Part 2
The Quickening
9
London - May 20th - Heathrow International Airport
It was raining as they touched down in London. The Lear jet taxies down a small runway to the hangars for private aircraft. Angel had been very nervous that Wolfram and Hart would have a "greeting party" waiting for them but Willow had just smiled and shaken her head when he'd voiced the concern.
"Not an issue," was all she had said on the subject and as they approached the small private hangar, he began to understand why. A large non-descript van is waiting for them and a dozen or so teenage girls are spread out on the tarmac, scanning the area continuously. The jet slows to a halt and everyone stretches and moves to the door, anxious to get to wherever they are going. Lack of sleep is beginning to take its toll on the Los Angeles group and the anticlimax of the plane ride after their deeds of the previous day have left them in a sort of punch drunk stupor. The plane's steward opens the door for them after the pilot had shut down the engines and the group deplanes in near silence, Spike and Angel using umbrellas, ostensively to protect them from the rain, but in reality to keep them from smoldering, despite the overcast conditions. They follow Willow who heads directly for the van. As they approach, the side door slides open revealing the person waiting for them.
"Oh bugger," Spike mutters as a young man's form hurtles from the van.
"Spike!" Andrew impacts into the blonde vampire with a ferocious hug. The young Watcher's face is alight with happiness. "I knew we'd work together again! And here we are, mano e vampyro, ready to face the darkness -"
Faith strode straight past them, gathering Andrew by the collar on the way and shoving him back toward the van. "Reunions can wait spazoid. We have bigger fish to fry." The Slayer takes the point seat next to the driver, leaving the others to get into the rear. Connor is looking around with a bit of nervous anxiety and Willow smiles and pats him on the knee.
"Relax Connor. We're safe as safe can be in here." She gestures out the open door at the dozen Slayers and then around the inside of the van as Illyria, Gunn, Angel and Spike get in after them. "Someone would have to be nuts to attack us."
"I'm not scared," the young man shakes his head and grins. "I've just never been to England before. It's kinda trippy."
"It's good to be home," Spike says pulling the sliding door of the van shut behind him.
"This place is home to you?" Illyria asks Spike gravely, her pale eyes locking on the blonde vampire. "Then why did you stay at the Wolf the Ram and the Hart?"
"Well, it was home once upon a time," Spike leans back in his seat and closes his eyes, a slight smile touching his lips. "Haven't been back for a while though, not counting me and Angel's sojourn into the Forbidden Forest on your account that is." He reopens his eyes and nods at Illyria. He then inhales deeply, taking in the scents of home. "Haven't been to London in ages though." He shifts his gaze to Angel. "Remember the time we got pickled at that pub in the Cider Cellars and found those two silly bints in Haymarket? Dru and Darla walked in on us and you were wearing nothing but a kilt and singing Garryowen at the top of your voice while the two lasses were-" he pauses, seeing the death stare that Angel has locked on him and the grin on Connor's face and shifts uncomfortably in his seat. "It was funny at the time," he mutters.
"How long until we get to the Council HQ?" Gunn asks Willow, tactfully changing the subject.
"Fifteen minutes," she tells him, taking the opportunity to close her eyes and lean back in her seat. "What say you fill in our guests on the past couple of days Andrew?"
"Right," the young Watcher snaps her a salute and digs a notebook out of his coat pocket. "A few weeks ago, African adventurer extraordinaire Xander Harris found what we think may be the spot where the Slayer legacy was born; the Al Hatari Bustani or 'The Dead Garden' as it is known as in the legends."
"So what do you need with us?" Spike asks in mild annoyance. "Not that I mind the ass saving, don't get me wrong, but you lot have platoons of super beings running around at your beck and call now. What do you need a couple of vampires for … well a couple of vampires, and one of their spawn?" He adds after getting a miffed look from Connor. "And Blue and Charlie here of course," He nods to Illyria and Gunn. The van exits the freeway and starts wending its way through narrow streets lined with old stone buildings.
