Summary: This is the thirteenth part of a series in response to many challenges, the first of which is "what if Xander had been possessed by a different animal?"
SHS Principal's Office, Noon, October 16th
Xander and Buffy walk by Jack O'Toole and his group as the latter smoked something clearly not tobacco while speaking in hushed tones about deals. Out of range, Xander pulled out a cell phone and called Principal Flutie and Hondo, telling them about the situation, and that it should be an easy practice run against obvious troublemakers.
After a few minutes, instead of heading to class, the two thugs Xander knew to have drugs left campus in an old sedan, while the girls with whom they'd dealt nonchalantly made their way behind the football bleachers. Buffy quietly shadowed the girls.
Xander shadowed the two teens by car until they neared Fondren High. He could see Hondo further up the street, and decided to blend into the general populace of Fondren as he pursued and shadowed an apparent distributor through the school hallways. Hondo took up the shadowing of Jack's minions as they slowly drove away.
As the Fondren contact headed into the bathroom with four other unsavory youths, Xander stepped through, headed into a stall, then left again. He heard them talking about O'Toole, business in general and scooted to a security guy just sending two shouting students in two different directions. Xander called Stein, and asked him to redirect a couple of patrolmen onto campus, where the security guy, who listened in as Xander flashed his credentials, would be credited with the bust.
The security guy, coached in his wording, told the students that they needed to accompany him to the Principal's Office for excessive ditching. The youths complained about being singled out, but clearly knew they'd be able to get away with anything because they'd intimidated the administration.
Ten minutes later, four policemen met Detective Stein at the entrance to the Administration Offices. The detective had in his hand the voice activated tape recorder Xander had 'accidentally' left behind in the stall. On it, all five youths clearly convicted themselves of drug dealing, drug consumption, intimidation of the school staff, assault on two mentioned instances, and implicated Jack' guys as the providers by name. Xander Harris whistled as the youths were cuffed, searched and taken away.
Meanwhile, Buffy, following the two girls to the athletic field, called Principal Flutie and Vice Principal Snyder, both of whom showed up within fifteen minutes as a patrol car pulled up to take the drug users to jail, more in hopes of them turning on other offenders, than for simple possession at this time.
Hondo parked across the street from a seedy bar called The Fish Tank. Pulling out a listening cone device, he was able to pick up some of the conversation, involving the purchase of alcohol for sale at an upcoming fraternity party. The two youths eventually sauntered into the joint, a gathering place for the bikers, gang members and low-lives that bikers and such considered too unsavory. When Xander called from the Fondren parking lot ten minutes later, Hondo directed him over to the bar. They met just out of sight of the establishment.
"Hey, Unc," Xander greeted, "I just got off the phone with the Buffmeister and she got the two girls nabbed and in custody without being seen. What's our status here." Hondo looked at his nephew, the blend of old and new was almost too much to comprehend, but he was always nearly floored at the fact that Xander still kept the sense of humor that only Tony Harris had lacked in their family. A veneer of pleasantness over a serious young man blessed and cursed with experience.
"The two perps have been in there about ten or so minutes," Hondo replied, "And I'm thinking you head in and try to be seen with them. Maybe figure out who they're in with. Come back quick." Xander nodded, and taking a micro-camera in on his person, he entered the bar, the smell already a little strong form cigarettes and urine outside the main door. 'Sheesh, I'd hate to be here when it's dirty.'
Xander greets and snaps pictures of the two members of Jack's gang as they're about to leave, overhearing, "We'll be out back tomorrow around seven to pick it up." After faking an attempted phone call, Xander brushes up against Bob, causing the youth to notice him.
"Harris?!" Bob asked, surprised to see the recent 'golden boy' at the 'Tank during school hours. He'd never hung out with the former goofball, but after seeing him take out a couple of really scary dudes back in May, didn't consider him someone to mess with. "What brings you by?"
"Stopped to phone in my 'book' for the weekend, you?" the youth lied.
"Refreshment duty," Bob offered, "Hey, you remember Dickie, right?"
"Yeah, hey," Xander greeted with a raised chin, "You guys know any parties I can take my girls this weekend? Not too loud? Maybe a little upscale?"
"IF they can pass, try the college area," Dickie suggested, "Nice seein' ya, we gotta motor." Xander watched them go, then shaking his head at how the Sunnydale denial tendency seemed to shadow perceptions of even 'normal' people regarding other 'normal' people. Xander walked through the bar snapping shots on his way to the bathroom and back. 'Run these through the databases, and see who all of you are...'
