Chapter 7

Author's notes: I know it's been a long time since I updated last, but I hope you are enjoying this new chapter. I wanted to thank everybody for their feedback on chapter 6 and would appreciate your feedback on the new part. As always, questions, praise and criticism are most welcome welcome.

Italics denote thoughts.

Tree Hill, North Carolina
20 August 1999 – 02:44 EDT

Xander's eyes shot open and he looked around the moonlit room, temporarily confused by his surroundings. He tried to calm his breathing and shake the terrible memories from his head that had caused him to wake from his short and restless slumber. His eyes settled on Brooke who was sleeping calmly on her bed, her facial expression at ease and a small smile showing on her lips. She's lucky. At least her worries don't follow her into her dreams.

He gave Brooke one last look before he quietly rose from his seat and walked over to the open window. The blinds had only been partially shut to allow the night air to enter the room. The sound of crickets chirping filled the warm summer night as Xander started to reflect on the life he had left behind in California and about how he was always painfully reminded of it no matter how far he tried to get away. But maybe being reminded of what you are trying to run away from is a good thing. Because it shows you how you've failed. He looked back to Brooke's sleeping form. And how you sometimes might get another chance to make things right.

Interstate 17, North Carolina
20 August 1999 - 03:19 EDT

Doug pulled his Kawasaki ZXR motorcycle into the gas station along Interstate 17 and came to a stop at the pump, killing the engine. As expected, the station had very little activity at this hour and after quickly scanning his surroundings he got off his bike and removed his helmet.

He had been going up and down the same fifty mile stretch of highway for the better part of the night on the lookout for any Sabbat transports heading north towards Virginia and Washington D.C. Last night he and the other Camarilla scouts had managed to identify and intercept several small groups of ghouls and vampires. It had been messy, and they had suffered some losses within their ranks. TJ had been ripped apart by a Sabbat Gangrel and Scotty died when the car he was using as cover had been hit by a rocket-propelled grenade and exploded.

Doug went inside the station to prepay for his gas. Moving through racks of magazines and packaged food he approached the counter in the back of the store to find it deserted. "Hello," he called out without getting an answer. "Anybody here?"

"Anybody here?" a hoarse voice asked from behind him.

Doug whirled around, his hand reaching for the gun that was tucked into his shoulder holster. The sight before him would have made his heart skip a few beats if it were indeed still beating and his brain tried to register the information his eyes took in.

The entranceway was blocked by a giant monstrosity of roughly human shape. The body was covered in chitineous plates that were adorned by dangerously looking spikes several inches in length. The head was mostly hidden by a black leather mask that reminded Doug of some bad S&M porn, and the mouth seemed out of proportion and too large for the rest of the head. The monster was splattered with blood and pieces of flesh and the stench assaulted Doug's senses. The thing opened its mouth to reveal hundreds of needle-thin teeth. "Anybody here?" it asked again, the tone mocking and full of amusement.

Beckoning to the power of the blood inside of him, Doug pulled out his .44 Magnum and opened fire, pulling the trigger in rapid succession. His movements accelerated by his vitae he rapidly started to run towards the storefront window. He knew he wouldn't be able to kill this thing, whatever it was, but he hoped it would be slowed down by the bullets to give him a chance to slip by and crash through the window.

The bullets harmlessly glanced of the abomination's chitineous plates and ricocheted into the room. It roared in anger and, with surprising agility, moved to intercept Doug's path of travel. A spiked fist lashed out, aiming right at Doug's head. Doug saw the movement out of the corner of his eye and made a running dive out of the way. The move changed his direction slightly but he managed to use his momentum to finish rolling out of the way and come up to his feet quickly. He heard another thunderous roar right behind him and didn't dare turning his head to see how close the monster was. His sight solely set on the windowed storefront less than twenty feet away he moved forward with all the speed he could muster. Just get the fuck out of here, he thought. Into the aisle, quick left, quick right between the sales racks and through the glass.

He raced into the center aisle and, like a football player trying to evade the tackle, abruptly turned left, fully aware that the beast was right on his tail. Fifteen feet to go. Two steps took him to the narrow aisle of magazine racks leading him to freedom. Dashing to his right he turned into the aisle and prepared himself to lunge through the window. Twelve feet. He could see his reflection in the window pane and nearly slipped when he saw the giant form right behind him. Nine feet. I'll make it. Just a few more steps.

