Chapter 99
Buffy and Giles talked about what to do. On the one hand Ampata was an innocent, she deserved a normal life. On the other hand the only way she could survive was to kill another, some random innocent perhaps who also deserved to live. The guardian sensed Buffy' hesitation. He offered himself up to e Ampata's victim. It was his responsibility to prevent her from killing, if he had to die instead of a civilian he was willing to do it. But unless they actually found Ampata the guardian's heroism was not going to help. As the three of them were taling Lindsay Mcdonald walked into the store. Giles was sure he'd locked the door, and neither he nor Buffy was happy to see this lawyer, especially now.
Giles: What do you want?
Lindsay: I need your help.
Giles: Why would we help you?
Lindsay: Because million of lives are at stake.
Buffy: How? Be specific.
Lindsay: One of my clients is about to go to prison for life. We've tried everything, bribery, intimidation, magick, there's nothing that will set him free.
Giles: Your law firm has a reputation for defending the scum of the earth. Why is this man getting justice a bad thing?
Lindsay: Because he's a sore loser. He's made it clear that if he's convicted he'll say the magic word, and a virus will be released. Millions will die. I don't want to die, especially with the blood of millions on my hands.
Buffy: I'll help you, I'll even work with you. If I die I'll at least know two things. One is that I did everything I could to stop this. The other is that I'm dying with one of the few people on the planet who truley deserves whatever agonizing death this plague brings.