Night Falls

Previously:

"I have to leave town for while. You'll have to take over for me. And Jack," she added, after a slight pause, "I may not be coming back."

Chapter Two:

Hailey sat on a bench across the street from the Watcher's Council headquarters in London. An empty duffel bag sat by her feet and a crowd of pigeons had gathered before her, hoping for some morsels of food. Hailey glanced down at them apologetically. It was a typical day in London. The sun was obscured by gray, puffy clouds, which had just finished spilling a torrent of rain down on the streets. A light breeze blew between the buildings, whipping Hailey's dark hair around her face. She did not notice, however. She sat with her hands in her pockets, warding off the chill of autumn in Britain. She had nearly forgotten the feel of the bone chilling cold that the weather in England provided. Shivering, she shifted her gaze from the birds hopping around in front of her to the massive, stark building across the street.

It had been many years since she last stood before it. In many ways, the building represented the Council. The Council was a monolith that had stood for hundreds of years for a single, unified purpose. It never faltered, it never weakened, and it never changed. Hailey felt a familiar, bitter resentment pulling at her heart as she stared at the building. The Council had been an influential part of her life since birth. Though she had struggled with her identity as a potential Slayer, she had gradually come to appreciate her proposed destiny. But after years of Slayers dying and other girls being called, Hailey had come to realize that her destiny was quite different from what she had previously thought. She focused her energies on the Council instead of training, trying to influence the Council to modernize its methods in order to assimilate into the world. The Council, for the most part, had resisted and her efforts went to waste.

Sick of the disappointment she felt with the Council, she left England, never intending to return. She clearly remembered her last day in London, looking up at the depressing building and wondering if she would ever make up for the time she had wasted hoping to change the world. Sighing, Hailey picked up her empty duffel bag, slung it on her shoulder, and crossed the street. She hesitated at the front door, her hand unwilling to reach out and grab the doorknob. Finally, it stretched out in front of her, gripped the metal knob, and pulled the door open with a swift, fluid motion. Stepping forward into the building, she smiled at the musty scent that invaded her nostrils; the place had always smelled of old books.

"Can I help you?" A man asked from the front desk.

"Yes, I believe you can," Hailey responded. "I'm here for the meeting, could you be so kind as to tell me which conference room they're using this time? It's been a while," she said, smiling sweetly and falsely.

"Of course, top floor, conference room A," he said. "Shall I buzz them to tell them you've arrived, Ms…?"

"No, thank you," Hailey replied, moving over to the stairs. "I prefer to be unannounced." Pushing open the stairwell door, Hailey paused on the landing. Two sets of stairs lay before her: one going up and one going down. For a brief moment, she considered the meeting to which she had been called. She knew that her father was in that room, waiting for her. However, whether he waited with hope that she could come or regret at having notified her, she did not know. "And I don't care to find out," she muttered to herself, choosing the staircase that led to the vault instead.

The vault was housed underground in a massive steel and concrete bunker that was virtually impenetrable to attack. It contained some of the most precious books and documents known to man, ancient texts of prophecies and spells. Hailey, though interested in the information contained within those volumes, had always been more fascinated by the store of weapons and mystical artifacts that lay hidden in the vault. She had not been to every room within the massive bunker, but it was rumored that somewhere within, the Council possessed the very sword with which the archangel Michael had thrown Lucifer from Heaven. Hailey did not believe the rumors, but she remembered many of her classmates conjecturing about the sword's location.

Hailey smiled at the memory. She descended two flights of stairs and came to a stop outside of a massive steel door. A keypad rested to her right, sunk into the wall. Hailey breathed deeply, briefly wondering if her key code would still activate the door. Stepping forward, she punched her seven-digit number into the pad and waited. A green light illuminated above the door and it slid open, the steel slab disappearing into the top of the doorframe. Hailey walked into the vault, her breath catching in her throat. The display never ceased to amaze her. Rows of books, papers, artifacts, and weapons spread before her in glass cases that reminded her of a museum. Every epoch of history could be found in the vault. Ancient Roman weapons mingled with stakes from the first Slayer and an ax from the most recent Slayer to have perished in the fight against evil.

Hailey took a moment to appreciate the immensity of the vault before moving into the first room. Giles had specifically requested the diaries of past Watchers. She quickly surveyed the room, her eyes resting on the wall opposite the vault entrance. Hailey walked forward, pausing in front of a glass case holding several rows of worn, yellowed books. She entered her access code again into a smaller keypad and the case slid open. She pulled the books out, carefully slipping them into her bag. After she had taken as many diaries as she could find, she moved over to a case of amulets and began removing them from their protective case. As she was reaching for a mystical healing amulet, a strange feeling passed through her.

