Chapter 2: Homecoming
The cafeteria was empty once again. Almost empty that is. She's still a person, after all. Probably. Some time ago Dawn would have at least smirked at the thought, but now even sarcasm was too much of an emotion to muster. She slowly pushed her spoon around the cereal bowl with her finger examining the room as she did so. It was different now. Somewhat in appearance, drastically in spirit. It felt much like the cafeteria at her dad's office. From the year Buffy turned eleven and declared herself to be too old for the 'take your daughter to work' day and until they left Los Angeles, it was where Dawn had her lunch every fourth Thursday of April. Just past noon the tables would quickly fill up with shirted office drones unpacking their lunch boxes and heating them up as needed in orderly lines at the microwaves. So it was here, too. The rambunctious chaos of teenage slayers has given way to the low and proper conversations among the dozens of watchers, assistants, and other bureaucrats now populating these halls between the hours of nine and six. There were still slayers in Rome. In fact, numbering eleven, it was one of the largest sections, but Clubhouse residence was now optional and most girls chose to stay with their families or college dorms. Only four, other than Buffy, still lived here. Thankfully they were all somewhere killing something or other. For the two days she has been back Dawn did her best to avoid even casual human contact, timing her meals so that the cafeteria would be as empty as possible. The looks she's been getting from the strangers were bad enough; the thought of being forced into a conversation with someone she actually knew literally turned her stomach. Not that she had any appetite to begin with. She pushed her spoon the other way trying to decide if it was worth it to choke down at least some of her food for her sister's sake.
The drumbeat of metal tipped heals bouncing quickly off the stone staircase have settled that question. Dawn's mind strained trying desperately to recall if there were any emergency exits out of the cafeteria other than through the windows, but it was too late.
"I heard it, but I didn't believe it," the iron bluntness of Stefka's voice matched perfectly with the clanging of her heavy boots as she marched her way across the room. There seemed to be more slayers following, but Dawn did not dare turn and see, "Is there not a shred of decency left in you? Are you that compelled to revisit the scenes of your crimes?"
"What crimes?" she regretted the words even before they left her lips. Be still, be quiet, don't engage.
"Look out the window. There isn't a square meter of the courtyard that doesn't have a headstone on it"
"I didn't kill them," Dawn's voice crept lower as Stefka's inched higher. The slayer was next to her table now. As hard as she tried not to look she couldn't help seeing her out of the corner of her eye.
"You would not save them. That's murder by anybody's rules"
"I saved as many as I could"
"You lie!" Stefka's scream was so powerful Dawn felt as though she hit in the stomach. Her breathing stopped and her body instinctively braced itself for an actual punch. None followed. "You could have saved them all," the slayer spoke almost calmly now, "You just had to open your mouth"
"He wouldn't have listened"
"The First would. All you had to do was walk out into the street and yell: 'It's a trap! He's just pretending!' It's all you had to do. The cover would have been blown; no reason to go through with the plan," Stefka stared at Dawn, but she would not meet those simmering blues. The slayer smirked, "And that was the problem. This was your chance to take down the First Evil. What's a few dozen slayers compared to that? Hell, even a few hundred would be worth it, wouldn't it?" she paused for a moment looking down at the cowering girl, "Actually, I really am curious. How many would it be worth, Dawn? Would two hundred be too many? Three hundred? Tell us!" Stefka leaned in closer as the girl shrunk away from the questioning, burying her head deeper into her shoulders, "How many of us were you ready to sacrifice? Four hundred? Five hundred?!"
"Hey!" Buffy yelled from the doorway. She was coming up to check on Dawn and the shouting from the cafeteria sent her running up the stairs.
"How many?!" Stefka went on paying no heed to the Slayer rushing to her sister's aid, "Six hundred, seven?!"
"All of you!" Dawn jumped off her seat sending the table and the dishes flying to the floor. Her face mangled by such rage that even Stefka instinctively backed up a step, "Every single last one of you! Because that's what you are for, to give your lives for a better world! And anyone who doesn't understand it is a fucking idiot! And anyone who understands, but thinks she can avoid it is a fucking coward!"
"Enough!" Buffy jumped in between the two. She grabbed her sister's shoulders to still her and felt the girl shake wildly in her hands.
"Take her away from here," Stefka voice went eerily low, "Her soul has rotted; she cannot be saved"
"You stay away from her!" the Slayer shouted, turning to face her second in command. To be honest she was more hoping than expecting the girl to cower, but the stone cold menace chiseled into Stefka's features sent shivers down her spine instead. Buffy grabbed her sister who by now has gone limp and mute and walked her out of the cafeteria as quickly as she could.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Almost a minute has passed, but Stefka did not move an inch, her eyes glued to the exit. The other nine slayers stood around as silently as they did during the entire exchange. From time to time their glances would go from their captain to each other in a vain hope that somebody would finally speak up.
