Chapter 50
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A.N. This chapter runs at the same time chapter forty nine did. This is what happened to all the survivors Buffy, Willow and Hermione sent to Africa.
In Africa Harry, Xander and their work crew of slayers were still running the Plumbing to the different apartments. The first thing they finished was the public rest rooms on both floors and had a smaller one going in the basement. Three workers to a room was how it was set up and Harry was given his own crew of two to help put in toilets sinks and shower tub. This made Harry feel the trust from Xander that he could now handle the job on his own. Not that the girls needed help but they would help him if needed. It would be a learning experience for everyone. He was trying to adjust a shower head that he realized was faulty as it drenched him without any way of shutting it off. After the girls got done laughing at him and they turned off the water at the main pipes coming in form the pumps from the river they planned on using magic water taps like the ones in the tents but that decided to have a second water system just in case; He used his wand to dry himself when his new mobile phone rang.
"Hello Harry speaking."
"Harry! It's Dawn. I couldn't get in touch with Xander. He must have left his phone where he couldn't hear it. It's happen Harry the main event it's happening now. California is sinking into the ocean. You need to tell Xander, Vincent and Peter Cain, oh and don't forget to tell the Cherokee. Tell them to expect incoming. It's about to get crowed over there. Tell everyone good luck." Dawn said abruptly hanging up.
Harry understood that she had the job of informing and organizing the rescue efforts and couldn't talk long enough to answer a few questions but he had so many at the moment and it was quite frustrating to be left hanging like that. He excused himself from the two ladies and went in search of Xander. He found him in the basement helping to move in the stainless steel industrial kitchen supplies.
"Xander I need to talk to you."
"Yeah, just a moment, Harry."
"No, I need to talk to you right now." Harry said with urgency in his voice.
Xander quirked an eyebrow at Harry's insistent and walked over to him for privacy. Just before he stopped in front of him and Harry could open his mouth to tell him Xander already put it together but let Harry speak just to hear the word out loud and confirm his conclusions.
"Dawn just called. It's happening. What do we do?" Harry asked.
With a sigh Xander said. You already know what needs to be done. I'll tell the girls here that we just heard about the world falling apart without letting them know we knew anything before hand and they'll spread the word to the others. I'll send the prearranged signal across the ravine to the Cherokee. Then I'll go to the situation room to monitor everything until Dawn gets here. You better tell Vincent and Peter on your way to the train station to await and guide the incoming.
"Right, I'll get on that. Dawn told me to tell you Good luck."
"Yeah, I must have left my phone upstairs. Sorry about that. Listen, I'll tell the house elves put the kettle on…a big one, and a stew for everyone as well. I'll have some of the girls help you and someone to relive you in a few hours." Xander said.
"Right, after you tell the crew what's happening, tell them to break out the blankets, medical supplies, and to bring them to the station. I hope Katie gets here soon. I see injured in our future." Harry said.
"I'm sure she'll be one of the first to get here." Xander calmed as an earthquake began to rock the building.
"Not another one, damn it. I'm getting sick of this. I know that the building and foundation is magically unbreakable and there isn't a chance of it coming down around our ears but it might be safer for everyone to stay outside so they don't bump their heads on the ceiling when they get bounced up in the air like that quake a few days ago did."
"So, is that now the plan?" Harry asked.
"I have the others setting up some tents outside, just send them to us like we originally planned I'll decide what to do from there. Good luck Harry." Xander replied.
Harry made his way outside and saw Vincent carrying a man his way.
"What happened?" Harry asked.
"A stone wall we were building came down when the earthquake hit and landed on him. He seems to have broken his right arm and leg. There doesn't seem to be any internal injuries." Vincent replied.
"I only know Auror field healing." Harry said. "I can take care of the broken bones but if there were any internal injuries I wouldn't be able to do anything and you should know that we were just informed that the main event has started. California is gone.
Hearing this stunned Vincent and the injured man.
"Alright, Katie gave me this amulet. Since you're not magical you'll need to temporarily ware this while I treat you for my healing magic to work on you better." Harry explained.
The injured man put it on and Harry waved his wand over his arm and leg. A clicking was heard in each appendage and you could actually see the bones shift into place under the skin. The man said that he only felt a numbing cold.
"Just stay off it for the rest of the day. You'll be perfectly fine by tomorrow." Harry said taking back the amulet.
"Can one of you run up to the monastery and tell Peter Cain that it's started? I have to get to the station to help the incoming." Harry explained.
"I will do that myself. We will be ready to help." Vincent said.
Just then Xander came out of the bank carrying a box and bottled water.
"Harry, what are you still doing here?"
"Helping the injured, Vincent will inform Peter and I'm headed to the station now." Harry informed.
"Right, I'll see you soon." Xander said as he started walking to the back of the bank and to the ridge of the ravine. He opened the box he had been carrying and pulled out the single fire work Arthur Weasley gave him and told him one was all he needed. He stuck its stick into the ground and opened his water bottle and poured it on the fuse like Arthur instructed and just like he said it flew into the air soaring across the ravine and over the Cherokee encampment. It bust into a shower of sparks that formed into a large representation of an animated wolf howling a cry of sorrow. The sound was done with some sort of magically modified whistler fireworks. Xander was impressed. This was the prearranged signal telling the Cherokee that the main event had started.
Xander heaved a great sigh and said to no one. "This is going to be a long day."
/Scene Break/
Rona and the slayers were building a strong fence made of thick logs around the small village. They got the logs from the surrounding jungle it wasn't much but it was better than nothing. Andrew was with the village elder's planning ways to further fortify the village. Some form of early warning system was being planned as well as evacuation and hiding tactics for the next military invasion. The slayers would act as their guardians for the time being as they still needed to train some of the men who were willing to fight. Rona was putting one of the logs in place when she looked up as she heard the sound of a jeep approaching.
"Oh no, this can't be good." She said aloud as she was about to tell the villagers to run for cover when the jeep came into view. It was Faith and the others. Jenny was driving and Sara was doing something in the back but she couldn't see any sign of Faith or Queen. When they pulled in she didn't have to asked where they were as she saw them lying across the back covered in blood.
