AN: I own nothing, but the plot. This is very AU and OOC.
Children of the Iron Knight
Billy Fordham, sad terminal boy, was dusted in the end by one of his oldest friends. Xander and Lex felt bad for him, they knew what he had gone through was hard, but using innocent people to make a deal for immortality and not even the real kind? Just sick and wrong.
They really hated that they had to work with Angel but they did it without too much complaining. They also learned to trust their senses more as both had agreed when first meeting Ford, that there was something wrong with him.
Xander and Lex also discovered that they retained the skills from the brothers, namely in the form of hacking and espionage. They however did not tell Willow as that was "her thing". They also discover during a routine background check, one that both of the brothers would have run, that Ms. Calendar was not who she appeared to be. She was a Latvian national, from a gypsy clan. This sparked a memory that Angel was cursed by gypsies. They were determined to find out why she had lied to them.
Xander and Lex, both huffed in irritation as they headed down the hall to their remedial computer class, they now had outstanding computer skills thanks to Wolverine and Sabertooth. It was part of their espionage training, and now part of Xander and Lex. They had also started to up their training as they both wanted to be able to take a larger role in the patrols, and give Buffy some relief.
"This isn't right. School on a Saturday. It throws off my internal clock." Cordelia whined.
"When are we gonna need computers for real life anyway?" Xander asked petulantly.
"Hmm, let's see. There's home, school, work, games..." Jenny said as she opened the door for everyone.
"Y'know, computers are on the way out." Xander said in a semi-serious tone.
"I think paper's gonna make a big comeback." Lex said with a large grin.
"And the abacus." Willow put in with a chipper smile.
"Yeah, you know, you don't see enough abaci." Xander said in that same semi-serious tone, before they all headed into the classroom. Once inside Willow and Lex sat next to each other, so Willow could help her with the review, while Xander and Cordelia sat next to one another. Jenny had just set her things down, and turned to the four teens.
"Alright, guys. The first thing we're gonna do is...Buffy!" Jenny exclaimed, as she spotted the slayer right behind her. Buffy stood there reeking of worry and fear.
"Huh? Did I fall asleep already?" Xander asked looking around; to make sure he was awake.
"Aw, you miss your friends?" Willow asked while Lex giggled at her.
"Uh, sit here, Buffs!" Xander said standing up, holding his chair for her. "Demilitarize the zone between me and Cordelia!" Xander said with a very hopeful look.
"Yeah, and delouse him while you're at it." Cordelia snarked at Xander. Buffy smiled weakly, which came out more of a grimace than anything, before turning to Jenny.
"Actually I wanted to talk to you for a second?" Buffy said anxiously, and absently wringing her hands.
"Something wrong?" Jenny asked watching Buffy with concern.
"Is there some crisis that requires instant action? Very far from here?" Xander asked in a hopeful voice, looking at Buffy with a goofy grin. Buffy frowned at Xander's question before turning anxious eyes to Jenny.
"It's Giles."
"Well, he's alright, isn't he?" Jenny asked with a small frown. She really liked Rupert and was hoping that they were going somewhere.
"I don't know. Uh, he didn't show up when he was supposed to last night,"
"What Giles missed an appointment? Oh merciful Gods, the world is ending." Lex said in a shocked tone. Buffy pointedly ignored Lex's outburst.
"And then, when I went over to his place, he was acting...well, very anti-Giles. He wouldn't let me in, and he looked really bad. I-I think he might've been" Buffy paused looking like she could not believe what she was about to say. "I think he was drinking."
"He was home alone drinking?" Jenny asked incredulously.
"But...tea, right?" Willow asked worriedly, looking at all of her friends in turn, for some reassurance.
"Wasn't tea, Will." Buffy said
"Yep, yep, I knew this would happen. Nobody can be wound as straight and narrow as Giles without a dark side erupting. My Uncle Roary was the stodgiest taxidermist you've ever met by day. By night, it was booze, whores, and fur flying. Were there whores?" Xander asked looking at Buffy.
"He was alone." Buffy stated flatly.
"Give it time." Xander said without missing a beat. Buffy gave a reproachful look.
"So, none of you guys have noticed anything different lately?" Buffy asked looking at everyone.
"No!" Willow exclaimed.
"Nada." Lex said chewing at her lower lip.
"Not really." Jenny said
"Uh, you haven't seen anything weird?" Buffy said hopefully.
