Three Slayers 8A - Rebellion
Giles stared suspiciously at the youths sat in his library. He wondered which one of them had done it, he guessed it would be either Faith or Xander, they were the two most reckless of the group. "I came in early today to clean up after our battle with the Sisterhood," he grimaced at the memories, "and as I walked past the basement entrance I saw two men carrying out what appeared to be a defused homemade bomb. Do any of you know anything about it?" His gaze took in first Faith, she shook her head, and then Xander who shrugged his shoulders, Buffy and Kendra simply looked blank. Sighing, he turned to the less likely suspects. "Willow?"
Jonathan raised a hand, a tentative look on his face, "me."
Giles stared at Jonathan in disbelief. "Bloody marvellous," he muttered, it appeared the only sensible youth who he thought could be relied on not to raise his blood pressure was as bad as if not worst then the rest. American teens, they were all bloody barking! After taking a second to calm himself he asked the inevitable question. "What happened Mr. Levinson?" He, together with the others, listened to the youth's stumbling recital.
Finally Jonathan finished, for a few seconds there was a stunned silence. "Wicked cool! Saved my life twice in one night, I think that deserves a reward," the brunette Slayer leapt onto her boyfriend's knee, grabbed his head and pulled him into a full-on kiss, her body pressing against his.
After a minute, Giles realised Faith wasn't going to let go of her gasping boyfriend anytime soon. Sighing, he turned to a reddening Buffy and giggling Kendra. "Separate them."
Once the girls had pulled a vociferously protesting Faith off a grateful looking Jonathan, he turned his attention to the unrepentant Slayer. "Faith that is not proper behaviour for a young lady in public," he scolded.
The brunette looked up at him, an amused glint in his eyes. "Young lady, fuck G you're going against seventeen years of breeding."
"Nevertheless I will endeavour to my best," he retorted, his smile hiding his sadness at the teen's apparent lack of self-worth. If he ever met the men who'd hurt her, Ripper would most certainly make an appearance. Turning back to Jonathan he fixed the suddenly sweating youth with his strongest glare. "And why didn't you tell any of us?"
"Uh, you were busy."
"Busy!"
"Jeez G take a chill pill."
Seeing the others pale at his raised tone, he took a breath. "Jonathan, what you did was exceptionally rash," well that was a bloody understatement, "however you also showed a great deal and ingenuity. Well done. Xander, I want you to intensify Jonathan's training as much as possible. As soon as you think he's ready, he can join us on patrol." He glanced at his watch. "It's," the school bell interrupted him, "time for class." He watched in exasperation as the kids left, his head shaking. "Bloody hell, those soddin' kids will be the death of me long before any vampire." Perhaps he should increase his ulcer medication.
* * *
"Wow! Could you believe that Johnny! I knew my guy had a set after that night in the woods, but taking on a gang of zombies!"
"Faith and Jonathan up a tree! Faith and Jonathan up a -" Kendra dissolved into tears of laughter at the glare her younger sister sent her way.
"Ken, here's a tip. With that voice never try and start a band." Faith sighed. "It's so confusing, being with Johnny, I mean sometimes I'll look at him and think what the fuck am I doing with such a nerd. Then he'll just hold my hand or smile or say something sweet, and my heart will feel like it's going to burst."
Kendra opened her mouth to reply, tell her sister that she felt much the same about Xander, except the doubting part, she'd wanted him the first time she'd seen him, only to stop when she saw a figure charging at them holding a pair of swords. "Incoming!"
"I see him!" Kendra cursed as Faith raced forward leaping into a roundhouse kick that the vamp caught on his arm before grabbing and throwing her into a tall gravestone. Faith hit the ground hard but rolled back up immediately.
"Why does she always do that!" Kendra fumed as she ran in to attack the demon before it loped off Faith's head. At the last second the demon heard her approach, spun round and sliced off the tip of her stake. Kendra jumped backwards in alarm "No fair!"
The vampire followed up with a decapitating head-swing that she blocked with her left hand before grabbing his left arm with her right hand, and bringing his arms down hard, forcing the swords to fall out of his hands. Grinning slightly she threw her foot up for a groin shot only for the vampire to sweep her grounded leg away from beneath her, sending her crashing to the ground. Before she had chance to rise the vampire was on her, pinning her to the ground with his greater weight and slowing moving his fangs towards her throat.
Suddenly the vampire exploded into dust. Kendra looked up to see a grinning Faith stood above her, offering her her hand. After a second she took it and allowed the other Slayer to pull her up. "Nice diversion sis."
Diversion? Finally Kendra got her breath back. "Faith!" she gasped. "Teamwork remember what Giles taught us!"