Two more steps into the aisle it suddenly seemed to get narrower, and before he had a chance to realize what was happening the rack of magazines came crushing down and slammed him to the ground. His momentum caused his body to slide a couple more feet across the floor, his hands reaching out to stop the movement and allow him to push himself up and keep going.

He touched something cool and looked up to see his hands on the glass the very moment a spiked foot came stomping down on his lower back, breaking his spine in a crushing blow. Doug screamed out in pain as he looked up to see the monster standing over him, laughing. He was pulled from the ground and thrown across the store, crushing into a nearby wall. Just let it end quickly, he thought through the haze of pain, knowing that there was no chance for him to survive the night. He wouldn't get his wish.

Tree Hill, North Carolina
20 August 1999 - 03:31 EDT

Xander's face was tense and he gritted his teeth as another nightmare took hold of him. He was whimpering lightly in his sleep as he twisted his head back and forth, unsuccessfully trying to shake off the horrors he was experiencing in his restless slumber.

"PP7 in sight, awaiting orders."

The earpiece cracked into life. "Monitor target and do not engage at this point. Report any change that may warrant extraction."

Chavez shook his head in disgust but confirmed the command through the microphone attached to the side of his neck. This latest model allowed them to communicate by simply forming the words in their throat without having to actually speak them. That little fucker better be worth it after forcing us to come all across the country.

From his vantage point in a heavily-wooded backyard a couple of hundred yards away, Chavez continued to watch the target through the night vision scope of his M40A3 sniper rifle. They should have taken these creeps in when they had the chance. It's just gonna be another mess to clean up, like the one in Columbine.

He watched the teenager toss his head back and forth in his sleep and imagined how easy it would be to just end it right now. All it would take was one bullet from his rifle and they could go home and wait for the next mission. Chavez looked through the scope again, flicking through the zoom to bring PP7's face into full view. 220 yards, maybe 230 max. Let's see if I'm right. His right hand moved off the trigger and flicked on an infrared laser pointer to measure the exact distance. Watching the target through the scope, he saw a small red dot appear for a split second on the boy's cheek. The feeling of satisfaction as the range displayed as 224 yards quickly went away a second later as the target abruptly and without warning rolled off the window sill where he had been sleeping and out of sight.

He looked over his shoulder again but saw nothing. The jungle was filled with the usual night sounds of animals and as far as he could tell he was alone. When he didn't make out any movement, he slowly got out of his hiding spot and proceeded along the pathway in the underbrush. Slow, deliberate steps moved him forward quietly, leaving the ground undisturbed with no sign of his passing. The underbrush got lighter ahead and gave way to a large clearing in the jungle.

Knowing that he did not have the time to circumvent it, he went into a crouch and carefully scanned the tree line on the opposite side. When he didn't detect anything suspicious after a few minutes, he decided to take the risk and slowly rose to his feet. A few steps into the clearing he heard the howling of an animal nearby. Shit, don't tell me they have bloodhounds out!

He barely took another step forward when he suddenly got blinded by a red laser dot dancing across his face and down to his chest. Oh no, was all he could think of as he saw the flash from a rifle's muzzle from ahead the very moment something crushed into him from behind, causing him to fall forward. The bullet whistled over his head and barely missed him as he hit the ground. A heavy weight landed on top of him and forced the air from his lungs. Out of the corner of his eyes he could make out the face of another soldier, looking at him sternly, yelling, "You have to be more careful, it's not safe anymore. Watch your back, buddy! They are after you!" Before Xander could ask any questions his vision went dark and he felt a pain in his side. He opened his eyes again, looking around confused as he was lying on the floor near Brooke's bedroom window.

A cavern deep under the streets of New York City
20 August 1999 - 03:49 EDT

"It's confirmed. The agent team for the Watcher's Council in Atlanta has been eliminated. Teams in Miami, L.A. and Sunnydale are being monitored and countermeasures are in place to divert their attention in the near-term," Emmett reported.

