Three Slayers 14A
"Have you heard the news?" Xander flew into the library, the news he'd overheard at the water fountain chilling him to the bone. "Guess who's commencement speaker on graduation day? The Mayor! Dad said I'd never graduate," he dropped into a chair by the desk before looking around his friends. "And for once the bum was right. We are so screwed!"
Xander's blood chilled at the disapproving voice he heard entering the library doors behind him. "That's what's wrong with America today, no respect for parents or the family."
* * *
The Mayor beamed at his shocked audience. After savouring their surprise for a few seconds, he spoke. "So, this is the inner sanctum. Faith tells me this is where you folks like to hang out, concoct your little schemes." He noticed the texts cluttering the desk. "I tell you, it's just nice to see that some young people are still interested in reading in this modern era. So, what are kids reading nowadays?"
Still smiling, he walked to the table and picked up a book. He was pleased when the older Watcher stood his ground and didn't flinch, although the younger Englishman kept his distance. An important man should always have significant enemies – it made things more interesting. "The beast will walk upon the earth and darkness will follow. The several races of man will be as one in their terror and destruction." Aw, that's kind of sweet. Different races coming together. If you think of it like that, it makes me sound like a regular Martin Luther, a great leader bringing people together."
"You never get even a little tired of hearing yourself speak, do you?"the blonde Slayer commented sarcastically.
Wilkins tutted and shook his head before smiling at Giles. "That's one spunky little girl you've raised there Mr Watcher. I'm gonna eat her and I just bet she tastes as good as my dear departed wife's Sunday roast." Suddenly the Watcher snatched up an epee from the table and thrust it through his chest. Surprised by the attack, he stumbled backwards only to quickly regain his balance. "Whoa! Well now, that was a little thoughtless." He smiled at their collective shocked gasp as he pulled the sword out of his chest, shaking his head at the tear in his suit. He comforted himself with the thought it wasn't like he'd have much use for clothes soon. "Violent outbursts like that, in front of the children? You know Mr. Giles, they look to you to see how to behave. A well-bred Englishman like you should know better."
"Get out," the mocha-skinned Slayer stepped between him and the defiant Englishman. "Now."
Ignoring the threat in the young girl's eyes, he took a handkerchief and slowly wiped the blood from the sword before casually tossing it back onto the table. "I smell fear. That's smart, it won't help but it's smart. Some of your deaths will be quick, if that's worth anything, painful but quick. Some of you," he looked at both Slayers and was impressed when neither flinched, they'd been trained well, good stock too . "Will die slowly. Well, see you all at graduation. You don't want to miss my commencement address. It's going to be one heck of a speech, a real killer."
"You know what I'm thinking?" the Mayor looked down at the Harris boy, his smile faltering at the cold look in the youth's eyes. "I'm thinking that maybe you're invulnerable, but.." The young man smiled cruelly, suddenly Wilkins realised the teen had the eyes of a much older man. "What would happen if me and the girls turned up at your place one night, kidnapped you, locked you in the back of an armoured vault, drove it into a mine, and blew the damn place up behind us? I'm guessing your invincibility wouldn't mean shit then. Just a theory."
Wilkins forced a smile. "I've always admired initiative in the young, gives an old fuddy-duddy like myself hope for the future," his smile broadened, this time unfeigned. "Not that any of you have a future." His smile faded as he strode away from the library, that Harris boy was rather more formidable than he suspected. He'd been concentrating his attention on the supernatural warriors and the knowledgeable Watchers as his main dangers. Obviously he'd made a rare tactical error. Ah well, he'd have to correct it. And he knew just the girl to do it.
* * *
"You want me to kill Xman?" Faith swallowed, this was getting way out of hand. "But he's nothing, just a loser geek. He's not worth the energy."
"Ah, young Mr. Harris is rather more than that," the politician corrected. "There's something in his eyes that I found quite unsettling. He could be quite a threat if left alone." Faith masked her concern with a non- committal nod, noting that her employer was hiding his own disquiet behind his usual affable mask but something Xan had either said or done had seriously freaked him. Fucking typical, her bud just couldn't keep out of trouble. "However, there is something even more urgent." The middle-aged man reached into his pocket and pulled out a vial of liquid. "I want Ms. Summers and her vampire taking out of the game."