"Let me guess," a voice came from a table by the far window, "we are in the eviction business now"
Samira was last to walk into the cafeteria. She seemed to always be the last one to walk in anywhere, yet, somehow, the first one to plunge her weapon into a demon. Perhaps it was those all black outfits that allowed her go anywhere, yet only be seen when she wanted to be. Just like those pitch black bangs that hid the entire top half of her face, for when she spoke, each person, even the ones with their back turned, felt the weight of her eyes upon them and were compelled to respond, as Stefka did at that moment.
"This isn't some random office space rented by the Council," she spoke, trying, with limited success, to contain her anger, "These walls are hallowed by the blood of our sisters; the earth is sanctified by their bodies. How can you allow her here? To walk unrepentant among the lives incinerated on the altar of her ambition?"
"She didn't come here to gloat or defile your temple, Stefka. In fact, she is here for the same reason you are"
"And what do you imagine that to be?" the blonde bristled
"Same reason I am here; same reason most of us are still here: we have nowhere else to go" The room seemed to pause in expectation of Stefka's rebuttal, but the next sentence came from Samira herself. "Hate to be anticlimactic and all, but am I the only person who came up here to eat?"
"I'll check the fridge for left overs"
"Check the freezer, there's always a dozen pizzas there!"
"I got the plates; somebody, grab the utensils!"
The slayers hustled around the cafeteria in search of food and place settings. Without a word Stefka walked over to the sink cupboard and returned with a couple of towels.
"That's alright, I'll take care of it," Alice reached for the towels realizing what they were for.
"No," Stefka knelt down and started mopping up the soggy cereal seasoned with ceramic shards, "This mess is on me," she answered not addressing Alice at all, "And I'll clean it up myself"
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Buffy was not surprised she was summoned. If anything she was relieved. Jap delivered his ultimatum two weeks ago and although the duty of immediate response fell on her she fully expected the other Council members to get involved sooner rather than later. While the discussion was unlikely to be pleasant, there wasn't anyone on the Board who would even consider turning Dawn over to the mob. A formalization of her sister's refugee status, on the other hand, could do something about the startling hostility permeating the Clubhouse It's not that Buffy expected any fanfares, but things haven't gotten any better since the confrontation at cafeteria. None of the girls would talk to either Summers beyond mission reports and there was more than enough volunteers for Stefka's twenty-four hour surveillance. Which was as pointless as it was creepy since Dawn would never leave her room unless she forced her to come along. It was pretty obvious they needed to move out of the Clubhouse, but that could take weeks, if not months. Jap was no Leshii, but he was still a considerable threat. Buffy needed a fully secure building and the logistics of getting one in Rome have proven to be truly mind-boggling. As things stood now Dawn has traded one bunker for an even smaller one and this was not what Buffy had planned when she extricated her sister from Moscow. Anything she could do to normalize things here now was well worth any unpleasantness coming from the Board members. An official edict of the Council would get the girls to, at least, accept Dawn's presence, if not welcome it.
The Boardroom was virtually full. That is it was full of virtual people. Besides her, the only ones actually there were Giles, who teleported in a few hours ago, and Stefka who has become omnipresent at the compound. The rest attended as astral projections, including Wood. This was his first meeting since the confirmation. As strange as it was seeing him in Xander's place, finding Kennedy cozying up to Owens was positively bizarre. It took Buffy a few seconds to realize that the girl was probably campaigning in Australia when the meeting was called and had no choice, but to share the projection chamber with the watcher. The two had an equal amount of contempt for each other and the gloom in their faces could have been easily written off if it wasn't for the other Board members sharing the same expression.
"Good afternoon, everyone, or, evening, or whatever other time of day you happened to be in. Before we begin I'd like to start with an update on the recent events"
Taking initiative was important. She was the Chairman of this Board and she would not be chided or interrogated.
"As some of you may have heard, the Council has received threats from a criminal group based in Russia. As this is one of the larger groups formed after the breakup of Leshii's syndicate we consider the threat credible and took appropriate safety measures. The Moscow office has been temporarily closed and all Eastern Europe based slayers have been ordered to report to the Rome office. All other offices have been put on an elevated security alert level"
In the almost four years heading the Council Buffy has mastered the art of bureaucratic speak. At times she was almost repulsed by how easy it has become for her, but there was no escape. To communicate with these people she had to speak their language. Once mostly a circle of old friends the Council has morphed into a battle arena for political rivals pursuing their own agendas. Gone are Xander and Willow. Kennedy's belligerence was growing inversely proportional to the days left till the election. Stefka, the only reliable ally she had all these years, today felt like her worst enemy.
