Faith hurt. Every muscle ached. Her back and neck moaned in agony. She could feel that she was sitting in a chair with her body slumped over a table. Back and neck pain was making her guess she'd been there for a while. The girl couldn't lie there any longer. She pulled her up and sat back in the plush chair she found her self in as she opened her eyes to take in her surroundings.
She found her self in what seemed like a corporate conference room, clearly something where they spared no expense. Glass table. Leather chairs. Tele-conferencing equipment. There were a few things she couldn't recognize as even being of this world.
One wall was nothing but an exterior window. She could tell that she was several stories up, and in a large city. There were other skyscrapers surrounding the building. In the distance of the night sky she could see lights continuing out for miles, but she didn't recognize the skyline.
Since there didn't appear to be any immediate danger, Faith took to the time take stock of her self. Something wasn't right. It was very far from right. While it was nice to be free of the cold steal of the hand cuffs and shackles, the orange jumpsuit that once draped over her body was missing as well. Instead she was now dressed in a very professional business outfit. Blouse, blazer, skirt, heals.
"Who the hell changed my clothes? I'm going to kill them!" She screamed as she shot out of her chair. Faith froze when she caught what she said. No. No more killing. She knew it was an expression, but still. That's when she caught her reflection in the window. It was something she would never have imagined.
Faith stared at her reflection. She looked so different, but it was her. In the gray suit and her hair up in a bun, she looked so insignificant. So unimportant. She used to be someone. She was The Slayer. The one girl in all the world, blah blah blah. Now she was, she looked so dull, so bland. She looked and felt like a cog in the machine. She felt stripped of her identity. She hated it. This was worse then jail.
The petite brunette was examining a new dull silver bracelet that was around her wrist when she awoke, when he heard the door open behind her. She watched two people enter the room from the reflection in the window. Reluctantly she turned the face them, with only a look of hate.
"Sorry about the delay Faith, but we had no idea how long the drugs would last on you. Being the slayer and all," It was the man from the prison. This time he appeared to be well dressed in a pressed and polished gray suit. And wounds from before had been dressed and cleaned. Staying a couple steps behind him was an young lady, blonde hair meticulous placed up into a bun. Pant suit looking flawless on her frame. She wasn't much larger then Faith was, but clearly had an age advantage of several years.
"Look, I don't know who the hell you are. Who you think you are. Or who the hell you think I am, but let me go back to jail." Faith's brown eyes looked hurt and vounerable, as she asked.
"Faith, please have a seat" Said the man as he pulled out a chair for him self and placed him self at the head of the table. The blonde behind him took flank standing just over his right shoulder. She was holding a pile of manila folders in her hands. Faith watched her unblinking as she reluctantly returned to the seat she found her self in before at the foot of the table. Faith couldn't tell if the look she was receiving from the blonde was hate, or jealousy, or if she normally had a stick up her ass.
"Faith, my name is Agent Linnel," the man began his sales pitch. Faith had yet to decide if she was going to care yet, but since, she was pretty much trapped and probably officially 'escaped' from prison, she figured she should. He continued, "and the woman you see to my right is Annette." It took Faith a moment for the name to click, but when she did, she was certain she didn't like her. Faith rubbed her neck.
"We're with the government," Linnel continued, until Faith cut him off, "Wait is this that Inituativ-"
"No that was the American government" Annette spoke out with a snooty French accent., "We are completely different from that travesty."
"Faith, we're Canadian." Linnel once again held the floor. "Welcome to Toronto."
"Canada?" Faith asked almost mockingly with a raised eyebrow. Faith starts to get up. "Well while this has all been nice and good, if you don't mind dropping be back across the border so I can go back to jail that would be nice."
Linnel stands up to head Faith off, "Look one girl in all the worl-"
"Hey, shove it. I already know that speech." Faith cuts him off, and mockingly continues his speech for him. "One girl in aallll the world is the chosen one. The Slayer. It's a load of bull. I'm not The Slayer, I'm just a slayer."
"Look," Linnel continued, "there is a slayer in Sunnydale, CA, and a hero vampire in LA. What about the rest of the world, Faith? There are demons crawling all over this rock. Who makes it safe for the rest of the world to walk hom at night. That's were we come in"
Linnel paused for a moment watching Faith's reaction. Trying to see if he was through to her.
"There's a hellmouth here. Instead of rotting away in jail letting innocents disappear in the dark while you accept your 'punishment'. Why not try to make a up for your past. Save people that need help from you. Seek redemption."
A couple moments passed in silence. Faith was debating it in her mind as she figited with the new bracelet. Turning it on her wrist she saw a small red light on it.
"I don't really have a choice in the matter do I?" Faith asked as she looked up to Linnel and raised her wrist as well showing the light.
Linnel squirmed a bit at being exposed. "Faith, I can explain."
"I don't think I need the explanation. I can figure it out on my own," Faith shot back rapid fire, "I'm not stupid."
"I'll like a second opinion" Annette interjected, rolling her eyes.
Faith glared at Annette with a look that would have crushed most. Annette seemed to glow from Faith's annoyance.
"Let me guess," Faith continued , "I step out of line, or do a no-no, I get a little zip, or slap on the wrist, or something?"
"You don't want to know," Linnel sighed, "Look it's not us. It's was sent down from both the Canadian, and US governments and the Watcher's Council."
"That's it, I heard enough" Faith taking off the blazer and throwing it at them. "I'll take my chances. I'm not going to be some one's puppet Mountie Slayer."
The brunette stormed out the door, slamming it behind her leaving a thunderous noise.
Annette takes a step forward to stop Faith, but is cut of by Agent Linnel, "Let her go. She'll be back. Not that she has much of a choice."
Faith let her hair down as the elevator doors closed in front of her. As her hair fell against her blouse she could see her reflection in the metal doors. She was looking more like her normal self already. She was already mentally planning go out, find some better clothes, find a place to sleep. Maybe if she felt better in the morning. She might come back in the morning.
The doors opened and Faith headed out across the lobby. A door man was about to open the door for her, when he saw a light flashing on Faith's silver bracelet.
"Miss Faith, ma'am," the door man addressed her. "It might be best if you don't head out, eh?"
Faith looked down and saw the bracelet giving a warning flash.
"I'll risk it. How bad could it be" Faith stubbornly said before brushing past the door man into the night. It became the last thing she remembered doing.