"Nope." Xander said
"No, he seemed perfectly normal yesterday when I saw him talking with the police." Cordelia said looking into her purse, not noticing everyone staring at her.
"And you waited till now to tell us this because..?" Buffy asked letting the question trail off, as everyone waited for any answer.
"I didn't think it was important." Cordelia said a bit put out by Buffy's attitude.
"We understand. It wasn't about you." Xander stated in a mock sympathetic tone. Lex chuckled at the snarky comment.
"Well, what were the police talking to him about?" Jenny asked after giving Lex a quick glare.
"Oh, don't tell me, I know this one. Um..." Cordelia said looking thoughtfully up at the ceiling for a moment. "Something about... a homicide."
"That's it. I-I'm calling him right now." Buffy said as she spun and left for the library. Jenny rubs her forehead in worry, as Xander and Lex exchanged looks. Willow worried her lip for a few moments.
"All right guys let's get started ok?" Jenny said with a sigh. She knew they were all worried, well maybe not Cordelia. She could tell that Xander and Lex were plotting something, and Willow was a ball of worry.
"Alright I want you to follow the hand out and show me once you finish with the exercise." Jenny said as she passed the page out. Xander and Lex looked over the sheet, and quickly stated the exercise. After about 5 minutes they both looked up.
"Done" the pair said in unison. Jenny raised an eye brow and walked over to Lex and examined her screen. She hmmm'd at the screen before going over to Xander's computer. Her frown became more pronounced as she looked at both of them.
"Alright you two what are you playing at?" Jenny demanded as Xander and Lex looked at each other. Xander gave a small nod, before looking back at Jenny.
"Can we speak with you in privet for a moment?" Lex asked. Jenny looked at both of them, before nodding, and leaving the room.
Once out in the hall Jenny turn and looked at the duo expectantly.
"Well first off about computer class." Xander said nervously, playing with his new finger gloves.
"You see we retained everything from Halloween. What most people don't know about the people we went as, is that they were rigorously trained to be assassins and spies. Which if you think for a moment means they were trained in computers." Lex said with her hands shoved into her pockets, and waited for the light bulb to go off.
"Alright. So I will be testing you both to see where you are lacking and what you have down pat." Jenny stopped and frowned at them." Who did you two go as?"
"We went as two mutants we saw on TV. Before you say anything, yes we know that was really stupid." Xander said holding up a hand. Jenny looked concerned.
"Well who were they and what powers did they have?"
"Wolverine and Sabertooth." Xander sighed.
"They are feral mutants and they heal. Xander is a feline feral and I am a canine feral."
"Wow. Wait what do you mean heal? Like you can heal like Buffy?"
"Much, much faster than that. Almost instant really. They were picked because of this healing factor, by the government to be on a black ops team. They are the best at what they do, but what they do best is not very nice." Xander said watching her very carefully. Jenny looked between the two with wide eyes.
"Really? That is so cool." Both teens let out the breath that they were holding.
"Now on to the other thing we wanted to speak with you about, Janna. What do you know about Angel's curse and why were you sent here?" Asked Xander with a pleasant smile plastered across his face, while Lex stood by his side looking expectantly at her.
Buffy was headed to Giles' office when she hears some noise coming from the stacks. She listens for another second before heading further in to the library. She slowly approaches the doors to the stacks, looking to see where the noise came from. She carefully makes her way down the main aisle, trying to find the source of the noise. Her attention snapped to a bookcase at her side that gave a loud creek, when she looked through the shelves she spotted a dark haired older man pushing it.
Buffy dashed out of the way just in time to see Ethan attempting to limp away. She moved quickly and spun him around.
"I know you! You were in the costume shop." Buffy said wondering why the slippery Brit was doing in the library.
"Oh, I'm pleased you remember." Ethan said as he tried to leave.
"You sold me that dress for Halloween, and nearly got us all killed!" Buffy hissed at Ethan.
"But you looked great." Ethan said trying to placate the angry slayer. Buffy drew back and socked the older man square in the jaw.
"OWWW!" Ethan yelled in surprise, before straightening up holding his jaw. "So now we're even?"
"I'll let you know when we're even. What're you doing here?" Buffy asked fist still balled ready to strike.
"Snooping around." Ethan said innocently.
"Honesty. Nice touch." Buffy said sarcastically.
"It's one of my virtues." Ethan said with a smile. "Not really." Ethan's smile getting bigger, Buffy answered with a evil smile of her own.