Faith shrugged and grinned sheepishly. "I knew you'd be five by five."
"Five by -," Kendra gave up.
Faith looked puzzled. "What was he anyway? All uniform and swords?"
"I don't know, we'll take the swords to Giles see if he recognises the-," Kendra's voice trailed off. "Faith, where are the swords?"
* * *
"Check these out."
The Mayor glanced at the swords lying on his desk. "Well... I haven't seen anything like this in, uh... a good long while. Where's the owner of these fine implements?"
"The common term is 'slain'. But I've been seeing this breed around. Are we expecting any trouble?" Trick replied.
Suddenly Finch broke into the conversation. "What ab-bout these swords? W- what should we do about the swords?"
Wilkins lifted one up for closer inspection, they really were quite marvellous workmanship. "Well, let's just keep an eye out. We've got the dedication coming up in a few days. We certainly can't have anything interfering with that." The Mayor noticed Finch fidgeting. "Do you have a comment to make Allan?"
"Well, maybe we should postpone the... the-the dedication."
The Mayor shot his deputy an incredulous look. Trick shook his head. "I believe the honourable Mayor *hates* that idea."
Wilkins stood up. "The dedication... is the final step before my Ascension. I have waited longer than you can imagine for this. After the Hundred Days, I'll be on a higher plane. And I'll have no more need for... Well, let's just say I won't be concerned... with the little things. " He turned to the vampire. " Mr. Trick, watch these people. Anything you find out about them, well, let's just see that that information reaches the Slayers," he took the short sword from Trick, and looked it over. "Who knows? With any luck, they'll kill each other. Then everyone's a winner. Everyone, of course, meaning me." He laughed after a second his companions followed suit.
* * *
Giles stared in disgust at the prat going through a box of books on the table. "Of course, training procedures have been updated quite a bit since your day. Much greater emphasis on field work."
"Really?" it was an effort not to take his chair and use it to stove the pillock's brains in. This was the bloody idiot the Council had sent to replace him? Unbelievable.
"Oh yes," the young man began rummaging through another box. "Not all books and theory nowadays. I have, in fact, faced two vampires myself. Under controlled circumstances, of course."
All right, that was it. He was going to kick the annoying little wanker's ass across the library, appearances be dammed. Even as he pushed his chair back, the library door swung open. He sat back down. "Hello Kendra."
"Ah Kendra," the young man smiled condescendingly. "Well... Hello."
Kendra gave the newcomer a quick look up and down before turning to him. " New Watcher?"
"New Watcher," he nodded.
The man took a step towards Kendra, holding out a hand in greeting. "Wesley Wnydham-Pryce." Kendra just stared at him. "It's very nice to meet you."
"Okay," she turned towards him, never removing her eyes from Wesley. "Is he evil?"
"I beg your pardon?"
Kendra continued to stare at him. "The last one was evil."
"Oh, yes. Gwendolyn Post." Wesley tutted. "We all heard. No. Mr. Giles has checked my credentials rather thoroughly and phoned the Council, but I'm glad to see you're on the ball as well. A good Slayer is a cautious Slayer. "
Kendra's eyes widened in disbelief. "That was never in the Handbook."
"Yes," Wesley pulled out a pen, "and what happened on last night's patrol?"
"Vampires."
"And?"
"Slain."
"Anything else you can tell me?" Kendra glanced at him. After a second he nodded. The Slayer sighed. "One of them had two swords."
"Swords?" Wesley put down his diary down and began rummaging through his boxes of books. "Swords... Ah here it is!" The Watcher pulled out a book. "One long, one short?"
Kendra nodded. With points and jewels."
"Sounds familiar," he commented.
"It should," Wesley thrust a book in front of him, after a second he took it and began reading. "El Eliminati. Fifteenth Century..."
"Fifteenth Century duellist cult," Wesley interrupted, "deadly in their day. Their numbers dwindled in later centuries due to an increase in anti- vampire activity and a lot of pointless duelling. They eventually became the acolytes of a demon called Balthazar, who brought them to the New World, specifically here."
Giles passed the book back to Wesley, maybe he wasn't completely useless. Maybe. "You seem to know a lot about them."
"I didn't get this job because of my looks. "
"I believe him."
Wesley glared at Kendra. "I've researched this town's history extensively."
Giles decided to draw the conversation back to business before Wesley and Kendra began pulling one another's hair. "So why have we not seen them before this?"
"They were driven out a hundred years ago. Happily, Balthazar was killed. I don't know by whom."
"And they are back because?"
