"Yes, Wesley," Giles said into the speaker phone. "Thank you for your help."
Wesley's voice spoke through the speaker. "Sorry it couldn't be more."
"That's okay. Thanks again." Giles ended the call. "Bloody hell," he muttered to himself.
"Well, that officially puts us back to square one," Xander said. "I hope Willow and Buffy have more luck."
"As do we all, Xander," Giles pinched his nose.
Damien tossed a thick tome into the pile on the table and stood up. "We need to figure out something and soon. Who knows how long before The Shadowed Man returns?"
"Don't worry," Damon put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "We'll figure something out. We always do, usually at the last minute."
"We can relate," Kennedy said. "It seems the answer always appears when we need it the most."
There was a loud crash and every one turned towards Giles. "Sorry," he apologized, and went to the closet to get a broom to clean up the broken glass of the jar he threw down.
Xander bent down to help. "It's okay. I'm sure we all feel the same way."
Buffy hit the wall hard. She couldn't remember the last time someone or something hit her that hard. Glory, maybe? She shook the stars from her eyes and regained her footing. "Well, I think I like this Montoya better."
"Piss off, bitch!" the dark haired, Hispanic woman shot. "That was for tying me up." She turned to Willow and grabbed the witch by the throat, cutting off her air supply and choking her. "And this, witch, is for invading my mind."
Buffy ran over to Montoya and kicked her in the back of the knee. Montoya dropped Willow but turned to hit Buffy. Buffy easily dodged the incoming blow and delivered a one-two punch to Montoya's midsection followed by an uppercut to the face. Montoya flew through the air and crashed through one of the tables.
"I think you need a time out," Buffy quipped.
Montoya launched herself off the floor and into a standing position. "I think you need to keep your mouth shut before it gets broke."
"If you think you have it then bring it on," Buffy said, putting a hand out and giving Montoya a "come-on" gesture with her fingers.
"You don't know what you're in for, chica," Montoya shot back.
"STOP!" boomed Willow's voice. Buffy and Montoya turned to face the red- haired witch, their faces covered in shock. "We don't have time for this, you two!"
"She started it," Buffy blamed.
Montoya said, "I only start what I can finish."
"Yeah, right, bitch."
"GIRLS!" Willow's voice exclaimed again. "We need to get next door and figure out how we can use Montoya to stop The Shadowed Man."
Montoya laughed. "I'm free, girlfriend. You think I am going to help you girls with anything when I am on borrowed time?"
"You think you can make it to the door in one piece?" Buffy warned.
Willow knew that pride would prevent this from ending so she muttered a spell under her breath and held it at ready. She used her powers to put on a frightening display not dissimilar to the one she did in Montoya's mind to convince her to let "Other-Montoya" out. She only hoped it worked.
"Stop fighting!" she yelled, her voice sounding as though it came from several dimensions crossed over. "Time is running out and you, Montoya, WILL help us. Is that clear?"
Montoya put a hand on her hip and tilted her head to the side. "You think this display will frighten me, Red? You can blow it out your a..." She was cut short by a blast of energy from Willow's spell-at-ready. Montoya was lifted a good three feet into the air and fell back six feet. When she hit the floor again she was unconscious.
"Cool spell, Will," Buffy applauded. "I only hope she is the same when she wakes up."
"We can't worry about that now," Willow said, her voice now back to normal. "But if you start up again with that 'I can kick you butt' routine again, I'll use the spell on you, too."
Buffy started to say something, but Willow just walked past her and out the door. Buffy stared after her a moment before muttering, "She started it." She picked Montoya up an flung her over her shoulder and followed her best friend over to the training school.
"You're okay, right, sweetie?" Kennedy asked Willow, concern filling her voice. "I'm fine, Kennedy," Willow answered. She pulled herself out of her wife's hug and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. "Ally at home?"
"Yeah. I didn't want to include her in this since we might, you know, all die. And with as bad of a baddie this Shadowed Man appears to be, and Ally being known to jump into the thick of it to work out her aggressions, well, I didn't want her to get killed, as well." Kennedy took a deep breath.
"I think it's cute that you are being so overprotective of her," Willow smiled. "But I agree. She can't be a part of this."
"Neither can Angela," Xander piped in.
"Hey!" Angela yelled, obviously offended at her husband's remark.
Xander smiled at his wife and placed his hand on her stomach. "I'm sorry, hon, but I don't want to put our baby at risk. I know we've been letting you patrol with Buffy and Kennedy and the others, but this is different. There are too many unknowns in this battle. Not to mention you seem to be our only Slayer that is affected by The Shadowed Man's fear thing. That might have something to do with the child you're carrying inside you. I think it'll be best if you head over to Willow and Kennedy's and kept an eye on Ally."
