Disclaimer: I don't own a thing.
Summary: Post AtS and BtVS, Faith and Xander are approached by a secret government agency. Surprises all around.
Rating: PG-13
Chapter 16: Breakout
Sam keyed the door open and glanced at the guards. "Commander Finn would like to speak to you," she said shortly.
"Uh, what about the prisoner?" asked the lead guard. "Sir."
"I'm here, and I've got a Slayer with me," said Sam. "I'll take care of it."
The guards filed out slowly, and Faith watched them go with a sullen frown. She still wasn't sure she entirely approved of breaking the crazy vampire out of the government compound. She'd called Drusilla Hannibal Lectra earlier in the day, and now that the sun was setting outside the title seemed even more apt.
After the guards were gone Spike materialized out of the shadows with all the shadowy grace of the vampire he'd been, casually disabling the surveillance system with a sweep of him arm, leaving the cord dangling from the camera in the corner.
"All right, Dru, let's go," said Spike, his voice harsh.
Faith had expected something a little grander, nicer, and soft from him. Drusilla giggled, tugging at her chains.
Sam moved forward, unlocking the vampire's bonds quickly and jumping back. Drusilla swayed to her feet with an almost hypnotic grace, smiling widely at Sam. "Fly home, little birdy," she whispered. "The darkness roams free."
"Not while I'm here, it doesn't," said Spike, grabbing hold of Drusilla's wrist. "All right, Slayer, let's go."
"I'll sound the alarm in about fifteen minutes," said Sam wearily as they left. She waited till they were out of sight to grab the radio on her hip. "Riley?" she said, keeping her voice low in case Drusilla was still close enough to eavesdrop.
"Sam? Everything go all right?"
"Just like you said it would," she said, smiling and relaxing, shifting from the tense posture she'd maintained in Drusilla's presence. "Did you call Connor?"
"Yeah. He's good with it," said Riley. "I'll go tell the Slayers in about, oh, five minutes."
"I said fifteen," said Sam.
"Okay, ten," said Riley. "Spike suspect anything?"
"Not a thing," said Sam. "By the way, Faith's with him."
"What?" said Riley, surprised.
--
Xander carefully loaded the revolver he kept in his bag, locking the safety on carefully as he stowed it. The bullets were silver, with crosses etched into the sides. It wasn't a very effective weapon against most vampires, but you never knew when you'd meet a werewolf—or worse.
He then added the collapsible crossbow.
He stopped for a second, reveling in the irony. The weapons that he packed were all distance weapons, because he didn't like to get close to the monsters. But with only one eye, his ability to shoot was extremely limited.
Which meant that once again, he was entirely useless in a fight.
He zipped the bag closed, closing his eyes and wishing he were anywhere but here. Wishing that somehow he could take back the last week of his life. Maybe if he had grabbed Faith and gotten her out of Boston before they found Spike, maybe things would still be okay.
If being partnered up with Faith was really okay.
He slung the bag over his shoulder angrily, moving to the door. "Stupid, stupid, stupid," he muttered angrily, rubbing his good eye with his free hand.
As he moved down the hall he heard people coming the other way. He debated retreating to his room and letting them go by, just because he was in such a sour mood. But then it was too late, and he could see Faith and Spike coming his way, towing Drusilla behind them.
His first thought was, just great, the last two people I wanted to see. Then he realized that they had Drusilla with them, and he mentally amended, last three people.
"Xander!" said Faith, surprised.
"Faith," said Xander cautiously, meeting her gaze. She flushed and looked away. Oh, he thought. If only I'd known that sooner.
Spike glared at Xander. "Bugger all," he groaned.
Then Xander finally got past the initial lurch in his stomach at seeing Faith and processed the rest of the equation. Spike. Drusilla. Moving quickly.
"You're breaking Drusilla out! You are evil!" Xander yelled, in a panic.
"Am not!" retorted Spike. He paused, horrified. "We're not back to this song and dance, are we?" His face hardened into a mask of potential violence. "Out of the way, monkey-boy. We're going."
Faith put a hand on Spike's chest, holding him back. "We're breaking her out," she said flatly.
"You can't be serious!" said Xander. "I mean, she's all with the crazy, and the evil! And he's not even…they're both crazy!"
"At least I speak in complete sentences," replied Drusilla. "When the stars allow, of course."
Xander ignored her, continuing his rant. "For crying out loud, you're the one who was talking about staking the crazy vampire before! But now that Spike's your main man, of course you're with him on breaking her out of the one place in the world they can hold her!"
