FIC: A New World (4/?)
"Where are we heading to Mr. Giles?"
"A former Watcher colleague has a country house an hour or so away," he replied to Rona's question.
"A Watcher?" Xander queried. "Are you sure he can be trusted? I mean with all the mass resignations."
Giles was briefly surprised that Xander had been sober enough for him to notice of the resignations that had followed his changes to the Council including the banning of the Cruicatmen, the changing of Watcher entry requirements, and introduction of a Slayer salary. "He wasn't a hard liner," he explained. "And he didn't resign then. He resigned in June '98. He is Samuel Zabuto."
Xander's single eye filled with understanding and his mouth opened but Vi beat him to it. "Who?"
"The Watcher of the Slayer between Buffy and Miss. Psycho," Xander explained.
Giles cast his son a worried glance. While he was relieved that the young man had been shocked out of his depression by recent events his continuing attitude towards Faith was a cause for concern. He resolved to have a word with the founding Scooby as soon as possible. A very stern word.
He smiled as he stepped out of the shadows, enjoying the vampires' confusion. "I mean what is it with you guys?" he continued. "All brooding and mysterious. Leaves a normal guy feeling all inferior. 'Course," he tilted his head to one side and smiled. "I'm not exactly normal."
His preamble finished, he leapt into action. After slamming a stake home into the nearest vampire's chest, he executed a side kick into the stomach of another demon, lifting it off its feet and propelling it into the near-by wall. Even as the vampire stumbled away from the wall, he sprang to meet it, his stake smashing into its heart.
Carrying on his charge, he rushed through the monster's dust and ran half-way up the wall before leaping off and cart wheeling to land behind the last two vampires. Before either vampire had chance to react he staked them both in lightning succession. "W..who are you?" a shaky voice demanded from behind him.
His mouth dried when he turned to face his questioner. Even with her cheeks puffy and her eyes bloodshot from crying, she was still one of the three most beautiful women he'd ever seen. Finding his tongue he straightened. "I'm Connor," he pronounced. "Son of Angel and Darla."
"The Circle of Black Thorn?"
"Decimated sir. The units' performance exceeded expectations.""Excellent, another force for evil gone," his leader nodded his approval. "And what of Angelus?"
"His hotel was destroyed with him and his companions within it."
"No confirmed kills?"
"No sir, but the entire building was annihilated in a ball of fire."
"Very well," his commanding officer looked far from satisfied. "Rosenberg and her pet Slayer?"
"Both confirmed dead."
"Excellent. And Summers?"
"Dead," he paused. "However our agents report that her sister escaped."
"Pah," his boss waved away that part of news. "Dawn Summers is of no consequence, a freak. Nothing more than a loose end that can be tied up at my leisure." His leader leaned towards his videophone screen, his eyes intense. "What of Martin, did she leave to follow Harris?"
"According to our inside source she was out of the building when we destroyed it."
"Excellent!" his leader beamed. "And what of the vampire I ordered?" "She has been captured sir."He attempted to keep his tone neutral but his disgust must have come through because his commander's eyes hardened. "You have a problem with my orders?"
"Sir, it's just I don't understand why the plan requires a vampire."
"It doesn't," the older man smiled, his eyes cold enough to chill ice. "I require it. You see, the demon I had you abduct has a reputation for sadism that is unparalled even amongst her fellow vampires. That little street tramp fancies she has the knack for torture, but I want to show her different. Besides I have a debt to pay."
"What's happening?" Angel groaned as he awoke pain shooting through his battered body. Not even his battles with Buffy, the Beast, or Faith had left him this broken up inside.
"We were attacked by a flame spell or dragon," the goddess informed him, her tone flat."There were two of them?" Angel groaned, now that just wasn't fair. He suddenly realised that the Old One was carrying him cradled in her arms. Embarrassed, he let out a shout. "Put me down!"
The godhuman hybrid sighed long-sufferingly. "You are injured," she replied. "It makes more sense for me to carry you."
"Put. Me. Down," he repeated through gritted teeth.
"Very well." The goddess released her grip, dropping him into the sewage.Angel glared up at the expressionless figure stood over him. "I said put me down, not drop -," his voice trailed off as he looked around. "Where are the others?"
Something indefinable flickered in Illyria's eyes. "The half-breed called Spike and the human named Gunn both died."
The first emotion to hit him was sadness. And then a cold rage erupted, first Doyle, then Cordelia, then Wesley, and now Gunn. Every single one of his friends dead. Spike, his grand-childe too. Somebody was going to pay. Ignoring the pain and weariness afflicting him, he struggled to his feet. "Who?" he demanded, his voice hoarse with pain and anger.
The hybrid shook her head. "I know not."
"Then we had best find out," he declared. "And then kill them all."
"A worthy goal," Illyria nodded.
"Glad you approve."
"Connor?" hope flared in Dawn's heart. Willow had told her about meeting Angel's son, how he was nearly the match of his father. And the boy did sort of look like a skinnier version of the ensoulled vampire. Maybe there was a chance for her sister after all. "What are you doing here?"
"I came here with a message for your sister."
Dawn turned back to her apartment. "She's in there being attacked. Maybe-."
"No," the child of two vampires interrupted. "I can't sense any heartbeats in there. She's dead."
"NO!" Dawn felt her legs buckle, a pair of strong arms grab from behind and then darkness descend.
Giles drove up the gravel drive that led to his fellow Watcher's thatched cottage, the nervousness he would normally have felt at meeting the aging legend buried under the morning's tumultuous events. "We're here," he announced as he eased onto the brakes, halting the stolen vehicle just outside the front door. Looking over his shoulder to the back seat, he saw all three girls were glassy eyed. "Vi, Rona," he tried for a soothing tone but wasn't at all sure he succeeded. "Please take Faith inside." Once the trio had climbed out of the car, he turned to Xander beside him. "Son, I appreciate your efforts today. But please, ease up on Faith, she's suffering enough at this moment."
"Why should I?"
Giles fought back a sigh at Xander's bitter tone, he knew first-hand how stubborn the younger man could be. "Xander, you are the most forgiving person I know. You forgave Buffy all her mistakes, Anya for sleeping with Spike, Willow for trying to kill you, and me for running out on you all following Buffy's second resurrection. What makes Faith so different?"
"I love you guys, her I don't. I could have once, but she threw that back in my face."
"Well at least-."
"Mr Giles!" his head snapped towards a grey-faced Rona stood in the house's doorway. "Mr. Zabuto's dead!"