"Um," Wesley broke in, "Balthazar had an amulet purported to give him strength. When he was killed, it was taken by a wealthy landowner named... Gleaves. It was buried with him, and I believe the few remaining Eliminati are probably looking for it. For sentimental value."
"A-and you don't think that this, uh, amulet poses any threat?" Giles pressed. Sentimental value? Who'd ever heard the vampires with sentiment?
"Oh, no, not at all. Nonetheless, we may as well keep it from them. Kendra, you will go to the Gleaves family crypt tonight and fetch the amulet." "Yes mien furher!"
Giles bit back a chuckle. "Are you not used to being given orders?" Wesley demanded.
"Whenever Giles sends us on a mission, he always says 'please'," Kendra fluttered her eyelashes, "and afterwards I get a 'well done' and a gold star." This time a strangled chuckle escaped, oh yes Faith was definitely a bad influence.
"I don't feel we're getting off on quite the right foot," Wesley said stuffily. Giles knew precisely where he'd like to place his foot.
Just then the door swung open and Faith strode in. "Ah." Wesley stepped forward. "This is perhaps Faith."
Faith stopped and critically looked Wesley up and down. "New Watcher?"
Kendra and Giles spoke in unison. "New Watcher."
Faith shook her head. "No fucking way!" suddenly the brunette was in Wesley face, her finger jabbing furiously in the man's chest. "You gonna give me a place to live, my first real home? Be like a pa to me and Ken," Giles realised the teen's voice was trembling, hoarse, "you," the brunette stepped back, a look of disdain on her beautiful face. "You're not fit to lace G's boots!" The Slayer turned and stormed off.
Giles sighed. Faith's loyalty was touching but hardly practical under the circumstances. "Kendra," he said softly, "go after her."
* * *
"Faith! Wait!" Kendra grabbed her friend's arm and pulled her round to face her. "Calm down!"
"Calm down!" She'd never seen her friend so angry. "They think they can take us away from G for fuck's sake!"
"Faith I'm not too happy out this either but we have to work with them -."
Kendra's attempt at reasoning was interrupted by her friend. "Why should we?" Faith demanded hotly. "We're the ones with the power. Me and you! Hell, B too! Let the Council come what they going to do anyway?"
"They could kill us," Faith paled at her reply, seeing her friend's mouth begin to open, she hurried on. "I've read the diaries, heard what they do to rebellious Slayers. They could kill us, deport Giles," Faith's eyes widened, "or even come after Jonathan or Xander." "If they hurt them I'd -."
"We pretend to work with Wesley but take our orders from Giles. We don't do any anything unless Giles okays it."
After a second Faith nodded. "Five by five, so what do we do next?"
* * *
"How many vamps in there?" Faith whispered.
"Maybe ten," Buffy replied tightly.
"Where's Fang tonight?" she asked.
"Him and Xander are covering the patrolling while we handle this," Buffy replied in a whisper.
Faith exchanged an amused look with Kendra. God, those two on their own - that had to be the patrol from hell. "Let's get this done."
* * *
"Oh yeah B," Faith glanced around the shadowy crypt glaring at the vampires surrounding them, "there's definitely ten vampires."
"I hate it when she's right," Kendra commented.
"But on the plus side it's so rare," Faith shot back.
"You two should be a double-act," Buffy shot back.
"Just as long as we don't have to sing," Faith replied, "Ken's voice, ugh." Suddenly she erupted into action, backhanding a vampire towards Kendra who quickly staked it. Moving on she ducked under another vampire's swing before roundhouse kicking him to the back of his knee, making him collapse to the ground before thrusting her own stake through the demon's back. Another vampire leapt at her but she grabbed him in mid-air and flung him into the wall, the vampire spun round to attack her but she caught him with a half-spinning hook kick knocking him onto a raised area, off-balance the vampire was helpless to prevent her staking. Another vampire leapt at her knocking her to the ground, but before the vampire could complete his attack he exploded into dust. Faith grinned up at Ken. "Diversion right?"
Ken's grin faded. "Buffy!"
Faith looked up and cursed. The blonde Slayer was surrounded by a trio of dust piles, but was being held facedown into a pool of water. She reached for her stake but Kendra was there first, leaping the length of the cavern to shove her weapon through the back of the vampire. The vampire let out a scream, half-turned, before exploding into dust. A second later the blonde exploded spluttering out of the water, her hand tightly grasping the amulet they'd come for. "Got it!"
Faith grinned at Buffy, for the first time feeling a spark of companionship with the blonde. "Well that didn't suck."
* * *
"Here's the amulet!"
