Title: CONSEQUENCES

Disclaimer: Nope. Don't own them (regrettably so). Buffy and Angel belong to Joss Whedon, the WB, UPN, and Mutant Enemy etc. Rurouni Kenshin (RK as it's known among anime fans) belongs to Watsuki Nubuhiro, Sony pictures etc.

Rating: R (for now)

Spoilers: up till "Damage" in Angel. Also, Anya didn't die at the end of "Chosen" in Buffy.

AN#1: & italics denote flashbacks.

CH#9: Undoing a mistake!

[Lobby, Hyperion]

The doors are locked and the gang is gathered around Conner who has been brought up from his cage. There is a five edged star on the floor & a circle which passes through its five points.

Cordelia: Tell me again why this is gonna work.

Lilah (sighs): It may or may not work. The thing is you're our best shot at breaking Cyvus Vail's magic.

Angel: But you said that she has power & that power ca break the spell.

Lilah: What I meant was she has 'enough' power, with all of your help, to challenge Vail's magic & hopefully fracture it. There are no guarantees that it'll work. Also…this is a once only shot that you get. If this fails, the Vail will know & he'll strengthen it.

Wesley: Who is this Cyvus Vail? I seem to remember seeing his name somewhere.

Gunn: He's one of our topmost clients. He has had a fair amount of dealing with W&H, but that was all before out time.

Lilah: Oh Charlie boy….that isn't the half of it. He's one of the most powerful sorcerers in this & several other dimensions as well. As his physical condition has degenerated, his power has grown by leaps & bounds. Suffice to say that this is a creature you don't want to mess with.

Spike (from his position by the door): Why are you helping us? From what I've heard you're the last person anybody would expect to help Angel.

Lilah (rubbing her neck): Oh…I have a vested interest.

Spike gets the meaning & gives her an amused grin.

Angel: are we ready people?

Fred: Yeah. Lemme just check. (She checks the procedure) everything appears to be fine. Wes?

Wesley: what we're about to do involves channeling some very dark energies. Only Angel, Cordelia, Lorne, Spike & I will take part in the ritual. (Seeing that Fred & Gunn are about to protest) This spell requires that the persons involved should either have some demon in them or should be skilled magicians. I'm sorry but we can't risk this. You two & Riana will be our backup. See to it that nobody disrupts us.

Lorne: I have a question. Why isn't 'nearly headless Lilah' helping us?

Fred: It's quite simple really. According to the laws of physics which govern magic as well, all magic leaves a trail or a signature of its user(s) behind. Lilah belongs to the senior partners. If we use her then she will leave a signature of herself. They will know who betrayed them & therefore our cover will be blown.

Gunn: What I wanna know, & what nobody has cleared as yet, is why are we doing this? Is the spell really necessary? & how do we know that the 'bitch from hell' wouldn't betray us?

Angel: That's what I'm leaving to you. (Throws Gunn his old custom made axe) If she so much as thinks of doing anything suspicious, chop her into itty bitty pieces.

Gunn notices that Angel avoided the first part of his question but lets it slide. He catches his old axe & nods.

Cordelia (looks Angel in the eyes): Lets do it. (She motions for Wesley to bring Conner in the middle of the star.)

Cordelia stands at the head, while Angel, Lorne, Wes & Spike stand at the other four points.

Cordelia starts reciting a chant off a piece of paper. She lights a torch and, after setting fire to some herbs lying at her feet, gives it to Wesley who repeats the procedure & passes the torch ahead. After she has recited her part, she nods to the others & they begin to chant simultaneously. Their chanting grows louder and as the herbs burn out completely, Cordy takes a dagger and slices her palm dripping some blood onto the smoldering embers. The others follow suit. Cordelia closes her eyes & starts concentrating. After a moment, the circle starts to glow green. Wesley takes a vial of a black liquid out of his pocket & after adding some of his blood, passes it on to Cordelia. She repeats his action & after everyone has added their blood to it, Spike gives it back to Wesley. He pours this mixture onto Conner's head & then taking out another vial of some bright blue liquid, pours it around Conner's chair. During all this, Spike & Lorne had kept up the chant. Now both of them step forward & place four small violet colored orbs around Conner in the four cardinal directions. Wesley then motions Angel to do his part. Angel hesitates for a moment before stepping forward. Everyone else joins their hands to form a diamond shape. Angel seizes Conner by the throat, vamps out and sinks his fangs into his neck. As Angel gulps his first mouthful of his son's blood, there is a bright flash of electricity as the orbs glow brightly & everyone is thrown away from the circle.

