Part Fifty-Five
Sheremetyevo International Airport, Moscow, Russia. November 1, 2001
Xander pulled his coat tightly around him as he stepped off the plane. He had never been to this part of the planet before, and the local weather was cold enough to make him wish he'd dressed more appropriately for the occasion.
It had been a rather boring flight across the pond, to be honest, and so Harris had had a chance to catch up on all the news after helping Oz and Fred and Malcolm Fletcher take care of a demon drug ring in Arizona. The biggest news was the scandal concerning Congressman Nathan Blim, of course, the man who had been forced to go into hiding in order to escape the jackals of the press; but that wasn't the only news Xander was interested in.
{Not that I'm not glad Dawn's friend is okay and Lemke took care of those bloodsuckers,} Xander thought to himself as he walked down the stairs. {But who the hell was it who tipped him off last night? No one poked their nose in like that during the first go-around...and Lemke's report said that the voice on the phone sounded like it was a female version of *me* or something! Ah well, hopefully Mrs. Marcum can come up with some answers by the time we get back to the States.}
Xander shook his head and tried to focus on the here and now. Cleburne and Gunny were going down the stairs, a few steps ahead of him. Behind Xander was Alan Smithers, the liaison from the Council. They were all dressed in civilian clothes, even the Marines; better for everyone to be incognito for this little trip, or so the thinking in the Committee went.
At the bottom of the stairs was an old man in Russian Army uniform, he had a younger man and a young woman next to him. Both aides were also in uniform.
The old man spoke first. "General Joshua Cleburne, congratulations on getting your first star so young in life," he said in a loud booming voice, spreading his arms out and hugging Cleburne in the traditional Russian way.
The Americans were surprised, especially Cleburne; who was in fact barely in his 40's. "I'm sorry if there's been some confusion, General Nosenko, but I'm just a lowly colonel." Joshua started to say.
Nosenko laughed with a loud gusto, as the officers alongside him grinned politely. "Ah, but your name was sent to the relevant Senate committee with the promotions list yesterday. No doubt they will all vote in your favor tomorrow, although I suspect that your 'friend' Representative Blim would prefer otherwise."
Cleburne raised an eyebrow. "And how would you know this?"
Nosenko laughed more softly this time. "Old habits die hard, tovarisch. Just because the Cold War is over, that doesn't mean we go out of the trade anymore than you do." He looked past Cleburne at Xander. "So, this is the young Comrade Harris who has had everyone in an uproar for the past two years, hmm?"
"It's First Lieutenant Alexander Howard, General," was Xander's reply as he saluted. He recognized the red stars on the man's shoulders.
"Da, of course it is. As I said, I have heard quite a bit about you and your exploits." The old man continued smiling. "Very well, names mean little in this business. Lieutenant Howard, welcome to Mother Russia."
He turned to the third of the quartet that had just got off the plane. "Sergeant Charles Rose, I believe? Dobri dyen, it is good to meet you as well." Nosenko nodded at Gunny.
"General," Gunny saluted like Xander had.
Nosenko looked at Smithers. "You I don't recognize."
"Alan Smithers," the British man introduced himself, but Nosenko still looked confused. "I'm on secondment from the Watchers Council."
"Ah, yes, the tweed-wearing ones," the Russian general laughed loudly again. "Well, come, let's get somewhere warmer and I'll tell you what in Russia cries out for your attention."
Security Service Building, Kirov Street, Moscow. An hour later
"Chicken legs?" Cleburne asked with a tone of disbelief.
"Yes, he is quite clear on the fact that they were chicken legs," the female Russian Army officer, a redhead, said with a tiny smirk. She clearly was enjoying Cleburne's irritation.
The man who was the cause of this irritation sat in the middle of the room in a chair. His hands were gripped around the brim of a hat he was holding. His eyes darted around the room from person to person.
Xander was standing in the corner of the room with Gunny and Smithers standing next to him. Harris said, "So, this guy was driving his truck in the middle of the night - and a cabin ran across the road right in front of him. Thatched roof, walls made of what looked like hardened mud, square windows, and a big wooden door - plus chicken legs on all four corners of the cabin. So did you check for vodka bottles, or anything like that?"
"Baba Yaga," Smithers said, ignoring that question as the civilian was escorted from the room.
"Excuse me?" Cleburne said with a glare.
"Yes, Comrade Smithers, that is also our thinking. Baba Yaga," Nosenko said, nodding his head.
"Okay, for those us who have no idea what that means, would someone care to fill in the blanks?" Cleburne asked, still glaring at Smithers.
Smithers sighed. "We're talking about a witch that has had many names over the past ten thousand years, according to Council records. But according to Russian folklore, her most common name is Baba Yaga. A woman usually described an ugly old hag who eats people and lives deep in the woods: in a mobile hut or cabin, which stands on chicken legs."
"You mean stilts painted to look like chicken legs," Cleburne said.
