CHAPTER 7 - WHITE HEAT

Spike woke alone in a dark and dingy metal cage. His clothes were ripped and stained with blood and he was exhausted from the brutal treatment he had received from his captors.

Around him were other metal cages with occupants lying on the floor. Some of the cages were occupied by humans, but other cages were occupied by what he could only describe as humanoids. They were all shapes and colours. Some were furry, some had scaly skin, some had fangs and some had claws.

When Spike first arrived two days before, he thought he was back in the initiative. And to an uneducated person they may have looked like demons. But Spike knew his demons, and not one resembled any of the many races of demon that Spike had ever encountered. And they did not smell like demons. They all smelled vaguely human. No, they were not demons. They were some kind of mutants.

Suddenly, Spike was dragged from his cage by four armed guards. He was briskly man-handled down a corridor and taken into an interview room furnished only with a table and two chairs. The guards dumped him in one of the chairs and left him alone with agent White, a serious looking man in his twenties dressed in a suit.

Agent White stood in front of the table inspecting Spike. The he began to speak as if he was a professor in a lecture room.

"A few years ago some scientists came up with the bright idea of producing some genetically modified humans called transgenics to be used in military operations. In order to carry out their task they built an installation called Manticorp where these mutants would be produced, brought up and trained. They were supposed to be completely obedient. But something went wrong and a group of human transgenic children escaped. Last year, one of the escaped transgenics returned to Manticorp and destroyed it, setting free all these freaks that we see around us. Some look human, Some don't. But they are all dangerous and need to be exterminated."

White looked at Spike. Spike started to laugh. He thought about his fight with Max and Alec and realised they must be transgenics. The girl was not a Slayer after all.

White approached and put his hands on the table in front of Spike.

"But you are not one of them. Are you?"

"I'm just a normal run of the mill guy, mate." Replied Spike smiling up at White. "I like my fags, my football and a night out with the ladies. Me. I'm just your mister average."

White ignored the answer to his rhetorical question and continued.

"You have no barcode. There is no record of you in our files from Manticorp. In our experiments, you were shot through the head, your throat was cut and you were given several mortal injuries that would normally have killed a transgenic, as strong as they are. What does that make you?"

"Very lucky?" Answered Spike, lifting his eyebrows and smiling.

"Not so." Replied White. "You are a vampire."

"Oh, come on." Blustered spike. "You can't believe that. Vampires don't exist."

"Oh, but they do." Replied White coldly. Spike was disconcerted by the total lack of surprise in White's voice. White pushed a folder lying on the desk across to Spike and continued talking.

"This is an extract from a file belonging to an organisation called The Initiative from twenty years ago. It was stolen by a female agent called Sydney Bristow from SD6." White smiled. " Apparently, with your help."

Spike groaned. He never imagined that actions from twenty years ago could affect him so profoundly now. But spike was curious to see what they had on him. So he opened the folder. The fist picture was a mug shot of himself taken in the Initiative. Spike smiled and nodded as he admired himself. He flipped over a few photos and came across a picture of Buffy. He sighed with nostalgic sadness as he remembered fondly the best days of his long human or vampire life. He flipped over the next photo and was confronted by a picture of a smiling Willow.

His blood froze. He had forgotten how much danger he was in. He realised he had to get away quickly.

"The Initiative was involved in researching demon technology." White continued. "We now know that some of the techniques were also used in Manticorp. This file contains a profile of you going back over one hundred years. You are definitely a vampire, Spike. Or should I call you William the Bloody. Or perhaps even hostile 17."

Spike gulped. Then nervously he said;

"Then you will know I was a good vampire. I helped save some of the people in the Initiative."

"In fact, you are a particularly nasty vampire." Replied White. "You are no better than these freaks from Manticorp."

"So you are not one of these…what did you call them? Transgenics?" Asked Spike, suddenly very interested in the response.

"I could not be more different from that filth." Replied White disgusted.

Spike smiled. White was no transgenic. He was a normal human and no match for Spike. This was his chance to escape. He stood up and addressed White.

"You know, it's been really interesting knowing you. But I really must be going."

White coolly stood back from the table as Spike advanced towards him menacingly.

"But after all I've been through, I'm feeling a bit peckish." Continued Spike. "And you will make the perfect snack."

With that he changed into his vamp face and launched himself at White.

But Spike did not even manage to touch White. The agent nimbly skipped to one side and Spike found himself grasping at fresh air. Before Spike could ponder what was happening, White punched Spike hard in the spine with a superhuman blow. Spike collapsed to his knees in pain, just before White mashed him across the head. As Spike knelt there dazed, White grabbed him round the neck with his right arm.