"I've got a great idea. Why don't I just call the police and have you arrested for breaking and entering, and then I can get back to my fun Saturday?" Buffy asked sarcastically
"Yes, the police. Well, they'll have all those questions, and they'll really need Rupert to answer them all." Ethan said looking like the cat that eat the canary.
"You know Giles?" Buffy asked looking slightly shocked.
"We go back. Way back. You don't happen to know where he is, do you?" Ethan asked trying his best to look innocent.
"I was about to call to check on him. If you can behave I will let you tag along."
"That is very generous of you. It is very important that I find him. Oh and when you speak with him make sure you ask about the Mark of Eyghon." Ethan said as Buffy signaled that he should lead the way into the library.
Buffy got to the phone in the office and quickly dialed Giles number.
"Hello." Came a confused voice.
"Giles, it's me." Buffy said quickly into the phone.
"*sigh*Buffy, u-unless this is an emergency, I'll see you Monday." Giles said tiredly.
"What's the Mark of Eyghon?" Buffy asked quickly before Giles could hang up on her. The only thing that Buffy can hear is the sound of Giles quiet breathing.
"Giles?" Buffy asked frantically.
"Cat got his tongue?" Ethan said with a smirk.
"I'm in your office with someone who claims to be an old friend of yours. Ethan Rayne?" Buffy said hoping for some information to go on.
"He's there with you? Listen, Buffy, you're ...you're in grave danger while Ethan's there. I want you to put the phone down and get out of the library as soon as possible."
"I'm not going anywhere until you give me some answers!" Buffy demanded, just as a corps wearing a blue suit came crashing through a window in Giles' office. Ethan stepped behind Buffy, holding her in front of him. While Giles could be heard yelling from the dropped phone.
"Buffy?"
Buffy and Ethan quickly vacate the office, dashing out to the main floor of the library. The corps went straight for Buffy, only to have her kick him in the chest and roll over the counter. After a moment he comes through the door again and Ethan climbs over the counter as well.
"Ethan!" The corps yells, as Xander comes in followed by everyone else.
"Don't let him get away!" Buffy yelled over her shoulder as she noticed the Ethan was trying to run.
"Ok guys, you have got me mistaken with someone else." Jenny said defensively.
"We did the background check on ya, Hunny. We know that you are a Latveria national, and you real name is Janna Kalderash. So would you like to fill in the blanks for us or do we have to guess?" Lex asked with a sigh. Jenny was doing her best impression of a gold fish for them for a few moments, before she gave a resigned sigh.
"You two are far more perceptive than anyone give you credit for." Jenny said quietly as she thought over what she could say and not say.
"Look we just need to know the most important parts. Like about Angel and do you mean any of us any harm?" Xander said gently. Jenny looked up at both of them, nodding her understanding.
"I was sent by my clan to make sure that the spell was still holding and that he was suffering properly. I don't mean anyone any harm; I am just here to make sure that the curse stays in effect." Jenny said pausing, gathering her thoughts before telling them the big problem with the curse.
"There is a problem with the curse. If Angel has one moment of contentment, he loses his soul. I am not sure what type of contentment or if it means any contentment."
Xander and Lex looked with wide eyes at each other.
"So say Buffy and him, you know?" Xander asked with a shudder, while Lex got a sickened look on her face. "He would lose his soul?"
"That would be one way for him to find contentment." Jenny answered slowly, as a look of realization came over her.
"Yeah we have to tell them about the loophole." Lex growled in frustration.
"Buffy's not going to believe it coming from us, but if you step forward with us, we might just be able to avoid a tragedy." Xander said staring down any protest Jenny was about to make.
"Fine." Jenny sighed, caving under Xander's gaze.
Lex smirked at Xander, when they heard a crash coming from down the hall.
"Don't let him get away!" Buffy yelled over her shoulder as she noticed the Ethan was trying to run.
Xander sprang into action, and shoved Ethan against the counter, but the older man, was slippery and wriggled out of Xander's grasp. As Ethan tries to run by Cordelia but she knees him in the crotch, which drops the slimy Brit to his knees. Lex then quickly slugs Ethan, knocking him out.
Buffy looks around for a way to corral Philip, when she spots to the open book cage. She makes sure that she has Philip's attention before, running for the door of the cage with Philip following. She sidesteps just before the door, and kicks Philip in as he runs by, slamming the door behind him.
Once Philip was secure, Xander and Lex stood watch over Ethan. Willow was observing Philip when she went over to Buffy.
