1.00. PM
In Oz's van parked in a lot in LA Cordy looked as Willow's pendelum moved along a map. "Did he move?" she asked as she noticed how the pendelum moved away from yesterday's position. The redheaded girl didn't answer and Cordelia noticed that her gaze was fully focused on the pendal while holding a small piece of cloth. It had belonged to Wesley. Suddenly the pendelum stopped above a big red spot on the map. "He's still in Los Angeles." ***
LA, Wesley's apartment
Wesley has also a map folded out in front of him. The Brit was wearing a small Amulet and was in deep concentration. He let his finger trace a big line on the map while chanting from the scroll he had brought with him. "Let me go where my touch brings me," he spoke in Latin.
***
"Find the owner of this piece and follow him in his tracks," the redheaded chanted in Latin. She waited for a moment while she fully concentrated on the cloth. Suddenly her pendulum moved away from the City of Angels running slightly more south first in the direction of Orange County and than East while turning north again until it hit the route to the Canyons. There it slowly moved forwards along a line.
"He's already on that road?" Cordelia asked surprised, "Wow, he must be in a hurry."
Willow came back out of her trance and stared at the brunette. "I checked three hours ago and then he was still in LA. I don't understand?"
She switch her gaze to Oz as he spoke. "I think he has fooled us. She frowned. Her magic this morning didn't show any traces of fraud by other magic. He was clearly in LA then. Yet, now it didn't feel like she had be misguided either. "He could never have drove this in three hours, honey," he explained. She nodded. She looked at the pendulum and noticed how it slowly moved to a red spot on the map. "Where did Xander say he went to?"
***
Angel's office
"Don't worry, Willow. I'll look for him. You go and follow his road track. Okay. Don't worry, Willow, he's a trained Watcher remember? . . . Willow, it's alright, stop excusing."
The souled vampire gawed as he laid down the horn, stood up and went to his bedroom. "First some sleep if you don't mind."
***
Evening
"We need some more petrol, Xand."
"Okay," Xander jumped off the bike as Faith pulled the bike to a halt. "I'll visit the big boys' room and the convience store while you're doing that. Want anything?" At the brunette's shake of the head he hurried away.
He made his way into the store, noticing only the salesman. He quickly glanced over to the candy section as he went to the restroom, licking his lips as he noticed the Twinkies. Once inside the restroom he washed his face and stretched himself forcefully, working the kinks out of his back. He stared in the mirror. "Oh, man, I never should have agreed to make the road trip on a bike," he complained. He rubbed his face. "The road to Risa is like a journey, Alexander," he reminded himself. "A long and hard one." He chuckled. Noise outside emphasized his saying. "Keep your mouth shut, Harris. First trouble has already started."
He ran out of the restroom to find Faith facing a vampire gang, circling his friend on their Harleys. He heard one of them shouting. 'We've found ourselves a Slayer, boys and girls. Whoever kills her gets her blood."
***
Faith defended herself from several attacks using only the dagger against chains and iron sticks. She cast a challenging look at least twenty demons surrounding her. "Shit," she muttered noting some of the lecherous looks she was getting. "Come get some, uglies!"
She parried and dodged the first few attacks before she managed to get onto the offensive herself, slamming her dagger into her first victim. Blue, thick blood purred from its body accompanied with a howl.
"Damn, this is sickening, I'm fighting whining gals," she muttered before she was forced back into the defensive.
Their vamp leader stopped them with one hand. "I want that bitch alive!" he shouted. "Ale for the one who gets her."
Cheers erupted from his mates, until he held up his hand again. "And we'll rape her . . . one by one . . ."
He stared at her, while she barely was able to hold herself from fear mixed with anger and disgust. " . . . While she begs," he finished before giving them the sign to continue the attack.
***
Xander glanced at the salesman who stood next to him. "You better get out of here fast, and take the back door, those guys are the real nasty type." Without waiting to see if his instructions was obeyed Xander opened the door and ran towards Faith.
"Hey you, uglies! Think you can handle a single girl all by yourselves? Your mommy would be so proud!" he yelled to the bikers, trying to get their attention. But the only attention he recieved was from Faith as the bikers continued to attack her. "Xander, stay out of this!"
Xander hesitated for a split-second before moving forward, ignoring Faith's warning. When he moved closer he opened his jacket, revealing a bunch of stakes which were place in little pockets inside his jacket and a couple of bottles. Pulling out a couple of stakes, he threw one to his girlfriend.
"Xander!" she yelled as she caught the stake. He ignored her warning a second time and removed the two bottles and flung one into a vamp's face and the other at one of the bikes, smashing it open and splashing its content over a vamp's legs. Loud screams were his rewards. "Get him!" the vampire with the burning face bellowed as he tried to regain his control over his bike.
