BPRI, Sunnydale, 1125 hours.
Buffy was in Daniel's lab trying her best not to bother Anya while Camille, who was accompanied by Tara, was talking to Cassie. The blonde slayer was juggling pieces of crumpled paper while Anya was getting some translations done. The both of them stayed quiet, with Buffy deep in concentration as she juggled while Anya looked at various books before translating words that were written on another separate piece of parchment. It was a few minutes later that the silence broke with General Landry walking into the room and nodding at both Buffy and Anya.
"Mrs Summers" said the General as Anya looked up at the man, while Buffy put down the crumpled pieces of paper and then stretched them back out saying that she was feeling a little bored. The General told her that it was alright, and that she was welcome to use the gym if she wanted to the next time she was here, "however, I'm afraid that would have to wait for another time."
"What's wrong?" asked Buffy as she stood up from her seat.
"I just received a call from Miss Chase" said General Landry while Buffy and Anya looked at each other, and then at the General again, "she'd like for you to return to Sunnydale."
"Did she say why?" asked Anya.
"She said that she'll explain everything to Mrs. Summers once she returns" said the General looking at Anya, before he looked at Buffy again, "she wanted you and Tara to return, however I'm afraid that since Camille's gotten attached to Miss Maclay…"
"True" said Buffy nodding her head, "good point. Ummm… yeah, I'll let Tara know that I'm going off early. General? Is it something bad?"
"It's for Miss Chase to explain everything to you" said the General.
Buffy and Anya could tell that he wanted to say something else, but he stopped himself. He then told Buffy that once she's ready, he'll have her and Dr. Lee beamed directly to Cordelia and Angel's office.
"Dr. Lee?" asked Buffy, "who's.."
"He's one of the scientists here" said General Landry, "I've had an emergency conference call with General O'Neill and the President, and.. well.. I digress, Miss Chase told me that she'll tell you everything. I've also been authorized by Home World to hand over some technology to the BPRI."
"What?" asked Buffy surprised, "can you give me a hint?"
"All in good time, Mrs. Summers" said the General nodding his head, "I suggest you prepare to leave in twenty minutes, that's how long Dr. Lee would need to pack up his equipment."
Buffy could only nod her head. She was confused as to why she was needed back so quickly, but at the same time she was excited about the new technology, but at the same time she was worried in regards to the reason why the General would have an emergency meeting with Home World. Shaking her head, Buffy told Anya that she'll need to talk to Tara before she leaves. Nodding her head, Anya watched as Buffy walked out the lab with General Landry before she went back to her translation.
Deep down, the former vengeance demon hoped that everything was going to be alright.
Meanwhile, while the General had to get back to his office, Buffy soon reached the infirmary where she knocked on the door. She saw Tara look at her through the glass pane before giving the witch, and Cassie who turned around and grinned at her, a wave. Buffy then signalled Tara to meet her outside; she saw the witch nod her head and then prepare to get up. It was then Buffy saw that the General was right in his assessment of Camille getting attached to Tara; the young girl wouldn't let go of her. Buffy's heart broke when she saw the sadness on Camille's face before Tara turned and stood in front of Camille while stroking her hair, and then her cheek. She saw Camille wipe her eyes before nodding her head; and it was then that the little girl let go of Tara's hand. Tara then gave Camille a kiss on the forehead before she turned again and walked towards the door, all while looking back at the little girl. Holding the infirmary door open so that Camille could still see her, Tara listened as Buffy told her that Cordelia needed her back in Sunnydale.
"Me?" asked Tara.
"General Landry told Cordy that Camille's attached to you" said Buffy as she peeked her head through the door and waved at the little girl, who gave a shy wave back at the Slayer. Buffy then pulled back and looked at Tara before telling her it would be better for Camille if the blonde witch stayed, and that if she's needed, "I'll make sure that Cordy calls you. But for now, stay with Camille."
Tara nodded her head as Buffy squeezed her arm before walking away. The blonde didn't know why, but she had a bad feeling go over her as she watched Buffy walking away.
"Buffy" said Tara, making Buffy turn around, "be careful."
"Will do" said Buffy giving Tara the thumbs up sign before she turned again and continued to walk.
Somehow, that didn't remove the feeling of dread that Tara was feeling.
