"So the question becomes: do you remember me? Because I remember you."

Kate squeezed off two rounds and ducked behind the table. She wasn't the Slayer. She wasn't pyrokinetic like Sam and she wasn't...whatever Shoat was. She was an ex-cop trying to keep her neighborhood safe. Unfortunately, sometimes that meant she was in over her head.

She'd never seen this stringy-haired Chinese girl before in her life, yet the woman had addressed her by name. Kate Lockley didn't believe in coincidence, but who-?

A pair of muscular arms seized her around the waist from behind. "You killed me," the Chinese girl hissed, "but not well enough. I went to hell. Now I'm back."

Who had she killed? A human? A demon? The Chinese girl strolled up, and a form like a giant worm or snake spilled out of her mouth and vanished over her shoulder. Definitely a demon now, whatever it had been before. "My name was Talamour. Not that you ever asked. I only needed a body. Just one, just to start with. You'll be number ten, now." Kate fought to wrench free. "There was a time I'd have had to hang you for three days. Everything changes, though."

"Not good and evil," Kate growled. "Because you're definitely still the latter." If she could just reach her gun-

A third body, a preteen white boy, came around the corner, laughing. "Especially good and evil, detective. Especially that."

Kate drove both elbows into the demon's gut, and the creature groaned in pain. It wasn't invulnerable, and hurting its host could hurt it, or at least slow it down. Talamour's grip weakened, and Kate managed to wrench free, bring up her revolver, and fire point-blank into the Chinese woman's face. From the way they sagged when the creature leapt bodies, the hosts were already dead.

The being shrieked. She'd...she'd heard that tone before. A man on fire and still alive. The case she'd met Angel on... "You," she said, and fired again.

The bullet struck the kid in the shoulder. "You do remember me," it said. And something struck her in the back like a bullet piercing her chest. It hurtled into the boy's open mouth. "Not for long."

The pain was blinding. Kate struggled to keep her feet. "Screw you," she spat. "Nine people is enough. I sent you to hell once and I can do it again."

The boy wiped bloody spittle from his shirt. "I count two rounds and eight bodies, and you're already mortally wounded. You're well past bad odds and into impossible."

"Funny," Kate said weakly. "If I'd known what you were when we met, 'impossible' is what I'd have called you." She'd seen so much impossibility in the last two years she might as well be living in Wonderland. Okay, she hadn't perpetrated much of it.

Kate lifted her gun, only to have it kicked from her grasp by the heavyset man behind her. Now that was just not fair. How was she even low enough for that?

Kate found herself fumbling in-no, for-her pocket, where she kept her little-used rosary. She knew now that there was something beyond not just the mundane, but beyond the "ordinary supernatural"-had since Angel had burst in and saved her life. If she could pray...but all her bloodstarved brain could produce was fragments from the bad translation of Saint Patrick's Breastplate in...in that kid's novel.

...all these I place/
by God's almighty help and grace/
between myself and the powers of darkness...

The question was, did she want to live through this?

Of course she did. How was that a question?

Stop the demon? Save her community?

Yes, damn it. Of course. The boy bent over her. "Think we spoiled the body. Shame. She was perfect."

She opened her mouth as if to answer the persistent questioner, opened it wider than she had thought was possible. Saw fear in the demon's blank eyes just before her teeth sank into its stolen face.

"You're a demon."

The green man just rolled his red eyes, tilted his head, and said, "All my life, Madrigal. And you've been a small gnawing rodent most of yours."

Amy stepped back nervously. "Faith? This guy knows-"

"Only what I hear in the universal cantata," the green man said patiently. "And right now we've got a new theme ready to overwhelm the melody. Don't get me wrong, it might be a sweeter tune than what's been playing-we can hope, at least, because the old music was emo as all hell, if you get my drift-but it's also way, way louder than these ears can handle."

"Nice extended metaphors," said a short man with short red hair, coming up behind the demon, who shrugged.

"I try." He turned back to Amy. "Most of the time I just go by 'the Host', but away from my club, I suppose you can call me Lorne. Oz here came by to visit, mentioned some old friends, and we put our quarter notes together and came up with half the story. Think you can fill in the gaps?"

Amy started to turn and call for Faith again, but she stumbled. The green man caught her. "I swear I'm not here to cause you any problems," he insisted. "I don't need Lilah Morgan playing the sax on late night to know she's bad news, Adagio. We've come to help. Cross my heart and hope notto die, not just yet."

