A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed!!!: Stormvind, Arwen-Amy, Khassa,
luvspike/alec, Ronda the Immortal waitress (love the pen name!! Hehe)
Alexis7, and Orli 43 and lakergirl
Chapter Two: Home Sweet Home
Max looked up from the pre-pulse movie that she was watching towards the window where she had heard a faint scraping noise. Due to the heavy rain that was pelting Seattle in an unmerciful manner, the window was firmly shut closed, and there was nothing there.
She shrugged, telling herself that it was probably her imagination. Ever since the recent incident with Lydecker trying to incarcerate her, she had become more cautious, and that night was no exception. Alec was out on a heist, (as Terminal City's leaders, they had commenced to sharing an apartment. As friends.) and the apartment was vacant except for the brunette X5. It would have been a perfect time for an ambush.
It was nearing midnight, and she realized how tired she was. A whole day running around the city delivering packages and getting yelled at by an irritable supposedly gay boss tended to be very exhausting, and even her shark DNA had it's limits. Stifling a yawn, she switched off the 'boob tube', as what Alec liked to call it and made a beeline for her bedroom.
Flinging open the door, she was faced by a horrendous sight. It was Ames White, and he was not alone. Half a dozen Familiars stood on either side of him, all of which were armed. "We meet again, 452." White greeted her maliciously.
She had no idea how he was able to enter Terminal City undetected, but that was the least of her worries right now. Max shot him a nasty look before lunging at them. She knew that she barely had a chance against White's cronies, but there was no way in hell that she was going down without a fight. She landed several punches on White's face, and a few kicks on one of his lackeys. Her attempts were futile. A taser gun appeared out of nowhere, and she was met by a shock of electricity before her whole world went black.
White smiled. "Payback's a bitch, 452." He said, spitting a mouthful of blood onto her face. "And so are you."
"From beneath you it devours," Giles repeated for almost the third times since the beginning of their conversation. He had just arrived along with three Potential Slayers, that had sought refuge in Revello Drive. It seemed that the Slayer's house was just about the safest place in the world at the moment. Buffy had just finished reliving to her Watcher the details of her dream, and it seemed that Giles had found a connection.
Two of the Potentials had claimed that they were chased by black-robed people (that is, if they were people. Buffy highly doubted it) that wore masks, hiding their faces. Giles had reached the conclusion that these were the Bringers, the ones in charge in the killing of the Slayers.
"You know, when Spike was still all delusional, he kept saying that phrase too." Buffy said thoughtfully. "Of course, he can't remember any of it, now."
It was then that the phone rang. Willow's voice shouted from the kitchen. "I'll get it!"
"You said that they're going to finish the ritual here, and that they're going to sacrifice someone?" Giles asked, waiting for clarification.
"Yes," Buffy confirmed. "On the Hellmouth."
At this moment, Willow walked into the living room. "Hey, Wills. Who was on the phone?" Buffy asked curiously.
"Oh, that was Fred." The red head replied, shrugging on her green corduroy jacket. "Listen, I need to go to LA for a few days. Is that alright with you?"
"Sure," Buffy said. "Just be sure to come back in one piece. There's a lot of nasties roaming around town."
Willow smiled, before leaving.
"I have to go too," Giles said standing up and downing the last of his coffee. "I want to do further research on this Breeding Cult. I'll let you know once I find something." He said. "For now – keep your eyes peeled open."
"48,000, 49,000, 50,000." Alec grinned in satisfaction after counting the last of his fence. Last night's heist had went off without a hitch, (although it took him most of the morning to get out of the Art Gallery's complexities) and he was now on his way to the apartment he was sharing with Max, eager to show her the success of his mission.
He had barely reached the end of the hallway when a voice called out to him from behind. It was Jewel. Terminal City's third in the chain of command. She used to be under Alec's authority back at Manticore, and was one of the best. He stopped in his tracks, staring in surprise at the look of panicked fear in her usually bright blue eyes. She was breathing heavily, giving Alec the suspicion that she had run (or should we say blurred) all the way to find him. "What's wrong?" he asked, grasping hold of her shoulders and steadying her.
"White," she gasped. "We saw him fly off on a Blackhawk chopper. Mole thinks he captured Max."
Ice gripped Alec's heart, and motioning for Jewel to follow him, they made their way into his apartment, and into Max's bedroom. It was empty. Although, only one thing caught his eye.