Shaking her head, she looked back at Camille who looked back at her and smiled. Tara could see that the little girl was afraid that she was going to be abandoned, that she was going to be alone again. Tara then looked at Buffy who made a turn into another hallway before Tara herself turned and closed the door behind her. She walked towards Camille and then sat down next to her; Tara hoping that she won't be needed, because if she was needed… then that would mean that someone she cared about was in danger.
I was ten minutes later that Buffy stood in Dr. Lee's lab with two black metallic cases stacked on a trolley next to him. The General introduced Buffy to him, before telling them that they would be beamed directly to Cordelia's office. It wasn't before too long before three bright flashes of white light enveloped them, and the next thing they knew, they were in Cordelia's and Angel's office while facing Cordelia who was on the phone.
"Yes, Mr. Reardon" said Cordelia as she looked up at Buffy and then looked down at her table, "yes, I… I understand. Her body's ready to be picked up and… and she had many friends here. I'm sure that they'd like to see her one last time and… thank you. I'll let them know and… and I'm so sorry for your loss."
At the break in Cordelia's voice when she mentioned the word 'loss', Buffy and Dr. Lee looked at each other before looking at Cordelia once more. The blonde Slayer saw her friend put the phone down before she sighed, wiped her eyes before picking up the phone again and calling for Fred to meet her in her office. It was after putting the phone down the second time did Cordelia then look up at Buffy and Dr. Lee. Buffy was about to say something when Cordelia stood up and welcomed Buffy back before heading on to Dr. Lee.
"Miss Chase" said Dr. Lee as he shook her hand, "Dr. Bill Lee."
"Dr. Lee" said Cordelia nodding her head, "General Landry told me you'll be coming along. I know you're supposed to be coming in next week for the shielding installation and…"
"Oh" said Buffy surprised, "it went through?"
"Yea" said Cordelia nodding her head, "we actually wanted to surprise the senior staff next week but… but things changed, Buffy"
"Cordy" said Buffy, "what's going on?"
"Callie's dead" said Cordelia as Buffy opened her eyes wide in shock. Cordelia asked the stunned Slayer, and Dr. Lee, to take a seat before telling her what happened, and what they knew so far. As the both of them sat in front of Cordelia's desk, the dark hair woman told Buffy that Angel had sent Callie, and two NID agents to Willie's Bar to find out information on the massacres that occurred at the Bronze. She then went on to tell the shocked Slayer details of the murders while she was gone, including the massacre of the Rearwood family.
"The connection to both massacres is Angel" said Cordelia as Buffy listened in disbelief while Cordelia told the Slayer that Angel believed that this could have been the First Evil using its agents to murder people, all the while leaving messages for him.
Taunting him by having the agent pretend to be his dead sister, Kathy.
Buffy then nodded her head before she closed her eyes and shook her head in disbelief.
Cordelia then told him about the first message and how it was the last thing he told his sister just before he became Angelus; that she was the first one he killed before he killed the rest of his family, and then his village.
"Where's Angel?" asked Buffy softly as she lowered her head and rubbed her forehead.
"He said he's on the way from Willie's place" said Cordelia, "he found something. Willie has hidden cameras in his bar, and they caught images of the girl we think did this, actually.. we know she did this. He's already emailed the picture to the Operations Room, and to Kate."
"That's where I come in" said Dr. Lee as he nodded at the two cases before looking at Buffy, "General Landry told me that Home World approved some emergency upgrades. We'll be connecting the scanning system on the Prometheus Station, to the Operations Room in the BPRI."
"Wait" said Buffy, "this means that the secret's out for the others or…"
"Not exactly" said Cordelia, "General Landry talked to General O'Neill, and told him how urgent it was. He told the man that we were forced to see one of our own die and we couldn't do anything about it. General Landry told me that General O'Neill will be pushing the NID committee to approve the beaming technology, but until then… we've got the Prometheus scanners which will be tuned to the transmitters you, Kennedy, me, Angel, and every Potential we have are wearing right now."
"We'll know in real time where you'll be" said Dr. Lee, "I mean we won't know the details, but the BPRI will know where you are. And the scanners are powerful, we can run facial recognition on the picture of this girl and find her as fast as possible."