Faith arrived just then-finally-and took Amy's other arm. "Okay, what's all this-Oz?"

"Faith," the short guy said. "Heard you were involved. Brought some hummus. Precautionary."

Faith blinked and looked confused. "Actually I love hummus."

Oz nodded. "Then let's talk over lunch."

"Dude, sun went down hours ago."

"Jet lag coming from Tibet's a bitch."

Faith tugged Amy and Oz back inside while Lorne went back to the van. By the time he returned with an bald black man, a young woman in tight rubberized gloves who might've been part Japanese, and a curly haired girl-no, another demon-with a faint, unplaceable accent, Amy had remembered Oz. He'd been a drummer, oddly quiet. Willow's boyfriend. He took her rapid aging completely in stride, saying only, "Bummer."

"Faith thinks we can still fix it," she found herself saying. "I don't really know myself."

"Don't quit hoping. Werewolf here." He pointed to the girl in rubber. "Can't touch anyone."

"Gwen Raiden. Electrical powers, not all the comic books promised."

"Orphan."

"Robin Wood, only known child of a Slayer." He spread his hands. "No luck with the superpowers myself."

"And...um, Halfrek...what's your drawback again?"

"Itty bitty chance of privacy. No, seriously, D'Hoffryn's just short of all-knowing where his girls are concerned. I have to assume he doesn't mind that I'm here or you'd be in trouble by now."

"What about you, Green?" Faith spoke up. "You got problems too?"

"Just terminally fabulous," Lorne said, tugging at his fluorescent jacket. "Well...and a little conspicuous at times."

"Something big is going down," Robin said. "And if it's not something to do with a certain employee of Wolfram and Hart becoming president, I'll eat mom's old duster. Have to find it first; a vamp got it."

"Between me and Lorne," Halfrek said, "we traced the only real nexus of resistance here, to a Kate Lockley's place."

"She's out for the night," Amy said. "Tracking down a serial killer."

"Leaving a rogue Slayer, a vampire, a robot, and Amy to guard the store?" Oz nodded to himself. "Sounds like the forces of good to me."

"Also an underage necromancer," Shoat said, poking her head in. "Don't mind me." She vanished back into her room.

"That kid have parents?" Gwen asked.

"Not to be contacted," Kate said, coming in by the back way. "She insists it wouldn't be healthy for them. I'm inclined to agree or CPS would have her by now. What's with the crowd?"

"Forces of good are coming together," Faith said. "Not a good sign."

"Means the situation is dire," Oz agreed. "Is the military really involved or did I mishear?"

"Riley and Sam are out just now," Kate said. "In other news I was nearly killed by a burrower demon. Luckily I'm a werebear."

Oz looked up casually. "New?"

"As of tonight," Kate agreed. "I got about five of its host bodies, but that just means the other four are out hunting for more."

"Other four?" Faith scowled. "I thought-"

"Wrong, apparently. They can control ten bodies at once. Surprise, surprise, the ancient texts got it wrong." Kate began peeling off layers of clothing. "Nailed me so hard I thought I'd been shot. Exit wound was tiny though." Down to her bra now, she held up a bloody blouse. "Damn. Wish I knew who'd infected me. I'd send a thank-you note."

"So it's a decanthrope." Amy looked up to see Harmony coming down the spiral staircase to the private rooms. Holding a book? "No society to speak of cuz they won't be around each other. Can't blame the poor little icky things."

"She can read?" Amy murmured.

"Required skill for graduation," Oz said under his breath.

"Oh, actually they're irrationally afraid the others will steal their bodies," Harmony said. "Tend to be meg-a-lo-maniacal. Oh! Believe nobody else should have power, got it! They like attractive healthy human bodies. Duh? Like, who wouldn't?"

"It is kind of weird seeing her do the research," Faith admitted in Amy's ear. "She says she's gonna be useful if it kills her, though."

"This is in a book?" Kate said, going a bit red in the face. "One of my books?"

"It's okay," Buffybot said, following Harm. "There's like thirty-seven varieties of burrower demons. Decanthropes aren't even common any more. You'd have found it eventually if you'd looked long enough."

"So did I hear right that you're a werebear now?" Harmony sniffed at Kate's clothing. "You don't smell bear...ish."

"Jesus, I thought it'd be obvious," Kate muttered. "I've got worse back hair than some guys."

"Back hair?" Lorne said, looking puzzled. He got up to take a closer look. "Goldilocks, your back's smooth as a larval Mekoru demon."