Calebros sat behind his desk, arms folded and listening closely. "Good," he said eventually after processing the information. "Tell Roland to keep them busy." As Emmett nodded and turned to leave, Calebros asked, "Time is running out, my friend. Are we going to be ready?"

"Yes. Dante will be here by tomorrow and all the other pieces are in place. You won't have to wait much longer."

Tree Hill, North Carolina
20 August 1999 - 03:58 EDT

Xander was pacing the length of Brooke's bedroom, trying to make sense of his dream. It was different. He was saved instead of dying. And that warning, I mean, what the hell? Am I completely losing my mind now? When he woke up on the floor he felt like he was being watched, as if he was still in the same line of fire he had been in in his dream. He had gotten up carefully, making sure he closed the shades, but the feeling didn't go away.

He heard the noise of a motorcycle disrupt the silence of the night, the sound growing louder until he heard the machine pull up in front of the house and the engine being shut off. Carefully, he approached the darkened window and slowly cracked open the shades just enough to look out. You can't be serious!

"That's the house," Theo said, pointing at the mansion in front of them.

"Are you sure?" Angel asked doubtfully.

Theo shrugged. "Itio said so, so it should be right."

Angel nodded. "Wait here. I'm not sure how well he's going to take seeing me. And it'll definitely take some explaining before he'll listen to you." Seeing Theo's nod, he started walking towards the entrance door, which, to his surprise, was already being opened when he got closer.

"Dead boy," Xander said from inside the house. "Got lost in the neighborhood? If you are looking for Buffy then I'm afraid you are looking in the wrong place. She definitely wouldn't be here." He couldn't help but have the feelings of bitterness come back to him with Angel's sudden appearance, and it was evident in his voice.

Angel sighed. This will be tougher than I had hoped, and he is not going to like it one bit. He cleared his throat. "Actually, we've been looking for you, Xander. Can I come in so we can talk, it's important. You've stumbled upon a couple of things that are way over your head and I'm afraid you are in big trouble."

Xander laughed and shook his head. "Oh, I'm in trouble, alright. If you haven't noticed, things haven't been normal for years now, thanks to you and yours. Do you really think I would grant you access to someone's house? You gotta be kidding." His gaze moved past Angel and settled on Theo who was sitting on his bike by the curb. "And I see you brought a new friend. So, lost your soul again and came out to play with the bad boys?"

Angel starred at Xander, studying the teenager's face. "It's nothing like that, Xander. There's a lot going on that you don't know." He pulled a thick manila envelope out of his jacket and tossed it to the teenager. "Here, take a look at this and see for yourself. If you still think we are full of shit, then so be it. But if you want some answers and are willing to talk, call the number listed inside. One way or another, time is running out." Not waiting for an answer, Angel turned around and started to walk away. Halfway down the pathway, he looked back over his shoulder and saw that Xander was still starring at him. "And Xander, one piece of advice when you look at this stuff. Be open-minded. Because reality, as you know it, is a lie."

Pier 3 of Tree Hill Harbor, Tree Hill, North Carolina
20 August 1999 - 04:48 EDT

Avery Miller looked up from his magazine in total surprise as he saw a small container ship appear out of the dark beyond the windows of his guard booth on pier 3 of Tree Hill Harbor. "What do these idiots think they are doing," he wondered aloud as he scrambled to pull out the daily expected traffic listing. The report showed no scheduled arrivals until the afternoon, and the harbor was closed for any arrivals until 7:00 a.m away.

The guard put on his hat and marched out into the night, flashlight in hand. "Hey, you," he yelled as he saw several men on deck of the ship approaching the pier. "You are not allowed to dock at night! Stay in the outer harbor until you are being guided in!"

No response was forthcoming from the crew as the ship continued its approach. Avery shook his head and headed back toward his guard booth to call in the incident when a couple of SUVs drove onto the pier and headed straight for his position. The vehicles came to a halt and several men stepped out, all casually dressed and wearing shades. "Hi, are you in charge here, sir?" one of them asked and smiled at Avery, who nodded in response.

"I am. And who are you? You can't be here; this dock is off-limits at night. Please return to your vehicles and leave," Avery said.

