Chapter 21

"How the hell are we going to get to the Stargate in time"

Jack's annoyed gaze swept the assembled group while he ranted on.

"Carter you know as well as I do that it will take hours to get there and then there's security and the little problem of getting General Hammond's permission, which isn't gonna be easy."

"Sir"

Jack continued while Sam patiently stood waiting for him to finish

"What are we supposed to do, say "Hi General, don't mind us we're just gonna start up the Stargate and use it like a giant battery"

"Sir"

"We'll be lucky if he doesn't throw us in the stockade"

"Sir" Sam finally was able to cut in over Jack's ranting" If we call General Hammond now we can persuade him to let us use the Stargate, its our best chance to neutralise Nefu"

Jack spun around to face Sam, he struggled to contain his temper

"How the hell do we do all that in the time we've got Sam….How"?

Tara's soft voice echoed in the silence that followed that statement

"A portal"

Jack swivelled around to face her his brow creased up in a frown

"A what now"

Tara shrank back against Willow but she spoke out again

"Use a..a..a.. portal"

Sam put a hand out to stay Jack's oncoming outburst, he closed his mouth with a snap.

"I thought there wasn't enough magical energy here to do something like that"

"N..n..nnnot here, umm if Nefu is sucking up the energy around the Hellmouth, someplace further away shouldn't be affected yet"

"Good lord Tara you could be correct" Giles headed for the phone, quickly dialling a number. They all waited in silence until he started to speak again "Hello Wesley, I'm sorry to disturb you but could you do an urgent favour for me. We need to know you can open a portal to the Magic shop, all the energy here is being depleted. Yes please call me back if you encounter problems"

"Who was that?"

"That was a friend of ours in Los Angeles, I'm hoping they are far enough away that this hasn't affected them yet"

"But will that work, I mean isn't the energy from the portal just going to be sucked up by Nefu"

"Nnno…the energy for the portal is gathered at the opening end so it should be okay"

Willow squeezed her girlfriend's hand, and the shy blonde looked up at her and smiled.

"Ok so we go through the portal to LA and then what……another one to Cheyenne Mountain"

"Yes, that should work and it shouldn't be long before Wesley gets it organized."

"Sir, we had better call the General"

Jack had taken two steps towards the phone Sam held out to him when Buffy's voice cut in.

"Too late, I think our ride is here"

"Shit, Jacob can you stay here and keep the marines from getting too antsy, oh and call George and let him know we're coming"

Jacob nodded as they stared at the large shimmering oval that appeared on the wall of the magic shop, the opalescent surface gleamed in the dim light. Through the transparent veil they could see Wesley on the other side, he motioned to them to hurry, Buffy and Giles quickly herded them through. Willow, Tara, William, Teal'c, Buffy, Giles, Jack, and Sam stepped through the portal just before it shimmered out of existence.

"Giles, everyone welcome to the Hyperion."

Wesley stepped forward and was enveloped into a hug by Buffy and Willow, he got a hand loose and held it out to Giles who clasped it warmly.

"Good to see you Wesley"

"Yeah Wes, its been awhile"

Wesley kissed each of the girls on the cheek and let them go, Willow grabbed Tara by the hand and drew her forward. Wesley stretched out a hand and took hers raising it to his lips in a gentlemanly manner.

"Miss Tara I am most pleased to see you again"

Tara blushed furiously, nodding quickly at Wesley she squeezed his hand and stepped back into the safety of Willow's arms.

"I'm happy to see you too Wesley"

Giles motioned to Sg1 and introduced them, William stood uncertainly at the back of the group.

"Wesley these are some friends of ours, Jack O'Neil, Samantha Carter and Teal'c"

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance, now Giles what's going on with the Hellmouth, I assume that's why you needed me to open a portal"

"It's a long story, which we really don't have time to go into right at this moment. We shall have to move on directly…..umm Angel isn't around at the moment is he"

"Yes he is actually, he's in the kitchen heating up umm something to eat, should I get him. I see you've brought Spike with you, he's not the cause of this trouble is he"

"Its all right Wesley they know about vampires and the Hellmouth, they're military"

"Not with Initiative?"

"Air Force we answer directly to the president, so this Angel is a vampire too huh?"