The Bronze, 11PM, October 16th The Fish Tank, Midnight, October 16th
O'Toole shows up looking for his guys as Xander was beginning to head out. He listened near the door as Jack tore into his guys as not doing what he wanted, and that they should head over to the 'Tank for a couple of beers.
Xander decided that rather than follow Jack and his gang, he'd drive fast and get there first. He'd already put on a wire and mini-camera, and decided to just go in and sit next to the only able large enough to hold the O'Toole crowd. Using id he'd gotten through Stein, he ordered a rum and a coke separately, and about five minutes later Jack and his bunch showed up.
"What're you doin' here Harris?" Jack sneered, expecting Xander to back down, "Didn't think this was your kind of place."
"Sheila Johnson was becoming a friend of mine, Jack," Xander responded, summoning a cold look, "She just started turning her life around when she was killed. Every so often I guess I'll continue her one-man wake until I feel like leaving." He turned back to his apparent brooding and crowd watching. O'Toole nodded and let him be.
Fifteen minutes later, Xander had managed to pick up most of their intended activity for the next several days, so Xander decide it was time to stop looking conspicuously alone by leaving. Unfortunately, Jack picked the same to get out of his chair without looking, and collided with Xander. Two drinks under his belt just while he was here and he had murder in his eyes.
"I think I've had enough of you, Harris," the juvenile offender shouted, causing his section of the bar to go silent. He took a swing, but Xander moved out of the way, and kicked Jack's feet out from under him. Jack's head hit the table and knocked him out cold. Checking to make sure he was alive, Jack's friend's and the bouncer started toward him when he drew out his 45 and pointed it in their direction.
"He's alive, be glad," Xander sneered to cover his concern, "Just go back to what you're doing and it'll be fine." Xander took out a twenty from Jack's wallet, threw down on waitress tray, "This oughta cover the inconvenience. It's too quiet here, think I'll head over to the Alibi Room, so don't give me any crap." The bouncer and waitress' eyes went a little wide at the casual mention of the Alibi Room and since the fighting was over the place went back to normal as Xander left to turn in his report and tape.
SHS Cafeteria, Noon.
"Harris!" Jack frothed, as he crossed the cafeteria, "I've had it with you!"
"Really?" Xander asked, loosening up as he stood to face the O'Toole gang, "About what? The fact that you get drunk and fail to hit me in a public place last night? Or the fact that I took you down in ten seconds?" Xander hit the cell buttons to tell Hondo to wander in after a moment.
Jack and his friends attempt assault in front of witnesses. Dickie and Bob, with near-apologetic looks on their faces approach Xander from one side, while another youth begins sneaking up on him. Jack lunges forward, only to have Xander step aside to the left but leave his left foot out to trip the angry youth. Xander quickly backhands Dickie in the nose with a closed fist, sending the kid into the sneaky thug. Bob jumps forward to tackle Xander, but Xander instead lunges back, fists pounding directly into Bob's face without regard to defense, taking all steam from the young criminal's effort. Xander then kicks backward into the approaching Dickie's groin, slowly taking the fight out of the youth, as he then piston punches Bob twice to knock him out. Jack gets up and draws his bowie knife, screaming that he's going to kill Xander as Hondo walks into the cafeteria with a brown bag, slowly making his way toward the two fighters as Xander kicks the blade out of the boy's hand, then kicks his opponent in the chest, just under the diaphragm to wind him successfully. The boy goes down hard as Hondo shows up to set the bag down before easily restraining the remaining attacker. All are then handcuffed as they await the police.
"Well, I was bringing you your lunch," Hondo remarked, "But I guess I'll skip out with these to the police station. Hmmm, assault and attempted murder, and you took them down without hurting them too much. Good job, Alex."
"Thank, Unc," Xander smiled back, taking the cover lunch, "Let's take this bunch to see Snyder. Hey, what's this," he added, publicly uncovering drugs, paraphernalia, and a few knives he knew would be there, "Looks like they're gonna be seein' Bubba in jail."
The Fish Tank, 7 PM
"Hey, I'm Harris," Xander stated, "I'm here to pick up an order, Bob and Dickie got pulled over for joyriding." Having not shaved since Thursday morning, Xander was beginning to look just scruffy enough to be associated with Jack's group, especially since he'd been seen twice in the last two days with them.
"Fine, whatever," the bouncer responded, "Don't know what's in it, but it's over there." He pointed it out and headed back into the bar.