"We are actively working with various European law enforcement agencies to step up surveillance," Buffy continued, "and determine the actual capabilities of that gang outside of Russian borders. So far they appear to be minimal. While certainly dangerous to individual slayers, this gang is not capable of any serious assault on our facilities. We have also reached out to the Russian government to see if the threat can be neutralized at the source. There hasn't been a lot of progress, but negotiations are ongoing," she paused momentarily before proceeding to the next part of her prepared speech. It was a mistake.
"Your update is appreciated, but it is not the reason we are here"
Giles, the only other Sunnydale alumnus to remain with the Council. With first year's clashes behind them they were back to working rather well together. Their meetings were regular and friendly, his advice - always useful. He was the only one on the Board without personal scores or agenda. Without personal loyalties. She must never forget that part again. The brown suit, the thin metal frame of his specs, it was all so similar. Looking into those perpetually concerned eyes it was so easy to see the man she used to trust with her life. That was the trap. It's what made him the most dangerous of her real and perceived enemies here. The only one to physically travel to Rome instead of projecting. A cold, sick feeling pierced Buffy's stomach: it had to be Giles who called the meeting.
"As the chief executive, " the Watcher went on, "You are free to employ the tactics of your choosing to fulfill the mission of the Council. You are not free, however, to change that mission"
"We are here to protect mankind against the forces of supernatural," Owens spoke forcing Buffy to make a one-eighty, "Not to provide sanctuary for washed-up gangsters"
It was easy to fly off the handle; call out their duplicity for what it was, a personal attack against her, but she must not. She has no more friends on this Council, but not all of them are enemies. They will not help Buffy Summers, but they may yet support the Chairman of the Council.
"We are here to save lives," she spoke as calmly as she could manage, "We do not run a background check on the bleeding victim before staking a vampire. Dawn is in imminent danger of being assassinated. Does it matter that she is my sister? Of course. If she wasn't, I wouldn't be aware of it. There are all kinds of reasons why we are able save some, but not others. Not all of them good or fair. It doesn't mean we shouldn't help the ones we can"
"The Council is a transnational entity," Helga was the one to respond, "And one may argue that we are bound by the same UN charter to provide refuge to victims of unjust persecution," the elderly witch paused, the brow framed by the long white braids furrowing, "But I don't see how one would argue Dawn Summers fits that description"
"So she deserves to die?!" Buffy snapped, feeling the ground slipping beneath her. With Helga gone she's left with less than half of the votes.
"This is not what we are saying at all," Giles' tone was calm, even kind, "As you have rightly pointed out, it is not our place to pass judgment. Only you are doing just that. The sanctuary of the Council does not only keep Dawn from criminals, but from the law as well"
"Law? What law? She'll be strangled the moment her plane crosses into Russian airspace!"
"You don't have to worry about the Russians. They are way in the back of that queue. Dawn Summers is wanted by almost every nation of the EU," Owens smirked
"You can't send Dawn to prison!"
"The courts will decide where she goes, Buffy," Robin Wood may have been the newest member of the Board, but his tone had the same aura of authority he had playing principal at Sunnydale High, "Not us. Not you. She must stand trial for what she has done and we have no right to stand in the way"
"It's not justice, it's a death sentence! Jap doesn't have the resources to attack the Council, but he can certainly buy off a guard or an inmate"
"She's not the first high-profile prisoner. There are secure facilities..."
"They can't protect her! Only I can protect her!"
Silence. There was nothing left to say. She could see it in their eyes. A taint of malice here, a cold withdrawal there. A touch of pity, a twinge of shame. Cringe-like smile parted her lips.
"This isn't a debate is it?"
"The vote was held yesterday. With five yea's, two abstentions, and a nay vote recorded on behalf of the absentee member, Buffy Summers, as per article six, paragraph four, it is the decision of this Board to place Dawn Summers into the custody of the Home Office of the United Kingdom; to stand trial for her role in the murders at Westbury on May seventeenth two thousand and three."
"You can't do this"
"The separation of powers between the Chairman and the Board as spelled out in the article three of the charter states..."
"Fuck the charter! And fuck you," Buffy fixed her withering stare on Giles for a moment before glazing over the rest of the room, leaving some doubt as to whether the preposition was meant to be singular or plural, "Dawn is not going anywhere. Anyone who tries to make it otherwise will be dealt with in the same way as Jap. Meeting adjourned," she turned abruptly and walked out. The hinges on the door to the main conference room have long ago been reworked to handle a slayer's frustration. They were not tested this time.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
With only five live-in slayers left, Rome had a large surplus of square footage which allowed Giles a luxury of a second office here. It was located right beneath the main conference, but, with staircases located at the corners of the building, required a good six-minute walk to get to. As he entered, Giles headed straight for the empty leather armchair, not bothering to greet the visitor situated in the one across. The small end table on the right side had a half-filled scotch glass at the ready. Robson already had his in his hand.