Xander armed himself with one of his stakes as he readied himself for an attack when one of the bikers spun towards him. He threw himself to the ground, dodging the iron stick, rolled and flipped himself in a standing position when the biker made a turn. With the vamp's back facing Xander, he took the opportunity to jump onto the vamp, clamping his legs around the vampire's waist and thrusting his stake into his heart. Due to the bike's lack of speed and missing driver Xander flopped to the ground like a duffle bag.
"Xander!" he heard Faith's scream as he tried to regain his feet, ignoring the bruises that he felt forming. Three other bikers were now after him. Xander turned around while grabbing the iron stick.
The front wheel of the biker at the right side grinded into the asphalt as it accelarated, racing towards Xander's head. The boy rolled himself out of the way and barely avoided the tire.
As it passed him he shoved his stick through the front wheel, blocking it. The biker yelped as he catapulted forwards and slammed with his face on the ground, leaving a small trace of blood and skin on the gravel. Xander rolled further, avoiding the bike which fell bringing the other two bikers down else well.
***
Faith glanced for a second in Xander's direction as she heard the bikes fall down with cracking noises. She couldn't help but grin as she saw the four bikers on the ground, groaning. She saw her boyfriend lying on the ground staring in front of him with wide eyes. She followed his trail while still holding off her attackers and her heart missing a beat as she saw a biker spinning his front wheel in the air while riding straight towards him.
Xander! Fear for her own life was over-ridden for his as adrenaline rushed into her system.
***
Time stood still as Xander watched the biker hit the brakes and slide towards him at full bike length, a collision unavoidable. He gulped as his mind raced. He glanced over to Faith, saw her eyes widen in terror. His girl-friend charged towards him, her movements seemingly in slow-motion as she kicked her path clear with a few lightning moves, slamming her combat boot into their faces and knocking them off their bikes. In the meantime Xander moved his hand under his jacket and tried to reach for his gun. A fraction before he was about to be ripped open by the biker's wheels Faith slammed into him, knocking him to temporary safety. Xander's arm flexed, then snapped straight when he aimed his gun and shot, hitting one of the bike's tanks, leaving a trace of gasoline on the road.
"You missed," Faith commented, as she laid on him.
"Not this time," he said as he pointed the gun on the trace of oil. "Maybe you should jump," he suggested as he wrapped one arm around her. He fired and the trace burst into flames. The flames raced after the bike and into the tank, erupting into a big explosion. The burst was enough to ignite the other bikes resulting into a chain-reaction of explosions. Just in time Faith jumped herself from a laying position into a standing, still clinging onto him. A Slayer speed run placed them at a safe distance when one of the gasoline stations also exploded, resulting in one huge inferno.
They turned around and stared at the towering flames, lightening up the sky in a orange glow. A few surviving demons ran out burning fire, screaming as they were consumed by the flames. "You really like to blow up things, don't you?" the dark girl asked as her eyebrow raised.
He shrugged. "A guy needs his hobby, you know."
Xander saw her smirking, but not saying anything.
Suddenly her smirk changed as her eyes darkened when she noticed fires flickering at her bike and she closed her eyes when she heard the noise of the resulting explosion. "You blew up my bike!"
"Uh . . ."
"It was brand new."
Silence.
Xander faced a very angry Slayer as he stared in her furious eyes. He swallowed as she moved her face against his, her lips tracing his before she opened her mouth. Inwardly Xander crowled as a caveman as he thought he knew what she was about to say. He knew how blowing up things turned her on. It was a Slayer thing.
"You did that on purpose," she purred.
Xander could barely hold onto his innocent expression.
"Too embarrassed to say that riding me scares you. So, you just blow it up."
Xander blinked. "Huh?"
"Nah. Give up the act. I know you hate my bike. I'll give you some money then you can buy a car. There is a dealer in second hand stuff over there. You can buy one tomorrow, when I will go into the desert." Xander looked over to the place where she pointed at and saw a big neon sign board, his face reddening, before feeling a kiss on his cheek.
His mouth still open he looked at the Slayer. "For being so brave today . . . Damn, you look so cute when you're stunned," Faith grinned at his flabbergasted face. "Lets find us a nice motel room where I can steer you around the curves."
Xander nodded. "Only in my dreams." And they walked away, over the road, and somewhere along that little trip they passed a plate with the writing 'Oxnard' on it.
From the shadows the vampire who had watched the whole scene whispered to himself. "Well, well, well. She really is attached to the boy. Depending on him, emotionally, mentally and physically . . . Good . . . Very good."