"No, actual chicken legs. Why do you have trouble believing that?"
Cleburne scoffed at Smithers' question. "Because it doesn't make any sense? Come on, it's impossible for a cabin to grow chicken legs!"
"Says the man who hangs out with a time traveler, a werewolf and a woman who builds flamethrowers out of household appliances." Xander wisecracked. Gunny, Smithers and the Russian Army female officer all smiled.
Nosenko laughed out loud again. "I like him. Are you sure there's no Russian blood flowing in your veins, Lt. Howard?"
"No - or at least not if you don't count that incident back in high school with those Russian steroids, and me almost turning into a fish monster," Xander replied with a grimace, as the general's aides briefly stared at each other in alarm. They had both heard of and dealt with the unfortunate 'volunteers' from that research program way back when.
"Hey, I'm sure we don't need to get into *that* right now. I swear, kid, your life is a pain in the ass sometimes! My ass amongst many others," Cleburne muttered, before turning back to Nosenko. "So why call us if this thing is, ah, folklore? Folk tales take awhile to develop. Somehow, I don't think you're calling us in now for a tale years in the making. The hotline works pretty well and won't take years to catch up with us."
"Sightings of the Baba Yaga have taken place over the years, but never in a discernible pattern," the male Army officer replied.
"And now?" Smithers asked.
"Sightings have increased during the last two months or so, and they seem to be following a specific direction," the female Russian Army officer answered. "They started out near the Pripet Marshes, and have been heading steadily east."
"Normally Baba Yaga tends to avoid contact with civilization, going out of her way to remain unnoticed. She was quite reclusive," Nosenko admitted. "Seeing her or her cabin was a unique experience, the stuff of legend. Now, it has happened so much that we can chart the sightings." He gestured at a chart they had put up on the wall.
Xander and Cleburne walked over to look at the chart. They looked at it for a few moments. Xander spoke up, "The Pripet Marshes was where that hut of hers was first started being seen regularly, right?"
"Yes, the first sighting was north of Kiev heading west. It took place during September 11th," the redheaded Russian Army officer smiled as she answered Xander's question.
Cleburne rolled his eyes after witnessing that. {Typical, I should have known they'd get someone to try to 'charm' Harris as soon as possible!}
Xander's fingers traced over the various marks on the map, ignoring the smile. "Well, looks to me like she's headed east, straight towards Moscow."
"Da, that was also our conclusion," General Nosenko walked to the map. "That was one of the reasons we asked for your assistance."
Cleburne turned from the chart to look at Nosenko. "Ah, *one* of the reasons?"
"Well, when her cabin appears, Baba Yaga sometimes talks to the people she encounters."
Xander now turned to look at Nosenko. "And?"
"According to the witness testimony, she has said on more than one occasion that she looks forward to personally meeting the Timetripper; and that she hopes he comes to visit her soon."
Cleburne rolled his eyes again. "Jesus, kid, you and your fan club."
U.S. Embassy building, Moscow, Russia. A while later
"So, she wants to meet me. I mean, it's not like I haven't had people wanting to meet me before," Xander said with a shrug.
"Yeah, remember that time in Japan? That demon lady Yama Uba, she wanted to meet with you too," Cleburne said grumpily.
"Ancient history," Xander said with a dismissive hand wave. That had been almost exactly a year ago, after all.
"Yama Uba?" Smithers asked politely, the name being unfamiliar to him.
"She's dead and gone now, doesn't matter. Believe me, it's not worth going into right at the moment," Cleburne said in a rather clipped voice.
The group was in the 'safe room' in the U.S. embassy in Moscow. The room was called that because it was checked regularly for listening devices, and was considered one of the safest places to meet in Moscow without being overheard by prying ears.
"He's right. Besides, right now we need to focus on this Baba Yaga character. Anything else you can tell us about her?" Xander asked Smithers.
"Nothing major comes to mind. There are several tales in the Russian folklore, as I said before - her encounters with the Russians known as Bulat the Brave and Koschei the Deathless, for example, but I rather suspect they're not really relevant right now." Smithers frowned, "What *is* relevant is that Baba Yaga is willing to come out of hiding in order to talk to you."
"Yeah, I figure most people who live in walking cabins with chicken legs don't typically advertise their presence. I'm thinking this is the first time you've ever had a person like that come a-looking for you," Cleburne commented.
"Guess I can't argue with that one. Even Sunnydale never got to that level of weirdness," Xander replied with another shrug. "You know, some days I would like to live a normal life, I really would."
"I rather doubt that will happen anytime soon," Smithers said. "Still, it is fascinating that a legendary figure such as Baba Yaga wants to meet you."
"Hey - did I or did I not just say that I have real problems with the idea of the witch in the walking cabin looking for the kid?" Cleburne looked annoyed
"Yes, General, you have pointed that out." Smithers replied.