"Do you think it went well?" he inquired of his delayed host
"It went as expected," Giles replied staring at the amber liquid swirling in his glass.
"Did it? Your Slayer didn't seem convinced to say the least. Mine was"
"I've learned long ago that arguing with Buffy over Dawn is pointless. This decision is one she has to arrive on her own. When she calms down she'll understand that without the Board's support the safest place for her sister is in the custody of a friendly government. She will turn her over and it will not factor in the election"
"It already has"
"Buffy will do the right thing and with Dawn in London she'll be even better off than with her in Moscow. Any ground Kennedy made up in the last two weeks will be lost right back"
"A twelve point lead may appear unassailable, but in absolute numbers all I need is to flip the Roman chapter"
"Buffy lost Stefka's vote; I won't argue. She may even withdraw her endorsement. But she has no love for Kennedy. She will not campaign for her"
"Every so often each one of us is forced to choose the lesser of two evils. I have, so will Stefka, with a little encouragement. She's a smart girl and with a healthy respect for the institutions which are the real foundation of this Council. I would much rather had her run in place of that Rio brat, but a year ago it would have been unfathomable for her to challenge Buffy, while doing so now will only split the vote. Her influence and charisma will propel Kennedy to victory in this election and in exchange I will make her the victor in the next one."
"Already planning the 'next one'? Good God, William, playing the kingmaker has gone to your head. Do not presume a successful skirmish is so easily translated into a final victory. I have been at Buffy's side for eleven years. The only wars she did not win were the ones she chose not to fight"
Robson chuckled and leaned back into his chair. A wistful smile played on his lips.
"This is exactly how this place should always be run, Rupert: consensus on the action taken, a friendly wager on the outcome. In this, the most important part, we are finally in agreement and it warms my heart, old friend, it warms my heart"
"It's the scotch, old friend, it's the scotch"
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The evening was no different than the dozen that came before it. As soon as dinner was over Dawn retreated behind the closed door of her room while Buffy plunged herself into the living-room couch, facing the entrance to their suite. Just as before she had a book in her hand. Only this time it was little more than a prop. The words on the page stubbornly stood their ground and refused to unite into coherent sentences. The sound of approaching footsteps, the very thing she was standing guard against, came almost as a relief.
"A little early aren't you?" she inquired of Stefka as the girl came through the door, "The pitchforks and torches will look a lot more dramatic in the dark"
The young slayer did not respond right away. She walked over to the head of the couch before stopping a little more than a foot away.
"What you are doing is wrong. You must know that"
"I know what I've always known. Choosing life over rules is always right"
"Choosing life over other lives is always wrong. Haven't we been through this?"
Buffy tossed her book and sat up in full attention. It was the tone more so than the content. She hasn't seen Stefka this calm in weeks. Could it be they will finally have a real conversation?
"This is not the same at all. Jap is not a real threat to the Council. He doesn't have even a tenth of the power Leshii did"
"True. Leshii killed twenty-seven slayers. Jap will be lucky to kill three. Are you okay with those numbers?"
"Of course not! I don't want anybody to die. I don't think anybody has to die! I'm not saying there's no risk, but there's a pretty good chance everyone will be just fine"
"And there's a pretty good chance Dawn will do just fine in prison. It's always just risk. Only you'd rather risk our lives than hers"
"She is my sister!"
"You said we are all sisters"
"Then how can you make me choose?!"
There was nothing in those blues. The passion that always filled her eyes, that turned to burning rage on Dawn's arrival, was gone. Gone was also the passion in her voice as if she was simply replaying a dialogue spoken a thousand times before. The calmness in her protege's face that felt so encouraging just a minute ago now filled Buffy with utter despair. This was the serenity of certainty.
"Sometimes we must," the girl replied, "You won't admit to yourself, but you have already made the choice. So have I," she paused, "Tomorrow morning, at six, I will take Dawn and turn her over to the Carabinieri"
"I won't let you"
"I know"
Those two simple words were the most frightening Buffy had heard in a long time. She rose from the couch closing to within inches of Stefka's face. As hard as she tried she could see nothing. There was no fear in those eyes, no anger. Perhaps just a touch of sadness somewhere in the very depth.
"You don't want to do this" It was more a plea than a threat.
