Chapter 4

…Well Worth a Listen…

Xander was headed back to the Student Lounge when he heard voices headed in his direction. The young transgenic vaulted the counter of the often unmanned commissary and ducked under the bar.

He picked out Principal Snyder's and Coach Marin's voices as they walked into the lounge.

"Sooner or later," the coach's voice sounded indignant, "the others are gonna find out what's going on."

"It's a terrible tragedy," Snyder sounded like he really did not mean what he said, "I really feel your pain, Robert. But I know they'd want their friends to win state. You have to think about the team."

'All that troll cares about is the championship,' Xander thought to himself, 'he couldn't give two shits about the people.'

"We need a complete team, Percy," the coach spoke, "If we don't find someone during tryouts, we won't be eligible."

"You'll find someone," Snyder said in a fake encouraging tone, "All he has to do is wear a suit, right?"

…Radar Love…

Three members of the Sunnydale Swim Team stood on the blocks ready for a relay.

Coach Marin blew the whistle and the three dove into the pool.

Buffy, Willow and Cordelia watched the swimmers from the bleachers.

"So he spit it out?" Willow asked as she eyed Gage suspiciously, he was the fastest one out of the three swimmers.

"I thought Angel liked blood," Cordelia said with a frown as she eyed the teenage boys, their bodies no longer appealed to her.

"I thought so too," Buffy said as she watched her temporary boyfriend. "Maybe it was something in his blood… like steroids."

"That would explain their behavioral changes," the transgenic said thoughtfully.

"And their winning streak," Willow agreed with a nod. She then continued, "So maybe whatever is in their blood is attracting the creature."

"Did you guys find anything on this monster?" the blonde Slayer asked as she pulled at her ponytail and twirled the end with a finger.

"No," Willow said in defeat, "We couldn't find anything that matched Xander's description."

Cordelia's eye caught the body of a swimmer as he exited the locker room, "Oh, hello, salty goodness." She blinked a couple of times. Throat suddenly dry, she swallowed.

The swimmer had a perfect physique. Athletic legs, nice, tight black Speedo, taught abs, hairless chest. "Now, that is my idea of the perfect…"

"Xander!" Willow exclaimed when she caught sight of her best friend.

"Xander?!" Cordelia echoed, wide eyed, a funny little smile on her face. She knew he was a transgenic, but she did not realize he was in this good a shape.

He noticed their attention on him and gave a long, knowing smirk. He moved, more like sauntered in that X5 way as he moved over to them.

"Like what you see?" he quipped, he knew they did.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Buffy snapped at him as she threw a towel at him to cover up his body.

"I'm undercover," he said quietly so no one else would hear.

"Not much," Cordelia said that funny smile still on her face.

"When did you join the Swim Team?" Willow asked as she eyed him owlishly.

"I tried out last night," Xander said with a self satisfied smirk on his face.

"Really?" Cordy asked curiously, thoughtfully.

"Got the fastest time, too," he said in a pompous, superior tone.

At Buffy's glare, he sobered, "Yeah, I figure I can keep an eye on the others when Buffy can't."

Willow ogled the transgenic, at a loss for words.

"Harris, flirt on your own time!" the coach growled out.

"Sure thing, Coach," Xander said quietly as he gave a mock salute and headed to one of the blocks. He listened to the instructions and gave a nod.

"I'm dating a swimmer from the Sunnydale Swim Team!" Cordelia exclaimed loudly with a huge grin on her face.

"Now, you can die a happy death," Buffy said as she rolled her eyes.

The girls watched interestedly as Xander put a swim cap on his head and stepped onto the block.

"So how is Jonathon involved?" Buffy asked as they continued to watch the show.

"No, he's not involved," Willow shook her head emphatically as she watched Xander dive in perfectly and put on a surprising burst of speed as though swimming were second nature to him.

…It Has Begun...

Xander frowned as he entered the sauna after practice. He felt that hair-raising feeling as he sat as close to the exit as possible.

"You guys aren't claustrophobic?" the heat was too cloying and he could feel a headache begin at the back of his head to shoot through his left eye. His heart began to thrum faster as he recognized the symptoms and realized what was happening.

He ignored the feeling of pressure, trying to stave it off as long as possible, as he continued to speak, "I mean, you can't breathe, you sweat a lot, you can't read…"

He frowned as he looked down and noticed that his hand was shaking. 'Oh no,' he thought to himself, 'I thought I was finally rid of this shit.'

"I gotta go, boys," Xander said as he rose from the bench and left quickly. He never noticed the green, clawed fingers that poked through the grate and lifted it.