"Ah splendid!" Wesley snatched it out of Faith's hand and began inspecting it under a magnifying glass. Faith looked at her suddenly empty hand in disbelief and then the prick who'd just snatched it from her, snarling she started forward only for Buffy and Kendra grab her inches away from the oblivious Watcher. "Well... Looks authentic enough. Of course, there are tests to be made before actual verification."
Buffy spoke up her tone cold. "How about verifying that your 'nearly extinct' cult was out in numbers last night? We got into a serious situation."
"Are you alright?" asked Giles
"Five by five G," Faith shot an angry look at Wesley.
"Perhaps there were a few more than we'd anticipated," Wesley looked up from his inspection of the amulet to look at each of them in turn, " but I'd expect you to be ready for anything. Remember the three key words for any Slayer: preparation... preparation... preparation."
"And what's the three key words for Wesley - pompous, pansy, prick?" Faith asked acidly.
* * *
The Mayor stared fondly at the troop of Boy Scouts stood beside him in his office, it made his heart fill with pride, gave him hope for the future of the town - if he wasn't planning to destroy it. The press photographer snapped the picture. Wilkins beamed. "There we go." After a moment the Scouts began to file out of the office. "Hey, have fun on that camping trip, now. Don't forget to roast a wiener for me."
He watched as Allan shooed the last of the Scouts out and closed the door securely. The Mayor chuckled as he closed the room's blinds before calling out. "Here we go. Alright, you can come out now." The door to his private bathroom opened, and Mr. Trick walked back into the office. He nodded at the vampire, his genial mask crumpling away as he became all business. "So, any news about the Eliminati?" Ask he spoke he made his way over to his liquor cabinet. Upon opening a vampire jumped out, grabbed him by the neck, pushed him down over his desk and held up his sword to attack. "In the name of Lord Balthazar, DIE!"
Before the vampire could do anything else, Mr. Trick came to his rescue, punching his attacker in the forehead. His assailant fell backwards onto the floor, unconscious. Wilkins coughed as he sat up on the edge of the desk and straightened his tie. "Thank you Mr. Trick. That was very thoughtful of you."
"Swords?" Trick shook his head. "Jeez, this is nearly the twenty-first century and this chump uses a sword."
"Quite," he stared suspiciously at a suddenly fidgeting Allan. "You know, it's curious how he could've gotten all the way into my liquor cabinet. Allan, don't we have security working in this building?"
"Sir, I... I had no idea. I-I..." his deputy began to stutter.
"No harm done," he glanced down at the crumpled vampire, "lock him up."
Trick shook his head. " He wakes up, he's just gonna try and kill you again."
"Yes. Yes, I expect he will."
* * *
"So I'm looking at Johnny -," Faith's story was interrupted by the ringing of her mobile. "Oh fuck. Just a minute guys," she smiled apologetically at Kendra and Xander as she answered the phone. Her smile faded at the call, her hand shaking she dropped the phone back into her pocket. "That was B and Fang. G and Wussley have been grabbed by Eliminati. Word on the street puts Balthazar in the packing warehouse on Devereau. He's snatched them in exchange for the amulet.."
"Who has it?"
"B took it off Wuss and gave it to Fang," she replied dazedly to Xander's terse question. Nothing could happen to G.
"Faith!" she was shaken out of her funk by Kendra. "What do we do?"
"B says we meet them by the warehouse," she replied. Finally she straightened, her eyes flashing. She'd failed one Watcher, she wouldn't fail another. "Let's go," she glanced to Xander, "hope you ain't eaten too many Twinkies Xand, we're going to be motoring,"
* * *
Kendra sidestepped a charging vampire, shoving him into the alley wall behind her before snapping out a side-kick to the knee knocking the vampire to the ground. Instantly the vampire bounded to his feet and leapt at her, but she smoothly sidestepped his attack slamming a foot into the vampire's stomach, doubling it up before staking it. From behind her she heard Faith yell. "I think we've got more comin'!"
Kendra shot her friend a worried look. "We're never gonna make it to the warehouse."
"We have to!" Suddenly another Eliminati landed in front of them thrusting at Faith with his short sword. Faith reacted instantly, catching her attacker's arm and shoving him into a crate, then pulling him off and swinging him backward onto a pile of several chords of wood. Instantly she stepped right in and staked him. He crumbled to ash.
Out of the corner of her eye she saw Faith grab hold of a vampire and fling him towards her. Instantly she grabbed the vampire and threw him against a dumpster before jumping in to stake him. The vampire slumped down to the ground, stunned by the impact against the heavy steel container. "KENDRA, NO!"
Her stake plunged into the vampire's heart. Kendra's head furrowed in confusion as instead of exploding into dust the vampire grabbed his chest and blood began pumping out of the wound. Her blood chilled, oh god, it was a human.