"Yeah," Faith shifted uneasily. This was getting heavy. "And what does the mojo do? Hope it really makes that uppity bitch suffer."
The Mayor beamed. "A willingness to learn, the first sign of a fertile mind. But remember Faithie," she resisted the urge to roll her eyes when the Mayor waggled a finger at her. "Language, you're a lady now."
* * * "The liquid's called 'Killer of the Dead', even a flesh wound and the vamp's toast, like dead." Xander nodded as he took the slight sample Faith had given her. His friend continued to talk. "Wilkins wants -. Oh fuck!"
"What's up?" he glanced in the direction the Slayer was moving but couldn't see anything. "Wait up!"
"Two vamps!" the Slayer bellowed before disappearing into the surrounding darkness.
"Shit!" Cursing, he chased after his friend, running around a corner to find her fighting a pair of shell-suited vamps.
* * *
"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" Faith was terrified, more frightened than she could remember, more scared even than when her and Kendra had accidentally killed Finch. She'd seen what the Mayor had done to vamps who failed him by just screwing up, her skin crawled at the thought of what the bastard would do to a traitor, especially the one he referred to as 'his little girl'.
Leaping into the air, she grabbed the vampire in front around the neck and drove him headfirst into the hard concrete. Leaping up, she twisted round to meet the second vampire, catching a haymaker to the jaw for her trouble. Dazed, she stumbled backwards, helpless to prevent her foot being grabbed by the vampire she'd just put down. The vampire pulled on her foot, sending her crashing down to the ground, the back of her head smacking on the cobblestones, dazing her.
Above her she could hear snatches of the vampires talking even as they began kicking and stomping her, every blow reverberating through her limbs and body. "Who'd have thought it, Wilkins' little girl a traitor?" The remark was emphasised by a vision-blurring kick to the kick. "We'll get a big reward for this. Maybe get to do her."
"Never killed a Slayer before," a mule-like kick sent blood flying from her mouth to splatter the alley wall.
"Wasn't thinking of killing her, try turning her," the other replied with a chuckle, his foot coming down hard on her left arm. "Then she'd be ours forever."
"Not fucking likely."
Faith's heart leapt at the sound of Xander's voice. Seizing the chance given to her by the two vampires instinctively turning towards the new threat, and ignoring the pain coursing through her body, Faith bounded to her feet and hit one of the vampires with a leg sweep, knocking him to the ground. The other began to turn towards her but she simply snatched hold of his ponytail and drove him face-first into the wall. Smirking slightly at the sound of crunching bone and the vampire's accompanying scream, Faith pulled out a stake and slammed through the demon's back. Sensing the other rising behind he, she launched an elbow backwards, crashing into her adversary's nose, splintering bone, before leaping into a flawless, Olympic-standard, back-flip over her adversary's head to land behind him and shove her stake towards his back.
Unfortunately the vampire managed to twist away from her attack and slam a right hook into her nose, breaking it at the bridge. Next he drove a knee into her already battered stomach, tears blurring her vision she stumbled backwards, helpless to prevent the vampire grabbing her around the neck, cutting off her breath. "You bitch! You killed my brother-."
Suddenly the stranglehold disappeared. Faith snarled as she saw the vampire fling Xander into the wall, and her friend slide down the wall. Leaping forward she caught her adversary with a trio of lightning right hooks shattering the left side of its face. Seeing her chance she plunged her stake towards the vampire's heart only to be grabbed at the wrist. The vampire smirked. "Not this time, Sla-, arh!"
Faith's foot snapped up into the vampire's groin. "Don't count your arteries," the vampire released her wrist giving her the chance to drive her stake into his heart. "Before they're bleeding."
The instant the vampire exploded into dust, Faith's legs buckled beneath her, sending her plummeting forward. She was inches from the ground when Xander caught her. "Are you okay Faith?"
Faith forced a grin, hating the way her jaw ached at the movement. "Five by five Xman," she replied as her friend eased her back to her feet. "Just been dying to fall for you for weeks."