"What happened?" Rona asked.
"That last earthquake couldn't come at a worse time. We were a day out and were in a precarious position as we tried to pass this little patch of road on two wheels. The other two were up in the air rolling across the side of this hill. We were riding near sideways when the earthquake hit and threw us right over. Sara and I were able to jump clear in time but Miss Faith and Queen buckled themselves in before they attempted this maneuver. They unhooked the belts mid roll but before they could get clear the jeep landed on top of their legs. We dug into our bugout bags and did what we could but in the end we gave them something for the pain that also put them out."
"Did you at least reset Faiths leg before you put her out? You know the slayer healing really begins when you fall asleep." Rona asked.
"Of course we did. Even if Miss Faith hadn't insisted upon it, we knew better. We are trained slayers after all." Sara replied
"Correct me if I'm wrong but neither of you are out of high school yet, Right?" Rona asked.
"This is our graduating year. As a matter of fact this whole trip should be counted as part of our practical grade." Jenny said.
"Yeah, you may have a point there. Let's get them inside that building where the slayers are staying. We're still building our own structure but it isn't anywhere near ready yet. Listen, why didn't Queen heal herself and Faith, was she knocked out?" Rona wondered.
"It seems you need a certain amount of concentration to do magic. She was in so much pain she was screaming for the first fifteen minutes before she calmed down enough to talk to us. Miss Faith is no stranger to pain but even she cursed for nearly the same amount of time." Sara explained.
"Damn, can this day get any worse? Rona thought but would never jinx herself by saying it out loud.
/Scene Break/
"Oh Christ, hang on here we go again." Jacky Tyler exclaimed as another earthquake rocked the building her Rose and Mickey rented in a small village next to Morocco. "I thought you said Africa was supposed to be safe. We've had so many quakes in the past week alone that the goat we bought for fresh milk will be giving us butter instead."
"Actually, I've been thinking about that. Rose began after the quake subsided. "From what I remember hearing, Africa is the land that's supposed to survive I didn't hear anything about it being safe."
"Great, if we don't die from these quakes we still have all the other terrors and other nightmares this paradise has in store for us." Jackie replied
"I'm sorry Mom; I didn't know it would be like this." Rose began to cry.
"Oh I'm sorry sweetheart; I'm just irritable from all this shaking going on." Jacky replied calming her daughter.
"But it's true. I may have brought you to the worst place left on earth. I brought you into what could probably be the most dangerous existence you can endure while still living and not being in a hell dimension."
"Oh darling, don't talk like that. It's not that bad. You were smart enough to bring us to what is probably the most civilized place in Africa. Could you imagine if we ended up in someplace like the Congo, the horn of Africa or somewhere in the Sahara Desert like Chad? You're doing a wonderful job and as long as you Mickey and I stick together we're sure to be able to see anything through to the end. "
"I wish you didn't quite put it that way."
"Oh like my saying it is going to make it happen." Jackie taunted.
Just then Mickey rushed into the room. "It's happening! It's happening! The main event! It's happening right now. California just sank into the ocean."
"What!" both women shouted.
"It was just on the short wave radio. California's gone and now there's this Charlie Frost bloke saying that he expects Yellowstone to blow up and he's standing right on top of it. He sounds a bit mad though." Mickey explained.
"He's the guy who's been trying to get the word out there. If it wasn't for him the Guardian Council might not have known what was happening." Rose informed.
"What do we do now?" Jacky asked.
"We've done everything we can do. All we can do now is wait and see what happens next." Rose replied.
/Scene Break/
Harry had just got done setting up blankets within easy reach and getting some medical supplies ready when just as Xander had predicted Katie Bell portkeyed in.
"Oh good you've gotten everything ready then." Katie said.
"Mostly." Harry Replied.
"What is this raised area here for?" She asked.
"Well, I just figured that I'd need to be seen and heard so I can direct the mobile people out of the station and down to the bank."
"It's a good plan but you might want to move your soap box over to the wall so you won't be in anyone's way when they portkey in." Katie suggested.
"Yeah you're probably right. Thanks." He said and did so.
"Listen, I'm going to take the medical supplies and set up a sort of triage behind the ticket booths to keep the injured out of the way of the incoming portkeys."
"That a brilliant idea. Do you need any help?" Harry asked.
"I'll call you if I do." She said and took the supplies where she needed them.
Just then someone else portkeyed in.
"Harry, is it true? Is it really happening?"
Standing before him Harry saw Draco Mal…No it's Draco Black now. Harry remembered.
"Yeah, I think it started about an hour ago."
"Why did you send me a Patronus? Isn't that why you gave me this muggle umm… communication device?" Draco asked not remembering the proper name of the device.
"I need to keep the lines to the Guardian Council open in case they had some instructions for us." Harry explained.
"Right, did the ministry listen when Arthur told them?" Draco asked.
"No, they thought he was mad and tried to send him to saint Mongo's."
"What about the others you have told? Are they here yet?"
"Not yet, but everyone has a mobile phone and the G.C. is making the calls to them. They should be popping in soon."
"Is there anything I can do to help?"
"When people get here most won't know where to go so we need to send the uninjured out those doors and down the hill to the bank."
"Sounds straight forward, do you expect many injured? I thought that the people coming knew about the disasters."
"I don't know how many injured there might be but not all of them know, many of the slayers don't. It's probably best not to say anything about it. Act like you were just informed about it this morning."
"Well, that's not a total lie then." Draco Replied.
"Any injured we do get, send them behind the ticket booths where Katie Bell is set up to care for them."
"Ticket booth? Where exactly are we anyway?" Draco wondered.
"Oh, I'm sorry I forgot you've never actually been here before this is one of the few structures that was still standing and still in pretty good condition. It's and old train station. The bank was the only other structure that was sound enough to be refurbished."
"Do you expect everyone to live in a bank?"
"We've started other structures but the bank's interior has been expanded. It's bigger than the stadium at the world cup on the inside." Harry explained.
"I suppose that will do. How many are we expecting?"