Giles stared suspiciously at the youths sat in his library. He wondered which one of them had done it, he guessed it would be either Faith or Xander, they were the two most reckless of the group. "I came in early today to clean up after our battle with the Sisterhood," he grimaced at the memories, "and as I walked past the basement entrance I saw two men carrying out what appeared to be a defused homemade bomb. Do any of you know anything about it?" His gaze took in first Faith, she shook her head, and then Xander who shrugged his shoulders, Buffy and Kendra simply looked blank. Sighing, he turned to the less likely suspects. "Willow?"
Jonathan raised a hand, a tentative look on his face, "me."
Giles stared at Jonathan in disbelief. "Bloody marvellous," he muttered, it appeared the only sensible youth who he thought could be relied on not to raise his blood pressure was as bad as if not worst then the rest. American teens, they were all bloody barking! After taking a second to calm himself he asked the inevitable question. "What happened Mr. Levinson?" He, together with the others, listened to the youth's stumbling recital.
Finally Jonathan finished, for a few seconds there was a stunned silence. "Wicked cool! Saved my life twice in one night, I think that deserves a reward," the brunette Slayer leapt onto her boyfriend's knee, grabbed his head and pulled him into a full-on kiss, her body pressing against his.
After a minute, Giles realised Faith wasn't going to let go of her gasping boyfriend anytime soon. Sighing, he turned to a reddening Buffy and giggling Kendra. "Separate them."
Once the girls had pulled a vociferously protesting Faith off a grateful looking Jonathan, he turned his attention to the unrepentant Slayer. "Faith that is not proper behaviour for a young lady in public," he scolded.
The brunette looked up at him, an amused glint in his eyes. "Young lady, fuck G you're going against seventeen years of breeding."
"Nevertheless I will endeavour to my best," he retorted, his smile hiding his sadness at the teen's apparent lack of self-worth. If he ever met the men who'd hurt her, Ripper would most certainly make an appearance. Turning back to Jonathan he fixed the suddenly sweating youth with his strongest glare. "And why didn't you tell any of us?"
"Uh, you were busy."
"Busy!"
"Jeez G take a chill pill."
Seeing the others pale at his raised tone, he took a breath. "Jonathan, what you did was exceptionally rash," well that was a bloody understatement, "however you also showed a great deal and ingenuity. Well done. Xander, I want you to intensify Jonathan's training as much as possible. As soon as you think he's ready, he can join us on patrol." He glanced at his watch. "It's," the school bell interrupted him, "time for class." He watched in exasperation as the kids left, his head shaking. "Bloody hell, those soddin' kids will be the death of me long before any vampire." Perhaps he should increase his ulcer medication.
* * *
"Wow! Could you believe that Johnny! I knew my guy had a set after that night in the woods, but taking on a gang of zombies!"
"Faith and Jonathan up a tree! Faith and Jonathan up a -" Kendra dissolved into tears of laughter at the glare her younger sister sent her way.
"Ken, here's a tip. With that voice never try and start a band." Faith sighed. "It's so confusing, being with Johnny, I mean sometimes I'll look at him and think what the fuck am I doing with such a nerd. Then he'll just hold my hand or smile or say something sweet, and my heart will feel like it's going to burst."
Kendra opened her mouth to reply, tell her sister that she felt much the same about Xander, except the doubting part, she'd wanted him the first time she'd seen him, only to stop when she saw a figure charging at them holding a pair of swords. "Incoming!"
"I see him!" Kendra cursed as Faith raced forward leaping into a roundhouse kick that the vamp caught on his arm before grabbing and throwing her into a tall gravestone. Faith hit the ground hard but rolled back up immediately.
"Why does she always do that!" Kendra fumed as she ran in to attack the demon before it loped off Faith's head. At the last second the demon heard her approach, spun round and sliced off the tip of her stake. Kendra jumped backwards in alarm "No fair!"
The vampire followed up with a decapitating head-swing that she blocked with her left hand before grabbing his left arm with her right hand, and bringing his arms down hard, forcing the swords to fall out of his hands. Grinning slightly she threw her foot up for a groin shot only for the vampire to sweep her grounded leg away from beneath her, sending her crashing to the ground. Before she had chance to rise the vampire was on her, pinning her to the ground with his greater weight and slowing moving his fangs towards her throat.
Suddenly the vampire exploded into dust. Kendra looked up to see a grinning Faith stood above her, offering her her hand. After a second she took it and allowed the other Slayer to pull her up. "Nice diversion sis."
Diversion? Finally Kendra got her breath back. "Faith!" she gasped. "Teamwork remember what Giles taught us!"