"Funny girl," Xander's chocolate-brown eyes filled with concern. God she loved it when the gang looked at her like that, she was finally part of something, she had people who didn't think she was a worthless bitch like her mom had always said she was. "Are you okay?" he repeated.
"Five by five," she lied. In truth she felt like crap, her right shoulder was dislocated again, her entire torso was aching, she was going to have one hell of a black eye, and she felt like her nose and maybe jaw were broken. But she'd be mostly healed in the morning. "I better get back, Wilkins might get suspicious."
"Wait."
She cursed as Xander grabbed her right shoulder and pain shot through the battered joint. "Fuck Xand!" She spun round to face her friend, her eyes spitting black fire. "That fucking hurt!"
Her companion stepped back, a nervous expression on his face. "Uh sorry, but you hadn't finished your report."
"Yeah," Faith nodded. "Just don't touch me okay? You've got a talent for pissing people off you know. The Mayor wants me to kill you. "
"It's good to be appreciated," Xander grinned before turning serious. "So what's happening?" Xander listened to her talk. Finally she'd finished and turned to leave. "Wait! You can't go back!"
"Why not?"
"Vamps remember?" Xander pointed at the dustpiles. "The Mayor was having you trailed he must be suspicious."
Ignoring the pain in her shoulder, Faith shrugged. "They came, saw, and got their asses staked. Wilkins isn't suspicious, I've got him wrapped around my little finger, he hates me going off on my own, probably sent them to make sure I didn't get into any trouble."
"And what if there were more of them?" her companion countered.
"There wasn't, I know the two assholes, they're the Mulligan brothers, two bros who were turned in the 1840s, during the California Gold Rush, they always work alone."
Xander looked doubtful. "That's awful risky."
That was a fucking understatement. Ignoring her own misgivings she shook her head. "We still don't know what Wilkins' got planned for graduation remember?"
"And how you're going to explain your bruises?" her friend pressed
"I'll tell them I ran into some independents, took a beating." Faith nodded at the two dustpiles. "My problem is explaining them not returning."
Xander sighed. "I know what we can do. One of the bugs is in the library right?" she nodded, her companion grimaced. "Hit me."
"Have you heard the news?" Xander flew into the library, the news he'd overheard at the water fountain chilling him to the bone. "Guess who's commencement speaker on graduation day? The Mayor! Dad said I'd never graduate," he dropped into a chair by the desk before looking around his friends. "And for once the bum was right. We are so screwed!"
Xander's blood chilled at the disapproving voice he heard entering the library doors behind him. "That's what's wrong with America today, no respect for parents or the family."
* * *
The Mayor beamed at his shocked audience. After savouring their surprise for a few seconds, he spoke. "So, this is the inner sanctum. Faith tells me this is where you folks like to hang out, concoct your little schemes." He noticed the texts cluttering the desk. "I tell you, it's just nice to see that some young people are still interested in reading in this modern era. So, what are kids reading nowadays?"
Still smiling, he walked to the table and picked up a book. He was pleased when the older Watcher stood his ground and didn't flinch, although the younger Englishman kept his distance. An important man should always have significant enemies – it made things more interesting. "The beast will walk upon the earth and darkness will follow. The several races of man will be as one in their terror and destruction." Aw, that's kind of sweet. Different races coming together. If you think of it like that, it makes me sound like a regular Martin Luther, a great leader bringing people together."
"You never get even a little tired of hearing yourself speak, do you?"the blonde Slayer commented sarcastically.
Wilkins tutted and shook his head before smiling at Giles. "That's one spunky little girl you've raised there Mr Watcher. I'm gonna eat her and I just bet she tastes as good as my dear departed wife's Sunday roast." Suddenly the Watcher snatched up an epee from the table and thrust it through his chest. Surprised by the attack, he stumbled backwards only to quickly regain his balance. "Whoa! Well now, that was a little thoughtless." He smiled at their collective shocked gasp as he pulled the sword out of his chest, shaking his head at the tear in his suit. He comforted himself with the thought it wasn't like he'd have much use for clothes soon. "Violent outbursts like that, in front of the children? You know Mr. Giles, they look to you to see how to behave. A well-bred Englishman like you should know better."