Spike pushed Faith away, moving forward. "Hey, Harris!" he snarled. "A few things. First of all, Dru's got a chip in her head. Just. Like. Mine. Second thing!" He let go of Dru's arm, leaving Faith to hold the vampire. "I. Don't. Now, you want to have this conversation? We have fifteen minutes. We can have it walking." He grabbed Xander's arm and pushed him forward, back towards Xander's room.
"Oh, I suppose you have some plan to escape!" snarled Xander.
"I have a getaway car all ready," replied Spike smoothly.
--
Angel glanced around at the Slayers who'd woken him up, blinking sleepily. "What?" he repeated, not sure he'd heard them.
"We're leaving," said the leader firmly.
There was a cough at the door and Giles entered. "We have a car waiting downstairs, Angel. Do you need a minute?"
He sat up, swinging his legs over the side of the bed, revealing that all he was wearing was a pair of silk boxers. At least one of the Slayers drew a quick breath at the sight.
Ah, I still have it, thought his ego happily.
"Just give me a chance to get dressed," he said, the embarrassed part of his brain taking over.
"Of course," said Rupert, glancing to the girls.
They retreated, leaving Angel alone in his prison room. He chuckled at the thought appreciatively. Yesterday he'd had the free run of the entire government compound, but the Slayers were making it very clear that they wouldn't be as carefree when it came to it.
He supposed that Riley was so much more lax just because he'd been in league with Spike and Connor.
Angel began dressing in his black clothes carefully, putting the leather pants Angelus had been wearing back on. He didn't have any others, and he really wanted to find some soon.
Black leather pants just seemed so…evil.
He wished he could still feel his mental connection to Spike. As disturbing as that had always been, it had been a constant, even if a constant irritant. Now he was alone in his head, except for the link to Drusilla, and that was nowhere near as comforting as Spike's presence.
Somehow, in the time that Spike had worked with him at Wolfram and Hart, he'd come to rely on his Childe. Or, former Childe now that Spike was human.
He'd come to rely on the strength and unswerving moral character of Spike—and that thought was almost enough to make him laugh in the insane way Spike had taken to laughing.
Spike had earned his redemption, realized Angel. Spike had learned right from wrong the hard way, by attacking Buffy. He'd learned that his lack of a soul really did endanger those around him, in a way that nobody could have predicted.
And he'd used that knowledge, instead of brooding. He'd gone and changed himself into the sort of man Buffy deserved when he'd realized that he wasn't that man.
Angel gritted his teeth. Somehow Spike had become his hero, and that was so twisted and backwards that it really, really grated.
He was glad, though, that he was leaving as a prisoner. This would be a chance for him to relearn the hard lessons he'd forgotten. A chance for him to reevaluate his priorities.
A chance to rebuild everything Wolfram and Hart had destroyed.
The last time he'd gone to hell it had been body and soul, even with the demon thrown in. Angelus had been helpful, then, in surviving. The demon within him, the demon he could still feel struggling within him, was powerful, and had taken the brunt of the punishment.
This time, he'd been there alone. No demon. No body. Just himself, his soul.
He'd been insane when he returned from hell. This time his sanity was more or less intact, but he felt even more bruised, even more destroyed, than that first time.
He finished dressing and knocked on the door, stepping out into the room full of Slayers. "I'm ready," he said simply.
--
Xander glared at Faith as he was forced backwards by Spike's hand. "What about your loyalty to the rest of the Slayers?" he asked. "No way you're saying this is what they'd do."
"Maybe, but maybe it's the right thing," shot Faith. "Think about it a minute."
"You're letting an evil vampire free!" protested Xander.
"No, we're not," growled Spike. "We are going to keep her under lock and key. We're going to try and redeem her. Would your precious Slayers have done that?"
"You can't redeem someone forcefully!" said Xander, still protesting. He hated the way Spike was making him walk, the lack of control and the amount of trusting Spike he had to do just to keep going. And it was making him dizzy. "You of all people should know that! The chip is not enough!"
"Then we do it Angel-style and shove a soul down her throat!" snapped Spike, his eyes flashing with anger.
Xander swallowed in frustration and rage. "Faith!" he protested, loudly, looking away from Spike and focusing on her. She was pulling along Drusilla behind Spike. "Come on, this is insane!"
She glared at him. "I know that," she replied.
"And you're helping him!" yelped Xander. "Come on!"
"It was that or tell Angel," said Faith. "What do you want me to do!"