There is a moments silence as everyone picks himself or herself up. Angel watches his friends as different emotions play on their faces. He watches as Wesley's facial expression turns from confused to shock, despair & finally anger.

Wesley (grinding his teeth): You bastard! You fucking bastard!

Gunn: What… Angel? What the hell is going on?

Fred: Angel?

Wesley: You stole my memories. You….I trusted you!

Angel: You wouldn't understand Wes.

Wesley: Shut up! Who gave you the right to invade my head? Was it the PTB or did the 'mission' require it? WHAT?

Gunn (incredulously): You messed with our heads? Angel? Speak Man!

Angel (a painful expression on his face): It was the only way. He was mad. He wanted to die; wanted me to kill him. He was going to blow up Cordelia & a mall full of people. This was the only way I could save him.

Cordelia: listen to him. He's telling the truth.

Wesley (whirls towards her): You. You knew about him. Why didn't you tell us?

Cordelia: I-it was not my decision.

Wesley (bitterly): Not your decision? It's not some pissing business matter. It's our memories I'm talking about. How would you feel if someone violated you?

Cordelia: Hello? Been there, done that. Or have you forgotten what happened last year?

Wesley: yes. Angel saw to that.

Angel (angrily): You're one to talk. It is what you would've done. Remember Wes? 'Always do the right thing, no matter the cost'. I wanted to save you. Your guilt was killing you. You're my friend. My family was falling apart. I had to act.

Wesley: You changed the world. You sold us out to Wolfram & Hart.

Angel: I did what had to be done. (in a hushed voice) He's my son, Wesley. Connor's my son. I had to save him.

Gunn: I can understand that.

Fred: I guess….I can learn to live with it.

Lorne (to Wesley): Listen my friend. He tried to do the right thing. It backfired. (Looks Wes in the eyes) Not like it hasn't happened before.

Cordelia: Listen to him Wesley. We have a job to do. Stuff is happening & we have to stop it. We have to figure out how Conner became this….this monster. You have to trust Angel.

Wesley: I can't. Not anymore.

The others look at him in dismay.

Wesley: However…I will do what needs to be done. It appears it's the least I can do since I appear to be the root of all this mess.

Angel: That's not true. Listen Wes, what I said before was true. As far as I'm concerned, we're good.

Wesley: I need some air. I'll be in the gardens.

There is a moments silence as he leaves.

Spike: Well that went well. Good on you peaches. You just managed to piss off your best mate.

Angel (grinding his teeth): Shut up Spike.

Spike smiles but says nothing.

Fred (hesitantly): So… why is Conner doing this?

Angel: I don't know. The spell was supposed to make him a normal teenager, give him everything he never had. It wasn't supposed to end up like this.

Cordelia: So where do we get the answers.

Spike: how about from the kid himself? (motions towards Conner who's coming to).

Angel (takes a tentative step towards Conner): Conner?

Conner: Hi dad. Miss me?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

[Watcher's Council, England]

Giles is on the phone talking to someone on the phone. Buffy, Xander, Anya & an old man are present in the room. After a moment Giles hangs up & looks at the other three.

Giles: That was Mr. Clarkson. He had some very interesting news. Apparently one of our slayers, a Riana Gilchrist had been missing for close to a week now.

Buffy: Another victim?

Anya: had been?

Giles: Yes. There was no word from her for almost a week until an hour ago. Apparently Mr. Clarkson got a phone call from her today saying that she was alright & with Wolfram & Hart.

Buffy (shocked): What?!