"To put that in a less-disturbing way," Robin said, also coming closer, "I don't see any back hair either."

Kate made a face. "Look, if you can't see it you won't hear me complain. Who's with me on the next run? We have to take this thing out, and soon."

"I'm in," Gwen and Robin said simultaneously. Faith and Buffybot each raised a hand, followed by Oz.

"Hopefully it'll still only have four bodies," Kate said. "But it's angry and it wants more. Watch each other's backs out there."

"Harm?" Faith wondered. "You want to sit this one out?" That didn't seem like her. Or like most vampires, really.

"I'm working on something to do with these powers," Harmony said sheepishly. "If I can figure out where they're coming from, maybe we can get more of them."

"Then go to it," Faith said, raising her eyebrows in surprise. "Don't be afraid to ask Amy for help."

"I'm on the job," Harmony giggled, and went back upstairs.

"Weird," Oz said.

"That's our second failed attempt with the Mears boy," Lilah muttered, turning the Prison over in her hands. "Why isn't it working?"

Considered that he might just not be the sort of material we need? Darla suggested. He's smart enough, but he's not what most people would call a hero.

"We don't need him to be a hero," Lilah argued. "We need him to be a villain."

Mara slapped her on the side of the head. "Only the Infernal Exaltations are drawn to moral failings," she reminded her charge, "and only forty-eight of those remain in the Prison. What emerged this time was a Lunar Exaltation, for which Warren would be a miserable host. You need better control over the process, unless you think you can somehow create a situation that will satisfy any possible criteria."

"She can do it," Drusilla tittered from beside her empty birdcage. "Miss Lilah is a brilliant star in the heavens."

Oh my, Darla mused. I'd say she has entirely the wrong impression of you.

"Quiet, you," Lilah snapped, not clear just how Darla meant that. "She's right. I'm being a fool. I'm smarter than any ordinary mortal, even Warren or Knox. I just tend to slip into certain modes-like politics-and forget the rest. If Knox can't figure out how to release a particular type of Exaltation, well...he's only human. I'm not."

Mara laughed. "Good show, Madame President."

"Come on now, Mara. I haven't even carried off the assassination yet."

"Call me Hallie." The vengeance demon tapped at the third keyboard carelessly. "Got to get updated on these things again. They change so fast."

"You're sure you're here to help against Lilah?" Amy didn't trust that at all. "You're supposed to be one of the bad guys."

"So's Harm," Halfrek pointed out. "Anyway, you're absolutely right. I'm not here for Lilah. Though if she loses, I'll laugh in her face. I'm here for you. It's never too late to get revenge on the deserving."

"Mom's dead," Amy pointed out. "Or as good as. Korsheth took her away, body and soul. Good riddance. Also, I've read up on your kind. I don't trust your wishes."

"Generally a good policy," Halfrek acknowledged. "But I'm not just any vengeance demon, and you're not just any victim. You're one of the most powerful witches in this hemisphere. I'd guess you're second only to Willow Rosenberg, if you ask me, and she's a special case."

"Special case how?" Amy didn't have anything against Willow. God, she wished she was on her level, though.

"Well, I guess it won't hurt to let you into the loop. It's an open secret around the office. She's the boss's daughter."

"She what?" Everybody knew that old curmudgeon Ira Rosenberg. "But she's..."

"The product of a wish. You don't seriously think Ira would've married Sheila without a little prompting? The man's two sideburns short of being Hasidic. Then D'Hoffryn subbed in his own demonic essence and voila! One demon-blooded superwitch. Why do you think he's got such a soft spot-no, wait. You were a rat, you hadn't heard."

Amy sighed. "It doesn't matter. I could wish I were as powerful as Willow, but not only would you screw me over, even if you didn't, how long have I got to enjoy it?"

"You could wish you were immortal," Harmony said without looking up from her laptop.

"Valid," Halfrek agreed. "But she's right, Harmony. Anything she wishes for, I know how to twist it. I've been in this game a long time."

"So why would I ever make a wish with you around, Hallie?" No matter how desperately she wanted her life back, Halfrek was never going to give it to her.

"Same reason as always," the demon said. "Vengeance."

The decanthrope's latest host body was packing heat. Kate suspected they all would be, and she hadn't been willing to trust too much to her new powers. She still had sufficient connections that she could get a bulletproof vest if she really needed one, and her clothes had all reappeared intact.