"What the hell," Hailey muttered to herself as a wave of dizziness assaulted her. She felt as though something terrible was about to happen, but she did not know what. Shrugging the feeling away, she moved over to a case of knives and filled her duffel bag with all that she could carry. Finally, the bag could hold no more. Zipping it, she walked back to the main entrance. Just as she had passed under the doorframe, the ground began to shake. Grabbing the doorframe for support, she desperately tried to remain standing despite the force of the trembling. A loud rushing sound greeted her ears. It sound like a freight train was barreling down the stairs. Hailey's eyes went wide when she saw the train crash around the corner in the form of a massive wall of fire. Turning her back to the blaze, she stepped back into the vault and quickly punched the first four digits of her code into the inside wall panel. However, before she could finish, the floor rose, the concrete breaking and smashing as it lifted the entire room into the air.

Hailey felt as thought she was surfing on a concrete wave as it lifted her and then cruelly dropped her, sending her spiraling towards the ground. The fire burst into the room and chunks of the ceiling tiles began to fall. The vault was shaking with such a force that Hailey feared it would collapse on top of her. The fire licked at her skin and she screamed in pain. Dust and smoke filled the room. She could not see the stair well anymore, though she knew that she was lying just to the right of the doorway. Struggling to her feet, coughs wracked her body as she tried to crawl out of the room. A chunk of concrete fell from the ceiling, landing on her, and the world went black.

…………………………

Smoke billowed out of the rubble. Twisted beams and broken glass littered the street in front of the exploded building. Firefighters worked diligently to quench the fires that raged in the wreckage. The sky was as dark as night, the sun blotted out by a thick, greasy, black haze. Rescue workers dashed madly about, trying in vain to find survivors of the explosion. Two rescue workers leading a dog circled the remains. Their ash covered faces bespoke the defeat in their eyes. All they had found was death. Suddenly, the dog began to bark and wildly pulled at its leash. The worker released his hold on the leash and the dog dashed into the wreckage.

"Come on, Charlie," one of the men said. They ran after the dog, hope filling their hearts. They could not imagine that anyone had survived the blast. But they desperately wanted to find someone.

"What's that?" Charlie asked, looking over at Tom, his partner. Tom shook his head.

"What is it, boy?" Tom asked the dog, cautiously moving through the rubble to where the dog was frantically yelping. "Get over here, quick!" Tom cried when he saw an arm sticking out a pile of twisted, smoking metal. Kneeling down, he shifted as much wreckage off the body as he could.

"Is she alive?" Charlie asked, joining his partner and gazing into the bloodied face of the girl lying in front of them. Tom picked up one of her limp hands, searching for a pulse. He eyes lit up and he smiled brightly.

"Go get help," he instructed. "She's alive." Tom turned back to the girl as Charlie ran through the wreckage, waving his hands to signal an ambulance. "Hang on," Tom whispered, gently stroking her face.

"We gotta move some of this rubble," Charlie said, rejoining his partner. Together, they heaved away the concrete blocks that had been lying on top of the girl. Tom could not believe that she was still alive. Her body was battered and bruised, blood spattering the wreckage around her. Two EMS workers ran up to them carrying a stretcher.

"Pick her up slowly," one of them said, laying the stretcher next to the girl's body. The four men moved around her, carefully lifting her. Tom cradled her head in his hands.

"What's that?" One of the other men asked, pointing to a black bag still clutched in the girl's grip.

"I don't know," Tom said. "It must belong to her. Take it with you." One of the EMS workers grabbed the bag while the other carried the stretcher over to the ambulance with Tom.

"Good luck!" Tom shouted after the ambulance as it sped away towards the hospital.

"Think she'll make it?" Charlie asked.

Tom shook his head sadly and grabbed the dog's leash again. "They never do."

…………………………..

Amelia Dubois stepped into the emergency room of St. Thomas' Hospital in London. Several nurses rushed past her, entering a room to her left where a man had just flat lined. Injured people littered the waiting room in front of her. Pushing aside her uneasiness, Amelia walked forward, pausing at the reception desk. "Can I help you?" A frazzled looking nurse asked, clutching her clipboard as if it were a life raft.

"I'm looking for a woman who was admitted today. She was in the explosion on Fifth Avenue," Amelia replied.

"Jane Doe," the nurse said, looking down at her clipboard. "Do you know her?"

"Yes," Amelia answered. "Her name is Hailey Travers. I'm an old friend of hers. How is she?"

"I can't answer that," the nurse replied apologetically. "Let me find her doctor. Please," the woman said, pointing to an empty plastic chair, "take a seat."

Amelia nodded, moving over to the chair as the woman hurried away. Folding her hands in her lap, she closed her eyes and opened her mind. She could feel Hailey's life force. It was weak, but the older woman knew that the potential was a survivor. When the Watcher's Council headquarters had been destroyed, most of the Coven had abandoned London for a small town in Spain, where it had owned property for hundreds of years. Amelia, however, had been sent to the hospital to retrieve Hailey. The First Evil was trying to destroy the Slayer line and had been devastatingly successful. The Coven did not know how many potential Slayers still lived, but it was not going to abandon one of the Council's warriors to certain death. Though the elders had not confirmed Amelia's suspicions in so many words, the woman felt that Hailey would be a person of great significance to the world before the end came.