Giles: Yes well that was my reaction too. She had quite a story to tell. Apparently, the night she disappeared, she was out patrolling when she was attacked by a young man. He beat her up pretty badly & would've probably killed her if it weren't for the intervention of a Mr. Charles Gunn & a Mr. Wyndham Pryce.

There is a shocked silence.

Old Man: There must be some mistake. He can't help himself. How could he help another?

Buffy: Wesley? Isn't he working with Angel? At Wolfram & Hart?

Anya: Who's Wesley?

Xander: He was Buffy's watcher. He made me look heroic.

Buffy (to Xander): You've always been heroic Xand.

They share a smile.

Anya: Oh you mean the one who screamed like a woman? The one who had the 'maturity of a blueberry scone'?

Giles (embarrassed): uh…yes.

Buffy: What else did she say?

Giles: When Ms. Gilchrist woke up, she was to say the least surprised to find herself at Wolfram & Hart. However what surprised her most was that they didn't try to do anything to her. The CEO allowed her to go if she wanted to. However she was too weak to leave at the moment. When she did decide to leave & went to inform them, she found that her earlier assailant was there holding one of them captive.

Anya: what happened next? Who's the CEO?

Buffy: Angel.

Giles: According to her they were beaten badly & I quote 'took a pounding' end quote. The young man seemed to have phenomenal strength & took out Angel easily enough.

Buffy stiffens but Giles continues.

Giles: They would've all died if it weren't for the second Vampire who with the help of another member took him down.

Buffy: Another vampire?

Giles: Yes. However she didn't catch his name.

Old Man: So it would seem that Angelus is continuing the line of Aurelius.

Giles: We don't know that.

Old Man: Did you just defend Angelus, Rupert?

Giles: No. I just stated a fact.

Buffy: getting back to topic, where is she now?

Giles: that's the strange part. She didn't disclose her location. Just that she would return later.

Anya: So in other words, she has capitulated to the charms of her 'rescuers'. A classic case of damsel in distress. Or maybe she is suffering from the Slayer affliction and is enamored by her vampiric rescuer.

Buffy: Hey!

Xander: Well you must admit that this does ring a bell, Buff.

Anya: so what are we going to do?

Giles: That seems to be the question of the hour, doesn't it? Any suggestions?

Old Man: I say that we send our own personnel to investigate this matter. Things are progressing too quickly. The reason the Old Council failed was that they didn't act.

Xander: I agree with Ole' Roger over there. We should do something.

Giles: well that is an idea. Any other suggestions?

Buffy: Roger's suggestion seems best.

Giles: alright then. Now… who should we send? We need someone who doesn't have a history with them, who will remain impartial & not let emotions cloud their judgment.

Buffy: Hey!

Xander: I see your 'Hey' & raise another. HEY!

Giles: what? (He realizes that his last sentence may have struck a little closer to home than he intended). Oh…. Sorry. Didn't mean it like that.

Roger: May I suggest myself?

Giles: No. While you may not have any emotional attachments, you do have relation. How about… Anya?

Buffy: Anya?

Anya: Me?

Giles: Yes why not? You don't have any emotional attachments whatsoever. And I trust you judgment as much as I trust Willow, Xander or Buffy's.

Anya (touched): Thanks.

Giles: No need. Ask Roger. He'll agree with me.

Roger: Yes. Rupert is quite right. You'll do fine Ms. Jenkins. I suggest you get ready. You should leave by tonight.

Anya nods her head & leaves.

Xander: You're letting her go? You know she barely survived her last mission. If Buffy hadn't found her then she would've gone down with the rest of Sunnydale High.

Giles: She will do fine Xander. Besides she will not be going alone. She will have backup.

Xander (heaves a sigh of relief): Who?

Giles: Fukou & Dawn.

Buffy: What??? Are you out of your mind?

Xander: Again…I second that. Have you gone nuts?

Buffy: Giles she's too young. She's just finished School.

Giles: No Buffy. She is 18. Two years older than when you first had you assignment. I understand your concern but she is not a little girl anymore. She can handle herself as well as anybody. Besides her knowledge of demons will be a great asset to Anya.