"That hard to tell, we were never given the total amount. We already have people here. They're outside ready to aid and guide people. About twenty from New York
Thirty or forty shaolin priests and several Cherokee Native Americans."
"All muggels then and Americans at that." Draco observed out loud.
"The slayers come from all over the world and many of our friends will be here in the end."
"Your friend's maybe and most of them still think I'm a dark wizard."
"I'll straighten them out when they get her, Draco."
"Just then there was the slightest drop in the air pressure within the room."
"We got incoming, stand back against the wall to make room." Harry ordered.
Just then two people popped in.
"Welcome to the African branch of the Guardian Council Academy, are any of you injured in any way?" Harry asked.
"No but, I think my friend here may be in shock from the ride."
"Harry grabbed a blanket and draped it over the ladies shoulders and asked "Can I have your names, please?"
"I'm Detective Kermit Griffin and this pretty lady is Detective Mary Margaret Skalany. We're friend of Peter Caine's."
"After that unexpected and wild ride you expect flattery will get you off the hook? What the hell was that anyway? Why didn't you warn me what was about to happen?" Mary Margaret growled.
"They call it a portkey and if I told you, would you have believed me? We needed to get out of there quickly." Kermit replied.
Just then there was another drop in air pressure.
"Please move to the wall more people are coming." Harry said.
Just then four more people showed up out of nowhere and one of them was screaming "yeeeeah whooo!" as they showed up.
"Hot damn Nina, that will clear your sinuses." Luke said.
"Bo, must you scream?" Nina asked.
"I didn't know what was going to happen and if this was going to be the end I wanted to go out with a holier."
"So, your telling me you wanted 'yeah who' to be your last words?" Kevin asked. "I'll have to try something like that the next time I find myself in a similar situation."
"Welcome to the African branch of the Guardian Council Academy where is the young lady injured?"
"She's my niece, I don't think any of the blood is hers but she may be in shock."
Harry got another Blanket ac covered the girl.
"Can I have your names?" Draco asked repeating what Harry did earlier.
"Luke, Bo and Gabriela Duke." Luke Replied.
"Kevin Grevera." Kevin said.
"Nina and Amanda Ash." Nina announced.
"If anyone needs medical help there is someone to help you behind that counter otherwise your find food and shelter out those doors and follow the road over and down the hill. There are people waiting to guide you outside. Mr. Griffin I don't know how set up Mr. Caine is but you'll find the monastery being built on the hill to the east. I could however send him down to meet you at the bank."
"That's twice I heard you say Africa. Are we seriously in Africa? How did we get to Africa?" Mary Margaret said as she had been trying to absorb everything that had happened and was still in a bit of shock.
"Come on Mary Margaret, I'll take you to see Peter maybe he will have some coffee or a nice cup of tea and then he can try to explain what's going on." Kermit said guiding her out the door.
"I guess we should get out of the way as well." Nina announced.
"Just a moment." Draco said as he pulled out his wand and pointed it at Amanda saying 'Scourgify'.
Bo, Luke and Kevin went for their concealed weapons. Bo and Luke hade knives but Kevin had a luger 9mm pistol. Gabriela stood behind her husband and Nina began to shout.
"Bo Luke Kevin it's alright it's a cleaning spell. One of my students uses it all the time it's harmless. It's a good thing." Nina explained.
Everyone looked to Amanda and saw that all the blood that she had been covered in disappeared. Even Amanda was amazed.
"Thank you." Amanda said to Draco.
"You're welcome." Draco said sheepishly. "Sorry about surprising everyone. I just thought that she didn't need to go around with that reminder."
"Thank you Mr…" Nina began
"Black. Draco Black. And you're welcome." He said.
"Sorry about the mix up." Luke replied.
"Not a problem but you must hurry. We're expecting a lot of people to be coming through here."
"Right, we'll just be going." Luke replied and they left to find the bank.
"So far so good." Draco said.
"And this is just the beginning." Harry replied. "By the way you haven't checked in with me for the past two weeks. Have you gotten any leads on your father's whereabouts?"
"No, I'm beginning to think he's hiding under a Fidelius Charm somewhere and we won't see him until this is all over. But mark my words I'll get him even if I have to dig out his dead carcass from under a pile of rubble from these damnable earthquakes."
Somehow Harry found Draco word amusing.
/Scene Break/
Somewhere in Africa under a Fidelius Charm Lucius Malfoy was hugging a Greek pillar for his dear life once more and once it was over he was cursing the house elves that this mansion wasn't built with unbreakable charms for such things. They tried to explain that it wasn't normal for Africa to have earthquakes so the Nott family saw no reason to spend the money on such things. As he brushed himself off from the falling debris he ordered the elves to clean this mess up. He was upset that he couldn't even hand out their punishments afterwards because they would be affecting repairs. He would have to send one or two of them to the nearby wizarding city to see if these recent quakes had anything to do with the prediction that the earth would suffer devastating land mass loss when they would sink under the oceans. On that day he would finally be free. He went back to the fifty foot by thirty foot elegant dining room and sat at the highly polished long table that was now covered in dust. He was about to finish his Lobster Bouillon Baseonly to find a hunk of ceiling had fallen into it. With a grimace he slashed his arm across the table batting the bowl across the room. "I can't wait for the day that I can get out of this hovel with its second class swill." He yelled.
/Scene Break/
Across the ravine from the Guardian Council's repurposed bank the Cherokee were having a bit of an argument with their new arrivals. Upon request from the Cherokee they asked Harry to make their portkey to deliver their people to their side of the ravine to lighten the load of incoming that they were predicted to receive.
"The bottom line is you kidnapped us and we don't believe one word of this bull you're pushing on us!" An elderly and irate refugee yelled angrily.
"We can assure you that everything we've told you is true." Running Squirrel said calmly.
"We never asked for this. You make it sound like we joined one of those cults, like that one in Waco a few years back only you guys have made a mockery of our Native American heritage!" A younger man known as Eddy said trying to get as many people to join his beliefs.
"Yeah, how did you get us here where ever we are? I know you must have drugged us. Are we now addicts to whatever you pumped into us?" Eddy's girlfriend said.