"And since it looks like she's staying in Sunnydale" said Cordelia, "we'll be scanning here."
"Which compared to scanning the entire planet for one person, should be relatively easy" said Dr. Lee as he looked at Buffy.
"Cordy" said Buffy, as she leaned forward, "is Kennedy on the way back?"
"Yea" said Cordelia, "Xander's staying with her potentials until they're done with the mission, a NID team's already been sent to them."
"Potentials?"
"We've got the most experienced ones out there; Rona, Amanda, Violet, Satsu, Soledad, Caridad… everyone who's been here since the Slayer Council's out there with plainclothes NID backup. We've even got some plain clothes too working with Kate and her team."
"Good" said Buffy, "I want the other Potentials who don't need to be out there, especially who just joined the BPRI, or those who don't have at least six months field experience, pulled back into the dorms. Full curfew until we find this bitch. Those who're still in the High School and U.C Sunnydale need NID shadows who'll bring them back to the dorms immediately."
"Agreed" said Cordelia as she looked at the anger in Buffy's eyes, before she looked at Dr. Lee and nodded her head and sighed before she sat down on the top of her desk. It was then that Dr. Lee turned to Buffy and gave her his condolences for losing one of her people.
It was just then that the door to Cordelia's office opened and Fred walked in with Angel, and Wesley, by her side.
"Angel" said Buffy standing up as the ensouled vampire looked at the Slayer.
"I'm sorry, Buffy" said Angel.
"Not your fault" said Buffy shaking her head as Dr. Lee stood up, "we find the bitch who did this, first. And then we mourn."
"Miss Chase?" asked Fred who looked at Cordelia, "you wanted to see me?"
"Dr. Winifred Burkle" said Cordelia, "meet Dr. Bill Lee, he's a civilian scientist with the Air Force, Deep Space Radar Telemetry."
"Dr. Burkle" said Dr. Lee as he shook her hand.
"Please call me Fred" said the scientist smiling as she fixed her glasses.
"Dr. Lee" said Cordelia as she pointed to the other two in the room, "this is Angel, and Wesley Wyndham-Pryce; one of our Watchers."
"Hello" said Dr. Lee as he shook their hands.
Cordelia then told the three of them that Dr. Lee was here to connect their systems in the Operations Room to a series of classified satellites that the Air Force was allowing for BPRI use; a group of satellites code named Prometheus.
At hearing the name, Angel just gave a small smile before looking at Cordelia while Dr. Lee told them what the satellite would be used for; tracking the Slayers and Potential Slayers in real time. Cordelia then asked Fred to help Dr. Lee install the equipment, and then she wanted Sunnydale searched for the woman who did this.
It was nearly fifty minutes later that Angel, Buffy, Cordelia, Wesley, Fred, and Dr. Lee were in the Operations Room standing in front of a large screen. Dr. Lee was on one of the BPRI computers as he input a code, followed by Fred who would eventually be the administrator of the program at the BPRI, before the screen in front of them activated and showed them a view of the Earth from the Prometheus Station; however, the others who weren't in the know about the truth believed that the picture was coming from a satellite among a series of thirty around the globe.
"Zoom in to Sunnydale" said Cordelia as they watched the viewed change to a top down view of the entire city, "show me the location of all Slayers, and Potentials; in Sunnydale."
It was then that one green dot lit up at the BPRI as Buffy smiled; she was told that she was the green dot while a large mass of orange dots in the nearby area were the Potential Slayers who were in the dorms. They also saw a few more dots appear at the High School, and at U.C Sunnydale while there were others all around the city conducting patrols on the move.
"Loading the picture of the woman into the system" said Fred who was on the computer next to Dr. Lee. They then looked up at the center screen to see a picture of the mysterious woman appear in a small frame, with a moving green line below it, next to the map of the city, "picture's been uploaded to the satellite."
The green line under the picture turned red, indicating that the picture was uploaded to the Prometheus which then began its scan of the city. Fred and Dr. Lee looked at the screen when suddenly the view changed to the top of a house.
"Oh God" said Buffy as the girl they were looking for looked up at a large tree before closing a car door. Buffy watched the woman walk around the car and then up a walkway, and into the porch of a house… a house she recognized, "that's my house."