"Very well," the man said and grinned. With no warning, he bridged the 15 feet separating him from the guard in a mere split second, his form nothing more than a blur. Stopping right in front of Avery, the man put his hand on the guard's mouth. Where his fingers touched the skin the flesh and bones started to melt, fusing the lips and jaw together. Avery's eyes went wide in terror and pain, and he in vain tried to scream as nothing but a muffled sound escaped his throat. His attacker looked at him coldly. "This could have been quick and easy. But now I think I'm going to take my sweet ass time with you."

Tree Hill, North Carolina
20 August 1999 – 05:19 EDT

"What the fuck?" Xander cursed quietly as he flipped over the last page of the package he had gotten from Angel earlier in the night. What is all of this crap? I have a classified military file and have been under surveillance for God knows how many years? As has been my father? My father, of all people? What's there to observe other than a drunken asshole that beats his family whenever he feels like it? he thought bitterly, anger rising up in him when he thought of all the abuse he and his mother had to endure.

He looked at the handwritten note again that had come in the package. Xander, this won't make much sense until you know the larger picture. If you want to understand what's going on, please call us. A-

Xander looked around the room and saw that Brooke was still sleeping peacefully. On the nightstand next to her bed he saw a handheld phone and quietly moved over to pick it up. Walking into Brooke's bathroom, he dialed the number and was surprised that the line was picked up after the second ring already. "Xander?" he heard Angel's voice.

"Is this a joke, Angel?" Xander asked quietly, careful not to wake Brooke in the other room.

"I'm afraid not."

"Ok. Let's talk this evening. What time can you meet me?" Xander inquired.

"10pm. What's a good spot to pick you up? Something public, with people around while you wait?"

Xander pondered the question. "There is a restaurant called Karen's Café just off Main Street. I'll be there for dinner."

"That works," Angel agreed. "Theo will be there when we talk, and another one of us that you have not met yet. They know a lot more than even I could tell you."

"Ok. See you tonight."

"Yes, you will," Angel replied and hesitated slightly before continuing. "Xander, be careful today. There is a war going on out there. And it's not just being fought by my kind alone." With those words, he ended the call, leaving behind an even more confused Xander staring at the phone in this hand.

Tree Hill, North Carolina
20 August 1999 – 07:00 EDT

Beep, beep, beep… The loud noise of the alarm attacked Brooke's senses, each beep intensifying the pounding headache she felt throbbing in her temples the moment she woke up. Groggily, she opened her eyes slightly, the light that was streaming into her room through the cracks in the shades hurting her eyes. Her sight quickly settled on her radio clock and she reached over to shut it off before closing her eyes again and resting her head on the pillow.

She heard a creaking noise nearby and forced herself to raise her head to investigate. Her gaze fell on a tall brunette teenager that had just risen from one of her chairs and was looking at her curiously. She shot up in bed and glared at him. "Who the hell are you and what are you doing in my room," Brooke asked, her voice sounding hoarse and her throat feeling parched. He looks familiar, she thought to herself.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. I'm Xander. I brought you home last night from the party," he explained, holding his hands out in a non-threatening gesture and taking a step back from her.

"Gee, thanks," Brooke replied sarcastically. "Listen, I'm sure we had fun, but you gotta go," she said, surprised by how harsh it sounded.

"No worries, I'm leaving. You asked me to stay last night, so I did. You seemed so, I don't know, lonely and hurt. I just wanted to make sure you are ok, Brooke."

Brooke was completely caught of guard by the words, but she shook her head and forced out a laugh. "I don't think so. That's not how it works around here. We have fun and then we're off to do our own thing. I'm perfectly happy with the way things are, I don't need anyone, and I sure as heck did not ask you to stick around either."

He looked at her quietly and nodded before heading to the door, a jacket and manila folder in hand. She thought she saw a deep sadness in his eyes, and it creeped her out. He opened the door slightly before stopping. Without turning to look at her, he spoke. "That's a lie, but I don't care. I promised to make sure you are safe, and I am glad you are ok. There is some aspirin and a glass of water on your nightstand. Hope you feel better. And for the record. Nothing happened between us last night. Others might use you like that, Brooke. But I wouldn't." Not waiting for an answer, he left the room and closed the door behind him.