At about the same time the Slayer was closing her eyes, Spike was in Willie's nursing a pint. It was about the only demon bar in town with both decent booze and blood, and it was a great place to find useful information. Even better, despite the chip it was easy to "convince" Willy to extend his tab.
Spike was just about to down his drink and leave when the door burst open. The regular clientele scurried for cover, thinking that the Slayer was raiding the place for information yet again. Instead, a badly wounded and hysterical green-scaled demon stood in the doorway carrying something in its hand. The demon babbled and raved incoherently, heedless of the blood dripping from the hole in his chest.
"It killed Grishna! It killed- It took Uglui- Grishna- We were just out and it came nowhere and rrrurrk-" Just as it looked like the demon was regaining his composure, his wound got the better of him and he fell facefirst onto the floor, dead. From his lifeless hand rolled the thing he'd had been holding: the partially crushed head of another demon of the same species.
There was silence for a moment, than the entire bar of demons and vampires reacted much like humans- they all started talking. Spike, remaining silent, finished his drink and strode over to the body.
He couldn't recall what breed this demon was, but he did know that although this species wasn't especially renowned for their smarts or ambition, they were still pretty tough. Spike took a close look at the remains. The wound which had killed the demon went straight through his chest; it looked like he'd been impaled from behind. It was a miracle he'd managed to get to Willy's at all, let alone talk. And the head he'd been holding… Spike picked it up off the ground, resisting the urge to call it Yorick. Even crushed, the head was larger than that of the other dead demon. This one had probably been the strongest, and therefore the leader. But that hadn't stopped the attacker from decapitating him. What was really impressive was that no weapon had done this- the head hadn't been cut off, but simply pulled off with sheer brute force.
This was interesting, and a good opportunity. If something was running around town that tore demon heads off for kicks, it made sense to tell the Slayer and co. about it, since 1. They might pay him for the information. 2. They might know something about the creature, specifically whether it went after vamps. 3. Most importantly, if Buffy knew about it, she'd probably go after it. And then she might get her pretty head torn off, although Spike knew it was a long shot.
Spike tucked the head under his arm, being careful not to get any blood on his duster, and strode out of Willy's, unnoticed by the bar's still-talking inhabitants.
"Hey," Xander said as he and Anya entered Giles' house the next afternoon. "What's-" Giles thrust a book into his hands. "-up?"
"Buffy had a chance to confer with Professor Walsh today," Giles explained as he handed Anya a book and they sat down with Buffy, who was already poring through their own texts, and Willow, who was at work on her laptop. "She said the Initiative has yet to turn up any leads on the alien's whereabouts, but she's not worried. She believes that a creature of Hostile 100's size will need to eat a great deal, which means we'll hear from it soon enough."
"So her plan is to wait until it eats someone, then bring the hammer down?" Xander asked.
"Essentially, yes. And I think we can agree that it's not at all satisfactory. I want to find out if this creature's ever been encountered before, whether it's ever appeared on this world and been defeated."
"Okay, but don't get your hopes up," Anya warned as she opened her book. "I've never heard of anything like this thing before, and it sounds like the sort of thing which would make quite the buzz in the monster community. There's been a few demons who can be summoned from the stars, though."
"We'll try looking at those creatures first, then," Giles said. "If we can find any reference at all-"
He stopped talking as they heard a metallic noise outside, followed by the sound of something running towards the door. Giles took a look outside, sighed, and opened the door as a sizzling Spike dove in and rolled on the floor until the smoke stopped rising. Looking out the window, the ex-Watcher could see the manhole cover Spike had emerged from before making his dash.
"Well, if it isn't our favorite Christopher Lee wannabe," said Xander.
"Y'know, you people could really start holding these get-togethers at night. Be a hell of a lot more convenient for some of us," Spike said as he got up and shot a look at Xander.
"What is it Spike?" sighed Giles.
"Nothing much. Just got a little present for you lot," Spike said as he tossed something in a bag to Buffy.
Buffy opened the bag, saw what looked like the mutilated head of a demon. She looked at Spike quizzically.
"That lucky little bugger had his head ripped clean off the other night. One of his pals took a hole in the chest and stumbled over to Willie's before kicking the bucket. Sounded like whatever it was got two more of them too," Spike said.
Giles inspected the head. "This wasn't done with a weapon," he said.
"Do you think it's the alien?" asked Buffy.
"Almost certainly," said Giles. He turned to Spike. "Do you know where this happened?"
Spike shrugged. "Nope. And what's this about an… alien?"
Giles sighed as he remembered that since the egg hatched, Spike had been keeping his nose out of this business. "Do you remember that night you were robbing me, and saved my life?"
"Can't say I'm proud..."
"The creature you and I encountered wasn't a demon. It was an extraterrestial. And since then, it's mutated and grown into something that may very well have been capable of this." He motioned at the head.
"Hell," Spike said, "a bloody ET, eh? Any idea what your favorite Martian's policy towards vamps is?"
"No, but I don't mind telling you I hope it's an unfavorable one."
Buffy stood up, started pacing. "Spike, do you know where these guys might have been when they were attacked?"
"Well, I've heard that they liked snacking on pigeons over in Weatherly Park."
"Okay then," Buffy said, "tomorrow night Riley and me go with as much backup as we can get to the Park to check it out. If the alien is there, I want to have an advantage."
"Um... Are you planning on telling Riley you got this tip from one of the Initiative's escaped science projects?" Xander pointed out, eyeing Spike.
Buffy sighed. "I guess I'll have to leave that part out. But Riley probably won't ask any questions. Curiousity doesn't seem to be encouraged where he works."
"Hey guys, I think I just found something," said Willow from the computer.
They gathered around to look. Willow had found the website of a tabloid paper, with a headline screaming "Corporate Scientists Terrorized by Otherworldly Menace in the Mongolian Desert!" A number of uncomprehending glances were directed at Willow. She highlighted a word in the main text.
Ravnon. The company Jacob Traeten worked for.
"Either it's a remarkable coincidence, or Mr. Traeten may have more expertise in these matters than he's told us about," remarked Giles.
Spike was puzzled again. "Would it be too much to ask to be kept informed about certain things, like what you all are talking about? Maybe you could have the Errand Boy," he jerked his thumb at Xander, "drop off bulletins to the crypt or something."
"Never mind Spike," said Giles. "I doubt it concerns you."
"Yeah, and I believe my position in this group is known as the Indispensable Bringer of Sarcasm," said Xander. "Not 'Errand Boy".
"Fine," Buffy said. "First I'll sweep the park, then we'll find a chance to get Traeten alone and ask him some questions- without letting the Initiative know about it. If Walsh knew about this article, she'd probably use it as an excuse to nail him to the wall." Anything else?"
Spike coughed.
"Oh yeah, and someone pay Spike."