"No, I don't," Stefka answered in the same dispassionate tone she spoke throughout, "But I will. I'm ready to face the consequences of my choices. Are you?" she turned and walked out; the sound of her measured footsteps echoing to the rhythm of Buffy's heartbeat.
It was coming on three in the morning, but the light in Dawn's bedroom was still on. Not the ceiling lights, judging by the fading orange tones streaming from under the door, but the short black metal one on her desk. Or, perhaps, the shaded wooden one on her nightstand? Regardless, this was new. Dawn was meticulous about turning down at exactly eleven. Just as seven in the morning was greeted by parting of the shades of her window. How much of these hours she spent actually sleeping was a mystery, but Dawn's willingness to stick to a prescribed routine was the sole bright spot of the last few weeks. Buffy paused at the door for a moment, then slowly opened it making sure not to spook her sister. It was the nightstand lamp; good guess. Dawn was fully dressed. A gray overcoat was laid out on the bed next to a pair of two carry-on bags, one packed, the other almost there.
"Going someplace?"
Dawn momentarily paused mid-fold then resumed packing the dwindling pile of shirts.
"I'm leaving. I won't let you hurt Stefka. My life isn't worth a drop of that girl's blood"
"That's probably true," Buffy responded nonchalant, "Heading anywhere in particular?"
"Doesn't matter. I'll have to keep moving for a while, keep my trail cold. Once I feel I can settle somewhere I'll let you know."
Dawn fastened the bag, grabbed the other and moved towards the door still keeping her head down. She stopped two feet away from her elder sister trying her best to avoid eye contact.
"Please, don't stop me"
Without a word Buffy stepped aside with an over-the-top arm wave in the direction of the door. Dawn quickly walked out into the living room and took a sharp right towards the outside exit. Buffy sighed at the loud crash that immediately followed, and stepped out of the bedroom as well. She sighed again at the sight of Dawn laying on her back; her stunned look fixed at the large maroon suitcase that tripped her.
"So, since you apparently don't care where you are going, you might as well come with me to Austin," Buffy pulled her bag from under her sister's feet picked up the girl's as well and headed outside, "I'm not carrying you, too," she called out from inside the doorway to Dawn who was sitting now on the floor staring blankly at the space Buffy's luggage formally occupied. It took her a few more seconds to finally come out of the stupor. She jumped to her feet and caught up to Buffy in the hallway. For the last few weeks a slayer at each end would be waiting for them. Now it was expectantly empty. Did Stefka tell her watch why she didn't want them around this morning? Doesn't matter anymore. The sisters took the back stairs down to the service entrance. A small jeep was waiting for them outside. Willow was standing next to the open trunk. The giddy expression that lit up her face at the sight of Buffy became confused and proceeded to guilt.
"You brought one suitcase," the witch remarked as she assessed the contents of the Slayer's hands.
"You said we are only allowed one suitcase"
"That's because you always bring twice what I tell you," Willow tried to eke out a smile, but no one was amused.
"Are you kidding me?! I'm leaving, like, six pairs of Gucci's!"
"I'm sorry"
"Four Jimmy Choo's!"
"We really need to move along," Nikki stuck her head out of the driver side window.
"My Prada's! Three beautiful Prada's!" Buffy wailed into the merciless spectacles of the young watcher.
"We'll be late for our flight. You can send for them later"
"Right," Buffy scoffed as she climbed into the back seat, "Once those little vultures realize I'm gone there won't even be a slipper left by lunch"
"Good morning, Dawn. It is good to finally meet you."
Dawn looked up at Nikki, but did not respond. That's right, they never officially met. Nikki is based in Ankara and hasn't been to Rome in months. Buffy did assign her to headquarters in the last few weeks of the war with the First, but with everything that was going on then... This perfect stranger is now one of them...
One of you? You are not one of them.
"I'm sorry," Dawn said just as the engine started, "Did you say we are flying?"
"Well," Nikki replied, "Four thousand miles is quite a trek without a spare driver. Plus this vehicle isn't particularly amphibious"
"I just figured we would teleport," she looked over at Willow on the front passenger seat, then Buffy, but her implied question was not acknowledged as such, "It's just, " she stumbled, "I'm kind of blacklisted by the State Department"
"I know," her sister responded matter of fact, "That's exactly why we are taking the plane. The good people of the State Department are meeting us in customs. As well as the good people of the FBI, the DEA, the CIA, the EPA and whatever other three-letter acronym I left out," it was a familiar banter, but there was no smile on Buffy's face, "We are starting a new life, Dawn, and I have no intention of doing it on the run. Lucky for us you haven't killed anyone in the States. All I had to work through were a few charges of grand scale money laundering. So here's the deal," she turned square to her sister now. As much as the seat belt would allow it, "Two years of house arrest, five years probation for money laundering. You get immunity for all other crimes you have committed up to this point in the US. You get a guarantee of non-extradition for all crimes you committed elsewhere. Full disclosure is part of the deal. You will tell them everything they want to know about your business dealings, about Jap, and anything related to that life. You will tell them nothing that's related to the Council. I will sit in on every interrogation to make sure they don't veer that way. The deal is final and non-negotiable. Do you understand?"