"Hey," Xander called out, causing the beefy man to turn, "Sorry about the gun last night, hangin' with Jack, ya know..." The man begrudgingly nodded.
"I see worse every night," the bouncer said, "But if he lasts long enough Jack's psycho enough to be really scary someday. Watch out kid." He went in.
The Wu Alpha Rho fraternity house, 7:30 PM, October 17th
Xander pulled up behind the frat house and knocked on the back door. He was handed cash, and the full kegs and bottles exchanged with empties. As Xander was turning to leave one of the older frats stopped him.
"Hey, you have the rest of it?" the young man asked.
"Yeah, in here somewhere, but Dickie and Bob weren't too free with the lists," Xander responded, "What and how much of it? I have a full stock tonight." The youth, already drinking tonight, shrugged and looked at a piece of paper. Xander held out his hand and read it off. He then carefully took out the roll of cash he'd been handed, and started to count the amount as though checking to make sure.
"I have the money for it here," the frat assured him, seemingly caught scamming without paying, "Two grand." Xander handed him the list back and walked to the trunk.
"Two grand, huh?" Xander repeated with the trunk opening, "Read off the list of what you're buyin'" The youth read off the list as his friends disappeared inside with the beer kegs. Xander held out an empty wrapped package, and received money in return.
"This your usual amount?" Xander asked, "Seems quite a bit for a party..."
"Just the weekly amount, guys go through it and the girls fast enough as it is...." the drunk frat responded, starting to realize he was saying too much. Xander walked up to him, spun him around and against the car, Hondo climbing out of the open trunk to help toss the frat boy into the trunk and drive away.
"Good luck, Xan," Hondo told him, "You're really doing a great job as well as being lucky, too. Be careful. Oh, Buffy and Ampa should be out front in a few minutes." The car drove off, and Xander changed clothes in the shadows.
The Wu Alpha Rho fraternity house, 9PM, October 17th
Xander, with Ampa and Buffy done up to pass at least at freshmen level, had managed to slide into the party with others they vaguely recognized from the Delta party a week before. Wearing wires, making rounds and generally blending in, they eventually maneuvered over toward a couple of the more suspicious characters from 'Machida' night that also seem to have records of questionable interactions involving girls and controlled substances resulting in 'hearsay' accusations. Each of the Scooby party-goers had a computer geek in contact, lapel pin microphones, camera collar buttons, and earring receivers, they were trying out their newly acquired electronics in a police rather than supernatural situation, picking up gossip, sending back photos for database scanning, and generally trying to focus in on possible wrong-doers.
Nearly two hours of partying later, the trio had a fair number of lesser leads on minor campus criminal activity, including sufficient evidence to arrest the core frat offenders on fifteen counts of under-aged drinking, four counts of distributing controlled substances, two counts of attempting to slip date rape drug to three party attendees already supplied alcohol, two actual narcotics sales in small amounts, and four obvious fire code violations. Information catalogued and sent to Stein and his available units, Hondo and the police showed up at eleven-thirty to make the appropriate arrests as the undercover trio help four marginal sorority sisters that'd been hinting at another party, to escape.
UC Sunnydale Sorority Row, 1:30 AM, October 18th
The undercover trio suffered through part of a very boring party at one of the 'brainier' sororities, then decided to follow four different drunk girls to make sure they would return safely to their residences, when two male vampires reached out of the bushes and grabbed two. Xander quickly followed Buffy into the situation, and with Ampa's help managed to break and subdue his opponent quickly while Buffy dusted hers and scooted the girls on their way before returning a few minutes later.
"What'd you get out of that one before you dusted it?" Buffy asked her two patrol partners for the evening, "Anything interesting?"
"Nah, just a nest that seems to have been around for a while," Xander replied, "I think I'll have the 'Adults' join us for this one, a quick in and out against about a half-dozen, but I figure better safe than surprised, eh Buff?"
"Did you have them bring a thermos of latte this time?" she chided him, "And Ampa's bitter mocha?" The Incan 'chosen one' smiled in gratitude.
"Yeah, yeah, DB's already on the way with it and Giles," Xander replied with a roll of the eyes, "And Hondo's swinging by after filling out the summary report on the frat arrest."
The raid was as uneventful as it was productive. Xander, Buffy, Angel and Ampa charged into the long-condemned building with Giles, Jenny and Hondo right behind. A 'master vampiress' named Sunday and her band of five not very bright minions were dust within thirty seconds.
