Title: House Arrest 18/20 + Epilogue
Author: Forsaken2003
Pairing: William/Xander
Rating: R
Disclaimer: I own none, all belong to Joss Whedon
Comments: Always welcomed!
Summary: William is under house arrest after assaulting his teacher. When he starts people watching he notices something strange about his neighbour.
Warnings/Spoilers: Human Verse. Out of Character.
Note: (An S/X adaptation if the movie 'Disturbia'.) Uses actual dialogue from the movie Please don't sue!
Beta'd by: Whichclothes
A shaky and grainy video image appeared on William's computer screen. William picked up one of Oz's old walkie-talkies. "You read?" William asked Oz through one of the walkie talkies.
"Yeah, you got a signal?" Oz came back with slight static but not enough for either of them to worry about.
On William's computer screen, Oz aimed the video camera at his face.
"We're good." William confirmed.
"How am I looking?" Oz asked. All he wanted was his cell phone and then to get the hell out of there.
William picked up the binoculars. He saw that there were lights on at the opposite end of the house. "Lights are on, far end."
"I guess it's now or never. Moving out," Oz replied with a deep breath.
William turned back to the computer screen and saw Oz's feet as he darted across the yard. Oz tilted the lens up as he approached the fence.
"No movement." William told Oz, letting him know that there was still no sight of Michaels'
Oz hopped the fence. "First hurdle…" The image went to snow for a split second - the signal weakening.
William peered out the window. He could barely make out Oz's silhouette as he made his way toward the garage. "Twenty feet. Ten feet…" Rapidly he approached the side of the garage. Slowly he stuck his hand around the side and clicked the garage opener. A few seconds later he clicked it again causing the door to jolt to a halt. "Oh, God. I made a lot of noise. Did you see anything?"
A quick check and still no movement from Michaels. "You're good."
A very shaky Oz made his way to the driver door of the Toyota. It took him a few minutes to slim jim the lock again. When the lock clicked he pulled out a pen light, aimed it at the door, and lifted up on the latch, and the door popped open.
"Bingo." Oz's hand felt around the seat and floor of Michaels's car.
William's call waiting suddenly beeped. He looked at the caller I.D it was Xander. Shit. He had to let it go.
"I'm not seeing it…" Oz whispered in a panic.
"Stay calm, it's there," William said in a calming voice. He didn't need Oz freaking out and getting them both caught.
Oz's hand finally pulled out the cell phone. "I got it!"
William did another check on Michaels's house. Still no sign of movement. "You're still clear, check the bag."
"Hang on…" Oz's hand gently pushed the door of Michaels's Toyota closed. William now watched Oz's feet as they strode deeper into the garage and walked in between the Toyota and Mustang. "I'm setting the camera on the trunk."
Oz set the camera on the trunk of the Mustang and aimed it perfectly at the blue bag that sat in the corner. Oz entered the frame, as he crouched low, and headed toward the bag. He raised the walkie talkie. "It does look like blood - and hair…"
William watched as Oz knelt down, started to open the bag. But suddenly, the camera started to slowly, steadily track to the left. "The camera's sliding…"
Oz spun and grabbed the camera. "That was close." There was a noise. "Oh shit…"
William looked out and saw Michaels's garage door started to close. "Oz?"
Oz's response came back staticky. "- Make it - interference -somebody's here…"
"Oz?" William said again. All he got was dead air and the garage door slammed shut.
William looked back to the screen just as Oz picked up the camera and aimed it at his face. He looked terrified. The camera swung away as Oz's feet scrambled along the concrete floor and then - they appeared to race through a doorway onto dimly lit hardwood floor.
"Bloody hell. He's in the house." He brought the walkie back up to his mouth. "Oz?" There was still no response.
William could do nothing but watch Oz's feet continue to haul ass down a hallway, rounded a corner onto carpet, than back onto hardwood.
Oz suddenly panned the camera up to his face as he ran, clearly mouthing "HELP ME!"
"Oz! Shit…"
Then the camera seemed to fall, sliding on the hardwood floor towards an old bookcase. The image cut out and it went to snow.
William jumped up and paced. He peered out the window to Michaels's. No telling what the hell's happening - or happened - in there. William eyed his ankle bracelet. Green light. He eyed his bat and grabbed it. Fuck it.
He darted to Michaels's back door, tried the knob - locked. "Oz, can you hear me? Michaels, open the door!"
The house remained still. William bolted around the side; he uneasily felt his way through shadows and low-hanging branches. It was even darker on this side. No lights on in Michaels's house. William cautiously rounded the side, approached the front door – it was open a few inches - darkness beyond. William eyed it. He then stepped up onto the porch, about to push it open when sirens blared.