"Colonel," Cleburne corrected Alan instantly; he was never one to count his chickens before they were hatched.
"Very well, Colonel. But as I was saying, I think something of higher concern should be just *why* Baba Yaga is looking for Mr. Harris here."
"There's a lot of people and/or demons out there looking for me, why should she be any different?" Xander wanted to know.
"Well, considering how most of the demons looking for you seem to have evil intentions 'n all, I figure it'd be best if she doesn't meet you, or at least nowhere where we're not in full control of the situation!"
Smithers looked at Cleburne and then turned to Xander. "Is he always like this?"
Gunny finally spoke up from his place in the corner, "Oh, he's gotten better over the years; you should have seen what Colonel Cleburne was like back in the Eighties."
Cleburne looked annoyed at his second-in-command. "Oh, har-de-har-har Gunny. Should I mention the haircut *you* had back in the Eighties? However, my point remains; I don't want the evil witch having a free shot at the kid until we know what her intentions are!"
"Not all witches are evil," Xander declared. "Besides, apparently she just wants to meet 'n talk. Nobody's said anything about her wanting to hurt me."
"It's called taking you by surprise, kid."
"You don't generally invite someone to a sneak attack, sir," Gunny commented.
"Yeah, call me an optimist; but I just don't get the vibe of her wanting to harm me on this one," Xander shook his head slowly.
"And you have such a great track record on that sort of thing!"
Xander looked at Cleburne. "Well, I think things turned out pretty well in Idaho."
Smithers looked at Xander. "Idaho? That was *you* with that demon tribe and that demon rights activist, what was his name - Dupree?"
Cleburne shook his head angrily over all the distractions. "People, let's focus here. We're talking about why the kid is not gonna be a human target on my watch, remember?"
"So why am I in Russia, then?" Xander said suddenly. "I mean, Monsignor Bentallo told us there was an ancient manuscript or whatever that said I was supposed to go to Russia at this point. The writing by that monk talked about how 'the one displaced in time', which is a pretty good description of me, 'is to go to the eastern land of forests', which is what Russia used to be called back then. Sounds to me like I'm meant to be here, there's something I'm meant to do."
Cleburne frowned, but Xander kept on going before he could be interrupted. "Come on, Cleburne! It's just like that time in England, when we met Drogyn and his demons in that forest while we were looking for the Deeper Well and the Holy Grail. I can't do whatever it is I'm supposed to do if I just sit here in this glorified fishbowl! Right now, this Baba Yaga lady sounds like the best shot for me doing whatever it is I need to do."
"The lieutenant has a point, Colonel," Gunny piped up.
Cleburne looked like he had just swallowed a lemon. "I know, but that doesn't mean I have to be happy about it. All right, fine; how do you propose we find this walking cabin?"
Xander looked from person to person in the chamber. "Well - back in Sunnydale, if you wanted to find a demon the best place to start looking was in a bar."
Hyperion Hotel, Los Angeles, California. November 2, 2001
Cordelia Chase was starting to get bored, even if she knew just how dangerous that attitude was in her line of work.
It had been a little *too* quiet around here at Angel Investigations, ever since that 'incident' a few nights ago with that guy Billy Blim. Angel had refused to answer her questions about who was the man that had finally shot the misogynist at the airport, and why the ensouled vampire had instantly turned tail and run when the words 'Mother Hen' had been uttered, dragging her along.
It had surely pissed off the beauty queen when her undead boss either couldn't or wouldn't fill in the blanks; it reminded her of the huge lie Angel had perpetrated for two years.
The one where Xander Harris was still alive and kicking, that is.
{I just *bet* that that mysterious stranger from the other night was involved with the dorkhead somehow,} Cordy thought to herself, her thoughts drifting to her ex-boyfriend; the same man she'd had utterly no luck in finding ever since 9/11. {It's exactly the sort of thing Xander would get involved with.}
"Ah, Cordelia, there you are," Wesley Wyndham-Pryce said absently, as he came in from the kitchen and saw the former Queen C sorting through the mail.
"Yes, here I am. Wes, what's up with you? You look like you slept in your clothes last night," Cordelia frowned, taking in the Englishman's rather scruffy appearance.
Wesley collapsed down on to the couch, and waited to speak until Cordelia had joined him there. "I did. I've been researching."
"Researching what?" Cordy raised an elegantly plucked eyebrow.
Wesley frowned. "Darla is well into her third trimester now; it should be only a matter of weeks before she finally gives birth. That's part of what's worrying me."
"What do you mean? Cause women have been giving birth for like millions of years," Cordelia said, looking confused.
Wesley restrained the desire to snap at her for being dense. "Not like this! Cordelia, no female vampire has *ever* gotten pregnant and given birth before, this is all totally unchartered territory. There's been nothing like this throughout recorded history; I still don't understand it, Connor's very existence should have been impossible!"
