh said. "Now, he's your newest subject."
"Dr. Walsh, I cannot in good conscience -"
"I don't care about your conscience, I care about results!" Walsh yelled. "Now, are you going to remove the body, or will Adam have *two* brothers to play with?"
Angleman blanched as his nostrils flared in anger. "No," he said, stiffly. "I'll get him out of here."
Walsh nodded and glared at the man as he removed Forrest's body with a sheet draped over it. Angleman wheeled the body past a set of security doors, and into a small sterile corridor. He passed the containment cells, filled almost past capacity with demons, and through another set of security doors, which required a keyed entry code.
Angleman, one of three beings who knew the code, punched it in, rolled Forrest's body into the corridor beyond and into a room with the numbers 314 stenciled down one side of the door. Angleman removed the sheet, and looked up.
"This will be your brother," he said.
Adam looked down at him and nodded. "Good," said Adam. "He will do."
----------
End Chapter 21
"That's what the. . . " Faith paused and frowned. "Well, I guess technically he's a man. That's what Willy said. Caves."
"Interesting." Giles paused. "Do you know -"
"I don't know squat, bossman," Faith said. "I know the cemeteries, and the streets and the alleys. That's it. Red or X-man's your best shot for the caves."
"Actually, I was going to ask if you knew when the package from Wesley was supposed to arrive," Giles said.
"Oh," said Faith. "No. Haven't heard about it. What are you expecting?"
"Oh, just a book or two that have more. . . in depth descriptions of some fairly archaic spells. Not that, I suppose, there are very many modern spells. Or even any recent ones. In fact, I'm not sure I've really run across any written after the early sixteenth century."
Faith looked at Giles with a raised eyebrow. "That's great, G," she said. "Really."
"Right," he said, picking up some papers off the counter. "I'll be in my office. If Xander or Willow come by?"
"Caves, right."
Giles nodded and left the room and Faith pulled out a catalogue.
"What are you reading?"
Faith jumped, startled.
"Jesus, Ollie, you fucking scared me."
"Ollie?" Pike asked from his spot leaning against the door to the training room. "The last person who called me Ollie is dead."
"That a fact?" Faith asked.
"Well, yeah," Pike said. "But that's cuz he's a vampire."
Faith shook her head. "Thanks for tellin' me," she said. "Don't wanna be copyin' the bleached wonder."
"No, not Spike," Pike said. "Benny. He's an old friend. He didn't really change much when he became a vamp, either. Still sits around, smokes pot, drinks, lives in his mom's basement. It's really funny."
"His mom still alive?"
"Oh, yeah," Pike said. "She gets him the blood, and she stopped yelling at him to get a job."
Faith laughed. "So what'd you show up for? My sparkling conversation, or some real reason."
"Well, not that talking to you isn't reason enough," Pike said, flashing a charming smile at Faith, "But I did need to talk to Watcher-man."
Faith nodded at Giles' office door.
"Thanks."
Pike walked into Giles' office, shut the door, sat down and propped his feet up on Giles' desk.
"You know, you could knock," Giles said.
"Could. Didn't."
"Is there something you need?"
"Just a question," Pike said. "This thing, Adam. He's tough. But we know he's got a master, right? Someone the vamps call Mother."
"That's correct."
"Here's the thing. You think the Initiative's behind this."
"I do," Giles said. "Although, I have no evidence of it. Why?"
"Well, I think you're probably right. Spike does too."
"And we all know how reliable he is," Giles said sarcastically.
Pike looked at Giles pointedly.
"Sorry, he's your friend, I know. Continue."
"Right," Pike said. "Okay. You know Soldier Boy's commanding officer?"
"Maggie Walsh, yes. We've met, spoken a few times over the phone. Why?"
"I guess you haven't made the connection yet, but if the Initiative *is* behind this, and Walsh is the head of the Initiative. . . "
Giles sat there, looking at Pike. "I am the stupidest man on the face of the planet," he said.
"I'm sure there's someone out there who's got you beat," Pike said, smiling. He pulled his feet off of Giles' desk. "Look this is really what I came in about. If Walsh is behind this, and it comes down to it, do we do what I think might have to happen?"
Giles glanced at the door to make sure it was indeed closed.
"I see," Giles said. "Our first priority is to see that it does *not* come to that."
"Right, I agree," said Pike, "but it needs to be talked about it. And Buffy, Xander, even Faith. . . they're not the people to talk about it with. I assume you know why."
"Yes," Giles said. "They would not entertain such thoughts. What made you think I would?"
"Buffy mentioned Ethan Rayne once."
"Ah. And I assume you have some. . . experience?" Giles asked.
"Yeah," he said. "Not proud of it, but I've had to take a few people out."
"Buffy, Faith, Xander. . . they are heroes. They do not kill. Especially not Faith, after her. . . do you know-"
"I got the gist," Pike said. "So, if it comes to it, it's you or me?"
"Yes," Giles said. "Unless you can get Spike to do it."
"Killing a human would probably put him in the vamp version of a coma," Pike said.
"Yes," Giles said. "And that would be such a shame. Sorry, right, out of the question."
Pike nodded. "You or me, then," he said.
"Yes," Giles said, rocking back in his chair. "And this discussion never leaves this room."
"Got it," Pike said.