Buffy: you've really thought this through, haven't you?

Giles: quite.

Xander: Fukou?

Giles: yes.

Xander: But she's not a slayer.

Giles: I know. That's why I'm sending her. She will not be a target. Besides her prowess at controlling the element Wind has been quite astounding. She will do nicely.

Xander: I guess.

Giles: Have some faith in Anya's abilities Xander. She has trained Fukou well.

Roger (saying into the telecom): Send Ms. Summers & Ms. Karisawa up.

[5minutes later]

Dawn & Fukou enter. Fukou is a Japanese girl having pinkish red hair, same height as Buffy & is wearing shorts & a top. She has a smiling pixyish face. Both of them are chewing bubble gums.

Dawn: What's the what Giles?

Roger (coldly): We have an assignment for you. Both of you will be leaving for LA with Ms. Jenkins.

Dawn: Huh? When? I mean why?

Giles: you will investigate the disappearance & murder of Slayers that has been occurring there. You will follow Anya's orders. And you will be careful.

Dawn (to Buffy): you're ok with this?

Buffy (taking a deep breath): I'm not exactly jumping with joy but this is something that needs to get done. You'll do as well as anybody.

Dawn: Gee…nice to know you have faith in me.

Fukou (barely hiding her excitement): when are we leaving?

Roger: Tonight. I suggest you get ready. Ms. Jenkins will explain your roles to you.

The two girls nod & then leave.

Giles (looks at Buffy, Xander & Roger): There is something else I wanted to talk to you about.

Xander: So spill it G-man.

Roger (Coldly): Alexander I know it must be hard but try to act like an educated & civilized person.

Xander (smiling): What'd I say, huh Buff? Time to pay. (Holds out his hand, palm up).

Buffy (grumbling): Darn.  (Pays $50 to Xander, then turns to Roger) why do you have to be so predictable?

Giles: If you're quite done, can I explain?

Buffy (looks to Xander): What do you say? Should we?

Xander (looks at Giles who's cleaning his glasses a little too roughly): I think I'll take pity on the poor glasses. Go ahead…….G-man.

Giles: There have been some other events that have been occurring. Did any of you heard about what happened in Russia?

The others look at each other blankly.

Buffy: No. What?

Giles: there were several fires across the country. All of them took place at the same time.

Xander: So? That's hardly sweat worthy Giles.

Giles: Reserve your judgment till you've seen what I'm about to show you.

Takes a remote control & pushes a button. A screen appears at a side wall. It has a strange map on it. The map looks like a combination of a weather map combined with a seismic map.

Roger: what's this?

Giles: That is a map detailing all the hotspots present on the planet. It also shows all the hell-mouths known to us. It's called a Dark Map.

Buffy: Ok…now what?

Giles (points to a region showing black spots on the map): See this. This happened last night. All these were the hotspots present inside Russia. Last night they all suddenly extinguished.

Roger: That's impossible. A hotspot cannot be extinguished.

Giles: Yes. I thought so too. But all the power present in those areas is gone. There is nothing there anymore. According to our investigation teams, all of them had a six-edged star present on the ground. All the locations were charred as if someone had torched them.

Xander: so maybe someone used them up.

Giles: A hotspot is usually used for dimensional travel and/or for powerful magic. Do you have any idea what amount of powerful magic is required to extinguish a hotspot, let alone several?

Roger: what about their keepers? Those hotspots normally had keepers positioned at them to guard their powers.

Giles: all were found dead. The nature & the style of killings matches those found in LA.

Buffy: what?

Giles: Yes. I'm afraid that whatever's happening in LA is connected to all this.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

[Interior, Unknown]

Shishio & Yumi are alone in a room. Houji enters.

Houji: It is done, my Lord.

Shishio: Excellent. Any problems?

Houji: No my Lord.

Shishio: Did you find where Gentatsu is?

Houji: he is dead my Lord.

Shishio: How?

Houji: He was found in the woods outside of LA. He did accomplish his mission though.