"But both of the parents aren't, y'know, normal vampires," Cordelia argued. "I mean, with their souls and everything."
"It doesn't matter - vampire physiology is such the presence of a soul shouldn't make any difference. As far as I was aware, one of the most fundamental laws of this universe is that life simply cannot arise out of death," Wes sighed. "And yet, here we are."
"You're worried about what's going to happen when the big day finally arrives?" Miss Chase asked.
"That, as well as afterwards. Wolfram & Hart may have kept their distance over the last few months, but I rather doubt they'll be able to resist trying to grab the baby after it's born; it's pretty much a given that the Senior Partners have been making plans to deal with Connor's arrival into this world. And there's also all the others we'll have to cope with, of course; the Scourge, the Order of Phillius, Beltar the Cremator and those vampire worshippers, to name but a few."
"Well, Angel and Darla will think of something. It's their kid, after all," Cordelia offered with a shrug.
"Yes, but the odds are not on their - our - side," Wes said pessimistically. "We need more information, damn it. I thought surely there had to be more prophecies for such an unprecedented occurrence as this, but so far I've come up with bugger all."
"Well, keep at it, soldier," Cordelia said comfortingly as she rose to go back to the mail. "The way our lives work, I'm sure you'll soon find something somewhere. At the worst possible moment, granted, but still." She started sorting through the mail again, stopping suddenly and turning white when she did.
Wesley noticed. "What's wrong?"
"It's a letter for me, from the IRS."
1630 Revello Drive, Sunnydale, California. November 3, 2001
Dawn Summers glared at her mother Joyce and her sister Buffy, unable to believe she'd been grounded for something she hadn't even done back on Halloween night; namely, sneak out of the house and have some fun with her friend Janice Penshaw. The hysterical girl had unfortunately spilled *everything* after she'd arrived at the house that evening.
{Where's Xander to help me bust out of prison when I need him?} the Key thought morosely to herself.
Hotel lounge, Orel, Russia. November 4, 2001
"There's been another sighting."
Xander and the others looked up as the female Russian Army officer - the redhead who was named Anna - walked into the lounge where they were waiting.
Over the past three days it had actually taken more than one demon bar to try to pin down Baba Yaga's location, it had taken visits to a grand total of four. They'd started in Moscow and worked their way towards the southwest, the demon bars getting smaller and smaller as the group had progressed. However, the smaller the demon bar, the more information they got.
The Siberians - even though the Russians were clearly not amused by that name - were being accompanied on their trip by Anna. She acted officially as their liaison with the Russian government and also, although no one actually said it out loud, as a convenient spy on the four foreign 'guests'.
Anyway, the information from the last bar had brought the Westerners here to the city of Orel. They'd been waiting for the results of a number of aerial flights sent up to see if Baba Yaga's cabin could be spotted from the air, the planes departing from an unmarked military airfield.
And now, it seemed success was finally at hand.
Xander answered Anna first, "Where and how far away?"
"About thirty kilometers southwest of here. A truck driver admitted to witnessing the presence of a building in the middle of the road, even though he was sure he was just seeing things. A recon plane flew over the road and spotted the cabin. It's still circling over the area."
"And the wicked witch of the East is where, exactly?" Cleburne asked.
"Still in the area, the cabin is walking around. As if it's waiting for something," Anna admitted.
"Or someone," Xander said, nodding. "Let's go find out."
Thirty kilometers southwest of Orel, Russia. A while later
Xander held on tight as the vibrations almost shook him out of his chair. This chopper surely wasn't like the U.S. Army Blackhawk he had ridden to Idaho to deal with the Hellions, or the one he and Oz had used to chase that guy Jacob Crane back in March. "Shock absorbers, couldn't they have installed them on this thing?"
"The Red Army had other ideas in mind when they designed this helicopter, kid; like speed and efficiency," Cleburne commented. "They were never known to be big on personal comfort."
Anne spoke up, "We're over the area now."
Xander looked out over the landscape. He spotted a clearing where he saw several military vehicles with soldiers around them. {Huh, I didn't know we were gonna have company for this gig.}
Anne continued speaking, "I've arranged for backup, although the paratroopers seemed to find it hard to believe when they were told just what they were looking for."
"And why doesn't *that* surprise me?" Cleburne muttered, albeit too low for anyone to hear him over the racket produced by the helicopter.
The helicopter landed near the vehicles and the Siberians joined the paratroopers. A map was spread out, and one of the paratroop officers started pointing to places on the map as Anna translated what he had to say.
After everyone had received their assignments, they fanned out to search. The area had a lot of forest nearby. A short while later the Siberians, Anna and several paratroopers were waiting at the vehicles as the other soldiers fanned out in a search pattern.
"So what do we do if - or when - we find her?" Xander asked Cleburne.
"Why ask me, kid? You're the one the legend said needed to find her."
Xander rolled his eyes. "No, it said I would be enlightened, not that I needed to find her."