"Even if it was true we have family we would rather be with in the end. My daughter will grow up without a father. Not that I or any of us believe it!" Another woman said,
"We want to go home!" Running Zebra announced.
"We don't have that ability but we can get you to someone who can. Take this rope. It will let you pass to the other side of the ravine. There you will find the people you seek." Running squirrel replied.
"Running Squirrel, what are you doing?" Flat snake asked.
"There were bound to be desperate people among the ones we picked. They would create disharmony among the rest. If they wish to leave then we will not stop them." running squirrel explained.
"Bull, you got us here you can take us back." Eddy said grabbing Running Squirrel by the arm and pulling the knife from his sheath.
Running Zebra jumped back. She didn't want any part of this guy's desperation.
"Alright, now things have stated getting out of hand. Why don't you drop the knife so we can work this out?" Francis Gage said pulling his revolver.
"Maybe I don't want to. Besides if what they say is true about us being in Africa then you're out of your jurisdiction law man." Eddy replied.
"Africa is no man's land. I can kill you in cold blood and no one will say boo about it." Gage replied coolly.
"Then Eddy now looked unsure but he wasn't going to give up his advantage."
"Look, what's going to stop me from dropping you once you stab Running Squirrel?" Gage said as he slowly but methodically approached the man.
"Stay where you are or I swear…" that was as far as he got when he heard a gun cock directly behind his head.
"Drop the knife." Sydney said in a way that there would be no arguing about it. The man dropped the knife.
Running Squirrel looked at the six people that argued not to be here and said. "You six are no longer welcome here take the rope and leave, Now!"
Sydney, Gage and Running Zebra weren't part of the argument nor were they counted as such but they did want to go home. Sydney wasn't sure if she believed that the world was ending. Gage was positive that it wasn't and Running Zebra just wanted to go home and make sure here family and boyfriend were safe ether way. So when the group took the rope Running Squirrel was surprised.
"Gage, you and Sydney have a destiny to raise Walkers children. Please don't go with them." he pleaded.
"I'm sorry Running Squirrel but we don't believe you ether. We need to get Walkers children home."
"I sorry Gage but The Walkers are gone. The volcanic ash I told you about engulfed them as we were leaving. Going back there would be suicide for you and the children."
"Seeing is believing" Eddy replied.
"In this case seeing is dying." Flat snake said as he approached the group. "Texas is gone."
Now Sydney was made even more unsure but she had made up her mind. She grabbed the rope and tied it around the kids Gage saw the action and grabbed the rope. Then the other six also grabbed it and Running Squirrel then activated it and all of them disappeared only to reappear at the train station across the ravine.
"Now, where the hell are we?" Eddy yelled in frustration.
"Welcome to the African branch of the Guardian Council Academy, are any of you injured in any way?" Harry asked.
"No, we want to get out of here. We want to go back, now!" Eddy yelled.
"Where you just came from probably doesn't exist anymore." Harry replied. "Where are you from anyway?" he asked noticing their attire as some of them wore animal skins.
"We came from Texas." One of the women said.
"That's gone. Texas doesn't exist anymore." Draco said.
"Damn it stop handing us bull S*#T and send us home." Eddy replied.
"We might be able to send you to America's east coast. Would that be close enough?" Draco asked.
"Draco!" Harry warned.
"Harry, if you haven't noticed the man has his hand on a knife. The man behind him has some kind of weapon trained on him. In my opinion these people are the kind to needlessly stir up trouble when the going gets even slightly rough. I say let them go."
"I let you keep that blade but if I so much as see a glint of its steel again I'll show you why you should never come to Texas thinking of causing trouble." Gage said.
"All of the sudden the air pressure dropped and Harry told everyone to stand away from the center of the room the man with the knife didn't listen and was hit in the side of the face with a thick heel of a shoe. He fell into Sydney and witnessed a young man three women and a baby appear out of nowhere. He shook off the pain and grabbed Sydney's gun and then scrambled to the black haired woman on the floor and held the gun to her head."
"You may be fast law man but not that fast. You so much as twitch I'll blow her head off." He said as he now pointed the gun at Gage, but it wasn't the man's day as there was now a gun under his chin that had been cocked.
Jane Rizzoli said nothing so Maura Isles answer for her. "Boston P.D. I'd drop it if I were you. I've seen her shoot the last perp that held her like that right through her own body to do it." She said as if she wasn't worried for her friend at all as she moved to the baby to make sure he was alright. "How did we get here where ever here is?"
The man nearly relieved himself upon hearing that and dropped the gun.
"I'll take that." Sydney said taking his knife after retrieving her gun. She was very embarrassed to have lost it in the first place.
All the children were now crying at high pitches because of all the excitement.
Harry was brought out of his stunned silence about the turn of events at Maura's question and began his greeting. "Welcome to the African branch of the Guardian Council Academy, are any of you injured in any way?" He asked.
"I think Jane and I may be suffering from a concussion as well as no small bit of confusion. You said we were in Africa but you sound British and these people are dressed in Native American garb of many different tribes. We were just in Boston where it's cold and now we're in some tropical place. There were earthquakes and Yellowstone just blew-up, the ash cloud was reported to bring poisonous gases with it and I don't understand how we survived. So you'll excuse me if I think that I may have hit my head harder than I thought." Half way through her speech Maura Isles began breaking down and crying by now she was sobbing.
Harry called Kate and she helped the two women to where she was set up bringing the baby as well.
"What about you two are you alright?" Harry asked Tru and Harrison not recognizing them at first.
"Hi Harry, my brother had his memory wiped a few months ago and I was wondering if you could help retrieve them." Tu asked.
"Actually sis, I'm beginning to remember everything but I won't say no to some help." Harrison stated.
"The traumatic experience has broken the memory block, I'll just help you get rid of the rest of it so you'll remember everything more quickly." Harry said.
Harry pointed and twisted his wand and Harrison Davies remembered.
"Damn." He said as he fell to his knees.
Harrison, are you alright?
"It's all gone Tru. You were right, it is the end of the world… what the hell are we going to do now?" Harrison said.