"That's just it mon compadre," Andrew gestures to Faith who shakes her head and grimaces. "Our Slayer hordes are great, don't get me wrong … well other than the crazy ones with penchants for bone saws, but I digress," he adds hastily at a warning look from Willow. "They lack a very specific requirement that you and Angel can provide."
"We're dead," Angel says quietly and looks up at Andrew with a tired frown. "That's it, isn't it? Since Kali seems to have taken over the premises and she's a patron of the dead, only the dead can enter."
Andrew nods emphatically and Angel shifts his gaze to Faith who returns it steadily. The van slows as it rounds a corner and the grey stone building that housed the new Council of Watchers came into view. They passed through the gates after a quick security check and Angel can feel the anger in his chest building with each meter closer they get to the edifice. "So you came to L.A. to have us run your fucking errands?" His eyes are burning with fury, the tiredness gone and his voice is rising with indignant wrath. "You took me out of the fight I've been picking for five years to be your fucking gopher?"
"What? No, Angel," Willow exclaims with a startled look at the sudden burst of anger from the vampire. "It's not like that at all! We just -" she gives Faith a helpless look and the Slayer simply shrugs, her eyes still on Angel. "We just thought …" she trails off, uncertain of what to say next.
"There's more to it," Faith says quietly. Angel shifts his eyes to her and opens his mouth to say something but the Slayer just shakes her head. "You'll know everything in a few minutes. Besides," she gives him a mischievous smile, "There's someone who'd like to say hello."
"Look, I don't normally agree with the poof here. As a matter of fact, I make it a bit of a policy not to, but he's right. You can't just waltz into L.A. and expect us to-" Spike's voice trails off as Angel elbows him hard in the ribs. The blonde vampire turns angrily to complain, but he sees Angel's gaze locked out the window as the van pulls into the underground parking and he spots the lithe blond form standing next to the elevators, her arms crossed over her chest, looking toward the van anxiously. The van stops and Faith hops out and then pulls open the sliding side door. Three sets of eyes lock on each other and Spike suddenly feels like a giant hand is squeezing his chest.
"Is that her dad?" Connor's low voice breaks the sudden silence in the van and Angel manages to tear his eyes from the figure waiting for them.
"Yeah," he replies, the words thick in his throat. "That's Buffy."
10
Cleveland, Ohio - May 8th, 2004
Faith is hurling clothes everywhere as she hunts through the closet of her and Robin's bedroom. An open suitcase is lying on the bed with a jumble of underwear, tank tops, jeans and socks strewn across the interior of it. Faith curses under her breath, muttering obscenities as she hunts through the bottom of the closet. Robin's suitcase sits next to the open door of the room, its contents neatly folded and awaiting his return from his office as the Slayer finally pulls out a pair of thick soled black boots from beneath a pile of discarded sweaters. The sound of fingernails tapping gently on the doorframe behind her causes her to nearly leap out of her skin and she whirls to see Taryn grinning at her from the doorway. The pearly white teeth of the younger Slayer are in sharp contrast to the golden tone of her tanned skin. Her hair is long and dark though very straight, unlike Faith's natural waves, and her eyes are a deep liquid brown. She leans against the doorframe and gestures at the pile of clothes that are now almost obscuring the suitcase. "I thought you were just going for the weekend? What the fuck are you packing all that stuff for? You expecting to crash in the Appalachians or something?"
"I don't know," Faith shrugs futilely and slumps down on the bed and gestures angrily at the scattered clothing around the room. "I don't know what I want to bring and what's the weather like in England at this time of year and -" she glances up at the younger Slayer. "It's just that," she pauses, trying to figure out what to say, to describe the mixed senses of panic and excitement that are running through her at the thought of being at the Council Headquarters. "I'm sort of the black sheep of this little outfit if you didn't know," Faith finally says quietly, picking absently at the bedspread. "I had a rough patch a few years back and then last year when I had to lead the girls there was … there was a trap. I sprung it." She spreads her arms wide. "Kaboom. I guess I just don't want to give anyone a reason to pick at me."