"Are you sure that's not the same thing?" Smithers asked. "I would think that the discoverer is the one that almost always needs enlightenment."
"Honestly, dude, the only thing I need right now is a bit more time to work on that literature assignment," Xander groaned, attracting Anna's attention.
"The Wizard cracking the whip?" Gunny asked.
"Well, one of his colleagues, Dr. Gunderson? He has me writing about medieval French literature," Xander semi-complained.
"You should study Russian literature instead, it is much more moving," Anna said with a smile.
"Yeah, well, I tried to read 'War And Peace' and 'Anna Karenina' when I was in high school. Never did get that far with either of 'em," Xander said musingly, thinking back to the days when he was a senior and Faith's boyfriend - before he had ended up in that demon hell dimension.
"You're a fan of Leo Tolstoy?" Anna asked, looking interested.
"Not really; all I know is, he wrote books about women who came to a bad end if they didn't obey the rules. Most of the femmes I know, they *love* breaking the rules and kicking ass when someone tells them what to do and how to act," Xander replied, sending Anna a curious look and trying not to think too much about Buffy, Willow and Cordelia.
"IF we could get back on topic," Cleburne growled, feeling his ulcer getting worse.
"Yes, Baba Yaga. As a Watcher, I must admit - I'm rather looking forward to this," Smithers said enthusiastically. "The chance to talk to someone that old, and that powerful; it's the opportunity of a lifetime. Assuming she deigns to speak to any of us apart from Lt. Howard, of course," he gestured to Xander.
"Let me guess, you have a tweed suit at home?" Xander asked.
Smithers looked a little surprised. "No, I never could get comfortable wearing tweed. Besides, that sort of clothing reminds me of Quentin Travers too much."
Cleburne looked around. "Hey!"
"Travers, huh? You had a run-in with him?"
Smithers nodded in response to Xander's question. "Oh yes, we had quite the disagreement over the direction he was taking the Watchers. So I left the Council, and only came back after he was removed from the organization. I take it you've met him before?"
"Oh yeah, we've had our own disagreements," Xander observed drily.
"People, I said 'hey!' for a reason!" Cleburne spoke up again in annoyance.
"What is it?" Xander looked around.
"Look!" Cleburne pointed at the perimeter where a wave of fog was rolling in at an unnatural speed.
"Now, that's different," Xander commented as they were enveloped by the fog.
Anna listened to a radio for a second and then spoke up, "It's localized. The search parties report we're the only ones covered by fog." She looked around as the ground shook. "What was that?"
"Me being proven right, damn it, I hate it when that happens!" Cleburne shouted. He shouted a couple of phrases in Russian and then he switched back to English. "We're under attack, keep a sharp eye out!"
The ground shook again, briefly.
"Earthquake?"
Anna shook her head in response to Xander's question, even though it was getting hard to see her face. "I've never heard of earthquakes in this area before."
"Like there's never been a walking cabin with chicken feet around here before!" Xander shouted back as he scanned the surrounding area.
"Agreed."
They heard a panicked shout and turned in response to it. "What was that?" Xander asked.
"Chicken legs, they're yelling about chicken legs," Cleburne responded. The ground shook again and Xander lost his balance, as the epicenter of the quake - or whatever it was - seemed to be directly underneath his feet.
He got back up and saw that the fog had surrounded him and the others. Harris couldn't see any of the others anymore. "Hey! Hey! Anyone?!"
The ground shook again, harder than before. Xander turned and his eyes widened. In front of him was a huge chicken leg, at the top of which he could see a wooden platform.
"No frickin' way."
The so-called Timetripper heard a series of gunshots, but the chicken leg stepped up and moved forward. Xander threw up his arms as the leg came towards him - and then everything went black.
Mobile residence of the Baba Yaga, Russia. A while later
"Owwww," Xander's hand went to his forehead as he groaned. He opened his eyes and looked around. He was in a big room; there was a big table in the middle, and a number of stools were set around it. He was alone in the room, which was not a good omen in Xander's book. He quickly clambered to his feet.
"Hello? Hello!" Xander walked unsteadily over to a window he had spotted. He looked out and saw he was well above the ground and moving.
"Oh, crap," Harris muttered as he realized he was in Baba Yaga's cabin. "This can't be good."
He looked around to see what was present that he could use. He was still carrying his holstered pistol and his radio. {Shoulda brought Fred's special rifle with me, damn it!} Since there was nothing to aim at with the pistol, Xander went ahead and used the radio.
"This is Lt. Alexander Howard, Can anyone hear me?" He waited for a minute, but got no response. Xander then looked over at the far wall where there was a door.
"Well, she does want to talk to me, so I guess I should go find her and introduce myself." So Xander went through the door and found himself in a long hallway, which he started walking down. His stepped on the wooden floor echoed down the hallway. After a short distance, Xander stopped and looked around.
