Chapter Eight
Buffy weighed her options carefully before getting out of the car. The NSB agents still held guns in their hands that were of no use to them anymore. Buffy could easily grab one, but she wasn't entirely sure she could point it at another human being and pull the trigger. She could try to find her sword, but that would take time she was fairly certain she didn't have. Buffy knew she'd have to rely solely on her wits, strength and agility and hope it was enough.
------
Oscar was chain-smoking cigars, lighting a new one from the stub of the one he'd just finished. He hadn't felt this edgy since the day he'd watched helplessly while Steve crashed the Daedelus. He felt just as helpless now, but was trying to maintain firm control on the reins of command.
While Oscar and Jack Hansen were waiting to hear from the extraction team, Russ slipped out and summoned Rudy, who did not like what he was seeing.
"Oscar, you're not a finalist in the world cigar-smoking marathon," Rudy pointed out. "Your blood pressure..."
"My blood pressure will go straight through the roof of this building if I don't smoke. Rudy, there's a black hole out there, swallowing up anyone I try to put on this case. I've got three missing operatives - three - and now, I have no idea what's going on with an entire extraction team. Nine people who just...dropped off the planet." Oscar lit another cigar. "I'm going in after them."
"NO!" Rudy and Jack chorused.
Rudy shook his head. "I'll sedate you if I have to, but you are not going in there."
"Besides," Jack added, "you can do a lot more from here."
"A lot of what?" Oscar asked bitterly. "A lot of missing people, yes. Definitely not a lot of good."
------
Steve didn't share Buffy's compulsion to avoid guns at all costs, so he gathered the weapons from all six fallen operatives, stashed five of them out of sight and stuck the remaining gun in his belt.
The first thing he noticed was the guard shack, which at that moment housed not only two guards but also the three men who'd strong-armed him into the cell. Staying low and out of sight, Steve moved a large, semi-decorative boulder from the entrance of the main building to a spot directly in front of the guard shack, blocking the door. The boulder and the leaded window glass would keep them out of his hair for a good long time.
"How'd you do that?" a voice asked from the shadows.
"Buffy?"
She stepped out of her hiding place to join him. "I mean, I can do that, but I'm a Slayer. How did you -?"
Steve shrugged. "Must've been adrenaline." He turned to look at her face-to-face. "What the hell is that?" he puzzled. Buffy carried a long, oddly-shaped piece of metal in her hands, held out like a weapon.
"Car bumper."
"Ok, then."
"The NSB took my sword," she told him.
"Your - sword?"
"Yeah." Buffy's voice dropped a few notches. "Steve, I went over to your house, and Jaime was gone -"
"She's here. They found her before we did. And...when I shot at her, she wasn't wearing her vest."
"How bad is she?" Buffy asked. "Did you see her?"
"We spent some quality time in a cell together."
"How...how bad was she hurt?"
"I'm not sure, but she was drifting in and out. She needs a doctor - ten hours ago."
"Where is she now?" Buffy asked.
"I hid her in a supply room, under a bunch of medical clothes that they obviously won't be needing anymore. They won't think to look for her there. I hope."
"How many more of them are there?"
"No idea. But you know the ones in the guard shack are gonna call their buddies for help, so how 'bout you & I grab Jaime and just run? Are you up to it?"
"Let's do it now, while they're still preoccupied," Buffy affirmed.
"I've got an idea..." Steve mused. "How good are you at wielding a car bumper?"
Buffy smiled. "How good do you need me to be? You want me to stand guard outside that supply building while you get Jaime?"
"No; we're better off sticking together. If we get separated again, I have a feeling at least one of us won't make it out. When we go back outside - with Jaime - if anyone is there to stop us, I'll jump over them -"
"While you're holding her?"
"Yeah. Then I'll start attacking from behind while you swing that thing in front of them for all you're worth."
"Sounds like a plan."
"Buffy, you do know there's a possibility we could be shot at..."
"I know," she said quietly. "I used to live with the possibility of being sucked dry by a vamp. This isn't that much worse. C'mon - let's go get Jaime."
Together, with a solid plan between them, Buffy and Steve headed for the supply building. "No..." Steve whispered when he opened the door. The garments had all been pushed aside. Jaime was gone. A small piece of paper was taped to the lower rod:
Too bad. We got here first.
------