On the carpet a few inches away from the door were black-burned scorch marks. "They used tasers," Jewel said, her eyes widening. "She's alive."
This was nothing short of relief for Alec. She may still be alive. But how long will it be until they kill her? Time was flying by, and Alec rushed out of the bedroom and into his own, quickly grabbing his trusty Glock 18, and a 9mm. Max's life was hanging by a thin piece of thread, and he had to find her. Fast.
Alec emerged from his bedroom to find Jewel talking into her mobile phone. She snapped it shut the minute she saw Alec. "That was Dix," she informed him. "He's pin-pointed their location. Sunnydale, California."
Alec nodded, his eyes betraying his gratitude. "Call me if you find anything more," he said, and before exiting the apartment, said to the raven-haired X5. "Listen," he said, locking eyes with the anxious transgenic. "If we don't come back -"
Jewel nodded, showing that she understood what he meant. "Just go," she said.
And Alec was gone, leaving no evidence of his exit save for the door swinging shut behind him.
Sunnydale, California. Quite an ironic name for a town that held the highest-crime rating in the whole of California – and the largest amount of graveyards that littered the small city. Faith winced as memories of her killings flooded back into her mind. She knew for a fact that Buffy and her friends had not forgiven her for what she had done, and they probably never will. Faith thought, grimly.
She snuck a glance at the red-headed witch beside her. Willow had been sent to pick her up at Los Angeles Prison, and the younger girl had been quite uncomfortable around the 'newly-released murderer.' They spent the ride in awkward silence, with nothing but the faint soulful tunes that came from the car's radio.
They sped past the dilapidated sign: 'You are Now Entering Sunnydale, California.' Faith gazed out the car's window, into the empty streets of the small town – or not so empty streets. Several figures, dressed in pitch- black robes where running across a small park. Willow seemed to have seen it as well, because she braked to a halt.
"Who the freaking hell are those dopes?" Faith asked, craning her neck to the right to get a better view of the robed figures. They had stopped underneath a large oak tree. They were huddled in a tight group, discussing something – and they seemed to be gesturing towards them.
"They're called Bringers," Willow informed her. "They're sent to kill anyone with Slayer blood." Willow was gripping the steering wheel in an alarmed fashion, and her eyes were wide with dread. "They must have sensed you."
It was then that the so-called Bringers moved towards them.
Chapter Two: Home Sweet Home
Max looked up from the pre-pulse movie that she was watching towards the window where she had heard a faint scraping noise. Due to the heavy rain that was pelting Seattle in an unmerciful manner, the window was firmly shut closed, and there was nothing there.
She shrugged, telling herself that it was probably her imagination. Ever since the recent incident with Lydecker trying to incarcerate her, she had become more cautious, and that night was no exception. Alec was out on a heist, (as Terminal City's leaders, they had commenced to sharing an apartment. As friends.) and the apartment was vacant except for the brunette X5. It would have been a perfect time for an ambush.
It was nearing midnight, and she realized how tired she was. A whole day running around the city delivering packages and getting yelled at by an irritable supposedly gay boss tended to be very exhausting, and even her shark DNA had it's limits. Stifling a yawn, she switched off the 'boob tube', as what Alec liked to call it and made a beeline for her bedroom.
Flinging open the door, she was faced by a horrendous sight. It was Ames White, and he was not alone. Half a dozen Familiars stood on either side of him, all of which were armed. "We meet again, 452." White greeted her maliciously.
She had no idea how he was able to enter Terminal City undetected, but that was the least of her worries right now. Max shot him a nasty look before lunging at them. She knew that she barely had a chance against White's cronies, but there was no way in hell that she was going down without a fight. She landed several punches on White's face, and a few kicks on one of his lackeys. Her attempts were futile. A taser gun appeared out of nowhere, and she was met by a shock of electricity before her whole world went black.
White smiled. "Payback's a bitch, 452." He said, spitting a mouthful of blood onto her face. "And so are you."
"From beneath you it devours," Giles repeated for almost the third times since the beginning of their conversation. He had just arrived along with three Potential Slayers, that had sought refuge in Revello Drive. It seemed that the Slayer's house was just about the safest place in the world at the moment. Buffy had just finished reliving to her Watcher the details of her dream, and it seemed that Giles had found a connection.
Two of the Potentials had claimed that they were chased by black-robed people (that is, if they were people. Buffy highly doubted it) that wore masks, hiding their faces. Giles had reached the conclusion that these were the Bringers, the ones in charge in the killing of the Slayers.