William spun around to see a police cruiser roll to a stop. He raced towards it as two uniformed officers stepped out. "Hey!" William was so relieved to see the cops that he didn't notice Officer Gutierrez.
Gutierrez pulled his sidearm and aimed it at William. " Freeze. Hands above your head, now!" the first officer ordered.
"Please, my friend's been kidnapped, he's in this house - he's inside, I think the owner's trying to kill him…" William explained but put his hands on his head like he was told.
"Stay right there," Gutierrez ordered William.
"I've got it," the second officer said and he headed briskly to Michaels' front door.
Gutierrez brought his radio to his mouth. "Dispatch, 13A74, we're 10-26 with the kid, he's claiming a 10-31 at..." He eyed the numbers above Michaels' door. "4710 Fairway Court. The house behind his residence, request 10-78."
The dispatcher came back to him. "13A74, ten-four, units already in the area, will advise."
William watched as the other officer approached Michaels door. "It's open."
"It was already open," William told him.
The officer knocked on the door and rang the bell. No answer. He was about to knock again when a light comes on inside. Michaels opened the door. He looked disheveled, in his bathrobe. "Uh, yes, can I help you, officer?"
"Sorry to wake you, sir, we have a young man here claiming a friend of his is in your house. Would you know anything about that?" the officer asked Michaels.
Michaels laughed, "No, I certainly wouldn't."
"You're a lying son of a bitch!" William screamed and Officer Gutierrez had to restrain him as another cruiser rolled to a stop. A third and fourth officer hopped out and headed to the officer that restrained William.
"Take it easy kid," one of the newly arrived officers told William.
William persisted in his struggle. "He's in there, goddammit! He's inside! He's lying!"
With nothing else to do the officer pulled William away from Gutierrez and back to the cruiser, opened the back door and pushed him down on the seat. "Sir, calm down."
"Okay, but he's lying - he has my friend, and he kidnapped that girl last week, he killed maybe three others, all redheads, they could be in a bag - a big blue plastic bag - in his garage - my friend knew this …" William looked at Michaels. "That's why he's covering - he didn't just wake up five minutes ago."
The officer looked concerned as he stepped away from William. He went to another cop. "Can you…" He pointed towards William.
The officer nodded as his partner headed back up to Michaels and Gutierrez. William watched as he whispered something to Gutierrez and they turned back to Michaels
The officer that had just been with William asked, "Sir, do you mind if we take a look inside?"
A couple more police cruisers rolled to a stop. Curious neighbors were now gathered across the street.
"Absolutely, be my guest." Michaels ushered them through the door and followed them into the house. Michaels turned and shot a quick glance to William before he closed the door behind him.
All William could do was wait, he shifted his gaze to the gathering neighbors. A few locked eyes with him and shook their heads. William turned back toward the house.
A short time later the garage door slowly rose. The officer, standing with William, waited at the door opened all the way.
A light came on inside. Michaels and Gutierrez came out of the inner garage door as another officer dragged the blue bag out from the garage. Sure enough, there was blood smeared and visible strands of matted hair near the top. He untied the bag, and pulled the sides away. Everyone gathered around, peered inside, and then suddenly yanked themselves back at the horrible stench that emanated from within.
William looked smug until Gutierrez crooked his finger toward him and gestured for him to take a look. He stepped toward the bag. Slowly he peered into the bag and William stared into the eyes of a dead - DEER.
"I hit it the other night. Thought I'd save a few steps and get it off the road myself. I was gonna bury it sooner, but it's been a helluva week," Michaels told him as he looked down at the lifeless animal.
William didn't buy it, "But you found time to fix your fender, though, right? "
Michaels' talked over him about the Mustang. "Well, that car is a classic. I had to get it out of storage for the auto show. I needed it in pristine condition."
"It's one of the biggest in the world," officer number two said, then added, "The auto show."
All eyes were on William. He slumped. Michaels had an answer for everything.
"I think we're done here. Sorry for the intrusion, sir." The officers descended the driveway.
"Please, I understand." When the officers were far enough away Michaels made his way back into his house.
The uniforms led William back down the driveway.
"So where's my friend, then? Can anyone tell me that? Does anyone believe me?" William asked quietly, he was physically and emotionally drained. He looked over, and saw Jenny Calendar, standing with Joyce whose eyes were filled with it all: anger, concern, sadness...
"William, come on…" Joyce ushered her son back to their yard.
William turned back to Michaels's house. Lights had been turned out inside. As William shifted his gaze forward, he locked eyes with Xander who stood in the crowd of neighbors. Xander watched him with concern. William turned away and dropped his head as the cops, Ms. Calendar and Joyce led him away. A flash of lightning crashed in the distance.