"We were going to take Drusilla with us!" snarled Xander. "Did he tell you that? Probably put her in the cell next to Angel!"
"Wouldn't like that, not since the Angel-beast won't shut up any more," said Drusilla, pouting.
Spike kept pushing Xander, pushing him around a corner and down another corridor. "I don't have time to discuss the moral and ethical implications!" he hissed. "You lot would use her, probably abuse her, and nobody deserves that! Nobody!"
"I resent that!" said Xander. "We never staked you, did we?"
Spike glared at the other man. "This is not about me," he said levelly. "Don't make this about me or I will kill you."
Xander rolled his eyes. "Oh, yeah, that's going to convince me you're not evil!" he snapped.
A loud wailing siren filled the room, causing Spike and Faith to both wince. Drusilla clapped her hands, laughing. "Now we'll run!" she reported happily.
Spike began running, practically lifting Xander off the ground and running with him. "Bugger!" he snarled.
Faith began running, surprised when Drusilla was able to match her pace despite the dress, still giggling.
--
Angel was in the parking garage with the Slayers when he heard the alarm go off. He sighed, working it out mentally in a matter of seconds.
"What the devil?" exclaimed Giles, looking around.
"Relax," said Angel. "Did you ask Riley for Drusilla?"
"Yes…why?" asked Giles suspiciously.
Angel shrugged. "I don't think Spike likes the idea, that's all," he said.
Giles' eyes widened in realization. He glanced around at the handful of Slayers with them. "All the others have gone—Faith! She's still here, somewhere!"
Angel frowned. "Um, she's here, actually."
Giles turned around, facing the four who had entered the parking garage. "Oh, bugger!" Yelled Spike, letting Xander go. Faith, holding Drusilla, hesitated. This hadn't been part of the plan at all.
"Faith?" said Giles, his eyes widening again as he realized she was helping Spike.
She shrugged. "Sorry," she said, looking away from him and at the vampire she was holding. Drusilla smiled wanly.
"Sorry," whispered the vampire.
Spike glared at the ring of Slayers, and glanced at the DeSoto at the other end of the garage. "Bugger!" he swore again.
Giles glanced at the Slayers with him, doing the mental math. "Um, Angel?" he asked quietly.
"Yeah?" said Angel, his voice lowered too.
"Do you want to let them go?" asked Giles.
Angel immediately made the connection. Giles was afraid that if he told the Slayers to stop Spike, Angel would start fighting too. In which case Spike would probably get away with Drusilla.
"That depends," said Angel carefully, watching Spike. "Can you give me a minute with him?"
Giles glanced at Angel, surprised by his answer. "Are you sure?" he asked.
"I need to know why he's doing this," said Angel.
"All right," said Giles, knowing already that he was going to regret this. If Angel ran off with Spike and Drusilla, then he'd probably have a heart attack.
Angel moved forward, closer to the ex-vampire and his crazy Childe. "Hello," he said cautiously.
Spike glared at him, ignoring the death look Xander was giving him as he inched cautiously away. "Look, you know as well as I that she doesn't deserve the treatment they'll give her!"
"Actually, she does," pointed out Angel seriously. "Evil, remember?"
"She's not that evil!" protested Spike, shifting his stance. His new stance was even more aggressive, and Angel felt a twinge of unease.
"You aren't going to fight me over this, are you?" asked Angel. Spike glared into the vampires' brown eyes, refusing to budge an inch.
"I am," whispered Spike.
Angel glanced to Faith. "Faith," he said quietly. "Why are you doing this?"
Faith glanced to Xander, then to Spike. She shrugged, and Angel could see the lost look in her eyes. "It was that or stop him," she said finally.
Angel nodded. "I know how you feel," he said with a sigh. "Look, this is an awful lot to put on my shoulders. Why didn't you ask us? Talk about it?" He glanced to Spike, directing the question at him.
"Because the Watcher won't like it, no matter how much I talk about it."
Faith swallowed. "Spike was talking about getting her a soul," she said quietly.
Angel glanced to Spike. "Lot's of people are bad despite their souls, Spike," he said quietly. "I stayed evil long after I got one."
"She's already in the insanity stage," joked Spike. "I'm sure that'll help her move on."
"Darla couldn't handle her soul," said Angel.
"I'll be there to help Dru through this," said Spike. "Come on, Angel!"
It was Spike's uncharacteristic use of his name that finally made Angel decide. "All right, William," he said. "But don't screw around with this. Do it right, and get it done." He glanced to Faith. "Are you going with him?"