"I'm not gonna get close enough to feel his pulse, but...He looks dead."
"Except for the walking and attacking Buffy part." Xander snarked with a grin.
"And the fact that he smells of rotting corps." Lex said waving a hand in front of her face.
"He's dead. Sorry, Philip. Really I am." Ethan said looking at the caged dead man.
Giles burst into the library, looking disheveled and frantic.
"Is everyone alright?" Giles gasped out.
"Super!" Cordelia said obviously proud of herself. "I kicked a guy!" Jenny walked over to Giles and laid a hand on his arm.
"We're okay." She said gently.
"Dead guy here interrupted our tutorial." Lex said while still glaring at Ethan.
"Been meaning to thank you for that." Xander said walking a little closer to the book cage. Philip jumps at him and Xander snarls at him in return. Giles steps closer to the book cage to get a better look at well-dressed corps.
"It can't be!" Giles gaped at the dead man.
"Yes, it can." Smirked Ethan then got a more evil grin on his face.
"Hello, Ripper." Ethan said. Giles glared daggers at Ethan.
"I thought I told you to leave town." Giles said in a quiet growl.
"You did. I didn't." Ethan said with his every present grin. Giles starts to take a menacing step toward Ethan when he added. "Shop's lease is paid till the end of the month."
"Uh, why did he call him Ripper?" Cordelia asked Xander, who shrugged and continued to watch the two men.
Giles quickly grabs Ethan by back of the neck and forces him out of his chair, before snarling into his face.
"You should've left when I told you."
"Ohhhhh..." Cordelia gasped. While Xander and Lex smiled at Giles and Ethan with fangs showing.
"Giles?" Buffy exclaimed, while Willow and Jenny stood looking on in shock.
"You put these people in danger. The people I care about." Giles growled in Ethan's face.
"If you carded so much about them, why didn't you leave town?" Ethan snapped back as he pushes Giles' arm away.
"You've been having the dreams, I know. I have. We both know what's coming." Ethan said gravely.
"What dreams? What is going on here?" Buffy demanded.
"Tell her, Ripper." Ethan said gravely.
"Giles..." Buffy stated, just as Philip breaks the cage door, knocking Jenny out. Xander spun around and cold-cocked him, knocking him back into the cage. He quickly grabs Cordelia and got her to the other side of the room with Willow.
"JENNY!" Giles cried out as he scrambles to her side.
Buffy and Lex jump in between Ethan and Philip, each delivering a kick to his chest as he moves to get at Ethan. Philip once again was in the cage, but slides to the floor. He recovers enough to come at the girls again only before they can get to him. Philips eyes go wide, he begins to convulse and he collapse on the floor near Jenny. Everyone is left staring as his body disintegrates into a puddle of green slime.
"Now, there's something you don't see every day." Willow said in a small voice.
"I'm gonna be in therapy till I'm thirty." says Cordelia still trying to comprehend what she just saw.
"Where's Ethan?" Buffy asks looking around wildly.
"Where'd he go?" she asks as she darts off.
"Don't worry about it Buff, me and Xander can track him down." Lex called out to Buffy.
No one notices the slime ooze its way to Jenny's hand, or that her hand twitches when it makes contact.
Jenny slowly starts to regain consciousness, with Giles fussing and helps her sit up.
"Are you alright, Jenny?"
"Ow!" Jenny hisses as she cradles her head in her hands.
"Careful!" Giles says with his concern evident in his voice.
"Ohhhh..." Jenny moans
"Can you stand?" Giles asks as he helps her to her feet.
"I think so." says Jenny with much hesitation.
"This is what happens when you have school on Saturday." Cordelia snarked.
Xander and Lex give her a disbelieving look.
"Mm." Jenny stands unsteadily next to Giles.
"Lean on me." Giles murmurs pulling her closer. "It'll be alright."
"Promise?" Jenny asks as she pulls away slightly to look at him.
"I promise." Giles says solemnly.
"I believe you." Jenny states, as she closes her eyes and leans on his shoulder, hugging him close. What no one sees, is Jenny's eye glowing a demonic yellow.
An:Well another ch., I will be following the rest of the second season, through the summer. now I love surprise relatives, so who should have a super or mutant relative and who is the relative? also should Buffy or Willow be mutants or super powered in another way? Should Xander and Lex meet dad or Logan first? R&R I live for reviews. ^,,^