Another Night

Another note has arrived, delivered in the same manner. Giles hands it to Buffy without saying a word. She unfolds it and reads; a grim expression on her face. "How nicely you've delivered a lovely lady to keep me occupied while I wait for you. Hurry, I have yet to master keeping them alive for long. Signed, Jack the Ripper."

"Who, Giles?" Buffy asks simply. "Who left?"

Giles shrugs. "I don't know, Buffy. I brought this to you directly. I haven't had time to search yet."

"Find out. If it's someone we know, we can have Willow do a locater spell. We'll find him before he can hurt her too bad," Buffy says.

Giles nods and leaves to find the main office, where an emergency P.A. system has been set up. He presses the transmit button and announces: "Attention everyone in the building. We need everyone to gather in the conference room for a head count. Excuses will not be tolerated. This is a mandatory headcount. If you are not there in five minutes, you will be considered missing."

Buffy is in the conference room in less than a minute. It's not long before men and women pour in, many of which appear ready for bed. Buffy stands at the podium, scanning the crowd and making the count in her head. She is soon joined by Giles and Xander. "What's the buzz about?" he asks seriously.

"Someone's missing. Jack has her," Buffy says simply, eyes still on the people filing in.

"Jeez, it's always something," Xander mutters as he starts to make his own count.

Faith and Robin take their places behind Buffy. Rather than ask anything, they begin their own count. Dawn comes in with a clipboard and starts checking names. "Good thinking, Mini-B," Faith says as an aside.

"Someone has to be organized around here," Dawn replies. "And don't call me that."

"Hey, where the hell is Willow and Kennedy?" Buffy suddenly asks.

Dawn puts down her clipboard. "Mystery solved. They're whose missing."

"The note only said one," Giles says slowly. "But I wouldn't hold it against a vampire to lie and use extra leverage. This is bad, Buffy."

Willow walks in then. "It's Kennedy, guys. I can't find her anywhere."

"Well, then, we're good, right?" Faith says snidely. "Good riddance to bad trash."

Willow whirls on Faith. "You shut your damned mouth. It's your fault she left," she turns to look at Buffy. "She said something about earning her place here."

"Jack must have found her," Buffy sighs. "Great. I'll go after her. Make sure no one leaves."

"I'm going with you," Willow says. She sees Buffy's frown and shakes her head. "You can't stop me, Buffy. I have to be there with her. If we're too late…" she fades into determined silence.

"Fine. Giles, make sure everyone stays here," Buffy leaves to head toward their weapon cache, a closet full of various Slayer gear. There were many closets like this all over the hotel, in case of an emergency.

Willow follows Buffy quietly. When they get to the closet, Buffy turns to face Willow. "You know what Jack the Ripper is capable of. You've seen his handiwork."

"I know."

"If we find Kennedy and she's been hurt," Buffy sees Willow's eyes darken. "I'll take you down if I have to, Will."

"What?" Willow's expression changes in a blink of an eye.

Buffy shakes her head and gathers a few stakes, stuffing them into her pockets. "You won't be evil Willow again. Not on my watch. If I see so much a black strand of hair, you're going to get knocked out, got it?"

"Got it…" Willow murmurs. She knows what she's capable of and fears it more than anything. She knows that Buffy is just trying to protect her. "But if he's hurt her, Buffy--"

"We'll deal with it. Together," Buffy puts an encouraging hand on her friends' shoulder. "We take care of our own here."

Jack the Ripper is a tall, handsome man. His blue eyes are piercing as he stares out at the night sky from his lair within the machinery of Big Ben. Brown hair flowing to past his shoulders and a billowing cape wave in the high winds. He smiles a cruel, mirthless smile as he turns to face his latest victim.

Kennedy struggles against the bonds that hold her to a long table. She tries to kick and thrash her way out but to no avail. She growls in frustration and strains her neck to look at her captor. "What the hell do you want with me?"

Jack's smile broadens, this time revealing pleasure. "I want what I've wanted with all the others…"

"I'm not like your other girls, you moron," Kennedy hisses.

"Oh, I'm quite aware, Slayer," Jack replied, stepping towards Kennedy. He stands over her, looking down with a sadistic grin. Reaching down, he traces a finger down Kennedy's jaw line. "You're very different. But inside," he presses a long fingernail into Kennedy's neck. "You're all the same."

Kennedy sets her teeth, bracing herself for pain. Jack merely walks away. "They all beg, in the end."

"The girls?" Kennedy asks, unable to stop herself.

"Everyone. They all beg for me to end their pathetic lives," Jack looks out at London. "Just once I'd like a woman of strength. One to shed more than just tears and blood to me. A Slayer is more than that. All of you Slayers are more."

Jack shakes his head. "You will be the first. How convenient of you to gather here in London. I can pick you off, one by one. I hear a Slayer's blood is to die for. Seeing as I'm already dead, I don't think I have much to fear."

For the first time in a long time, Kennedy is actually afraid. "We're never alone."

"You were."