"Wait a minute. This is an awfully big hallway for the size of a cabin everyone's been describing to me lately." He walked a little bit further. "Hello? Hello?" Xander noticed several doors further down the hallway. He knocked on the closest one.
"Candy-gram for Mr. Mongo!"
Silence.
"Yeah, that never works."
Xander pushed open the door and looked in. The room was full of pots and pans, some of them bubbling with strange liquids. He stepped into the room. "What's for dinner?"
"Something Russian like borscht, I'll betcha."
Xander looked at the other end of the room, where Cleburne was walking along the table. "I was wondering when I was going to find you in here, kid."
"Cleburne, what happened?"
"Well, in a nutshell, the pseudo-chicken cabin came rampaging through where we were, knocked you around a bit and then picked you up. It scattered the paratroopers and then started off back into the woods."
"And you?"
"Hitched a ride, I didn't want to have to explain to the Wizard and Marcum how I ended up losing you."
"And, this thing about losing yourself?"
"Not my first time, kid," Cleburne looked around. "Now, about getting you out of here."
"Are you not going to at least say hello first?"
The two men turned around in response to the question, which had been spoken with a thick Russian accent. Standing there behind them was a *very* beautiful woman.
"Okay, hello."
The dark-haired woman smiled in response to Xander's greeting. She started walking along a table, checking on the pots and pans as she did so. "Greetings, and welcome to my humble home."
Xander and Cleburne exchanged a glance. "Baba Yaga?" Xander asked cautiously.
"You seem to be surprised by me," the woman said, as she started working with her magic potions.
"We were told that you were an old hag who ate people," Cleburne replied.
"Well, I don't want to be bothered by men interested in a woman who looks such as me," Baba Yaga said calmly.
Xander noticed something. "You didn't say anything about not eating people."
The woman just smiled in response.
"Yeah, never mind. Thing is we've heard that you like your privacy, and yet you invited me here, which - let's face it - is kind of an odd way of discouraging trespassers."
The Baba Yaga looked over one of the pans at Xander. "You I wanted to talk to." She then glanced at Cleburne, and then lazily waved her hand. "Alone, that is."
The Marine was flung through a nearby door which slammed shut once he was through. A few seconds later, muted cursing and pounding on the door could be heard. The witch waved her hand again and the noise stopped.
Xander raised an eyebrow.
"Spell of mute, it eliminates distracting noises," Baba Yaga explained. "Now, as for you and me."
"Alone at last?"
Baba Yaga strolled towards Xander, smiling at his quip. "I can think of worse people to be alone with."
"Somehow, I think being alone with you would be interesting and dangerous at the same time." Baba Yaga grinned as Xander continued, "However, personally I prefer quiet and boring."
"That is not what I hear, your exploits are talked about all around the world."
"Don't believe everything you hear," Xander said as Baba Yaga came close to him, very close indeed. {Oh boy, this feels like it could be a situation - Houston, I think we may have a problem.}
But Baba Yaga just smiled again. "All legends have some basis in fact, Alexei Antoniovich - yes, I know who you are, and what is your real name. Always there is a kernel of truth involved. Why else would so many people believe vampires to be nothing more than a myth?"
"Point taken."
"Interesting and dangerous follows you around, I like that in a man. You...would be a most interesting companion for me." Baba Yaga seductively traced a line on Xander's cheek with her finger.
Xander stepped back, despite the effects of the gorgeous-looking Russian woman on his hormones. "Yeah, we're heading into that territory, huh? What is it with me and demons?"
Baba Yaga continued smiling. "I am not a demon."
"All right, witch then. I mean, hey - demons, witches, spies, seers, Slayers, or even former demons. Why is it that all the women who end up interested in my ass are always something - unusual?"
Baba Yaga stepped back and chuckled. "My spells have shown me your romantic history, Alexei. Both here and in the original history, your love life is indeed most - unusual. However, even I do not see clearly what the future holds for you. All I know is that it will not be me you will eventually bond with, it will be one of them."
Xander frowned, deep down he was shocked at the implications of that statement. "What?"
Baba Yaga didn't answer his question. "You are looking for the Spear."
Xander blinked at the abrupt change of topic. "Spear?"
"The Spear of Destiny, I know you and your friends are looking for it. I can help you find it, Alexei."
Xander looked around. "Right, I don't suppose you happen to have it lying around here somewhere?"
"Nyet, that is one trinket I do not have here. It has a terrible habit of attracting attention, you see. Between those questing for it and those who seek to destroy it, it would simply cause too much grief , I prefer to avoid human company, you see."
"And yet, here I am?"
The ten thousand-year-old witch smiled again in that sexual predator sort of way. "That is different. YOU are different, Alexei. You are something new under the sun, after all these millennia. That is why I wanted you here. I want to help you find the Spear of Destiny."
Xander shrugged, not completely convinced she was genuine. "In my experience, no one ever does something for nothing."