"I am not a transgenic. I am far superior to that." Said White coldly. "Unlike that scum, my genetic superiority did not need to be manufactured. I was born this way. You know, I could rip off your head right now. I believe decapitation is mortal to vampires."

White gripped Spike's head tighter and Spike realised he was not over exaggerating.

"But, I don't need to kill you personally." Continued White. "That would be too awkward. I will use more official means."

White released his grip and smashed Spike in the face again, and then dragged him over to the table and planted Spike firmly in the chair. Then he called for the guards and four of them entered.

"This one is for termination." He told them. "I think its time to see what resistance this one has to fire."

Spike realised he had to act fast if he wanted to survive.

"Wait!" He said desperately. "You are hunting these transgenics. I fought two of them before you caught me. I kicked their arses, but they escaped. I could help you track them down."

White lifted his hands to stop the guards.

"How would you manage that?" He asked.

"We can smell blood." Replied Spike. "If you let me feed on one of the captured ones here, I will be able to sniff out any nearby, what do you call them, transgenics." Spike smiled as he could see he was getting through to White.

"I could be your blood hound if you set me free. Do we have a deal?"

White pondered this a moment, and then nodded coldly. Spike was impressed by his own genius. Not only would be get a hearty meal, but he would also have an opportunity to escape once he was let loose on the streets.

Moments later, a dishevelled and battered looking young man was brought into the room and was left kneeling on the floor. His feet and hands were bound so he could not struggle. Spike walked up behind him. He changed into his vamp face and went down on his knees. With a growl, he sank his fangs into the man's neck.

As Spike fed on the blood, the man tried to struggle in vain.

"I'm going to kill you!" He screamed as Spike fed. "You are a dead man!" Even as the man weakened, he still tried to struggle and shouted a constant stream of obscenities directed at Spike.

Then just as the man's heart was about to stop beating, White signalled to the guards. They rushed forward and dragged Spike away, stunning him with electrical rods. Then Spike looked on helpless and horrified as one of the guards went over to the transgenic and forced him to drink a red liquid out of a test tube. In horror, Spike realised it must be a sample of his own blood they had collected during their earlier experiments.

If there was one rule that a vampire must obey if he wanted to survive, it was never to sire someone who threatened to kill you in their last moments. That would only result in a vengeful vampire whose first desire would be to kill his sire.

"Lock him up!" Commanded White, motioning to Spike.

"I thought we had a deal." Whined Spike helplessly as the guard bound him.

"You didn't really think I'd trust you, Spike." Replied white. "Remember, I have read your file. And now that we have our own vampire, we no longer require your services."

Then White smiled maliciously.

"But, I will keep my side of the bargain. Tomorrow we will let you go free at noon when the sun is at its strongest. I understand it is a spectacular sight to see a vampire disintegrate in sunlight. "

As the guards dragged Spike from the room and down the corridor, Spike realised he had to get out of Seattle as soon as possible. Far from being a city full of ready meals with two legs, it was awash with mutants and super humans who were all capable of dusting him without breaking sweat. And also, with all that was going on, it was only a matter of time before Willow found out where he was and came after him. He couldn't believe he had forgotten about her. For he was more terrified of her more than any mutant or demon. Yup, he had to leave Seattle, and pronto.

The guards dumped him back in his cell. But as he lay there he felt a pang of hope. He had fed well and was stronger. And he knew Davis and the other vamps would try to rescue him. One anomaly of a Dead Zone was that it actually increased a vampire's psychic link with other related vampires. In Sunnydale, these were almost drowned out by the other psychic "noise" from the Hell Mouth. But here there was no interference and he could sense them strongly.

He reached out with his mind and could feel the presence of the Davis and the other vamps. They were close and looking for him. And he could feel the presence of Cindy. She was now fully vamped and was waiting for him. He knew he had a chance as long as he stayed alive a little longer.

A few hours later, four guards approached the cage and dragged him out.

"This is it." Spike thought to himself. The guards led him down a corridor, eventually stopping at a metal door. They opened the door and pushed him into outside into the bright light.

Spike looked up at the brightness of the moon in the night sky and smiled. The guards removed their helmets, and Spike sighed with relief as he recognised Davis.

"We have prepared a car near the outskirts of the city." Said Davis hastily. "We can leave tonight."

Spike shook his head. "We're not leaving yet." He said . "I need to find a friend first".

"But the cops will be looking for us." Replied Davis, disconcerted. "We must leave now if we want to escape."

Spike knew he was right, but was determined to find Cindy first.

"Ok. But there's somewhere we have to go first." Said spike, smiling. He knew exactly where to find her.