Jack's attitude was casual and Wesley stiffened slightly then relaxed as he saw the ease that the Sunnydale group treated them with. Buffy clipped Jack on the arm, her eyes sparkling as she explained about Spike and Angel.

"Spike is a master vampire, which means he's stronger than your average fledge. Angel is Spike's sire that means he's a lot older and is just as strong, Angel is good though. He was cursed by gypsies with a soul so now he's a champion for the light."

 Wesley glanced sternly in Williams direction, "Angel is the current master of the line they both belong to" his eyebrows arching when the vampire said nothing only returned his look calmly.

"I would like to see my sire if I may"

Wesley's eyes widened at the tone of William's voice, his accent was so ….upper-class it was unnerving.

"Will?"

Angel stood in the doorway, his cup shaking slightly in his hand, he carefully put it down on a nearby table and strode over to stand in front of his childe. William looked down, his whole manner screamed of uncertainty, Angel asked him in a gentle voice.

"William, childe is it really you"

Blue eyes peaked up at him from beneath sooty lashes, and Angel reached out a hand to gently touch his childe's cheek.

"Yes sire, I am William again"

"But what of Spike?"

William's eyes flashed golden and the demon appeared first in game face and then sliding back to his human guise.

"I'm ere to peaches"

Angel rocked back on his heels as Spike's eyes glowed and Radic showed himself.

"And I am Radic, one of the Tokra, I have merged with Spike and William to save their life and my own. I have learnt much of you Angel from them, I am happy to meet you"

Angel half stepped back, the single word falling from his lips.

"Daywalker"

"What….how can he be the daywalker"

"Didn't you notice the colour of the sky today Wesley, its green"

"Well, I did…I just thought it was smog"

Angel motioned Spike towards a window where the pale light fell through it. Spike put his hand into the light and watched as nothing happened. Angel waved his hand through the light and yelped as it seared him.

"See the sunlight doesn't affect him"

Wesley felt his knees weaken and he sat quickly on a nearby chair

"If Spike is the daywalker, then the end of the world is….."

"At hand" Giles ran a hand through his hair " it would seem so, Angel do you have a copy of that particular prophecy"

Angel strode over to the bookcase and quickly found the volume he wanted, pulling it out and searching the pages. He stopped and then read out loud "When the power of the world wanes, the green light of day will shine, then he who walks bound to the dark, the light, and the unknown will seal the fate of this world, his hand will bring about an end."

Giles sighed "Typically vague ending"

Jack raised his hands in supplication, "You mean there are more of these around"

Wesley gestured to the rows of books on the bulging shelves "Oh yes, there are thousands of prophecies. Though they don't always apply to this time thankfully, but yes we have had to deal with others before."

Giles took the book from Angel and muttered, "Well the power of the world waning seems to be what's happening to the Hellmouth"

"What..?" Angel and Wesley were stunned, Jack decided to spare them the long explanations and cut to the chase.


 "Its like this, we work for the government, an alien similar to Radic has come to earth with its host and their troops to suck up the power from the Hellmouth. They captured Spike, Xander and one of my men Daniel Jackson. We got Spike back but Xander and Daniel…." Jack faltered and Sam put her hand on his shoulder squeezing gently as she took over the story.

"Daniel is being controlled by a spell, he came to see us and demanded that William be handed over to his lord Nefu or Xander will be tortured, killed and brought back again in an endless cycle forever."

"So how did he end up with Radic inside him?"

Buffy took Angel's hand looking at Sam for permission she continued the story.

"The alien called a Goa'uld tried to implant another of his kind into Spike….. but Willow was able to find them first by using a locating spell and then by giving Spike's demon the strength to fight off the intruder. But it nearly killed Spike, when Jacob, Lendra – Radic's host – and I found him he was so close to his final death it scared me."

She glanced over at William who gave her a grateful smile, which she returned briefly.

"Lendra was hit in the crossfire and Radic couldn't save him so Jacob asked if he would help Spike."

William took Angel's free hand and smiled tremulously at him.

"My demon and I could not live for long with the Goa'uld and we were dieing, Radic said he could rid us of the intruder and help us heal if we would allow him"

His smile became peaceful, his face beautiful, Angel swallowed at a sight he had not seen since the night that he had turned William.

"I'm grateful to him for helping us and he now mediates between the demon and myself, on one thing we all agree. That Xander is our mate and we must get him back"

tbc

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