"That was...not fulfilling," Buffy commented, as they began sifting through the Psi Theta House, discovering fifteen years of student belongings, music collections, knick-knacks, and occasionally something valuable. An hour later, as they finish up, they set aside nearly two hundred and fifty ids and five thousand dollars in cash. All was looking good until they reached the basement. Xander and Giles guided the others back and asked them to all wait outside and listen as Xander, Giles and Hondo called this in.
"Mr. Mayor?" Xander spoke in the phone, slightly nervous. "I-I know it's late and your butler wasn't happy. My uncle has called Detective Stein and is calling the campus police, but I thought you should know that at the Psi Theta House..." and he explained in gruesome detail what seemed to be a pair of serial killers' fifteen years of victims. Xander explained how with minor support, he and Buffy had followed leads of illicit substance sales, and then chased after a pair that had tried to grab drunk students. Unfortunately, the resultant car chase after a struggle had gone unnoticed, and they'd lacked phones. They'd pursued the criminals to Kingman's Bluff, where after a brief stand-off, they'd spooked the two into running blindly over the cliff and to their deaths. Unsure of what they feared being revealed, they returned to the Psi Theta House, picked up their phones and after discovering the truth ten minutes later, made the calls.
"Thank you, Alexander," the Mayor quietly replied, "The damage to our reputation will be somewhat made up for by the fact that you risked your lives to bring them to justice. Do you think we need to reveal the whole truth, or now that the...perpetrators, I believe you police call them, are gone if we can simply handle this on a case by case basis until the facts are in?"
"Uhm, it's up to you, sir," Xander responded, confused that he was being asked by the Mayor for advice on this matter. "Though you'll have to talk to both police departments about it. I just think Buffy and I are gonna take the next week or so off, it wasn't a pleasant sight."
"Of course, Alexander," the Mayor reassured him, "After you're relieved on the scene by Detective Stein, please feel free to take whatever time you need, and keep in mind we do have counselors available."
"Thank you, sir," Xander replied, "It means a lot to all of us that you care the way you do."
October 18th, Vampire Lair, residential area near the docks, 3 PM
"Hey, Xander," Buffy greeted, "How'd the karate tournament go over at Fondren?"
"We actually won," Xander replied with a tone of surprise, "I guess all the gymnastics and extra club stuff really worked out for the team, especially the newbies."
"What'd everybody think when Cordelia and the Cordettes showed up to show support?" Buffy said, smiling. Jenny and Amy joined up ready for the raid.
"I think the sudden interest actually boosted our side's morale," Xander replied, then broke out with a small chuckle, "And the distraction to the other side sure didn't hurt in the early rounds."
They spotted Hondo and Giles on the other side of the building, and Willow slowly driving up in a van with side doors way down the street. They listened as Hondo keyed in his mike.
"Okay, folks," the police veteran addressed them, "We just came up and Team Hades (Angel, Ampa, Marcie and Jon) are ready to up from the sewers in two minutes. I want us to hit a couple of seconds before that. Speed Queen are you there?"
"Yes, I mean check," the red-headed van driver responded, "And the guys (Dawn, Dave, Fritz and Andrew) are ready with the new thingies." She grimaced as she said the latter.
"Okay, Speed Queen," Hondo responded, "Be ready. Team 'Alpha' are you ready?"
"Affirmative, Strike Leader," Buffy replied instead of Xander, smiling at her new radio 'competency.' Time counted down, Willow started down the street quickly at the signal, Xander and Buffy angled in toward the front door to force an entry for 'Team Speed', 'Team Strike' kicked in the rear entrance to provide a very brief distraction, and 'Team Hades' readied itself under the tested entrance from the sewer.
0300, Buffy and Xander destroy the front doors using a police ram, then charge inside. Willow's van clears the curb and screeches to a halt with only a foot's width between the van side-door and the now-gaping front entry. Team Hades pauses, while Team Strike forces the rear entry a little quieter than Team Alpha.
0300, the ten vampires that are asleep are startled into consciousness, while the twelve that are getting ready for some action later that night when Spike shows up, are stunned at the suddenness of the attack.
0301, Buffy and Xander each angle away from their entry into the warehouse, each kneeling and firing 45s into grouped undead. Dave and Andrew open the door and activate the truck equipment as Fritz, in full coveralls, night goggles and cap, leaps into the building holding the trigger down as the hot pressurized holy water sets off screaming and writhing by the demonic denizens.