Robin scooted past, firing off a crossbow bolt. It missed, but Oz hurtled by a moment later, followed by the Buffybot. The burrower wasn't actually in this body, and it seemed more easily confused.

Gwen seized the being by the head, and there was a crackling, popping noise. She shoved it down. "One more brain fried. Two to go."

"If," Oz said. No more was necessary; they'd discussed the possiblity that it had taken more hosts already.

"If," Gwen agreed.

Kate acknowledged Faith's high five. There was something unspoken between them now. Maybe the way there was between Faith and Shoat.

With a roar another of the bodies came charging toward them, and it was Kate, not Faith, who lifted a hand and sent it flying. She was stronger now, even without changing shape. A good thing, too. She was afraid to change in front of her friends. She might...do something very bad.

Buffybot dispatched the creature with a knee to the back of its skull. Good for her. She'd done a little brain-frying herself earlier. Have to get someone to check her wiring and make sure it didn't happen again.

"Where's the-?" Robin was interrupted as a young woman in a business suit tried to wrench Kate's just-reloaded pistol from her hand. The demon bent Kate's wrist backward and pried at the fingers with all her might. Not one of them moved, and suddenly Kate realized that her fingers had fused into a cage of bone around the weapon. She could no more be disarmed than she could have her hand torn from her body. At least, it would take about the same amount of force.

Kate levered her gun into position against the demon's immense strength and squeezed the trigger. The back of its head blew out with a shocking burst of gore. She wanted to vomit, but there was no twisting in her guts, and all she heard herself say was, "Done. Let's check for the burrower body to be sure."

Was she really that cold inside?

Hell yeah.

"You could outlive your mother, outpower her. That's a valid revenge even if she never knows. And honestly I think Korsheth would get a kick out of showing her. She's not dead. It's not his style."

Amy was getting extremely tired of this conversation. "I swear, Halfrek, I'm not interested. I don't care what he does to my mother, I'm sure she deserves it, but I'm not going to put myself in that position or worse."

"Not even if I guaranteed no strings attached? I can do that, you know. You're a powerful witch of dubious mental stability. I can spin it that way to D'Hoffryn." Halfrek leaned forward as if she thought she was closing a deal. Yeah. Fat chance.

"You make me insane. That's not 'no strings attached'. That's-"

"How I spin it to the big guy. I won't do a thing to you. Honest. Pinky swear. Spit shake. However you want to play it. I power you up and give you your youth back. You do you. That's all. Be Amy Madison."

"You're serious."

"As a heart attack. A metaphorical heart attack. No worries."

"Hey," Harm said belatedly, "should I separate y-?"

"Okay. You're on. I wish for youth and power. Screw it up and so help me God I will make youwish I knew what mercy was."

"Done."

"Hey, hold up," Harmony began, but really she should've said whatever she was going to say a lot sooner. A wind stirred in the room, just a breeze at first. But it touched Halfrek, and she began to dissolve into flecks of sand.

"Wait," Hallie said, "I didn't..." Her hand broke apart as she held it up, blowing away on the strengthening wind. "...mean anything like..." The particles swirled around in a tightening spiral and were sucked into the gemstone on her necklace. "...like this!"

Nothing else in the room was affected by the wind, not beyond a faint rippling, but to Amy it grew stronger still, rising to gale force, and abruptly she also began to dissolve in it. "You said no strings attached!" she raged, but by the look of things whatever was happening wasn't under Halfrek's control any longer. The demon flicked her remaining hand repeatedly as if trying to break a spell, but it made no difference. In moments all that remained of her was a cloud of sand swirling around her power center like a miniature tornado.

The last thing Amy heard before she, too, was torn completely apart was some extremely creative cursing from Harmony.

"Damn it!" Very deliberately, Lilah stamped one foot.

Well. It was progress.

*****
You served us in life. Serve us also now in death.

Why did he hesitate? He had indeed served the Old Ones, body and soul. And if there was one whit of difference between living Old Ones and undead Old Ones, surely his allegiance should be to the latter. Was it not so?

Yet he held back. The Neverborn promised him no lasting kingdom to rule.

Prophecy had betrayed him. There would be no lasting kingdom in undeath anymore than in Oblivion. He spoke three words, the first and last additions for camouflage's sake; only his middle name was the one he had borne in life, as a hermit in Germany when Rome was freshly dead and he had guarded a splinter of the True Cross. "Joseph Heinrich Nest." The words fell into the mouth of the Void.

Rise, Master of Yesterday and Tomorrow. Rise...Lord of Death.