Faith shrugged and grinned sheepishly. "I knew you'd be five by five."
"Five by -," Kendra gave up.
Faith looked puzzled. "What was he anyway? All uniform and swords?"
"I don't know, we'll take the swords to Giles see if he recognises the-," Kendra's voice trailed off. "Faith, where are the swords?"
* * *
"Check these out."
The Mayor glanced at the swords lying on his desk. "Well... I haven't seen anything like this in, uh... a good long while. Where's the owner of these fine implements?"
"The common term is 'slain'. But I've been seeing this breed around. Are we expecting any trouble?" Trick replied.
Suddenly Finch broke into the conversation. "What ab-bout these swords? W- what should we do about the swords?"
Wilkins lifted one up for closer inspection, they really were quite marvellous workmanship. "Well, let's just keep an eye out. We've got the dedication coming up in a few days. We certainly can't have anything interfering with that." The Mayor noticed Finch fidgeting. "Do you have a comment to make Allan?"
"Well, maybe we should postpone the... the-the dedication."
The Mayor shot his deputy an incredulous look. Trick shook his head. "I believe the honourable Mayor *hates* that idea."
Wilkins stood up. "The dedication... is the final step before my Ascension. I have waited longer than you can imagine for this. After the Hundred Days, I'll be on a higher plane. And I'll have no more need for... Well, let's just say I won't be concerned... with the little things. " He turned to the vampire. " Mr. Trick, watch these people. Anything you find out about them, well, let's just see that that information reaches the Slayers," he took the short sword from Trick, and looked it over. "Who knows? With any luck, they'll kill each other. Then everyone's a winner. Everyone, of course, meaning me." He laughed after a second his companions followed suit.
* * *
Giles stared in disgust at the prat going through a box of books on the table. "Of course, training procedures have been updated quite a bit since your day. Much greater emphasis on field work."
"Really?" it was an effort not to take his chair and use it to stove the pillock's brains in. This was the bloody idiot the Council had sent to replace him? Unbelievable.
"Oh yes," the young man began rummaging through another box. "Not all books and theory nowadays. I have, in fact, faced two vampires myself. Under controlled circumstances, of course."
All right, that was it. He was going to kick the annoying little wanker's ass across the library, appearances be dammed. Even as he pushed his chair back, the library door swung open. He sat back down. "Hello Kendra."
"Ah Kendra," the young man smiled condescendingly. "Well... Hello."
Kendra gave the newcomer a quick look up and down before turning to him. " New Watcher?"
"New Watcher," he nodded.
The man took a step towards Kendra, holding out a hand in greeting. "Wesley Wnydham-Pryce." Kendra just stared at him. "It's very nice to meet you."
"Okay," she turned towards him, never removing her eyes from Wesley. "Is he evil?"
"I beg your pardon?"
Kendra continued to stare at him. "The last one was evil."
"Oh, yes. Gwendolyn Post." Wesley tutted. "We all heard. No. Mr. Giles has checked my credentials rather thoroughly and phoned the Council, but I'm glad to see you're on the ball as well. A good Slayer is a cautious Slayer. "
Kendra's eyes widened in disbelief. "That was never in the Handbook."
"Yes," Wesley pulled out a pen, "and what happened on last night's patrol?"
"Vampires."
"And?"
"Slain."
"Anything else you can tell me?" Kendra glanced at him. After a second he nodded. The Slayer sighed. "One of them had two swords."
"Swords?" Wesley put down his diary down and began rummaging through his boxes of books. "Swords... Ah here it is!" The Watcher pulled out a book. "One long, one short?"
Kendra nodded. With points and jewels."
"Sounds familiar," he commented.
"It should," Wesley thrust a book in front of him, after a second he took it and began reading. "El Eliminati. Fifteenth Century..."
"Fifteenth Century duellist cult," Wesley interrupted, "deadly in their day. Their numbers dwindled in later centuries due to an increase in anti- vampire activity and a lot of pointless duelling. They eventually became the acolytes of a demon called Balthazar, who brought them to the New World, specifically here."
Giles passed the book back to Wesley, maybe he wasn't completely useless. Maybe. "You seem to know a lot about them."
"I didn't get this job because of my looks. "
"I believe him."
Wesley glared at Kendra. "I've researched this town's history extensively."
Giles decided to draw the conversation back to business before Wesley and Kendra began pulling one another's hair. "So why have we not seen them before this?"
"They were driven out a hundred years ago. Happily, Balthazar was killed. I don't know by whom."
"And they are back because?"