"You know, when Spike was still all delusional, he kept saying that phrase too." Buffy said thoughtfully. "Of course, he can't remember any of it, now."
It was then that the phone rang. Willow's voice shouted from the kitchen. "I'll get it!"
"You said that they're going to finish the ritual here, and that they're going to sacrifice someone?" Giles asked, waiting for clarification.
"Yes," Buffy confirmed. "On the Hellmouth."
At this moment, Willow walked into the living room. "Hey, Wills. Who was on the phone?" Buffy asked curiously.
"Oh, that was Fred." The red head replied, shrugging on her green corduroy jacket. "Listen, I need to go to LA for a few days. Is that alright with you?"
"Sure," Buffy said. "Just be sure to come back in one piece. There's a lot of nasties roaming around town."
Willow smiled, before leaving.
"I have to go too," Giles said standing up and downing the last of his coffee. "I want to do further research on this Breeding Cult. I'll let you know once I find something." He said. "For now – keep your eyes peeled open."
"48,000, 49,000, 50,000." Alec grinned in satisfaction after counting the last of his fence. Last night's heist had went off without a hitch, (although it took him most of the morning to get out of the Art Gallery's complexities) and he was now on his way to the apartment he was sharing with Max, eager to show her the success of his mission.
He had barely reached the end of the hallway when a voice called out to him from behind. It was Jewel. Terminal City's third in the chain of command. She used to be under Alec's authority back at Manticore, and was one of the best. He stopped in his tracks, staring in surprise at the look of panicked fear in her usually bright blue eyes. She was breathing heavily, giving Alec the suspicion that she had run (or should we say blurred) all the way to find him. "What's wrong?" he asked, grasping hold of her shoulders and steadying her.
"White," she gasped. "We saw him fly off on a Blackhawk chopper. Mole thinks he captured Max."
Ice gripped Alec's heart, and motioning for Jewel to follow him, they made their way into his apartment, and into Max's bedroom. It was empty. Although, only one thing caught his eye.
On the carpet a few inches away from the door were black-burned scorch marks. "They used tasers," Jewel said, her eyes widening. "She's alive."
This was nothing short of relief for Alec. She may still be alive. But how long will it be until they kill her? Time was flying by, and Alec rushed out of the bedroom and into his own, quickly grabbing his trusty Glock 18, and a 9mm. Max's life was hanging by a thin piece of thread, and he had to find her. Fast.
Alec emerged from his bedroom to find Jewel talking into her mobile phone. She snapped it shut the minute she saw Alec. "That was Dix," she informed him. "He's pin-pointed their location. Sunnydale, California."
Alec nodded, his eyes betraying his gratitude. "Call me if you find anything more," he said, and before exiting the apartment, said to the raven-haired X5. "Listen," he said, locking eyes with the anxious transgenic. "If we don't come back -"
Jewel nodded, showing that she understood what he meant. "Just go," she said.
And Alec was gone, leaving no evidence of his exit save for the door swinging shut behind him.
Sunnydale, California. Quite an ironic name for a town that held the highest-crime rating in the whole of California – and the largest amount of graveyards that littered the small city. Faith winced as memories of her killings flooded back into her mind. She knew for a fact that Buffy and her friends had not forgiven her for what she had done, and they probably never will. Faith thought, grimly.
She snuck a glance at the red-headed witch beside her. Willow had been sent to pick her up at Los Angeles Prison, and the younger girl had been quite uncomfortable around the 'newly-released murderer.' They spent the ride in awkward silence, with nothing but the faint soulful tunes that came from the car's radio.
They sped past the dilapidated sign: 'You are Now Entering Sunnydale, California.' Faith gazed out the car's window, into the empty streets of the small town – or not so empty streets. Several figures, dressed in pitch- black robes where running across a small park. Willow seemed to have seen it as well, because she braked to a halt.
"Who the freaking hell are those dopes?" Faith asked, craning her neck to the right to get a better view of the robed figures. They had stopped underneath a large oak tree. They were huddled in a tight group, discussing something – and they seemed to be gesturing towards them.
"They're called Bringers," Willow informed her. "They're sent to kill anyone with Slayer blood." Willow was gripping the steering wheel in an alarmed fashion, and her eyes were wide with dread. "They must have sensed you."
It was then that the so-called Bringers moved towards them.