"We hope this land stays above water and we survive." Tru replied.
"There are people outside that will help you to the new school. It's a refurbished bank. We need to keep everyone moving away from this area because we're expecting more incoming people. They'll take care of your needs at the bank." Harry said.
"Thanks Harry." Tru said as the pressure once again dropped.
"We got incoming, everyone keep clear." Draco said.
Just then eighty people landed in the center of the station. They were Slayers watchers, witches and family members.
Just then Harrison saw someone that he didn't want to see ever again.
"You! You stay away from me you monster, you werewolf."
Oz turned to face Harrison. "Oh right, I remember you. Your Harrison, Tru's and Faith's sister. I'm sorry for your loss. Your sister was a great slayer."
"Faith? What happened to Faith?" Harrison asked forgetting to be angry at Oz.
"Sorry, about that Oz, my brother just got his memories back. Come on Harrison I'll tell you about it later. Let's get away from here in case it gets even more crowded."
Sydney heard two words that made he do a double take. Werewolf and Oz. "Oz, is that you?" she asked.
Oz turned and saw Sydney. "Sydney Cooke isn't it? It's been a while."
"Yeah, a few months. Listen is it true. Is Texas really gone?" She asked nearly in tears.
"Sydney, come on. You don't believe this do you?" Gage said.
"I'm afraid it's true. This isn't snow on my jacket. The volcanic ash has already reached Cleveland." Oz replied to Gage while at the same time answering Sydney's question.
At that point Draco handed Eddy a new portkey and told him it would take them to New York city and told everyone the password.
"That would be a bad idea. New York would be experiencing the ash by now as well as earthquakes. Those big building could come down on you." Oz said.
"I refuse to believe any of this crap. I don't know about the rest of you but I'm getting out of this funny farm cult group and going home." Eddy said.
"Come on Sydney grab the kids and grab the rope and let's go." Gage said.
"No, I'm sorry but I believe Oz. I'm not taking a one way trip to our deaths."
"Well, I'm taking Walkers kids back with me." Gage said as he made his way to the kids who were behind Sydney.
Sydney raised her gun and pointed it at her partner. "No!" She said
"Sid we owe it to Walker to bring his kids back." Gage said.
"I believe Walker and Alex are gone and we owe it to them to raise their kids. Now I can do that with or without you but you will not take these children to their deaths." Sydney countered. "Think about it Gage if they drugged us to kidnap us why did they let each of us keep our weapons."
Eddy looked to the rest of the six in the group. "Are you guys ready to go because I'm not listening to anymore of this crap?"
Running zebra looked from the two Texas Rangers to Eddy and then to the rope in her hand and dropped it as if it had burned her. She backed away from it but still felt conflicted. If it was all true then New York would be in chaos and she'd never get home to her family in Pennsylvania before everyone was dead. She began to hyperventilate as she began crying.
Eddy rolled his eyes at her and said. "You people are pathetic!" He then said the password that took him and the five other people away to New York.
Gage looked at the empty spot with panic and betrayal.
"Draco was that a two way portkey you gave them?" Harry asked.
"Come on Harry, you know that a two way portkey takes about ten minutes to create. I wanted that trash out of here before they hurt someone." Draco replied.
"Then they're as good as dead with no way back." Harry said.
"That's on them. We warned them and they went anyway." Draco said indifferently.
Gage had just made out their whispered conversation and asked.
"You guys were telling the truth weren't you?"
Shocked that they were overheard they turned to Gage and told him that it was the truth. This time Gage believed them.
"Sydney I can't tell you how sorry I am for not believing you." He said.
"I'm just glad you came to the right conclusion in the end. I'd hate to have to train a new partner."
/Scene Break/
In New York Eddy and the five other people landed on a street corner in front of a pawn shop. They heard screaming and people were rushing about.
"It's snowing." Eddy's girlfriend said.
One of the other opened her mouth to comment on the screaming people only to start coughing and spitting. "This isn't snow. It looks like that blown in insulation." she said.
"Maybe a truck full of the stuff got in a car wreck somewhere up the road." Eddy said, his mind refusing to connect the dots." I don't know about you guys but me and my girl are heading in that direction. Feel free to split if you want to." He then dropped the rope and left. The others began to leave as well.
They made it about a block when they heard and saw President Thomas Wilson dominate every television in every window of every storefront. Eddy and his girlfriend stop to listen. When the President began the Lord's Prayer and was cut off Eddy and his girlfriend both began to panic. It took several precious seconds to figure out what to do now. When they figured it out they ran as fast as they could back the pawn shop they left behind only to find the others with the rope in their hands already yelling the password several times and shaking the rope while nothing happened.
"It's not working!" The lady screamed in desperation.
"We made a mistake please let us go back." The old man yelled into the rope as if it was a faulty microphone that the people in Africa would hear.
They then heard a loud rumble and one of the six people ran down to the corner to see what was happening the others watched as the teen girl froze. For a second she couldn't comprehend what it was she was looking at. She then turned and ran to the others yelling "Tidal wave!"
The others panicked that they would drown but they needn't have worried as the wall of water pushed down the old building they stood in front of, the brick and mortar crushing and killing them before they could inhale any water.
/Scene Break/
Back in Africa Harry and Draco sent Gage, Sydney and the kids with the group of people that Oz came with. Having nowhere else to go, Running Zebra followed. Right after they left a new portkey arrived this one carrying the Russell family.
"What the heck was that?" Abigail asked in shock."
"They called it a portkey." Jake Russell said.
"And what the heck is a portkey?" she wanted to know.
"Never mind that." Jake said as Harry came up behind them and welcomed them to Africa while asking if anyone was injured.
"My mom she's unconscious." Brandon told him.
"Her name is Cassandra Russell. She's my wife. These are our kids Brandon and Lori and Cassandra's cousin Abigail Pershing. I'm Jack Russell. Can you help my wife?"
"Was she struck in the head or was it magical?" Katie asked as she walked over.
Jake was told there would be people that would know about real magic.
"It was magical, I think. She did some spell I guess and the whole house seemed to pack itself up into that bag." He said pointing to the bag Lori was holding.