"Um," Wesley broke in, "Balthazar had an amulet purported to give him strength. When he was killed, it was taken by a wealthy landowner named... Gleaves. It was buried with him, and I believe the few remaining Eliminati are probably looking for it. For sentimental value."
"A-and you don't think that this, uh, amulet poses any threat?" Giles pressed. Sentimental value? Who'd ever heard the vampires with sentiment?
"Oh, no, not at all. Nonetheless, we may as well keep it from them. Kendra, you will go to the Gleaves family crypt tonight and fetch the amulet." "Yes mien furher!"
Giles bit back a chuckle. "Are you not used to being given orders?" Wesley demanded.
"Whenever Giles sends us on a mission, he always says 'please'," Kendra fluttered her eyelashes, "and afterwards I get a 'well done' and a gold star." This time a strangled chuckle escaped, oh yes Faith was definitely a bad influence.
"I don't feel we're getting off on quite the right foot," Wesley said stuffily. Giles knew precisely where he'd like to place his foot.
Just then the door swung open and Faith strode in. "Ah." Wesley stepped forward. "This is perhaps Faith."
Faith stopped and critically looked Wesley up and down. "New Watcher?"
Kendra and Giles spoke in unison. "New Watcher."
Faith shook her head. "No fucking way!" suddenly the brunette was in Wesley face, her finger jabbing furiously in the man's chest. "You gonna give me a place to live, my first real home? Be like a pa to me and Ken," Giles realised the teen's voice was trembling, hoarse, "you," the brunette stepped back, a look of disdain on her beautiful face. "You're not fit to lace G's boots!" The Slayer turned and stormed off.
Giles sighed. Faith's loyalty was touching but hardly practical under the circumstances. "Kendra," he said softly, "go after her."
* * *
"Faith! Wait!" Kendra grabbed her friend's arm and pulled her round to face her. "Calm down!"
"Calm down!" She'd never seen her friend so angry. "They think they can take us away from G for fuck's sake!"
"Faith I'm not too happy out this either but we have to work with them -."
Kendra's attempt at reasoning was interrupted by her friend. "Why should we?" Faith demanded hotly. "We're the ones with the power. Me and you! Hell, B too! Let the Council come what they going to do anyway?"
"They could kill us," Faith paled at her reply, seeing her friend's mouth begin to open, she hurried on. "I've read the diaries, heard what they do to rebellious Slayers. They could kill us, deport Giles," Faith's eyes widened, "or even come after Jonathan or Xander." "If they hurt them I'd -."
"We pretend to work with Wesley but take our orders from Giles. We don't do any anything unless Giles okays it."
After a second Faith nodded. "Five by five, so what do we do next?"
* * *
"How many vamps in there?" Faith whispered.
"Maybe ten," Buffy replied tightly.
"Where's Fang tonight?" she asked.
"Him and Xander are covering the patrolling while we handle this," Buffy replied in a whisper.
Faith exchanged an amused look with Kendra. God, those two on their own - that had to be the patrol from hell. "Let's get this done."
* * *
"Oh yeah B," Faith glanced around the shadowy crypt glaring at the vampires surrounding them, "there's definitely ten vampires."
"I hate it when she's right," Kendra commented.
"But on the plus side it's so rare," Faith shot back.
"You two should be a double-act," Buffy shot back.
"Just as long as we don't have to sing," Faith replied, "Ken's voice, ugh." Suddenly she erupted into action, backhanding a vampire towards Kendra who quickly staked it. Moving on she ducked under another vampire's swing before roundhouse kicking him to the back of his knee, making him collapse to the ground before thrusting her own stake through the demon's back. Another vampire leapt at her but she grabbed him in mid-air and flung him into the wall, the vampire spun round to attack her but she caught him with a half-spinning hook kick knocking him onto a raised area, off-balance the vampire was helpless to prevent her staking. Another vampire leapt at her knocking her to the ground, but before the vampire could complete his attack he exploded into dust. Faith grinned up at Ken. "Diversion right?"
Ken's grin faded. "Buffy!"
Faith looked up and cursed. The blonde Slayer was surrounded by a trio of dust piles, but was being held facedown into a pool of water. She reached for her stake but Kendra was there first, leaping the length of the cavern to shove her weapon through the back of the vampire. The vampire let out a scream, half-turned, before exploding into dust. A second later the blonde exploded spluttering out of the water, her hand tightly grasping the amulet they'd come for. "Got it!"
Faith grinned at Buffy, for the first time feeling a spark of companionship with the blonde. "Well that didn't suck."
* * *
"Here's the amulet!"