"Get a Rapid Response team ready!" said Angel as Wesley and Buffy ran out of the Operations Room before running to get their weapons, "and I want that woman tracked."
The Summers Residence, few minutes later, 1230hours.
Kathy smiled at the older blonde woman who was standing in front of her with her eyes glassed over. She hadn't seen her on the group picture that she looked at when looking through the window at Buffy's house, the same picture where she got the address for Buffy's other home. However, Kathy didn't care; she ordered the woman to let her come into the house.
And the woman obliged.
Just as Kathy was about to step into the threshold of the home, she hit a barrier and was pushed back. The vampire put on her game face and hissed at the woman who just stood there while tears were streaming out of her eyes. Almost instantly, Kathy returned to her human face and smiled at the woman as she took one step forward.
"This is not your home, is it?" asked Kathy.
"No" said the woman.
"Who are you?" asked Kathy as she tilted her head, "and where is the owner of this home? Where is Buffy Summers?"
"I am.. am just a house sitter" said the woman as she spoke in a monotonous voice, "the owner is on a trip to Santa Barbara with her children, she asked me to look after the house while her other two children were away. Buffy Summers is in Colorado Springs and…"
"I see" said Kathy as she smiled at the woman.
"And your name?"
"Lisa"
"Step out onto the porch, Lisa" said Kathy as she stepped back while Lisa stepped past the threshold and onto the porch itself. Kathy then cupped her fingers on her right hand before placing her finger nails on Lisa's throat. Katie could see more tears coming from Lisa's eyes while she tilted her head to the other side before her smile vanished, "I'm sorry. This was something I wanted to do to the Slayer's mother, or to her family… but you'll have to do. You see, I want my brother, and the Slayers, and the Potentials to know that I can get them anywhere. So I'll leave you as a message, no one's safe anywhere."
Kathy then smiled as she extended her fingernails through the older woman's throat while Lisa's eyes opened wide before she gasped her final breath. The woman then collapsed onto the floor while her body was convulsing as blood poured out onto the wooden porch. Kathy then pulled her hand back and retracted her fingernails after which she licked the blood off and looked down at the struggling woman who was reaching out for her while she opened and closed her mouth like a goldfish. The vampire then turned around and walked down the stairs and headed to the car she had stolen when she stopped. She then looked back at the house and had an idea. She ran back to the unmoving body of Lisa where she put the palms of her hands into the pool of blood that was now dripping down the stairs to the walkway before she wiped the blood on the front of the jacket she was holding. Kathy then got up and smiled as she ran across the street to the house right across from the Summers house.
Kathy pounded on the brown coloured wooden door; and it wasn't long before a woman in a short sleeved T-shirt and sweat pants, who had a bandana wrapped around her head while she had one hand wearing a yellow coloured washing glove opened the door for her.
"Miss, Miss…." Said Kathy in a panic, "I was visiting my friend, Buffy Summers when I saw a dead body on her porch… can.. can I come in and call the police?"
"Oh God" said the woman as she looked at the blood on Kathy's jacket. The woman then told Kathy to come in as she turned and headed towards her phone while Kathy calmly walked in and closed the door behind her. Kathy watched the woman turn around as she put the phone to her ear, and before the phone could be picked up at the police dispatch, Kathy jumped across the room and pulled the chord out of the socket before taking the receiver out of the terrified woman's hand while the Vampire simultaneously pushed the woman against a wall and put her hand over the woman's mouth to keep her from screaming.
"I call" said Kathy as she vamped out while the woman looked at her with eyes wide open, "this is my game.. so I call. You just stay silent, very… very… very silent. You know… deathly silent. In fact, I prefer you dead."
Kathy then broke the woman's neck and watched as she slid down the wall. The vampire then changed to her human face and put the connection back into the socket before picking up the receiver. She was about to dial '911' when she suddenly heard screeching of tyres out in the street. Confused, the vampire ran to one of the windows and peeked out before smiling.
She saw Buffy stepping out of a car as she pointed at two other armed personnel and pointed to her own house. Kathy saw the two personnel head to the porch before she looked at Buffy who had her hair tied back into a ponytail, and she was dressed in black with a sword's hilt visible on her back, as well as a belt of wooden stakes across her chest. Kathy saw another man in the same black uniform, this time with a gun in his hand run up to Buffy, as did another five people… all in tactical masks with machine guns.