"Da, true enough. You will owe me a debt, and I will have my payment at some point. However, the price will not be an insurmountable one for you to pay."
"Okay, assuming this is all legit. Somehow, I get the feeling there are those who aren't gonna like you being on *my* side."
"Those you speak of, I may have to get along with them - but I am beholden to no one. My choices are my own, and always have been. Always will be." She stirred one of the cauldrons for a few seconds. "I consider you the better choice of options."
"Switching sides?"
Baba Yaga tasted one of her concoctions from the cauldron she'd been stirring. "Better to think of it as wanting the neighborhood to remain the same. I think you Americans call it not wanting the property value to go down."
"You know, the fact that you're worried about property values is not the most surprising thing I've learned today, is not surprising," Xander wisecracked.
Baba Yaga started smiling again. "I am full of surprises, Alexei. Some of them you surely will like, when it is time for my payment."
"Speaking of which?"
She nodded. "The Spear which pierced the side of Yeshua, two thousand years ago. I do not know exactly where it is. However, I can point you in the right direction."
Xander rolled his eyes. "Please, no cryptic stuff; that's all I ask. I had enough of that from Angel in the old days."
Baba Yaga raised an eyebrow. "Liam? Da, he has a way of saying a lot without saying anything. However, you need not worry, Alexei. I will be direct - I *am* Russian, after all."
She walked over to another table and started going through a pile of books that was there. "Where is it, it was here just last week." Finding her prize, the beautiful woman then handed Xander a book bound in green leather.
"Alexei, this is the writings of a monk named Josef. He lived in the 1500s, and he collected information about various holy relics. However, he did more than just sit in a monastery. Josef actually travelled, quested if you will, after some of the relics."
"The Spear of Destiny?"
Baba Yaga nodded. "One of his obsessions, it was. He brought home several relics, but never the Spear itself."
Xander nodded. "And this will help me, how?"
"It helps to know where not to look, cheeky little boy. That comes from knowing what has been tried before. Also, there is something interesting," Baba Yaga smiled.
"Compared to, what, a mad Russian monk in a monastery reading piles of books for years on end? I think just about anything would be interesting."
"I told you, Josef did not just dwell within his monastery and read. He actually went out into the world, and searched it for himself. One of those trips might be of interest to you." Baba Yaga opened the book that Xander was holding and pointed to a specific page. "During the 16th century, he travelled to the Balkans to seek out the Spear of Destiny, based on information he had received."
Xander shrugged. "And he clearly came up empty, since no one knows where the Spear is."
"Perhaps, perhaps not. Because after he returned home, Alexei, Josef stopped looking for the Spear. When asked about it, he said he had found his answer and did not need to look further. When the leaders of the Russian Orthodox Church pressed him, the only other thing he would say is that it was meant for another."
Xander frowned. "You saying he just gave up, for no clearly defined reason? Didn't anyone press him for more?"
"Da, of course they did. Eventually, he was excommunicated for refusing to comply with the personal wishes of the Patriarch of the Church. Josef was quite stubborn about the matter, you see, despite all blandishments and temptations."
Again, Xander could tell what 'that' meant. "You asked him personally, didn't you?"
Again, Baba Yaga smiled. "Josef was a strong man, who knew what awaited him in Heaven. As I recall, he was a lot like you." She stood back after a few seconds. "His notes might be helpful to you. I have tried over the centuries to decipher them, but I never succeeded. It is possible your friends in Rome might have more success than one like me."
Baba Yaga looked around. "Your friends outside are quite insistent on searching for my house. You, and the istrebitel who followed you here, you need to go to them." She seemed to hesitate for a second, but then moved forward and kissed Xander hungrily.
"Whoa," Xander breathed after the witch let him go. "Just what kind of debt am I owing you?"
Baba Yaga smirked, before her face grew serious. "I would offer you a warning, Alexei. You have attracted attention."
"Yeah, well, I'm told I'm real popular these days. After all, *you* wanted to meet me." Xander started to say.
"But, there are those who are not as accommodating as me. Bathory has sent Baron Roja after you."
"Baron Roja? Bathory?" It was the first time Xander had heard the names, and they meant nothing to him, yet.
"I look forward to our next meeting, Alexei - after you have found the Spear. You will return to pay your debt to me, of this there can be no doubt. Your sense of honor will demand it." Without another word, the stunningly beautiful witch clicked her fingers.
"What the?" Xander said as he blinked. Baba Yaga was simply not there anymore. The door at the end of the room then burst open with a loud bang, as it slammed against the wall. Cleburne and Anna hurried into the room.
"Kid, you alright?" the newly-minted general demanded.
"Yeah, but where did she go?" Xander asked, looking around.
"Who?" Anna asked.
"Baba Yaga, she was just here. You must have seen her go by you, right?" Xander craned his neck to look into the corridor.