"It sounds like she may have worn herself out she may only need rest. And Willow suggested some fluids and provided a cooler with something called energy aid and assure."
"Electrolytes and vitamins?" He asked.
"That's what Willow called it. Are you familiar with it?" Katie asked.
"Yes, then what you're saying is that she'll need rest and a few energy drinks and she'll be okay?" Jack asked.
"Willow said she might have a bit of a headache when she wakes up." Katie replied.
"Who is this Willow Person and why isn't she here if she knows what's going on?" Abigail asked.
"She is busy rescuing the other schools." Katie replied
"Then why did she put you in charge?" Abigail asked.
"I am a fully trained med witch but I'm not too familiar with Wicca magic. They are kind of new to us. I'm sorry but it's totally different from wizarding magic and Willow has been teaching me signs, symptoms and how to treat them. What your family member has is something akin to magical exhaustion. That would be severe if she were a wizarding witch. She would be in bed for a week. But she's Wicca and from what I've been told she should be alright after a bit of a nap. Allow me to take her behind the counter. I have a few beds set up where she can rest."
"I can carry her." Jake said only to realize Cassandra was being floated away behind the counter.
"Whoa, Dad did you see that?" Brandon said in awe.
Breaking out of his stupor by his son's words he said as he moved to follow them. "Well, your mother did say we were going to see some magic now."
/Scene Break/
On board an Azure cruise liner named the Genesis, Abby Sciuto and her brother Kyle Davis excitedly talked about every facet of their live to get better acquainted with each other. After Abby found out that she was adopted she needed to find something of her biological family and found she had a brother. Since then they tried to find the time to spend with each other but Abbys hectic and demanding job with NCIS didn't give them much time at all. This vacation cruse was a god send as they were both able to take time off at the same time to go. They listened to the old jazz band duo, one on bass the other playing the piano as they sang 'it ain't the end of the world'. After the song was over the bass player got a call and so the duo took a break from their set. Ten minuets later Abby made her way to the rest room when she heard the piano player tell the bass player his concerns that he would fall from a wagon he had been on for twenty-five years. This concerned Abby as well and decided to listen to what she knew would be a feeble excuse only to find it wasn't so feeble… if it were true. God she hoped it wasn't true.
/Scene Break/
China;
Inside the tunnels where the Arks were being built an SG teams worked around the unfinished and damaged arks. This area had been closed off because it was too late to finish or repair them. All the personal went to work on finishing the ones they could get done in time and so no one bothered to look back at the section with arks that would never move. Sam Carter turned to Vala Mal Doran to check that the two teams had everything set.
"Are the pattern enhancers in place?" Sam asked.
"Yep. Twenty-five black rectangular pedestals with satellite dishes on top of them on each side." Vala replied.
"They may not be pretty but they do their job." Sam replied.
"On that TV show where you got the idea from there were small poles with lights on top that one man was able to set up and he didn't need as many of them." Vala replied.
"First of all, like you said, that was a TV show and not real. Second it was the best I could do on short notice to design and build sixty of these for each ship."
"But we only set fifty around the ships."
"I built extra in case there were problems with one or two. Besides the tech needed to build them that small was too expensive and hard to come by. It would have taken three times as long to build and program each one. I just finish them the way it was."
"It takes two people to maneuver each one in place." Vala argued.
"I thought you like to watch men work." Sam replied with a smirk.
Yes… well there is that. I don't see why we're doing this anyway. What good will beaming these arks into space do. There empty and haven't any treasure in them."
"The arks are the treasure, Vala. The refined steel alone will help us build a new city or stronghold no matter what planet we decide to populate. If nothing else they can be repaired and used as off shore housing." Sam explained.
Just then someone called Sam on the radio.
"Go ahead."
"We're all set with the last ark Colonel Carter."
"Right, good work." She replied and switched channels. "Colonel Carter to the Daedalus we are all set to transport the last of the arks."
"Roger that Colonel, Commencing beaming procedures." The voice on the other end said.
With that the ark disappeared in a beam of light that seemed to shoot upward.
On the Hammond President Henry Hayes and General Jack O'Neill watched as space seemed to become a little more crowded as Jack put it.
"Sirs, there seems to be a buildup of geomagnetic forces around China. As it continues it's having the equivalent of an EMP that's scrambling all electronic signals. "
"EMP?" The President questioned.
"Electromagnetic pulse, Sir." O'Neill clarified. "Will it endanger the arks electronics?" He asked the helmsmen."
"No sir, at least it shouldn't. It's low level it's only disrupting signals so far radio waves are now limited to a few miles communications with the surface is now impossible.
"Are the pattern enhancers affected?" Hayes asked.
"Yes sir, that is why I mentioned it. Soon we may lose contact with those as well." The helmsmen replied.
"Hayes to the Daedalus, Beam those men up quickly."
"This is the Daedalus sir and we are trying but we're having a difficult time locking on to them. Radio contact is also spotty at best."
Is there anything we can do to help?" Hayes asked.
"No sir. The Daedalus's sensors should be better than the Hammonds at this time. Ours were recently upgraded."
"Understood." Hayes said.
Back in the Ark tunnels Carter was well aware of the problem by piecing together what she heard from the spotty communications.
"Alright, I need you men to stand at the center of the circle of pattern enhancers you just placed."
"Colonel, someone is going to have to be left behind to operate the enhancers."
"I'm aware of that but it won't be one person if you remember you need a person on both sides."
"I thought that was because of how big the arks were; surely, it won't take two to enhance our patterns." The man said.
"Sorry, but that's the way they were designed I couldn't figure out how to make a one person operating system without adding to the weight and overall bulkiness of each enhancer."
"So, who else is staying behind to operate the other enhancers?" Vala asked.
"You wanted to be team leader on this mission, Vala. It's your job." Sam replied.
"I was afraid you were going to say that. Do you have a plan for getting us back?"
"I'm working on it." Sam replied.
Vala just shook her head at the predictable yet concerning come back as they reprogrammed the enhancers.
"We can always hope that the Daedalus can penetrate the interference on their own." Carter suggested.