"Get out," the mocha-skinned Slayer stepped between him and the defiant Englishman. "Now."
Ignoring the threat in the young girl's eyes, he took a handkerchief and slowly wiped the blood from the sword before casually tossing it back onto the table. "I smell fear. That's smart, it won't help but it's smart. Some of your deaths will be quick, if that's worth anything, painful but quick. Some of you," he looked at both Slayers and was impressed when neither flinched, they'd been trained well, good stock too . "Will die slowly. Well, see you all at graduation. You don't want to miss my commencement address. It's going to be one heck of a speech, a real killer."
"You know what I'm thinking?" the Mayor looked down at the Harris boy, his smile faltering at the cold look in the youth's eyes. "I'm thinking that maybe you're invulnerable, but.." The young man smiled cruelly, suddenly Wilkins realised the teen had the eyes of a much older man. "What would happen if me and the girls turned up at your place one night, kidnapped you, locked you in the back of an armoured vault, drove it into a mine, and blew the damn place up behind us? I'm guessing your invincibility wouldn't mean shit then. Just a theory."
Wilkins forced a smile. "I've always admired initiative in the young, gives an old fuddy-duddy like myself hope for the future," his smile broadened, this time unfeigned. "Not that any of you have a future." His smile faded as he strode away from the library, that Harris boy was rather more formidable than he suspected. He'd been concentrating his attention on the supernatural warriors and the knowledgeable Watchers as his main dangers. Obviously he'd made a rare tactical error. Ah well, he'd have to correct it. And he knew just the girl to do it.
* * *
"You want me to kill Xman?" Faith swallowed, this was getting way out of hand. "But he's nothing, just a loser geek. He's not worth the energy."
"Ah, young Mr. Harris is rather more than that," the politician corrected. "There's something in his eyes that I found quite unsettling. He could be quite a threat if left alone." Faith masked her concern with a non- committal nod, noting that her employer was hiding his own disquiet behind his usual affable mask but something Xan had either said or done had seriously freaked him. Fucking typical, her bud just couldn't keep out of trouble. "However, there is something even more urgent." The middle-aged man reached into his pocket and pulled out a vial of liquid. "I want Ms. Summers and her vampire taking out of the game."
"Yeah," Faith shifted uneasily. This was getting heavy. "And what does the mojo do? Hope it really makes that uppity bitch suffer."
The Mayor beamed. "A willingness to learn, the first sign of a fertile mind. But remember Faithie," she resisted the urge to roll her eyes when the Mayor waggled a finger at her. "Language, you're a lady now."
* * * "The liquid's called 'Killer of the Dead', even a flesh wound and the vamp's toast, like dead." Xander nodded as he took the slight sample Faith had given her. His friend continued to talk. "Wilkins wants -. Oh fuck!"
"What's up?" he glanced in the direction the Slayer was moving but couldn't see anything. "Wait up!"
"Two vamps!" the Slayer bellowed before disappearing into the surrounding darkness.
"Shit!" Cursing, he chased after his friend, running around a corner to find her fighting a pair of shell-suited vamps.
* * *
"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" Faith was terrified, more frightened than she could remember, more scared even than when her and Kendra had accidentally killed Finch. She'd seen what the Mayor had done to vamps who failed him by just screwing up, her skin crawled at the thought of what the bastard would do to a traitor, especially the one he referred to as 'his little girl'.
Leaping into the air, she grabbed the vampire in front around the neck and drove him headfirst into the hard concrete. Leaping up, she twisted round to meet the second vampire, catching a haymaker to the jaw for her trouble. Dazed, she stumbled backwards, helpless to prevent her foot being grabbed by the vampire she'd just put down. The vampire pulled on her foot, sending her crashing down to the ground, the back of her head smacking on the cobblestones, dazing her.
Above her she could hear snatches of the vampires talking even as they began kicking and stomping her, every blow reverberating through her limbs and body. "Who'd have thought it, Wilkins' little girl a traitor?" The remark was emphasised by a vision-blurring kick to the kick. "We'll get a big reward for this. Maybe get to do her."
"Never killed a Slayer before," a mule-like kick sent blood flying from her mouth to splatter the alley wall.