"Yes," Dawn replied quietly.
"What?" Buffy was quick to pick up on the disconnect between her sister's words and expression.
"Like you said, we didn't do much business in America and Russian mob isn't all that interesting to the FBI if it's in Russia. There's more to this, isn't there? You just told me my part"
"Very well. You want to know everything, here's everything. You are not telling them anything about the Council because I am. Nothing super secret, mostly logistics. Mostly about foreign offices. I suppose they are monitoring the Council as a potential developing threat, terrorist or otherwise. We have members from all kinds of 'unsavory' nations, after all. 'We'," she smirked, "I guess that will take a while to go away"
"I'll be giving pointers to the DOD magic instructors," Willow jumped in as the pause started to drag, "So I'll be at Fort Hood most weekends"
"I think this is what got us the most points, if you ask me," said Buffy snapping out of her momentary trance, "Which is why we are using a plane. The Council's counterintelligence is good enough to hide the full extent of its abilities like teleportation range and maximum mass."
"If they find out what I can actually do I'll be teleporting tanks from Iraq all summer," Willow giggled from up front.
"I'm sorry, I.."
"I don't need you to feel guilty, Dawn, " Buffy interrupted, "Seriously, of all the things you should feel guilty about this is not it. Besides, I haven't gotten to the good parts yet. Admission to UT Austin for both me and Willow with complementary tuition. Different programs, of course. Undergrad for me, postgrad for her. And some money to start off. It's funny, I've gotten so used to the unlimited expense account I never realized that Chairman of the Board isn't assigned a salary. We've got a sizable cushion now. Enough to take my time and find a decent menial white-collar job. No flipping burgers for Buffy ever again"
"There's about sixteen million dollars in accounts I haven't given to Yozh. Not on purpose," Dawn scrambled off her sister's glare, "There were just too many to write down"
"Sounds like a new shoe collection is the works," Willow snickered
"There will be plenty of time to write every one of them down during your interrogation in New York," the Slayer's even voice had that extra tension of someone trying extra hard to keep it level.
It's pointless to keep trying. You can't help her. Not that you ever could. Not by pretending to be something you are not.
Dawn pressed her cheek against the window. If there was one positive about her move to Rome it was that he stopped appearing in person. Voices are so much easier to ignore. No, that's a lie, she can't ignore him yet, but she has learned not to answer. The sunrise was just around the corner, but true to the old saying, the silhouettes beyond the street lamps were shrouded in impenetrable bluish darkness. Who is she? Who she is not is turning into a list, but will it ever be exhaustive? Moscow seemed like a hazy nightmare now, but what lay ahead in Austin felt no more real. So little of her life actually did. It struck her that she would not at all be surprised if she were to open her eyes right now in her Sunnydale bedroom; her mother's voice calling her downstairs for breakfast; the last five years evaporating under the bright morning sun till not a single memory is left. How natural, how welcome it would be.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The clubhouse lighting was still in 'night' mode with two out of three bulbs switched off. It gave the hallways an almost surreal glow. The orders from Stefka arrived a bit before midnight: 'All section captains and lieutenants to assemble at Rome office by noon'. Enise had already heard about the blowup at the Board meeting. She assumed the leaks came from Kennedy's election campaign, but now she wasn't sure what was going on. Any impeachment proceeding would have to be public and would certainly take more than day. Was Stefka planning on using the captains' meeting to put pressure on Buffy? Or is there an actual action planned? A coup?! The summons was sent to the other five Chapters as well. Stefka had no authority over those regions, but combination of respect and curiosity should create the biggest slayer turnout since the First Evil war ended. Rome was the front line and those harsh months three years ago have shaped the mind of every young slayer unlucky enough to be stationed there. For Enise few truths learned then were as glaring as that, no matter the odds, only an idiot bets against Buffy Summers. If Stefka has indeed become such an idiot it meant the seat on the Board and the command of European chapter were about to open up. There's no reason she couldn't end up with one of them or even both. All she needed to do was get there early, before anyone else; get the lowdown on what was actually happening.
It was what she found out upon arrival that made her surroundings seem so surreal. Stefka hasn't overreached, she has gone completely insane! Not that it was entirely unexpected given her family background... It was almost too easy. As it is, she has to be on the short list of Stefka's replacements. Restrain the maniac in an overt show of loyalty and leadership and the deal is sealed. It's too bad her own team was in the field when the call came and won't arrive for another three hours at least. She'll need to corral the resident misfits. Shouldn't be too difficult, though, she is well liked by pretty much everyone at the chapter.