In Oz's van parked in a lot in LA Cordy looked as Willow's pendelum moved along a map. "Did he move?" she asked as she noticed how the pendelum moved away from yesterday's position. The redheaded girl didn't answer and Cordelia noticed that her gaze was fully focused on the pendal while holding a small piece of cloth. It had belonged to Wesley. Suddenly the pendelum stopped above a big red spot on the map. "He's still in Los Angeles." ***
LA, Wesley's apartment
Wesley has also a map folded out in front of him. The Brit was wearing a small Amulet and was in deep concentration. He let his finger trace a big line on the map while chanting from the scroll he had brought with him. "Let me go where my touch brings me," he spoke in Latin.
***
"Find the owner of this piece and follow him in his tracks," the redheaded chanted in Latin. She waited for a moment while she fully concentrated on the cloth. Suddenly her pendulum moved away from the City of Angels running slightly more south first in the direction of Orange County and than East while turning north again until it hit the route to the Canyons. There it slowly moved forwards along a line.
"He's already on that road?" Cordelia asked surprised, "Wow, he must be in a hurry."
Willow came back out of her trance and stared at the brunette. "I checked three hours ago and then he was still in LA. I don't understand?"
She switch her gaze to Oz as he spoke. "I think he has fooled us. She frowned. Her magic this morning didn't show any traces of fraud by other magic. He was clearly in LA then. Yet, now it didn't feel like she had be misguided either. "He could never have drove this in three hours, honey," he explained. She nodded. She looked at the pendulum and noticed how it slowly moved to a red spot on the map. "Where did Xander say he went to?"
***
Angel's office
"Don't worry, Willow. I'll look for him. You go and follow his road track. Okay. Don't worry, Willow, he's a trained Watcher remember? . . . Willow, it's alright, stop excusing."
The souled vampire gawed as he laid down the horn, stood up and went to his bedroom. "First some sleep if you don't mind."
***
Evening
"We need some more petrol, Xand."
"Okay," Xander jumped off the bike as Faith pulled the bike to a halt. "I'll visit the big boys' room and the convience store while you're doing that. Want anything?" At the brunette's shake of the head he hurried away.
He made his way into the store, noticing only the salesman. He quickly glanced over to the candy section as he went to the restroom, licking his lips as he noticed the Twinkies. Once inside the restroom he washed his face and stretched himself forcefully, working the kinks out of his back. He stared in the mirror. "Oh, man, I never should have agreed to make the road trip on a bike," he complained. He rubbed his face. "The road to Risa is like a journey, Alexander," he reminded himself. "A long and hard one." He chuckled. Noise outside emphasized his saying. "Keep your mouth shut, Harris. First trouble has already started."
He ran out of the restroom to find Faith facing a vampire gang, circling his friend on their Harleys. He heard one of them shouting. 'We've found ourselves a Slayer, boys and girls. Whoever kills her gets her blood."
***
Faith defended herself from several attacks using only the dagger against chains and iron sticks. She cast a challenging look at least twenty demons surrounding her. "Shit," she muttered noting some of the lecherous looks she was getting. "Come get some, uglies!"
She parried and dodged the first few attacks before she managed to get onto the offensive herself, slamming her dagger into her first victim. Blue, thick blood purred from its body accompanied with a howl.
"Damn, this is sickening, I'm fighting whining gals," she muttered before she was forced back into the defensive.
Their vamp leader stopped them with one hand. "I want that bitch alive!" he shouted. "Ale for the one who gets her."
Cheers erupted from his mates, until he held up his hand again. "And we'll rape her . . . one by one . . ."
He stared at her, while she barely was able to hold herself from fear mixed with anger and disgust. " . . . While she begs," he finished before giving them the sign to continue the attack.
***
Xander glanced at the salesman who stood next to him. "You better get out of here fast, and take the back door, those guys are the real nasty type." Without waiting to see if his instructions was obeyed Xander opened the door and ran towards Faith.
"Hey you, uglies! Think you can handle a single girl all by yourselves? Your mommy would be so proud!" he yelled to the bikers, trying to get their attention. But the only attention he recieved was from Faith as the bikers continued to attack her. "Xander, stay out of this!"
Xander hesitated for a split-second before moving forward, ignoring Faith's warning. When he moved closer he opened his jacket, revealing a bunch of stakes which were place in little pockets inside his jacket and a couple of bottles. Pulling out a couple of stakes, he threw one to his girlfriend.
"Xander!" she yelled as she caught the stake. He ignored her warning a second time and removed the two bottles and flung one into a vamp's face and the other at one of the bikes, smashing it open and splashing its content over a vamp's legs. Loud screams were his rewards. "Get him!" the vampire with the burning face bellowed as he tried to regain his control over his bike.