"Come on, kid, the cabin is sitting on the ground now and we can get out without having to jump." Cleburne didn't like it in here anymore.
Hyperion Hotel, Los Angeles, California. November 5, 2001
The Fang Gang looked up as Cordelia and Wesley walked in. Angel spoke first, "Well?"
Cordelia had a somewhat stunned look on her face. "That went, uh, completely unexpected."
"That bad?" Gunn asked dolefully.
"On the contrary, it went quite well for Cordelia," Wesley answered. Everyone had assumed the worst when the Internal Revenue Service had contacted Cordy. The IRS had sent her father to prison for not paying his taxes, and they had seized the Chase family fortune, and now everyone had thought they most likely wanted more money out of Cordelia.
"In what way?" Darla asked.
"Turns out, there was some money that they weren't supposed to seize," Cordy said slowly. "When I was born, my grandfather set up a trust fund for my college expenses. He had some CPA here in Los Angeles control it, and make all the investment decisions. My mom and dad, forgot all about it after he told them; I mean, they were sure I wasn't ever going to need it, and so nobody told me I had such a thing waiting for me after I grew up."
"And the IRS seized it," Gwen Raiden knew the story concerning the tax authorities and the Chase family well.
"Yeah. But now they want to give it back."
"What?" Ms. Raiden had not expected to hear 'that'. "All of the money they took from your father?"
"No, just, just my trust fund," Cordelia replied, looking like she was still trying to wrap her head around the concept.
Wesley picked up the thread of the conversation from Cordelia to explain further. "Apparently, the CPA overseeing the fund paid all the associated taxes on time and in full. Also, Mr. Chase exercised no control over the fund, all the decisions were made by the accountant. Therefore, after a 'very' lengthy investigation, the IRS came to the conclusion that the trust fund should not have been confiscated."
"So Daddy Chase gets the money," Gunn said with a trace of bitterness.
Cordelia shook her head. "No. I do."
"Since the trust fund was set up for Cordelia, and she is now of legal age, it's being released by the government for its original function, that is - paying for her college education," Wesley explained.
"If I budget with care, it'll get me all the way through UCLA or wherever," Cordelia said, wondering if this was the direction she wanted her life to go. {Maybe I should ask if they can give it all to me at once, in order to seriously jump-start my movie star career? Heck, all they can do is say no! }
"A free ride, sweet," Gunn said with a smile.
"Yeah, something went right with my life for a change," Cordelia said, shaking her head in wonder. "Maybe this is gonna be the start of something good for me."
"You never know," Gwen smirked in her direction.
It was too bad neither seer knew how Cordelia was now of no further interest to Jasmine, in terms of eventually becoming her mother; and that this little stunt of distracting the former princess with some much-needed cash was just a minor ploy in the rogue Power's master plan to finally get herself born into the mortal world.
Vatican City, Rome, Italy. November 6, 2001
Monsignor Bentallo flipped through the pages of the book Baba Yaga had given to Xander. "Incredible, simply incredible. I have heard of Brother Josef, of course, but everyone thought his writings were lost."
"Baba Yaga seemed to think that you'd like having it," Xander commented.
Xander, Cleburne and the others were in Bentallo's office in Vatican City going over the events in Russia. The USMC general was not happy about Xander having to go back to Russia one day to pay for services rendered, but he was able to ignore that for now; there was no fixed timeframe involved, after all.
"And apparently, this whole thing in Russia was basically just to get that book to me, in order to pass onto you. Yeesh, haven't they ever heard of Fed-Ex?" Xander asked.
"Well, you did happen to also pick up a new stray," Cleburne complained.
Bentallo looked up. "A stray?"
"Russian liaison officer is headed our way." Gunny explained.
Smithers looked troubled. Cleburne noticed and said, "So, Smithers, you don't like our new friend Anna?"
Alan ignored Joshua's question and turned to Xander. "Baba Yaga definitely said Bathory and Baron Roja, didn't she?"
"Yes, for the tenth time! Those were the names she gave me," Xander complained.
"And this troubles you, why?" Cleburne asked the Watcher.
Alan gestured to the Monsignor to answer. Bentallo said, "General Cleburne, Bathory is bad, but as far as Mr. Harris is concerned - her minion, the so-called 'Baron Roja', is worse."
"These vamps are extra-dangerous, why?" Joshua wanted to know.
Bentallo turned up from the book and looked at Xander. "Elizabeth Bathory was Hungarian royalty, and a monster even *before* she was turned into a vampire. According to our records, the so-called Bloody Countess killed a vampire Slayer back in 1610 and bathed in a tub full of her blood afterwards; just as Bathory had done with all those peasants within her domain, when she was still human."
"Sounds kinda gross," Xander grimaced.
"However, Roja is much more dangerous where you personally are concerned."
"Why is that?" Gunny asked.
Smithers looked at the group with a look of apprehension.
"He hunts those who hunt vampires."
TBC...