"Did your reconnaissance last night prove useful?" Giles asked.
"Nope, not a damn thing," said Pike.
"Well, Willy indicated that we might look at the caves. If you and Spike could show up later?"
"Sure, we'll be here," Pike said, standing up.
"Oh, and Pike?" Giles said as the younger man opened the door.
"Yeah?" he asked.
"I've been speaking to Joyce."
"Speaking?" Pike asked with a grin.
Giles ignored the comment. "If you could see your way to. . . softening your language around Dawn?"
Pike smirked. "Do what I can. Later, Tweed."
* * * * *
"All right," Riley said into the phone. "No, I'll be there, I just have some things to take care of. Yeah. See ya."
"Who was that?"
Riley looked up to see Forrest standing in his doorway.
"Xander," Riley said, sitting back in his chair. "Some things to discuss tonight."
"Faith related?" Forrest asked.
Riley shook his head. "Job related."
Forrest looked affronted. "You do know that *this* is your job, right?"
"I know that, man, I haven't forgotten. There's just some stuff going down that -"
"That you think we can't handle," Forrest said.
"It's not that," Riley said. "There's just a-"
Forrest cut Riley off with a wave and sat down on his bed. "Listen," Forrest said. "I know you and the Snoopy gang -"
"Scooby," Riley corrected.
"Whatever. I know you and them are pals, and that's cool, but you can't be keeping information from us. And I know you are."
"I haven't been keeping -"
"Look, Ri. It's cool. I get it. You're in love with Faith. Xander's a good guy, anybody can see that. Old British guy knows his shit, and ain't anywhere near as unstable as Walsh is. I get that you like hangin' with 'em. But your place is here. Your duty is here. You signed up for this, and you can't back out."
"I don't *want* to back out," Riley insisted.
"Look man. They're your friends, I get that. They'll stick by you, they'll make you feel better. Whatever. We'll stick by you too. It's what we do, bro. You know that. This isn't just a job. It's about the guy standing next to you, fighting next to you, tryin' to save your ass. And for us, it also happens to be about the rest of the world. "
"I know," Riley said. "But, they're doing good work."
"Well, so are we," Forrest said. "You'd know that, if you stuck around for a while."
"There's just things," Riley said.
"Well, what kind of things?"
Riley looked up, uncertain.
"Hey, I'm your commanding officer now," Forrest said with a smile. "Don't make me pull rank on you soldier."
Riley laughed and shook his head. "Okay," he said. "There's. . . this thing."
Forrest leaned in and listened while Riley explained everything. About Adam, about the attempts on Faith's life, the serum, the fights, how his leg got injured, everything. And when Riley was done, Forrest nodded, asked a few questions, and reassured Riley that everything was all right. Riley left to have dinner with Faith. And Forrest went to the Initiative compound below Lowell House, to report his findings to Walsh.
"I see," she said, leaning back in her chair as Forrest stood at attention in front of her desk. The door was closed to keep the meeting just between them. "And that's everything he told you?"
"Yes, ma'am," Forrest said. "And he's currently out at dinner with Faith. Professor, I would just like to say once again how uncomfortable I am using my personal relationship with Commander Finn to extract information about people who are ostensibly our allies."
"Understood, Commander Gates," Walsh said, standing up. "So, you're positive that you have told me everything Finn said? And that you told nobody else of this conversation?"
"Yes, ma'am," Forrest said.
Walsh pulled a pistol from under her lab coat and shot Forrest in the heart, killing him instantly. "Good," she said. Slipping the pistol back into her pocket, Walsh picked up the phone on her desk and dialed.
"Yes, Dr. Angleman. We have another subject for the study. In my office. It doesn't matter how he got here, just come get him!" Walsh slammed the phone back into the receiver and pressed another button on her console.
"Yes."
"You will have a brother, soon," Walsh said.
"Yes, Mother."
"Your eyes?"
"Completely replaced, and improved."
"Excellent," Walsh said. "And the schedule?"
"We will be ready."
Walsh cut off the audio interface as Dr. Angleman entered her office.
"What the hell?" he asked.
"This is your subject," Walsh said.
Angleman, a small man with dark hair, looked at Walsh, incredulity in his eyes. "You've got to be kidding me," he said, pointing to the body. "This is Commander Gates!"
"I'm perfectly aware of who it *was*" Walsh said. "Now, he's your newest subject."
"Dr. Walsh, I cannot in good conscience -"
"I don't care about your conscience, I care about results!" Walsh yelled. "Now, are you going to remove the body, or will Adam have *two* brothers to play with?"
Angleman blanched as his nostrils flared in anger. "No," he said, stiffly. "I'll get him out of here."
Walsh nodded and glared at the man as he removed Forrest's body with a sheet draped over it. Angleman wheeled the body past a set of security doors, and into a small sterile corridor. He passed the containment cells, filled almost past capacity with demons, and through another set of security doors, which required a keyed entry code.
Angleman, one of three beings who knew the code, punched it in, rolled Forrest's body into the corridor beyond and into a room with the numbers 314 stenciled down one side of the door. Angleman removed the sheet, and looked up.
"This will be your brother," he said.
Adam looked down at him and nodded. "Good," said Adam. "He will do."
----------
End Chapter 21