Shishio: Who was it?

Houji: We don't know. We haven't identified the technique yet.

Shishio (smiling coldly):  Did he have part of his head cut off?

Houji: Yes.

Shishio: It was him.

Houji: Battousai?

Shishio: No. He's not Battousai yet. Interesting. (after a beat) Tell Soujiro to find him.

Houji (bows): yes my Lord. (Leaves)

Yumi walks towards Shishio. She is 5' 5" in height. Has auburn colored hair & is quite beautiful.

Yumi: Why do you think it was he?

Shishio (raking a hand through Yumi's hair): He used his favorite technique. Besides Gentatsu wasn't some child who could be beaten so easily. It was him

Shishio: Is Ra'vaer awake yet?

Yumi: Not much longer. He shall be your by tomorrow.

Shishio: Has the boy been found yet?

Yumi: No my Lord.

Shishio: Find him. After all… I can't fulfil my promise without him.

Yumi: yes my Lord. (Leaves)

Shishio (sitting on his throne): Yes…my promise.

 Darkness all around.

 He could feel the heat. It burned his very essence. He couldn't even scream. The pain was so intence that he'd forgotten how to scream. He wished he hadn't been so foolish. How could a man of his genius fail to notice the signs of their betrayal?

Pain.

Anger.

Torture.

Rage.

He could feel himself slipping. No matter. He'll see them in hell soon & then they will pay.

'Shishio'

He could feel something calling to him.

'Wh-who said that?'

'You may call me the First.'

'The First what?'

'You know who I am. You can feel me.'

'Evil.'

'Yes. I have summoned you here for a purpose.'

'Nobody summons me!'

'then it please me to be the first.'

'State your business.'

'This is my command. You are to destroy the Slayers. That filth is responsible for my exile. I want you to eliminate them. & prepare for my emergence.'

'Why should I? What's in it for me?'

'Your bargaining posture is dubious. But very well, I will provide you with power & minions loyal to you. And a chance at vengeance.'

'And?'

'And nothing! You belong to me now.'

'I belong to nobody!'

'Hmm….perhaps I misjudged you. Very well. Proceed…on your way to oblivion.'

PAIN RIPPING AT HIS SOUL!

'Aarghh….I accept.'

'Excellent.'

He could feel the fire burning him. His soul was on fire, yet he could sense himself growing stronger. He could feel his decayed form regenerating, power like he'd never felt before. The only thought that remained in his mind was

'DESTROY THEM! Destroy or be Destroyed!'

The thought kept repeating itself until it had burnt its way to his very soul.

He remembered it like it had happened just now. How he had been freed after (what seemed to him) like an eternity. He had learned that the world had changed a bit since he had last laid eyes on it. The First had remained true to its promise. His power had grown limitless. He had also learned what had happened that had induced the First in recruiting him; how it had been defeated by the slayers due to unforeseen help from the cursed vampire. How said cursed vampire had defeated another acolyte of the First, the Beast; how the Fallen Power had nearly succeeded, only to fall at the hands of its own ally.

Now he was going to succeed where others had failed. He would succeed because he was not some Fallen power or demon or god. Instead he was human. His strength came from his belief 

"In this world the flesh of the weak is food for the strong. The Strong live; the weak die."

And he was strong. He was strong before & it had taken treachery to bring about his downfall. Now, his power was even greater. This time he would not fail and he would have his revenge!

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

AN#2: Another chapter done. I know this chapter was low on action but I have to get all the players in the same place & build up a plot. Action will come soon. I promise. Also… Imzadi there will be more Lindsey soon. I promise. He was supposed to be in this chapter as well but as you can see, it kind of got big. Also….B/A fans, don't worry. There will be definite B/A!

AN#3: I am really disappointed by the low reviews I've been getting for the past 2 or 3 chapters. I am currently muse-less. I need ideas people. Anybody with ANY idea, plz come forward. I need reviews people!

Here's hoping I'll get more reviews.

Btw….which team are u lot supporting in the Euro 2004? I'm going with either France, England or Sweden.