"Ah splendid!" Wesley snatched it out of Faith's hand and began inspecting it under a magnifying glass. Faith looked at her suddenly empty hand in disbelief and then the prick who'd just snatched it from her, snarling she started forward only for Buffy and Kendra grab her inches away from the oblivious Watcher. "Well... Looks authentic enough. Of course, there are tests to be made before actual verification."
Buffy spoke up her tone cold. "How about verifying that your 'nearly extinct' cult was out in numbers last night? We got into a serious situation."
"Are you alright?" asked Giles
"Five by five G," Faith shot an angry look at Wesley.
"Perhaps there were a few more than we'd anticipated," Wesley looked up from his inspection of the amulet to look at each of them in turn, " but I'd expect you to be ready for anything. Remember the three key words for any Slayer: preparation... preparation... preparation."
"And what's the three key words for Wesley - pompous, pansy, prick?" Faith asked acidly.
* * *
The Mayor stared fondly at the troop of Boy Scouts stood beside him in his office, it made his heart fill with pride, gave him hope for the future of the town - if he wasn't planning to destroy it. The press photographer snapped the picture. Wilkins beamed. "There we go." After a moment the Scouts began to file out of the office. "Hey, have fun on that camping trip, now. Don't forget to roast a wiener for me."
He watched as Allan shooed the last of the Scouts out and closed the door securely. The Mayor chuckled as he closed the room's blinds before calling out. "Here we go. Alright, you can come out now." The door to his private bathroom opened, and Mr. Trick walked back into the office. He nodded at the vampire, his genial mask crumpling away as he became all business. "So, any news about the Eliminati?" Ask he spoke he made his way over to his liquor cabinet. Upon opening a vampire jumped out, grabbed him by the neck, pushed him down over his desk and held up his sword to attack. "In the name of Lord Balthazar, DIE!"
Before the vampire could do anything else, Mr. Trick came to his rescue, punching his attacker in the forehead. His assailant fell backwards onto the floor, unconscious. Wilkins coughed as he sat up on the edge of the desk and straightened his tie. "Thank you Mr. Trick. That was very thoughtful of you."
"Swords?" Trick shook his head. "Jeez, this is nearly the twenty-first century and this chump uses a sword."
"Quite," he stared suspiciously at a suddenly fidgeting Allan. "You know, it's curious how he could've gotten all the way into my liquor cabinet. Allan, don't we have security working in this building?"
"Sir, I... I had no idea. I-I..." his deputy began to stutter.
"No harm done," he glanced down at the crumpled vampire, "lock him up."
Trick shook his head. " He wakes up, he's just gonna try and kill you again."
"Yes. Yes, I expect he will."
* * *
"So I'm looking at Johnny -," Faith's story was interrupted by the ringing of her mobile. "Oh fuck. Just a minute guys," she smiled apologetically at Kendra and Xander as she answered the phone. Her smile faded at the call, her hand shaking she dropped the phone back into her pocket. "That was B and Fang. G and Wussley have been grabbed by Eliminati. Word on the street puts Balthazar in the packing warehouse on Devereau. He's snatched them in exchange for the amulet.."
"Who has it?"
"B took it off Wuss and gave it to Fang," she replied dazedly to Xander's terse question. Nothing could happen to G.
"Faith!" she was shaken out of her funk by Kendra. "What do we do?"
"B says we meet them by the warehouse," she replied. Finally she straightened, her eyes flashing. She'd failed one Watcher, she wouldn't fail another. "Let's go," she glanced to Xander, "hope you ain't eaten too many Twinkies Xand, we're going to be motoring,"
* * *
Kendra sidestepped a charging vampire, shoving him into the alley wall behind her before snapping out a side-kick to the knee knocking the vampire to the ground. Instantly the vampire bounded to his feet and leapt at her, but she smoothly sidestepped his attack slamming a foot into the vampire's stomach, doubling it up before staking it. From behind her she heard Faith yell. "I think we've got more comin'!"
Kendra shot her friend a worried look. "We're never gonna make it to the warehouse."
"We have to!" Suddenly another Eliminati landed in front of them thrusting at Faith with his short sword. Faith reacted instantly, catching her attacker's arm and shoving him into a crate, then pulling him off and swinging him backward onto a pile of several chords of wood. Instantly she stepped right in and staked him. He crumbled to ash.
Out of the corner of her eye she saw Faith grab hold of a vampire and fling him towards her. Instantly she grabbed the vampire and threw him against a dumpster before jumping in to stake him. The vampire slumped down to the ground, stunned by the impact against the heavy steel container. "KENDRA, NO!"
Her stake plunged into the vampire's heart. Kendra's head furrowed in confusion as instead of exploding into dust the vampire grabbed his chest and blood began pumping out of the wound. Her blood chilled, oh god, it was a human.