"Wasn't thinking of killing her, try turning her," the other replied with a chuckle, his foot coming down hard on her left arm. "Then she'd be ours forever."
"Not fucking likely."
Faith's heart leapt at the sound of Xander's voice. Seizing the chance given to her by the two vampires instinctively turning towards the new threat, and ignoring the pain coursing through her body, Faith bounded to her feet and hit one of the vampires with a leg sweep, knocking him to the ground. The other began to turn towards her but she simply snatched hold of his ponytail and drove him face-first into the wall. Smirking slightly at the sound of crunching bone and the vampire's accompanying scream, Faith pulled out a stake and slammed through the demon's back. Sensing the other rising behind he, she launched an elbow backwards, crashing into her adversary's nose, splintering bone, before leaping into a flawless, Olympic-standard, back-flip over her adversary's head to land behind him and shove her stake towards his back.
Unfortunately the vampire managed to twist away from her attack and slam a right hook into her nose, breaking it at the bridge. Next he drove a knee into her already battered stomach, tears blurring her vision she stumbled backwards, helpless to prevent the vampire grabbing her around the neck, cutting off her breath. "You bitch! You killed my brother-."
Suddenly the stranglehold disappeared. Faith snarled as she saw the vampire fling Xander into the wall, and her friend slide down the wall. Leaping forward she caught her adversary with a trio of lightning right hooks shattering the left side of its face. Seeing her chance she plunged her stake towards the vampire's heart only to be grabbed at the wrist. The vampire smirked. "Not this time, Sla-, arh!"
Faith's foot snapped up into the vampire's groin. "Don't count your arteries," the vampire released her wrist giving her the chance to drive her stake into his heart. "Before they're bleeding."
The instant the vampire exploded into dust, Faith's legs buckled beneath her, sending her plummeting forward. She was inches from the ground when Xander caught her. "Are you okay Faith?"
Faith forced a grin, hating the way her jaw ached at the movement. "Five by five Xman," she replied as her friend eased her back to her feet. "Just been dying to fall for you for weeks."
"Funny girl," Xander's chocolate-brown eyes filled with concern. God she loved it when the gang looked at her like that, she was finally part of something, she had people who didn't think she was a worthless bitch like her mom had always said she was. "Are you okay?" he repeated.
"Five by five," she lied. In truth she felt like crap, her right shoulder was dislocated again, her entire torso was aching, she was going to have one hell of a black eye, and she felt like her nose and maybe jaw were broken. But she'd be mostly healed in the morning. "I better get back, Wilkins might get suspicious."
"Wait."
She cursed as Xander grabbed her right shoulder and pain shot through the battered joint. "Fuck Xand!" She spun round to face her friend, her eyes spitting black fire. "That fucking hurt!"
Her companion stepped back, a nervous expression on his face. "Uh sorry, but you hadn't finished your report."
"Yeah," Faith nodded. "Just don't touch me okay? You've got a talent for pissing people off you know. The Mayor wants me to kill you. "
"It's good to be appreciated," Xander grinned before turning serious. "So what's happening?" Xander listened to her talk. Finally she'd finished and turned to leave. "Wait! You can't go back!"
"Why not?"
"Vamps remember?" Xander pointed at the dustpiles. "The Mayor was having you trailed he must be suspicious."
Ignoring the pain in her shoulder, Faith shrugged. "They came, saw, and got their asses staked. Wilkins isn't suspicious, I've got him wrapped around my little finger, he hates me going off on my own, probably sent them to make sure I didn't get into any trouble."
"And what if there were more of them?" her companion countered.
"There wasn't, I know the two assholes, they're the Mulligan brothers, two bros who were turned in the 1840s, during the California Gold Rush, they always work alone."
Xander looked doubtful. "That's awful risky."
That was a fucking understatement. Ignoring her own misgivings she shook her head. "We still don't know what Wilkins' got planned for graduation remember?"
"And how you're going to explain your bruises?" her friend pressed
"I'll tell them I ran into some independents, took a beating." Faith nodded at the two dustpiles. "My problem is explaining them not returning."
Xander sighed. "I know what we can do. One of the bugs is in the library right?" she nodded, her companion grimaced. "Hit me."