"Looks like it all worked out for the best though," Taryn says soothingly, keeping her tone low and even. "You guys made it right? You beat the bad guy and from what I hear, you're one of the main reasons that happened." The younger Slayer takes a step forward into the room. "Skip, you're not just my teacher. You're my best friend. Remember the first thing you told me when you found me in Boston?"
"Shut up you dumb bitch and pay attention?"
Taryn sighs, "After that."
Faith ponders this for a moment before replying. "I told you that being a Slayer was more than just about being able to punch hard or run fast," she looks up at the younger girl, a rueful half-smile touching her lips. "I told you that it was about making choices, and that not every choice you make will be the right one. It's about learning from your choices and dealing with the fallout." The smile turns into a slight grimace. "Boy, I wasn't fucking kidding was I?"
"That's right," the younger girl replies, the grin returning. She absently brushes her bangs from her eyes. "So was all that just bullshit or is it true?"
Faith purses her lips and gives Taryn a sour smile. "When did you turn into the pep-squad?"
"I just call 'em as I see 'em Skip," Taryn walks further into the room and plops down on the bed next to Faith. "You're a good boss. Even that Buffy chick said so. Act like it."
Faith smiles widely now and gives Taryn a shrewd look. "You didn't like her that much did you?"
Taryn shrugs. "Little Miss tight ass? I guess she's okay. It just bothered me to see you so wound up about it when she was here. We do good work and you and Robin have been kick-ass teachers. I didn't like that you felt like you had to impress her is all I guess."
"Well you impressed her," Faith tells the younger girl, still grinning as Taryn's head turns quickly and the younger girl gives her a wide-eyed stare. "She told me so before she left. And you've impressed Robin and me too. That's why you're in charge of the group while we're gone."
"I'm whatzit?" Taryn's face turns white with shock. "But … but Angela's the oldest and Skip, God, I don't have a fuckin' clue how to-"
Faith cuts her off. "Who gives a fuck who's the oldest. Robin and I talked it over and we agreed that you're the one that's worked the hardest and made the most progress. It's time for you to take off the training wheels sunshine. And don't give me that look." Faith swats the girl on the leg, seeing the sour expression on her face. "You worked your ass off Taryn and you're the best Slayer we have here. Someone has to watch the Hellmouth while I'm out of town and if you get in a jam just call my cell. Robin and I can be back in a few hours if we have to."
Taryn's normally tanned skin is still a bit pasty but her lips are curving into a smile as she more fully absorbs what Faith has just told her. "Angela will be pissed," she says after a moment but her dark eyes are dancing now with excitement.
"Then let her be," Faith stands up and looks down at the other girl. "And get the fuck off my silk halter. I don't want your ass dust on it." Taryn jumps up and Faith retrieves the shirt, shaking out the wrinkles. Her attempts to ward off the creases are ruined however as the younger girl tackles her in a hug. "Jesus Taryn, you going dyke on me?"
"If she is, I get to video tape it," Robin tells them from the doorway. He's grinning and Taryn hastily disengages herself from the older Slayer. Robin walks in and gives Faith a quick kiss. "I take it you told her?"
"Yep," Faith nods and drops the now hopelessly wrinkled shirt on the floor. Robin sighs and retrieves it, then goes to the closet to hang it up. He stops and gapes open-mouthed at the disaster area inside. "Did you get the plane tickets?" Faith hastens to ask before he can start complaining about the closet's appearance.
"Yeah," the Watcher sighs as he takes one of the hangers still left on the closet's rail and hangs up the halter. "Not cheap either. The Council had better be reimbursing us or we're eating Kraft Dinner and Orville Redenbacher for the next few months."
"And that's a bad thing how?" Faith replies chuckling. She turns to the other Slayer. "You ready kiddo?"
"Fuckin' A," Taryn says, the huge smile on her face now threatening to reach her ears.
Faith stows the sloppy contents of her suitcase a bit more neatly and flips it closed and fastens the catches. She picks it up and Robin grabs his as they head to the door. They head for the hallway and usher Taryn out before checking to make sure the lights are out. The deadbolt clicks into place and the apartment is silent. On the nightstand, next to the bed, Faith's cell phone lies forgotten beneath a discarded t-shirt.