Angela didn't want to but she had to agree with Xander's logic. Being pregnant really limited her slaying abilities in any fashion. It was bad enough that the other Slayers worked extra hard to make sure she wasn't injured on patrols. There was no way to do that this time. This was one battle she was out of. She looked around the table, surveying the assembled team, as it were. With the majority of the slayers on vacation it left pretty much Buffy, Xander, Willow, Giles, Kennedy, Damon, Damien, and Montoya. Montoya was the wild card, the only shot they really had, and according to Willow and Buffy she wasn't exactly jumping through hoops to help them out. And, it seemed, she finally regained consciousness.
"This is all sweet and everything," Montoya said. "But I'm bored. Could someone untie me?"
Not wanting to risk another needless fight with the mysterious girl, Buffy had chained her to a chair and pretty much forgotten about her. When Montoya awoke, she was still the sarcastic, Faith-like viper that was the Scoobies secret weapon against The Shadowed Man. Now if only they could figure out how to use her, then, maybe, they would have a shot at winning.
Angela gave Xander a long, passionate kiss and wished them all luck. "Please be careful," she said before leaving the training school and heading over to Willow and Kennedy's.
"Oh, Christ!" Montoya rolled her eyes. "When is this Shadowed Man showing up to kill us all?"
Damon said, "hard to believe that this is the quiet and innocent girl I've been protecting for the past day, isn't it?"
"Indeed," agreed Giles.
"Okay, so what we need is a plan," Xander said. "It has to be a good one that we know will work. I say we cut Montoya loose and let her go to town on this guy."
"That might not work," Buffy argued. "She might not work."
"Oh, don't worry about that," Willow said. "This time if she gives us any trouble, I'll kill her."
"Please, Red," Montoya laughed. "What are you going to do? Speak so bad mojo at me?"
"Actually," Giles spoke up. "She was a master of the darkest magicks and became pretty proficient at skinning people alive."
Montoya laughed out loud again. "Whoa-ho-ho, witch! Guess it's true what they say about redheads then, isn't it."
"Try me," Willow spat out without paying much mind to the chained-up girl. "Okay, everyone, what did we find out?"
"Oh," Damien said, closing the book he had been looking at the entire time. "That would be a big, fat nothing!"
"You're kidding?" Buffy said. "All that time and nothing?"
"Pretty much all we can do is have everybody jump on him until he wears down then let Montoya scare him again," Xander said. "Oh! And try not to die in the process."
"There has to be something," Willow muttered.
"There is," Damien said. "I don't want anyone to get hurt. We can try talking to him; see what exactly he wants, other than me, that is. And if need be, I can give myself to him."
"Not an option," Damon all but yelled. He turned to everyone else. "You don't have to be here and do this. Damien's right. I don't want any of you getting hurt either. Damien and I can just go. Leave before he get here..."
"Too late," said a voice from the shadows.
Wesley's voice spoke through the speaker. "Sorry it couldn't be more."
"That's okay. Thanks again." Giles ended the call. "Bloody hell," he muttered to himself.
"Well, that officially puts us back to square one," Xander said. "I hope Willow and Buffy have more luck."
"As do we all, Xander," Giles pinched his nose.
Damien tossed a thick tome into the pile on the table and stood up. "We need to figure out something and soon. Who knows how long before The Shadowed Man returns?"
"Don't worry," Damon put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "We'll figure something out. We always do, usually at the last minute."
"We can relate," Kennedy said. "It seems the answer always appears when we need it the most."
There was a loud crash and every one turned towards Giles. "Sorry," he apologized, and went to the closet to get a broom to clean up the broken glass of the jar he threw down.
Xander bent down to help. "It's okay. I'm sure we all feel the same way."
Buffy hit the wall hard. She couldn't remember the last time someone or something hit her that hard. Glory, maybe? She shook the stars from her eyes and regained her footing. "Well, I think I like this Montoya better."
"Piss off, bitch!" the dark haired, Hispanic woman shot. "That was for tying me up." She turned to Willow and grabbed the witch by the throat, cutting off her air supply and choking her. "And this, witch, is for invading my mind."
Buffy ran over to Montoya and kicked her in the back of the knee. Montoya dropped Willow but turned to hit Buffy. Buffy easily dodged the incoming blow and delivered a one-two punch to Montoya's midsection followed by an uppercut to the face. Montoya flew through the air and crashed through one of the tables.
"I think you need a time out," Buffy quipped.
Montoya launched herself off the floor and into a standing position. "I think you need to keep your mouth shut before it gets broke."
"If you think you have it then bring it on," Buffy said, putting a hand out and giving Montoya a "come-on" gesture with her fingers.
"You don't know what you're in for, chica," Montoya shot back.
"STOP!" boomed Willow's voice. Buffy and Montoya turned to face the red- haired witch, their faces covered in shock. "We don't have time for this, you two!"
"She started it," Buffy blamed.
Montoya said, "I only start what I can finish."
"Yeah, right, bitch."
"GIRLS!" Willow's voice exclaimed again. "We need to get next door and figure out how we can use Montoya to stop The Shadowed Man."
Montoya laughed. "I'm free, girlfriend. You think I am going to help you girls with anything when I am on borrowed time?"
"You think you can make it to the door in one piece?" Buffy warned.