She tightened her grip on Drusilla's arm. "Well, somebody has to keep him in line," she said, lacing her words with sarcasm.
Angel nodded, glancing to Xander, who glared back at him sullenly.
"You're letting them go," said Xander in disbelief. "I can't believe this!"
"You think it's a problem?" asked Angel.
"Isn't it obviously one?!" demanded Xander, stuffing his hands in his pockets defensively.
Angel shrugged. "Then go with them," he advised, turning and heading back to Giles. Giles was gazing intently at him, and he shrugged as he got closer.
"Well?" asked Giles.
"Spike wants to give back her soul, and although it's kind of risky, I think he should have that chance," said Angel. "He's still a little unstable, but Faith should be able to keep him on the straight and narrow. Do you trust her?"
Giles' eyes narrowed. "Don't put this on my shoulders!" he complained.
"Sorry," said Angel. "But I think this might be better for all concerned."
"We were going to hold him, too," sighed Giles. "Try to work through that instability…" He glanced at the group crowded near the door, watching them. "What about Xander? Is he part of this?"
"He seems to be a voice of dissent," said Angel, glancing back at them.
Giles sighed. "Well, I don't suppose I have much choice," he noted.
Angel smiled. "I'm sorry," he said. "Look at it this way. You'd never have been able to hold Spike for long anyway, and this way he's on a mission. Why don't you make it kind of semi-official, tell them you sanction it, tell Xander to go with them and report to you regularly."
Giles smiled. "So that way I'm placated, and we can both track them, eh?" he asked Angel.
Angel's smile widened. "Of course."
Giles sighed, approaching the group at the door. "I don't know why this surprises me," he muttered. "Spike, Faith." He swallowed, glancing to Xander, surprised by the sudden dryness in his throat. "Alexander. I understand you're all going on a quest to restore Drusilla's soul?"
"Yeah," said Spike roughly.
"Good, good," said Giles quickly, rubbing his hands together. They were damp. And his throat was dry. He could already feel the craving for alcohol to numb his poor, shell-shocked mind. "Xander, you will of course give me regular reports, I trust?"
Xander blinked. "What?"
"Well, if you and Faith are going on another of your adventures," said Giles, floundering a bit. "I trust you'll give me at least weekly reports, although I know you prefer monthly reports. But since you're, um, traveling with a vampire, I'll need the additional reports to make, um, make sure you're safe."
Xander scowled. "But…" he trailed off, unwilling to say he'd requested a reassignment in front of Faith. "Well, of course," he said.
Spike blinked. "I don't…" He frowned as the implications of the decision sank in. "Oh, I hate Angel," he muttered. "All right, yeah, we'll take him, we'll do this, sure," he snarled.
Drusilla blinked. "Then there'll be no fighting?" she asked, disappointed. "I so wanted to see my naughty boys fighting." The pout returned.
Faith chuckled. "Yeah, that would be a sight," she joked nervously, staring at the back of Xander's head. Oh, god, no! she thought desperately. This was the worst possible outcome.
She'd be traveling with Spike and Drusilla, both of whom knew about her little obsession with Xander, and neither of whom could keep their moves shut, and Xander.
Giles nodded. "Great!" he said, a little too enthusiastically. "I'll, um, make sure you have the usual resources at your, um, disposal." He glanced to Faith. "Sorry," he added quickly, turning and striding towards his group of Slayers, who were watching suspiciously.
"Wow," said Xander. "I couldn't imagine the day getting worse, and then it did. Wow. Okay, Dead-boy Junior, lead the way."
Spike didn't say anything, walking straight forward. He gave Angel a nasty look as they passed, heading straight for the DeSoto.
"Oh, shotgun!" sang Drusilla gaily.
Faith glared at her. "No," she said shortly. "I get shotgun." She didn't want to be stuck in the back seat with Xander.
Drusilla pouted. "Not fair," she complained.
"What, and have her ride in the back with me? No way!" said Xander, staring at the vampire.
"Then you ride in the front with me, whelp," growled Spike.
Xander groaned. "Oh, great," he moaned.
A/N: Whenever they get into a great Mexican standoff like that I can just imagine the music from "The Good, The Bad and the Ugly" playing in the background. Dee-dee-dee… WAUGH WAUGH. Anyway, we didn't quite get to Angel's nice cell, or his cellmate, or any of the other wacky things a-happening! Although I do think I tipped my hand about the second half of the fic, and who the starring characters are.