11
London, England – May 8th 2004
The group is quiet as the elevator moves silently to the sixth floor. Willow and Kennedy are holding hands and Robin and the Immortal are eyeing each other with a touch of discomfort. Buffy and Faith are quietly watching the numbers above the sliding doors and Dawn is resting against Xander's shoulder, her eyes closed and a tiny smile touching her lips as the carpenter leans against the mirrored elevator wall. The doors open and they move out into the plush hallway toward the large double doors to the anteroom of Giles' office. Willow pushes them open and Meghan rises quickly to greet them.
"Hello Miss Rosenburg, Miss Summers," she nods to the group deferentially. "Mr. Giles and Mr. Wells are waiting inside for you."
"Thanks Meghan," Willow says with a quick smile and taps lightly on the oak door at the back of the room.
"Enter," a voice tells them and Willow grasps the brass handle and pushes the door open. The inside of the office is impressive for those seeing it for the first time. Long rows of rich mahogany shelves play host to Giles' extensive personal library and a small credenza at the back serves as a bar with a few decanters of mellow amber liquid residing on top surrounded by heavy bottomed glasses and an ice bucket. Giles' desk sits at the far end beneath a massive bay window with heavy velvet curtains. A long oak table has been set up in the middle of the office with a dozen high-backed chairs surrounding it. There is a manilla folder placed before each of the seats and Andrew and Giles rise to their feet from the low sofa by the fireplace near Giles' desk. "Welcome," Giles tells them smiling warmly. Dawn, Willow and Buffy each take their turns embracing the Head Watcher and Xander, Faith and Robin all shake his hand warmly. Only the Immortal keeps his distance, bestowing a friendly nod to both Watchers. Giles eyes him tersely and then turns to the rest of the group. "We'll catch up properly later. But first, business I think."
"Still a party animal I see Giles," Faith smirks at the Head Watcher and goes to the table and plops down at a seat. She lounges in the chair artlessly but Robin, who knows her body language very well by now, notes the tenseness in her arms and the way her hands keep fidgeting, belying the Slayer's cool exterior. "I suppose it's better to get this out of the way first huh?"
"Sounds like a plan to me," Buffy too takes a seat and the rest follow. After a moment they are all arranged at the table with Willow on one end and Giles on the other. Xander and Andrew take seats on either side of the Head Watcher and Faith finds herself seated between Kennedy and Robin, facing directly across from Buffy who is flanked by the Immortal and Dawn.
"Thank you for all coming on such short notice," Giles begins by way of introduction. "It's been some time since we were all together and I'm sad to say that the circumstances aren't happy ones. Andrew?" The Head Watcher turns to the younger man who gestures for each of them to open their folders. Inside is a briefing paper and several photographs, many of them satellite shots of a forested area with a wide river and several more are of a hideous female figure with a skeletal black body and a blue face. It's features are elongated and vicious looking, not helped by the serpents woven through its plaited hair and what looks like a girdle of human arms around its hips.
"The picture of the demon you see is of Kali," he tells the group. "She was worshipped as a God all through Asia, most notably in India, and she was one bad mamma." He indicates the picture with a pen. "We've had some recent reports of her Acolytes getting active throughout India and Africa and much of the activity has centered around the idea that she's back, at full strength, and seriously pissed off." He picks up another photo, this one a satellite shot.
"As you can see," Andrew continues, his voice nervous and off pitch, "We've supplied you with some satellite shots of the area that our colleague Xander Harris has spent the past several months reconning for us in search of the 'Dead Garden', also known as the birthplace of the Slayer legacy."
"Huh?" Buffy interrupts quite confused. "Guys, I hate to tell you this but I've been there and it looks nothing like this," she taps one of the photos with her fingernail. "First of all, where I was it was nothing but sand and rocks. This stuff," she taps it again frowning, "This is all jungle and rivers. It wasn't like that at all."