The scene at the lounge was pretty chaotic. Fifteen or so slayers crowded at the windows. Alice and Tamara were the exception. The sullen Brit was sitting by the entrance to the quad, sharpening her swords while the Russian was at the table with a coffee and a newspaper. Tamara was a captain, like Enise, but she wasn't brought here by the summons. The entire Moscow section was evacuated to Rome almost two weeks ago which meant the four-eyes already had the resources Enise needed. Still, she was hardly a rival. The Turkish girl smirked as she watched the Russian chewing pensively on her pen. Whatever the solution to that crossword is, 'ambition' and 'initiative' are clearly not part it. The chatter by the windows grew louder.
"This has to be just for show, right? She can't really mean it?"
"Right, she certainly looks like she doesn't mean it!"
"Holly shit!" yelped one of the girls who just managed to squeeze through to the glass, "It's an exclamation, not a pun!" she whimpered defensively as the entire group turned to her, wide-eyed.
"I'm surprised no one is selling tickets!" Enise roared over gawkers. The shout had the desired effect, a brief moment of attention she needed to capitalize on quickly, "Get the tazers, get the net, and the restraints; I'm putting an end to this lunacy right now!"
The girls looked at Enise, then each other, then at Alice who now rose to fully block the exit.
"Stefka gave a direct order to everyone not to interfere," the Brit's words clarified the group's hesitation, "I intend to enforce it"
The threat hasn't fazed the Turkish girl one bit. Alice was as ostracized as Enise was popular. One on one she may even be a better fighter, but she will never get those odds. If anything, this would be a good dress rehearsal for Stefka.
"Just give me a reason, Alice, and I'll bundle two for the price of one."
"And then what?"
Of course. She didn't see Samira among the spectators, but it was too much to hope that somehow her old rival decided to skip the excitement. Enise did her best not to swear out loud as she turned to the unwelcome interruption.
"What are you talking about?"
"Stefka, of course," a sly smile played on the Persian's lips, the only part left completely unobscured by the thick black locks coming down her face, "You tie her down, put her in a cell for the night, and then what? She wakes up tomorrow thinking all that Dawn going to jail business is just silly nonsense? Not even you are that dumb," there was no pause to Samira's sentences. Each building upon the other, too fast for Enise to counter, "You can keep her locked up until she does, I suppose. How does that sound, everyone?" There was barely a murmur as the slayers felt the daggers pointed at them from behind the silky visor of Samira's hair, "Stefka getting imprisoned for Dawn's murders? She might actually like that. There's a Jesus quality to it. What do you think, Tamara? It's your crew who will end up carrying out the sentence. Not much different from what you do now, I suppose. Just watch, eat, crap,...and wash your hands"
That manipulative bitch. Samira has been living hermit-like for years and Enise has forgotten how well she knew all of them, how good she was at pushing their buttons. The glasses on Tamara's face were literally steaming up.
"Tamara.."
"Shut it!" the girl cut Enise off in a tone that left no room for a second attempt. She pushed her chair from out of the table, but remained seated. "We are all good at different things. I'm good at compromises. Every day I decide which cases to take and which to ignore. My resources are limited after all, there are only so many monsters we can slay. Some will escape. Does it really make a difference which will go unpunished, the ones who are well-connected or the ones down the list alphabetically? This may sound cowardly to some, but all that matters to me is I save as many lives as I can. Only now I can't even do that. I'm stuck in this damn place away from the people I'm supposed to protect because there's a well-connected monster here. Just one monster. And I have the resources to deal with her. Easiest decision I've ever had to make," the pause was probably unintentional, but it made Tamara's measured ascent to her feet all the more dramatic, "'Tazers, net, and cuffs'. Isn't that what you said?" She smirked in Enise's direction. The Turkish girl had no response. She frantically tried to calculate if she had enough influence to rally the Italian contingent to her side, but the longer she hesitated the more they looked like they were about to join the Russians.
"You do realize we are on your side?" Tamara addressed Alice who stood her ground at the door, blocking the posse at the courtyard door,
"I have my orders," the girl replied grimly, "I don't care whose side you think you are on"
"Well," the Russian adjusted her glasses, "If you are volunteering to provide us with a warm up, I'll oblige," she raised her hand to signal an attack.
"And then what?"
Tamara turned back to Samira who hasn't moved from her spot. To the sneer that never moved from her lips.