Xander armed himself with one of his stakes as he readied himself for an attack when one of the bikers spun towards him. He threw himself to the ground, dodging the iron stick, rolled and flipped himself in a standing position when the biker made a turn. With the vamp's back facing Xander, he took the opportunity to jump onto the vamp, clamping his legs around the vampire's waist and thrusting his stake into his heart. Due to the bike's lack of speed and missing driver Xander flopped to the ground like a duffle bag.
"Xander!" he heard Faith's scream as he tried to regain his feet, ignoring the bruises that he felt forming. Three other bikers were now after him. Xander turned around while grabbing the iron stick.
The front wheel of the biker at the right side grinded into the asphalt as it accelarated, racing towards Xander's head. The boy rolled himself out of the way and barely avoided the tire.
As it passed him he shoved his stick through the front wheel, blocking it. The biker yelped as he catapulted forwards and slammed with his face on the ground, leaving a small trace of blood and skin on the gravel. Xander rolled further, avoiding the bike which fell bringing the other two bikers down else well.
***
Faith glanced for a second in Xander's direction as she heard the bikes fall down with cracking noises. She couldn't help but grin as she saw the four bikers on the ground, groaning. She saw her boyfriend lying on the ground staring in front of him with wide eyes. She followed his trail while still holding off her attackers and her heart missing a beat as she saw a biker spinning his front wheel in the air while riding straight towards him.
Xander! Fear for her own life was over-ridden for his as adrenaline rushed into her system.
***
Time stood still as Xander watched the biker hit the brakes and slide towards him at full bike length, a collision unavoidable. He gulped as his mind raced. He glanced over to Faith, saw her eyes widen in terror. His girl-friend charged towards him, her movements seemingly in slow-motion as she kicked her path clear with a few lightning moves, slamming her combat boot into their faces and knocking them off their bikes. In the meantime Xander moved his hand under his jacket and tried to reach for his gun. A fraction before he was about to be ripped open by the biker's wheels Faith slammed into him, knocking him to temporary safety. Xander's arm flexed, then snapped straight when he aimed his gun and shot, hitting one of the bike's tanks, leaving a trace of gasoline on the road.
"You missed," Faith commented, as she laid on him.
"Not this time," he said as he pointed the gun on the trace of oil. "Maybe you should jump," he suggested as he wrapped one arm around her. He fired and the trace burst into flames. The flames raced after the bike and into the tank, erupting into a big explosion. The burst was enough to ignite the other bikes resulting into a chain-reaction of explosions. Just in time Faith jumped herself from a laying position into a standing, still clinging onto him. A Slayer speed run placed them at a safe distance when one of the gasoline stations also exploded, resulting in one huge inferno.
They turned around and stared at the towering flames, lightening up the sky in a orange glow. A few surviving demons ran out burning fire, screaming as they were consumed by the flames. "You really like to blow up things, don't you?" the dark girl asked as her eyebrow raised.
He shrugged. "A guy needs his hobby, you know."
Xander saw her smirking, but not saying anything.
Suddenly her smirk changed as her eyes darkened when she noticed fires flickering at her bike and she closed her eyes when she heard the noise of the resulting explosion. "You blew up my bike!"
"Uh . . ."
"It was brand new."
Silence.
Xander faced a very angry Slayer as he stared in her furious eyes. He swallowed as she moved her face against his, her lips tracing his before she opened her mouth. Inwardly Xander crowled as a caveman as he thought he knew what she was about to say. He knew how blowing up things turned her on. It was a Slayer thing.
"You did that on purpose," she purred.
Xander could barely hold onto his innocent expression.
"Too embarrassed to say that riding me scares you. So, you just blow it up."
Xander blinked. "Huh?"
"Nah. Give up the act. I know you hate my bike. I'll give you some money then you can buy a car. There is a dealer in second hand stuff over there. You can buy one tomorrow, when I will go into the desert." Xander looked over to the place where she pointed at and saw a big neon sign board, his face reddening, before feeling a kiss on his cheek.
His mouth still open he looked at the Slayer. "For being so brave today . . . Damn, you look so cute when you're stunned," Faith grinned at his flabbergasted face. "Lets find us a nice motel room where I can steer you around the curves."
Xander nodded. "Only in my dreams." And they walked away, over the road, and somewhere along that little trip they passed a plate with the writing 'Oxnard' on it.
From the shadows the vampire who had watched the whole scene whispered to himself. "Well, well, well. She really is attached to the boy. Depending on him, emotionally, mentally and physically . . . Good . . . Very good."