Jenny and Amy duck into the building and behind Xander and Buffy respectively. Shouting "Arsum!" once each to dust the biggest vampires they see, they then prepare to follow Team Speed into the fray.
0302, Giles and Hondo have secured the rear entry and have reached the rear office section of the warehouse, as Team Hades pours up into the other side of the offices, creating a second silent barrier to vampire retreat.
0302, Buffy and Xander have managed to seriously wound fifteen vampires and reholster weapons as they flank attack into the group of twenty-two, as Fritz presses forward with the lower-stream water cannon, actually killing two vampires directly while keeping the wounded in wet agony. Dave and Andrew head in to his right flank with crossbows, as Willow and Dawn move in through the doors and halt with super-soakers and hand-held crossbows to secure the main exit. Amy and Jenny follow their point-fighters closely, firing a couple of blessed silver rounds into the vampires to become more familiar with guns in general, as they attempt to flank around towards Giles and Hondo's expected doorway.
0303, Giles and Hondo, shooting over in the main area, kick in the office conference room to find two tied up and partially-drained humans tied in ropes as four vampires are scrambling to get dressed and awake. Team Hades kicks in the other door, the humans covering both directions as Angel uses his 45 to take out a particularly huge vampire by shooting until it sustained enough damage to dust. Hondo and Giles carefully opened up on the other three undead denizens, quickly rendering them neutralized as Ampa and Marcie rush in, check that the captives were alive and prepare them for quick exits as Jono begins firing in the direction of the sewer entry.
0303, Buffy and Xander have each managed through flexibility and the momentum of success to dust an unwounded vampire each, relying on foot-first chest kicks to ground their opponents, then a quick stab with a readied stake, practice of two weeks getting it down to the most efficient use of moves possible. Jenny shouts "Arsum!" as Amy does the same, both dusting two of four vampires coming in from a back area before firing well-enough into the cramped space.
0304, Fritz ceases his water attack, and readies himself to resume as Dave, Andrew and Buffy rush forward with javelins to stab downward into their floored targets without bending or dangerously opening themselves up to attacks. Twelve vampires turn to mud in this case as Xander holds off four more.
"A little water here Fritz!" the young man shouted out, rolling out of the way of an attack. Three of the vampires continue to press in on Xander as one rushes toward Willow and Dawn.
0305, The group in the back room have secured the captives and retreated to Giles and Hondo's door as five vampires reeking of a less-clean section of sewer enter through the other side. Hondo and Angel, reloaded, empty clips into the vampires and head back in as the others in the group concentrate on reaching sunshine. Guns empty, Jenny and Amy make a successful entry into the back areas and begin to help with the rescued captives.
0305, Fritz reopens the pressurized water, knocking down in body-erosive agony two of the three vampires attacking Xander as Buffy finishes off the floored bodies and heads over to help
0306, Buffy flies into the midst of the three vampires starting to overcome a Xander starting to slip and take hard blows as they work around to where Fritz can't hit them. Buffy, coming down from a mid-air somersault, manages a low right crescent kick, flooring one vampire as the others turn at the sudden evening of numbers. Xander steps out of reach to regain his footing and his breath as the Slayer's just getting started. She smiled widely, winked at Xander and proceeded to double piston-punch one vampire as she stepped to keep it between her and her companion. Dave ran over and staked the first downed vampire, as Andrew shouted to Willow and Dawn to shoot.
The two girls guarding the entrance fired their super-soakers as the panicked and berserking linebacker of a vampire screamed from water burns and continued charging. Almost upon them, the girls fired their crossbows and ducked each to a different side of the undead juggernaut. The vampire was slow in response as the bolts actually punctured throat and groin, both missing the heart by definite margins as the vampire headed into the opened van and beams of sunlight.
0307, the vampire in the vampire, pulling back from the light and throwing himself back into the building, was heedless of anything but brutal pain at the hands of mortals attacking a nest of vampires in daylight! Dawn and Willow charged him, amazed at themselves as Willow glared and forced the super-soaker into the stumbling figure's mouth, Dawn yanking the groin-imbedded bolt while forcing a stake twice into the undead's chest before it turned to dust.
"Remind me never to piss you two off," Andrew observed from behind them as Buffy and Xander came up to help. The group let out hysteria-induced laughter as they stumbled toward the rear of the room where Dave and Fritz were disappearing into a room where gunfire had ceased, hose length exceeded and left on the ground.