"You hold Buffy down. You rip her sister out of her arms, the person she cares about a thousand times more than the rest of the world combined, and then what? What happens when you let her go? You shake hands and go back to Moscow?" Samira chuckled as the full depth of what they set out to do has finally sunk into the faces around her. "You are never going home. You'll just have a different prisoner locked up in the basement. Only this one will have nothing, but volunteers for guard duty. Since God only knows what will happen to you when she gets out."
"So what's your answer?!" Enise couldn't contain herself any longer, "You think you are so much smarter than everyone else! Let's have it then! Well?"
"My answer?" Samira repeated mockingly, "Why would I have an answer? Answers are the leader's job. It's what they do, give answers. Answers that give you courage to do what you can do. Everyone knows about that part. The trickier one is giving answers that make it okay to not do what you can't do. Why do you think you were ordered to stay put? Because she is so sure she can do this herself? Stefka ordered you to stand down because she know that dumb look on your faces is exactly what was going to happen. So she gave you an answer. So that when you wake up tomorrow, look at yourself in the mirror, and ask why you did nothing, there would be an answer. 'I wasn't doing nothing; I was following orders'. Not the best answer, but it's the best your leader could do for you. What can you do for them?" All eyes followed Samira's. Enise could only blink in response. She is just too angry. That must be it. She just needs to calm down and then she'll put this belligerent harpy in her place; take control of the slayers. Only the words weren't coming. Samira was.
"What do you have to offer besides your ego?" the dark slayer continued as she advanced on Enise, "A well-catered party? A half-asked makeover and a pointless relationship advice?" Her face was only inches away now. At this distance not even the thick bangs could hide the outline of the hideous burn scar covering the top half of the Persian's face, "Well? Did I leave anything out? Go..." the last word was a low whisper, as gentle in tone as the ones before it were rough, "Go to Buffy's. Make a show of it. Don't be scared, you won't find her there, but you will find a letter on her desk. Go, be the one who ends this and, perhaps, someday you'll grow into the leader you want them to think you are...Well?! Your mouth has been open for five minutes now; we are in anticipation!"
"I don't waste my words on clever sounding bullshit," the gears in Enise's head have finally started moving, "I have answers. If you won't hear them, fine. I'll go to someone who will," she turned and ran out the same door she entered fifteen minutes ago.
"Where's she going?"
"Buffy's. If she goes through the courtyard Stefka will intercept her," Samira turned back to the crowd with the smirk firmly chiseled into her lips, "That's the way Tamara would have gone if she thought her team could handle Buffy without Stefka's help"
"What does she think she can do by herself?"
"If I knew I would have gone there first, wouldn't I?" Samira took a straight line back to her window spot, right through the thick of the slayer ranks who before her without another word.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The night was certainly over, but it wasn't quite morning either. It was that strange hour when you weren't sure if the grayish haze around you was the sun ready to jump over the horizon or the dissolving glow of the street lamps. The courtyard was never meant to be brightly lit. Most bedroom windows faced inward and a well rested slayer is the most important feature of any security system. Going by the windows of the downstairs lounge, though, few were sleeping tonight. Stefka could almost feel their eyes peering at her through the glass. She was halfway across the courtyard when she plunged her blade into the ground. With almost no effort it sank half way into the wet lawn just as its wielder sank to her knees in front of it.
The water felt strange, too. Stefka fought dozens of battles in the rain. Many under a much heavier downpour. Without the usual soggy mane her head felt so much light. The quarter-inch fuzz covering her scalp now let her feel every droplet, scattering the burdensome thoughts buzzing beneath. With only a single thin layer of white cotton underneath the chain mail her entire body felt lighter, almost ethereal, as though she has already passed on; the only thing still keeping her in this world were her bare toes clinging to the fresh, wet earth of the courtyard.
"Lord, " Stefka whispered, "I know I'm committing a grave sin in daring to lift my hand against Your Messenger. Yet I can feel You in my heart urging me on. So I go forth, against all reason, against all hope of victory. I ask for nothing. I only dare to hope that no slayer's death shall follow mine" She lifted her head and opened her eyes. A lone golden ray pierced the clouds, shattering against the wet blade of the longsword. Stefka jumped to her feet and pulled her weapon out of the ground. She only took a few strides before noticing Alice running towards her. She opened her mouth to shout the girl away, but the words were drowned out by the speakers booming of the light poles lining the courtyard.
"This is the emergency alert system. All slayers to report to their designated meeting areas within one hour for an urgent announcement. This is not a drill. Repeat. This is the emergency alert system..." The signal bounced off every satellite and cell tower and, amplified by magic, reached all the way into the lower parts of the stratosphere, but neither Buffy's nor Nikki's phones went off having been put in the off position at the request of the flight crew.