Willow knew that pride would prevent this from ending so she muttered a spell under her breath and held it at ready. She used her powers to put on a frightening display not dissimilar to the one she did in Montoya's mind to convince her to let "Other-Montoya" out. She only hoped it worked.
"Stop fighting!" she yelled, her voice sounding as though it came from several dimensions crossed over. "Time is running out and you, Montoya, WILL help us. Is that clear?"
Montoya put a hand on her hip and tilted her head to the side. "You think this display will frighten me, Red? You can blow it out your a..." She was cut short by a blast of energy from Willow's spell-at-ready. Montoya was lifted a good three feet into the air and fell back six feet. When she hit the floor again she was unconscious.
"Cool spell, Will," Buffy applauded. "I only hope she is the same when she wakes up."
"We can't worry about that now," Willow said, her voice now back to normal. "But if you start up again with that 'I can kick you butt' routine again, I'll use the spell on you, too."
Buffy started to say something, but Willow just walked past her and out the door. Buffy stared after her a moment before muttering, "She started it." She picked Montoya up an flung her over her shoulder and followed her best friend over to the training school.
"You're okay, right, sweetie?" Kennedy asked Willow, concern filling her voice. "I'm fine, Kennedy," Willow answered. She pulled herself out of her wife's hug and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. "Ally at home?"
"Yeah. I didn't want to include her in this since we might, you know, all die. And with as bad of a baddie this Shadowed Man appears to be, and Ally being known to jump into the thick of it to work out her aggressions, well, I didn't want her to get killed, as well." Kennedy took a deep breath.
"I think it's cute that you are being so overprotective of her," Willow smiled. "But I agree. She can't be a part of this."
"Neither can Angela," Xander piped in.
"Hey!" Angela yelled, obviously offended at her husband's remark.
Xander smiled at his wife and placed his hand on her stomach. "I'm sorry, hon, but I don't want to put our baby at risk. I know we've been letting you patrol with Buffy and Kennedy and the others, but this is different. There are too many unknowns in this battle. Not to mention you seem to be our only Slayer that is affected by The Shadowed Man's fear thing. That might have something to do with the child you're carrying inside you. I think it'll be best if you head over to Willow and Kennedy's and kept an eye on Ally."
Angela didn't want to but she had to agree with Xander's logic. Being pregnant really limited her slaying abilities in any fashion. It was bad enough that the other Slayers worked extra hard to make sure she wasn't injured on patrols. There was no way to do that this time. This was one battle she was out of. She looked around the table, surveying the assembled team, as it were. With the majority of the slayers on vacation it left pretty much Buffy, Xander, Willow, Giles, Kennedy, Damon, Damien, and Montoya. Montoya was the wild card, the only shot they really had, and according to Willow and Buffy she wasn't exactly jumping through hoops to help them out. And, it seemed, she finally regained consciousness.
"This is all sweet and everything," Montoya said. "But I'm bored. Could someone untie me?"
Not wanting to risk another needless fight with the mysterious girl, Buffy had chained her to a chair and pretty much forgotten about her. When Montoya awoke, she was still the sarcastic, Faith-like viper that was the Scoobies secret weapon against The Shadowed Man. Now if only they could figure out how to use her, then, maybe, they would have a shot at winning.
Angela gave Xander a long, passionate kiss and wished them all luck. "Please be careful," she said before leaving the training school and heading over to Willow and Kennedy's.
"Oh, Christ!" Montoya rolled her eyes. "When is this Shadowed Man showing up to kill us all?"
Damon said, "hard to believe that this is the quiet and innocent girl I've been protecting for the past day, isn't it?"
"Indeed," agreed Giles.
"Okay, so what we need is a plan," Xander said. "It has to be a good one that we know will work. I say we cut Montoya loose and let her go to town on this guy."
"That might not work," Buffy argued. "She might not work."
"Oh, don't worry about that," Willow said. "This time if she gives us any trouble, I'll kill her."
"Please, Red," Montoya laughed. "What are you going to do? Speak so bad mojo at me?"
"Actually," Giles spoke up. "She was a master of the darkest magicks and became pretty proficient at skinning people alive."
Montoya laughed out loud again. "Whoa-ho-ho, witch! Guess it's true what they say about redheads then, isn't it."
"Try me," Willow spat out without paying much mind to the chained-up girl. "Okay, everyone, what did we find out?"
"Oh," Damien said, closing the book he had been looking at the entire time. "That would be a big, fat nothing!"
"You're kidding?" Buffy said. "All that time and nothing?"
"Pretty much all we can do is have everybody jump on him until he wears down then let Montoya scare him again," Xander said. "Oh! And try not to die in the process."
"There has to be something," Willow muttered.
"There is," Damien said. "I don't want anyone to get hurt. We can try talking to him; see what exactly he wants, other than me, that is. And if need be, I can give myself to him."
"Not an option," Damon all but yelled. He turned to everyone else. "You don't have to be here and do this. Damien's right. I don't want any of you getting hurt either. Damien and I can just go. Leave before he get here..."
"Too late," said a voice from the shadows.