"Excuse me," a man in a white doctor's coat said, stopping in front of Amelia. His shadow fell across her face and she opened her eyes. "One of my nurses told me that you're acquainted with the girl rescued from the explosion earlier today?"

"That's correct," Amelia replied, rising to her feet. "Is she alright?"

"She's in critical condition at the moment. We've managed to stop her internal bleeding, but she's in a coma. She sustained third degree burns on her arms and back, in addition to several broken ribs and a fractured skull. She's lucky to be alive," the doctor commented.

"I was hoping to be able to move her to a private facility, one where perhaps she could receive more personal care," Amelia stated. "When would that be possible?"

"Not at the moment," the doctor replied. "I would like to see some more improvement before taking a transfer into consideration."

"Of course," Amelia acquiesced. "May I see her?"

"Yes," the doctor answered. "She's in intensive care, room fifteen A. Second floor."

"Thank you," Amelia replied, moving over to the elevators. The doctor disappeared amidst the group of people littering the ER. The elevator doors slid open and Amelia stepped inside, pushing the button for the second floor as the doors slid closed again. The elevator rose sharply and then stopped. The doors opened and Amelia stepped out into a much calmer hallway. She quickly located the room where Hailey rested and opened the door. "I would not advise doing that if I were you," Amelia said as soon as she stepped into the room.

Two men turned to face her, their eyes scarred and blinded. They wore brown robes and held long, ornately designed knives in their hands. "You are Bringers, yes? Of the First Evil, who I'm sure is responsible for the explosion. You may have killed many potentials, that I cannot change, but you will not harm this one any further," Amelia said, her voice strong and clear. The Brings licked their lips and moved forward. "You leave me no choice then," Amelia said sadly as she raised her hand, her palm facing the men. "Ignite," she whispered. Flames suddenly shot through the bodies of the Bringers. They opened their mouths to scream in pain, but no sound emerged. The knives dropped to the floor and the Bringers disappeared in a pile of ashes.

"You are a very popular woman today," Amelia said, stepping over the dusty remains of Hailey's attackers and sitting by her bedside. Hesitantly, Amelia reached out and took Hailey's hand. It felt cold. Amelia felt a pang of sadness strike her heart when she looked down into the young woman's face. She always felt as though she had failed Hailey in some way. The girl had possessed such potential, such promise, when she was growing up. Yet, she had fallen into darkness, losing her way amid the temptations of the world. Amelia brushed a strand of Hailey's dark hair away from her face.

"You're very lucky to be alive. The Council was destroyed today. The headquarters blew up, which you are very much aware of, I'm sure. I don't know why you're alive. The building fell across Fifth Avenue during the explosion. Destroyed several other buildings in the process. You were found under layers of concrete, which leads me to believe that you were in the vault during the explosion. If that is the case, it would explain why you're still alive. Had the building fallen in on itself, you would have been crushed; had you been in any other part of the building, the explosion would have decimated you. The vault was the strongest place," Amelia explained. Leaning back in her chair, Amelia rested her eyes on a black duffel bag sitting on the chair on the opposite side of the bed. "What were you doing there, Hailey?" Amelia wondered aloud, leaning forward and taking her hand again.

"You're not safe here, at any rate. The First may not have succeeded in killing you this time, but that does not mean it will cease trying. As soon as possible, I will move you to the Coven's new location. We can care for you there. With the aid of our healers, you should be in tip top shape in no time," Amelia said. "Until then, let your body do its job. It knows what's right." Pausing, Amelia sighed. "You've grown up into a beautiful, young woman, Hailey. I know that things have not always been easy for you, but this is your chance to make everything right. The world needs you now. It's time to wake up."

…………………………..

Hailey could her a voice whispering in her ear as she slept. It sounded familiar and, for a fleeting moment, a face passed before her eyes only to retreat into darkness. She felt as though she were floating in a sea with black waves. Above her, the stars peeked out of the sky and the moon lingered, bloated and yellow. Strange images ripped through her consciousness. She saw flames inching forward, their heat licking at her skin, making it blister and burn. She felt as though she was melting. A scream of pain died in her throat as the fire vanished. A loud, humming sound exploded out of nothingness and filled her ears. It reminded her of the sound of the trains pulling into the train station, where she would wait with her nanny for her father to come home from his business trips.

The sound grew and grew until everything crashed together and there was silence. The sea rose and swelled. Hailey could feel a fine mist on her face. Then, she found herself lying in the desert. The sea had disappeared. The afternoon sun loomed above her, warming her skin. She blinked, momentarily blinded by the sun. When she opened her eyes again, she saw a woman walking towards her with flowing red hair.

The haze of the desert obscured her face, but Hailey thought she saw glowing, emerald eyes gazing back at her. Another voice ripped into her consciousness. She felt fear behind it, its undertones laced with concerns. She could feel danger drawing nearer and nearer. Vaguely, she thought that she should wake up. But when she tried, only the harsh desert sun greeted her. Closing her eyes, she struggled to find her way back to the world she had known. When she opened them again, the woman with the red hair was gone and the world was dark and cold.