"Exactly," Andrew says nodding. "These pictures were taken the day after Xander called in his findings. We had a friend at the French Space Agency procure these for us and then back checked them with all the other aerial photos of the area we could get our hands on and they all showed the same thing. Heavy forest."
"Uh, maybe I'm the idiot," Faith interrupts, frowning at her own photos, "but if all that's there is jungle, how do we know that Xander got the co-ordinates right? No offence Xan," she nods at him and he gives her a smile that's half grimace, "but you were in the middle of nowhere. How do we know this is the place?"
"Because we had them take these pictures at night with an infra-red camera," Andrew opens another folder and hands out a couple more photos. Buffy takes a look at them and frowns and then hands them over to the Immortal. He glances at them and then looks at the young Watcher shrewdly before passing them along. When they finally reach Faith she looks and sees that most of the area comes up as a pale green with speckles of yellow, orange and red, some alone and some clustered in groups. In one area however, the image is totally black. Not a trace of any heat source showing in an area of at least 40 square kilometers. "As you can see," Andrew continues, "the complete lack of any ambient heat source in an area that large in a jungle is just crazy. The place is crawling with birds, animals and at the very least, the jungle canopy should keep in at least some residual heat just like it shows the rest of the area doing. This leaves only one conclusion and that is that the daytime photos are wrong. Somehow, someone or something is trying very hard to keep this place a secret."
"You're not kidding," Xander mutters, vividly recalling the blank stare of Oujay's eyes and the whirlwind that had driven them out of the area. "There's a whole heap of nasty brewing in that place and whoever is working it, doesn't want guests."
"I had heard that," The Immortal intones gravely. He gives Xander a smile and a sharp look. "Your guide, Oujay, he is quite recovered?"
"Oh yeah," Xander replies. "Oujay's a trooper. He's fine, though I think he'll probably want more money if we ask him to go back."
"I sincerely doubt that," the Immortal replies with a wave of his hand. "Oujay and I are acquainted. He is a man of great honor and courage. If he has taken you on as a client, you can be certain he will complete the job."
"You're acquainted with Xander's guide?" Giles looks at the Immortal in mild shock. "Er, Tim is it?" The Immortal smiles and nods graciously at the Englishman. "You have been to that part of Africa before?"
"Not for many years," the Immortal says jovially. "I had some business down there at one time and Mr. Harris's guide was in my employ for a time. A fine man," he finishes with a smile. Dawn however notices that the good humor doesn't reach his dark eyes.
What is he? Dawn wonders for about the millionth time since her sister started dating him. Buffy had never been to clear on the subject when she asked and Dawn had the suspicion that even her sister wasn't too clear on the details.
"I'm sorry Tim, but Buffy hasn't made your purpose for being here quite clear," Giles clears his throat slightly catching the lethal gaze from his former pupil. "Do you have some knowledge of this that we aren't aware of?"
"Oh, I highly doubt that," the Immortal says generously. All the rest of the group are watching the exchange with varying degrees of anxiety. Buffy is regarding Giles with cold fury, Robin and Xander are trying to look anywhere but at the two men, Willow is looking very anxious and Dawn and Kennedy are both gaping at the Head Watcher. Only Andrew and Faith are watching the Immortal. "I have some contacts, but I highly doubt they can compare to the Council's resources in matters like this."
"Um, yes well," Giles continues with a hesitant tone. "That may not be altogether true. As I'm sure Buffy told you, the Council was quite neatly decapitated last year and many of our best records were subsequently destroyed. Any information that you may have …" he trails off, looking hopeful.
"Yes, I remember," the Immortal shifts in his seat and Faith can't tell if he's uncomfortable or trying not to laugh. A gnawing suspicion tells her that it's the latter. "Well Mr. Giles, or shall I call you Rupert?" Giles just nods and the Immortal smiles. "Well Rupert, what I know is mostly rumor and speculation. As I told Buffy in Rome, the Al Hatari Bustan is a place shrouded in secrecy and the very darkest of magicks. What those men did there," he shudders elegantly and frowns. "Barbaric is too kind a word. To commit an act such as that leaves a stain on a place that time cannot erase. Places such as that develop a blackness that is best left not contemplated. Unfortunately, it also creates a void of sorts. A place where the balance of the forces of the universe become … unhinged shall we say? At any rate, according to the legends, it has since become a place of dark worship. Perhaps even home to a darkness greater than the one unleashed by those men."
