Ethan's Costume Shoppe, Tuesday, October 28th, 9 AM
"Well, Sahjhan," Ethan pleasantly asked with a feral grin on his face, "I've managed to assemble the clothing, accoutrements and weapons from the studio lockers, as well as stock photos labeled by character. Is that focus enough for you to complete our spell on Friday night?"
"Yes, if you also have either blood or better, any bodies to put into the clothes, you'll increase your chances for the service you seek of me," the necromancer responded, "But with as many as you want, tied to Sahjhan's portal, they'll likely to be scattered throughout Sunnydale."
"As will the relocated targets if they exist," Sahjhan informed them.
"So even more chaos within chaos?" Ethan enthused, "I see no problem with that, and with a few 'leaks' to certain groups, it'll add to the revelry, don't you think?"
"All I care about is Angelus dead in the process," Sahjhan asserted, not revealing who else he'd 'invited to the party earlier than he'd planned.
The necromancer nodded and broke the magical 'video' connection to Ethan's Shoppe, turning to a fellow member of the Order.
"Well, Holland, do you think your vampire incarnations are necessary?" the wielder of dark magics asked, "It will cost you dearly to be so fancy." William Holland beamed him a reassuring smile that betrayed nothing behind it.
"We lucked out when that Vampiress Seer provided my people with enough to get started on. We're determined to speed things up before they would have unfolded. As a matter of fact, we're expecting you as agreed to raise the first one in our labs in just a few hours, as contracted, while the others can wait until Friday at the Hell Mouth. And besides, we're sending our three best mercenary teams just in case."
"I'm tellin' ya, Dru luv," Spike asserted, "We'll soon have the troublesome slayer out of the way, and you'll be Queen of the Hell Mouth." They looked out over the warehouse where Spike's turned gang leaders were preparing for Thursday night's drive to Sunnydale. 'Thirty minions with their gang-banger minions,' William the Bloody thought, 'More than enough to take out that slayer and her gang.'
"Travers, here!" Quentin Travers officiously answered his phone, "This better be important."
"Uh-huh..."
"John Clayton? Are you sure?"
"She looks like her? Well, is it?"
"Well, I'll send a team to escort them home..."
"Three teams?! Why?"
"They'll arrive by late Friday, on a slow night like All Hallow's they'll not expect it. Have your slayer there just in case."
"No, don't tell her anything, perhaps you should go along as well."
"Richard, William Holland here," the Wolfram and Hart executive announced into the telephone, "Fine thank you, sir. Say, our people seem to think an unknown Event is happening in your area this weekend, and we're wondering if you'd like any preventive help regarding whatever it might be."
"Standard rate, from your account, very good."
"Uh-huh, yes, so how many? Fifty and ten?"
"I'll send Lilah and Lindsay up on Friday morning to coordinate."
"Thanks for asking, the family's fine. Okay then, bye."
"You two will be in Sunnydale this weekend," Holland told his two waiting subordinates. "Don't let us down. The Senior Partners will be watching."
"Hey, Street!" Sanchez called her team leader on the phone, "Nana says the brujas have heard big things are going to happen in Sunnydale this weekend."
"They say what?" he asked, concerned for his family.
"Just a lot of talk amongst some of the gangs," she replied, "And the usual dark forces and such kind of talk. Except that she also made the point to say that none of the gang-bangers are seen near a church any more, and most of the family killings this last month are light on the day-time funeral attendance."
"Whoa, that sounds ominous," Street considered, "I'll see if the Commandant can get us detached to Sunnydale, then give Alex and Hondo a head's up. How many we talkin' about?"
"Probably ten or fifteen to a gang, and maybe two gangs, so we should be enough to help out against that many, especially if we take the van," she responded, hoping she wasn't overreacting.
"Grandmaster, there are indications that evil is gathering at the Hell Mouth starting on All Hallows Eve," the Master of Intelligence and Research reported.
"To Sunnydale we must mobilize, and quickly," the leader responded, "So soon after our spies revealed the release of the Key by the monks, this must be connected. Send thirty knights to immediately check it out, and let the other chapters know whatever you've discovered."
"Yes, Grandmaster."
"So, Sahjhan, you say Angelus is on the Hell Mouth?" Penn asked the time/space demon, "And that he still has that soul?"
"Your chance to strike will seldom be better," the demon replied, "But another hunter of the past is being brought forward by others to beat you to it. Besides, while his lover the slayer fights the others, you'll easily eliminate the disappointment."
"Sleeping with a slayer?" the vampire grimaced, "Has he no standards at all?"
"Her name is Buffy."
"He should thank me when I kill him then."
Wolfram and Hart Laboratories, 1 PM
"Good morning, Darla," William Holland beamed at the young blonde struggling to consciousness, "Welcome Back."
UCLA Medical School, 7 PM
The three vampires hunted the young man as he left the dormitory, calling out to his friends that he'd be late getting back. He didn't know that he might not be coming back. The minions grabbed the man and dragged him behind a building as the vampiress followed.
"So you're the one Miss Edith tells me will cause the death of the slayer, she does," Drusilla cooed as the young man looked at her in terror. Drusilla placed her hands on the man's face, and collapsed in shock as energy arced and the man transformed.
The hot-in-an-evil-sort-of-way-young-woman knocked back the undead minions and reached for the recovering Drusilla, clamping her hand on the now-conscious vampiress' head. The demonic energy was never as satisfying as the human, and in this case drove the goddess further from sanity. As Drusilla's minions lunged upon the blonde goddess, the vampiress fled at great speed into the night. She had to get to Sunnydale and warn them of the trouble. The Wolf and the Angel would help her, only them.
She as she ran she heard the voice of the awakened Glorificus in the night, "Minions! Attend!"