"I do know something about electromagnetism and I know it has a tendency to linger so don't patronize me." Vala replied.
"Sorry, I was hoping to instill hope."
"Right, sorry, I may be a bit snippy. I've grown fond of your world." She said as they watched the two teams beam up."How long before these tunnels are destroyed again?" Vala asked.
"A couple of hours maybe." Sam replied.
"What do we do until then? Are you going to do what you say is impossible and rework these enhancers, maybe." Vala asked
"Well I can only try." Carter said as she took the panel off one of them to begin cannibalizing it for parts.
/Scene Break/
In the private room of the hotel in China Kennedy and her girlfriend woke up to a beeping that had started hours ago. They had drank too much and had passed out. Kennedy groggily made her way to the bathroom. When she was finished she came out to find out what the hell that annoying sound was so she could slay it. When she found it in her own pants pocket she began to worry. Sure enough it was the cell phone that was given to her by her father and it had a message waiting. She placed her thumb on the finger print reader and the phone app opened. The message was 'begin boarding procedures' Kennedy nearly freaked. The message came in about five hours ago.
"Bobby ann, wake up! Wake up damn it we got to go! We're late!"
"Late? Late for what?" She asked groggily.
"This place is scheduled for demolition and we were supposed to be out of here five hours ago."
"Ha, ha." Bobby Ann said sarcastically and still half asleep.
"Just hurry up and get dressed. We got to get out of here and hope we can get transportation." Kennedy said urgently.
"Why where are we going?"
That's a big surprise but it has to do with a cruise."
"Is that why you bought all those motion sickness pills?"
"Well, you wouldn't want me to be sick on our vacation would you?"
"Oh Kennedy you're the best I'll get dressed and be right out."
"Like I said, we're already late so just grab your stuff and do as much as you can in the car."
They grabbed all of their things and shoved them into their suitcases. They were both in such a hurry that once they left the room the only thing left behind was a small bag from a local pharmacy.
/Scene Break/
As Giles made his way down the road from the train station he saw, what was essentially a tent city and his people were being assigned and guided into them three or four at a time. Besides the bank there were four houses that weren't there before and there was a fifth that looked like a giant had used it as a bowling ball. Where were the other buildings Xander and Harry were supposed to have set up by now? Giles was getting angry. He was looking for only one person and when he found him he was going to take him behind the shed as it were. Xander had plenty of time to get some semblance of structures assembled. What the hell was he doing all this time?
Just then he spotted his pray and marched right up to him.
"Xander! What the hell is this all about? Tents…tents. I would have expected several structures by this point, only to see four small houses. In the time you've been here there should be at the very least thirty. This is inexcusable. This is outrageous. I refuse to be the one to apologize to all these people that we couldn't provide them a place to live or even adequate living conditions because of your incompetence. The fault will solely land upon your shoulders when these people become infected with dysentery, scurvy and giardiasis."
Xander looked to his mentor in shock. Was he really doing this now? It was then someone behind them made his presence known.
"Well, what about me Mr. Giles? I've been here in Africa for almost the same amount of time Xander has. Do you see me as some sort of lay about as well?" Harry said coming from the Bank with blanket heading back to the train station.
"Please Mr. Potter this is a private conversation…" Giles began but was cut off.
"Private? Yelling in the middle of this crowed? No, your intention is to make the biggest spectacle possible of Xander you can. What right do you have! Where were you? Where was the help you promised us? Were only the two of us supposed to build your city? Where then were the materials you promised us?"
"Harry please…" Xander began but was cut off.
"Mr. Potter this is neither the time nor the place…" Giles began but was cut off.
"You're absolutely right. You couldn't have picked a worse time or place to make a scene. These people need help from responsible leaders. Not a drama scene by an irresponsible jerk with some sort of vendetta against someone he has sabotaged at every turn with the task he set upon him. Now I suggest you grab some bottled water and blankets and help the house elves comfort these people."
Giles was shocked and embarrassed. He had forgotten Xander wasn't the only person he left in Africa. But surely magic could have gotten them further along then what he saw here. In any case Harry was right about one thing, he should never have given Xander his dressing down in front of a public that was in pain. Not only was it tactless it had turned around to bite him. But Xander was truly at fault here and there will be a time soon to lecture him. He would just keep his eye open for the opportunity.
"There are blankets and water in the bank Giles. Follow me." Xander said.
'Ah, opportunity knocks sooner than I expected.' Giles thought.
As they walked into the building a smirk grew on Xander's face as he looked back to see Giles's face when he realized that he would now have to eat his words.
Giles was still feeling a bit embarrassed and angry when he walked into the bank and so it took him several seconds before he realized he was standing in a building the size of the biggest mall he'd ever been in but he had entered that small bank. Where the hell was he?
"Xander what… how?"
"We didn't have too much in way of materials at first so to save as much as we could we built thirty-six broom closets on two floors on both sides of the bank and then Hermione expanded the inside dimensions turning the broom closets into apartments. Since then we've been busy with adding plumbing, cleaning, setting up some of the furnishings. The area in the back will even become a library."
"What is this area here in the front that you have quadrant off." Giles asked curiously.
"Well, only the people that belong here will know about the inside of the bank being larger on the outside because we measured the inside dimensions before it was enlarged. We are building a façade or faux interior that looks the way you'd expect it to when you walk in. You'll have to walk through the disguise to get to this larger area. Harry and Hermione are even going to use some kind of trickery on the false back door that will send anyone that goes through it to the real back door if you don't whisper the right password before opening it. Cool huh?" Xander said feeling superior in light of Giles pervious ire.
"But something doesn't add up. As Mr. Potter pointed out, I wasn't able to send this much materials to you. Where did it all come from?" Giles asked.
"It was stolen." Xander eagerly told him.
"Stolen? Xander how could you? It makes you no better than the element we destroy."
"And yet I bet you'll have no qualm using or living with it."
"This is…is…is." Giles began but was interrupted.
"Not my doing." Xander said with a smile.
Giles looked at him with a bit of shock. "Then who?"