0308, Hondo and Angel, side to side had managed to dust one each and were closing in on the slow-to-recover bullet-holed three when Dave and Fritz barreled into the room, a super-soaker and stake in hand, not stopping but heading directly between the briefly-separated fighters. Tackling on together, they soaked and stabbed at it several times before achieving a first if joint dusting. Hondo and Angel, used to dumb luck of any type, quickly struck out against their opponents, Hondo with a sharpened police baton, Angel with fists and kicks. Swiiish—poof a crossbow bolt from Giles struck home, dusting Hondo's opponent efficiently.
0309, all is quiet as Angel break the remaining vampire enough to allow safe interrogation. Jenny and the support members render first-aid to the captives and fetch the other van from a block away.
Twelve minutes later, the vampire turns to dust the little new information it gave involved a couple of vamp-occupied apartments, Spike was building up forces by turning gang members and criminal organizations all along the coast for a return to Sunnydale in overwhelming force, and that Spike was waiting for word back at his warehouse before coming over and recruiting this group fully. And that he has maybe another two dozen vampires with him at any time now.
"What do you guys think?" Xander asked as they finished looting the easily convertibles into the vans, "Should we burn down the place, bomb it, conduct a ram, raid and retreat to put him of balance?"
"If Spike's expecting these guys back, it'd probably be in about thirty minutes at least," Angel replied, "So maybe a combination might work best."
"W-What do you have in mind Angel?" Giles asked, himself unsure of a plan at such short notice, "That warehouse has a bit more to it than this one if I recall."
"Why don't we reverse our usual Xander strategy this time?" Angel asked. It surprised even him when Buffy caught on first.
"You mean take all their cars away, then destroy the place, then attack?" she asked with a smile.
"Exactly," Angel replied, "If we take Spike's way out of there from him, and burn the place down, even if he gets away, it won't be much."
"Arson in that place might be a problem," Hondo remarked, "But I have enough explosives to where blowing up parts of it, and the sewer underneath it might do the trick without it spreading. Though if we do a ram and raid first, it might serve the purpose of getting him to leave his secure spot. In daytime, we're more likely to have uniformed officers on the scene in no time."
"If we ram into the main warehouse, one vehicle after another, the last being the pick up..." Buffy considered, "The guys in the last one could throw a bunch of fiery explosive bombs all around on the way out. And we'll have run over a bunch. A-And Willow's van could shoot water out the side as the second car in, to keep the vampires away." The others looked impressed at her attempt to improvise with what they had.
"I-I think we have a good enough plan," Giles smiled, patting his slayer on the shoulder, "Good idea, Buffy. Shall we say five o'clock so we cannot be followed."
"Yeah," Xander agreed, "But Buffy and I'll go with Angel and we'll also blow up the sewers underneath the place. Make it difficult for his bunch to move around during the day." At that, the somewhat tired group scurried to prepare.
Lair Two, Spike's Warehouse, 5 PM, October 18th
Spike and his vampires were waiting for the contact group to get back from the group of independents off of Docks Street, when suddenly the main doors crashed in, two vampires crushed underneath as a very large step van proceeded inward and swerved in a counter clockwise semi-circle. Minions scurried out of the way, only to discover a van with a door open followed the other vehicle closely, hot pressurized holy water shooting out and preventing the undead from rallying to attack. Fifteen vampires were briefly scaled, bumped, crushed or otherwise kept out of the action, the step van plunging through the thin east wall at the boarded window, and headed into the sunny day, the van swerving and following it. A large Dodge Ram pick up soared into the warehouse and determinedly making directly for vampiric forms, crushing three into dust and rendering four more useless for at least several days, as a final truck entered and three teenagers and a police veteran proceeded to throw Molotov cocktails and home-made anti-vampire grenades all around the main area of the warehouse and in the direction of the office to hurt a few more, dusting two by fire, and generally creating more venues for sunshine to enter the building. Spike looked on in stunned amazement as within five minutes his base had been breached and his forces scattered. He walked into the office to collect his thoughts and plot a possible counter when the two gas lines and two sewer access into the building blew up spectacularly, shaking loose most of the boards and other coverings from windows, and starting fires in the least-open areas. Spike shouted out orders and set his forehead on the desk in tired disgust.
Spike and four vampires managed to get out of Sunnydale in a stolen
car four hours later, avoiding emergency crews at the scene as well
as the slayer and her friends. He'd nearly gotten into an accident with a rental sedan driven by a large frowning tweed-wearing man with a teenaged passenger.
Spike vowed. He'd be back.