"Darkness?" Kennedy gets up and her eyes are flashing with anger. "Are you saying that the Slayer line is evil? That Slayers are evil?"
"Nothing of the sort my dear," the Immortal says soothingly. "Acts of great violence are part of war. Something to be deplored, but at times deeply necessary. The Slayer legacy was a weapon of war for those who needed a champion to fight it. But as with all things, the creation of one thing can lead to the destruction of another. When the Slayer line was created, a force of great good was thrust into the world, but in doing so, it drew all that was good and useful energy in the area to create it. If you create a fire to warm your home, do you not have to first destroy a tree?" The Immortal shakes his head. "And that is what the Al Hatari Bustan has become. A place devoid of good or useful energy, and as such, it becomes a home to those who would destroy good and conspire for evil."
"So it's like evil's 'hood now?" Faith speaks up from the other side of the table and then shrugs. "Shit, I'm sitting on a Hellmouth in Cleveland. Big deal. We go in and take out the trash."
"Perhaps you don't understand me Miss Lehane," the Immortal says charitably. "A Hellmouth is a doorway to evil. A powerful one, but when all is said and done, it is merely a gate that can be closed. This is not so with the Al Hatari Bustan. What you have there is not a gate, but a garden of Hell itself."
"So why is it a big deal now then?" Xander asks, clearly perplexed. "I mean, the Slayer line has existed for thousands of years. Why is it such a problem now?"
"Because of what we did in Sunnydale," Buffy says quietly. She looks around the table and sees comprehension dawning on a few of the faces. "When we doled out all that power, we were taking it from the source. We made it …" she searches for a word, turning to look at her boyfriend who is nodding. "We made it, swell I guess. Sort of like a balloon."
"And this Kali character is looking to make it burst then?" Faith asks, the enormity of what Buffy had just said sinking in.
The Immortal nods and taps the photo. "What you did with the Slayer line has caused an enormous imbalance. By gutting this area you have for all intents and purposes created a pocket of Hell here on Earth, a pocket of a time and place long past. And somewhere inside that pocket, you woke up Kali."
"Aren't we just the fucking prize winners then?" Faith says with disgust. "You know, just once I'd like us to have a plan that works the way we want it to without some cosmic referee fucking it all up."
"Indeed, Miss Lehane," the Immortal grins at her. "While the phrasing was most likely different, I've heard the same thing said many a time."
"So what do we do?" Buffy asks Giles. "Should we get a group together and go shut this thing down? I figure 20 Slayers, Willow, you should be there too with the magick mojo and-" she pauses seeing the Head Watcher shake his head sadly. "What? You figure 20 isn't enough?"
"Most likely, 20 thousand would not be enough," Andrew tells her grimly. "Xander said in his report that the message that was sent through his guide said 'we shall not suffer the living to enter' or something along those lines right?" He glances at Xander who nods. "So say we send a whole army of Slayers. They get halfway there and all drop dead."
"Oh," Buffy looks peeved at this. "Yeah that's probably a bad thing. Okay, so what do we do?"
"Well that's why we're all here," Giles tells her. "We don't know."
"Hold up," Faith says quietly. "You say that only the dead can enter?"
"That's the jist," Andrew agrees and then his eyes lose focus for a minute. "Oh …"
"You can't mean …?" Giles gives Faith an appalled look. "Faith, you can't even be considering-"
"Consider what?" Faith glares at the Head Watcher. "Look Giles, we've had this talk before and I told you, you're wrong about him."
"Can someone please figgin' tell me what you are all talking about?" Dawn nearly shouts. Buffy had gone completely stiff and pale next to her at Faith's words. "Wrong about who?"
"Angel."
TBC