"The girls did it. They've been rescuing entire home improvement centers across the country every night for a few months now. I've even put a few requests in."
"My slayers did this? Who? Which ones? They need to be reprimanded." Giles said.
"Well, if you must know it was Buffy, a handful of SunnyDale slayers, Willow and Hermione. They saw that you weren't giving me any help what so ever and knew you were setting me up to fail and so sent me materials and a workforce that helped Harry and I build this. They even rescued enough food for more than a year and much more. They've been very busy." Xander explained.
Giles felt like he was hit in the face with a fish. His girls…his children had conspired against him…again. Then he focused on something Xander said.
"You mean to tell me there are slayers here that weren't authorized to be here. Just who will be responsible for them? We had a plan in place because we knew we couldn't support everyone."
"Don't even go there G-man. I can see that plan went out the window when I saw many of the slayers families walk down the path from the train station. You remember them don't you? They're the people that need our help right now and you're in here grasping at straws trying to find some wrong doing to saddle me with. The others would be ashamed of you. If you'll excuse me I must render aid." Xander said and left the storage closet leaving Giles to stand there shocked and angry that he lost this argument and worried what the others will do when they find out.
/Scene Break/
Outside, a line of people walked down from the train station to the bank. Everyone was crying and moaning for their losses. Bo Duke walked with his arm around Gabriela who was upset about the family she had just lost and was crying on his shoulder as they made their way down to the bank Luke walked in silence at their side. As they got closer Luke spotted someone he recognized and his spirits lifted as he yelled. "Daisy!"
Daisy Duke looked from the person she had rendered aid to, to the voice she could pick out of a crowed in her sleep.
"Luke? Oh my goddess. Luke, Bo, Gabriela." She said as she broke into a run.
"Daisy? Daisy is it really you?" Bo asked.
"I should be asking you that question. I thought I lost you three forever. How did you even get here from Hazzard?" Daisy asked.
"Well we weren't in Hazzard we left Hollywood after visiting Gabriela's family and made our way to Los Angeles to get a room at that demon hunter hotel the Hyperion hoping to get some leads on some of the better Demon hunting equipment." Bo explained.
"And maybe some tips from the old timers." Luke added.
"The owner of the hotel, Nina seems to be friends with your bosses and had a magical device that brought us here in a hurricane." Bo said
"Yeah there called a portkey. Daisy chuckled. I'm just so happy you're here, you have no idea. Were you the only three? I mean I know Enos stops by when he knows you're in LA." She said in hope.
"Would that be Enos Strait Mam." A man behind the Dukes made his presence known.
"Yes, sorry I'm Daisy Duke, did you know him?" Daisy asked.
"I'm Kevin Grevera, yes I did. We worked together many times. He was very good at keeping the secret that there were demons around. It wasn't until my fifth time working with him that I found out that he knew. He may not have been a hunter but he was a good cop. Some of the others called him a legend to live up to. He will be sourly missed."
Daisy was saddened to hear this but began telling her story. "Well, once my family and I found out I was a slayer we all became a family of Demon hunters. We warned Enos not long after I became one. I didn't want him messing with things he didn't need to. He was very upset that I was facing such a thing and couldn't stay out of it where I was concerned. So when he was offered a job in LA he reluctantly took it. I had heard he was making a name for himself there. I just hope he had a good life."
"Daisy, I could use your help over here." Someone called out behind them.
"I got to go." Daisy told them. "Stay in line and they'll assign you a tent. It's not safe inside the bank at the moment with all the earthquakes but the tents are just as good if not better that any hotel, they're magical.
"Umm, Daisy, Bo has his hands full but I can lend a hand." Luke said.
"Yeah, so can I." Kevin agreed.
"I don't see how that could be a problem. See that guy with the black hair and the lightning bolt scar on his forehead? Tell him I sent you and that you want to help. I've got to get going I'll see ya'll later."
/Scene Break/
Francis Gage and Sydney Cooke were further back in the line ether carrying or holding the hand of one of the Walker children. They had no idea of how to get back to the Cherokee or where they even were. So they had to rely on the generosity of these strangers. Francis's curiosity got the better of him and had to ask the question which he was burning to ask.
"Why did you believe that that guy Oz? Who is he anyway?"
"I guess you don't remember him. He was the musician that helped us find the kids when Jimmy Trivette died." She replied.
"Yeah, now that you pointed it out I remember him. But what's he got to do with all of this… and the Cherokee for that matter."
"I know he works for the Guardian Council Academy…"
"That's a school for gifted girls right."
"Yeah, but I think there is a lot more to them than that. I think they work with magic, real magic not the stuff you would see on stage."
"Come on Sid, magic? There's no such thing." Gage replied.
"I saw a Moon wolf transform Gage. Yes, I believe in magic and so do the Cherokee and both the school and the Cherokee have been demon hunters for a long time."
"Just who have you been talking to that's been telling you this garbage?" Gage demanded.
"The Cherokee and Oz. I know it to be true because I've seen It." she replied.
"Then why did you leave the Cherokee settlement with me?"
"Because while I believe in the magic I couldn't believe that the world was ending at least not until they let us go and I'd seen Oz."
"Well, I kind of believe that the United States might be gone but I'll believe in magic and moon wolves when I see them." gage said.
Just then Vincent tuned around and introduced himself and then asked for their names. This action stunned Gage and the kids and made Sydney giggle but she was the one able to give him the information. He wrote it on his clipboard and showed them to their assigned tent. When they walked in Sydney began to giggle even harder when she saw the size of the inside of the tent and then looked at Gage and the kids who looked at it in awe because it was bigger than the outside made it seem. After she was able to get a hold of herself she said.
"Welcome to the world of magic." She told Gage.
A.N. 1. This chapter runs at the same time chapter forty nine did. This is what happened to all the survivors Buffy, Willow and Hermione sent to Africa.
A.N. 2. You didn't really think I'd let Buffy and company leave all those people behind did you? This is the way I had it planned from day one. In the end they're always heros saving who they can. Sorry I couldn't awnser you reviews about it without giving it away but thank for your concern in the reviews.
A.N. 3. (Reviews can make a story even better.)