"That was fast" pouted Kathy, "I didn't even get to make a call."
Kathy continued to look out the window while watching Buffy and the other man point at the house she was in. She smiled before she projected herself to hear what Buffy was saying, just as she did when she was taunting Angel in his office yesterday morning.
"Three of you go though the back" said Buffy as Kathy watched and listened her giving orders, "the rest of us will get in through the front door."
Kathy pulled back her consciousness as another van drove up. She saw the Slayer look back before nodding at another man, the new comer, who ran up and stood next to her while four more men in black got out of the van. Smiling to herself, the Vampire walked to the living room, unzipped the bloody jacket she was wearing and dropped it onto the floor. Now just in a pair of jeans and an orange blouse, Kathy sat on the couch before she then leaned her back against the back cushion and placed her arms along the top the of couch while crossing one leg over the other. She could hear the people in their heavy boots moving to the back door, and Kathy could hear the people led by the Slayer as they ran up to the front door. It was a few minutes later that she heard the backdoor open, followed by the sounds of people running inside the house. She them heard the front door get smashed open as the blonde Slayer rushed in with a sword in her hand while there were more people behind her with guns at the ready.
"Hello" said Kathy sweetly as Buffy turned and glared at her, as did Wesley, while Garret was at the dead woman's side in the living room. He crouched down and felt for her pulse before telling Buffy and Wesley that she was dead, that her neck was broken.
Kathy saw the people running through another doorway from the sitting room as they entered the living room and aimed their weapons at her.
"Get up" said Buffy, her voiced laced with anger as Kathy looked at her and smiled. It was then that she noticed that Buffy, and two others were wearing a band around their heads that had what seemed to be a miniature camera, "Get up, get up and put your hands behind your head."
"Awww" said Kathy as she tilted her head while the people in the Operations room, including Angel and Cordelia whose arms were crossed around their chests, got a good look at the woman who massacred the people at the Bronze; the same one who killed two NID agents and Callie, the one who may have killed the Rearwood family, and then Lisa on the front porch of the Summers home, and now.. she killed another woman who Angel and the others saw from Garret's head camera, "I thought you're supposed to be the Slayer? Or a Slayer… that Potential I killed tasted good and she gave me some information before she died and…."
"Buffy" said Cordelia through the blonde Slayer's headset while she looked at the screen, "your heart's beating like crazy. I know you're mad, but we need to bring her in. We need to find out what she is, and then… then we kill her."
"Get up" said Buffy as she tightened her hold on the sword as she remembered Callie, "we need to know.."
"Oh" said Kathy as she smiled and leaned forward. As she did so, the other personnel turned off their safeties and aimed their weapons at her, "you want to know what I am?"
"Yes" said Wesley, "Callie's body was drained off blood, and we saw you on video killing her. You drank her blood like a vampire, but you didn't burst while you were in sunlight. It's quite interesting."
"Not really" said Buffy as she glared at Kathy.
"Oh oh" said Kathy excitedly as she looked directly at Buffy while pointing at her camera, "are the people at the BPRI seeing me right now?"
"Yea" said Buffy.
"Good" said Kathy as her smile vanished, "hello, Liam."
Angel and Cordelia put their arms down and looked at the woman in shock as she looked directly at the camera.
"Do you remember me, Liam?" asked Kathy as Buffy rushed towards Kathy and grabbed her by the neck before pulling her up to her feet. She then forced Kathy to turned around and grabbed both of her arms after handing her sword to one of the other personnel in black, who in return handed her a pair of cuffs.
"I don't know who you're talking about but these are enchanted cuffs that'll.."
"Speak… but don't move" said Kathy slowly as she looked at all of the people surrounding her before she jerked herself out of Buffy's grip, looked at her and then ordered her not to move, "you can speak though."
"I… I can't move" said Wesley and Garret who was stuck in a position of going for their weapons, "while the others were still in their positions.. ready to fire but unable to move.
"Buffy?" asked Cordelia as she and Angel looked at Buffy who was just standing still while looking at the young girl who was looking back at her; looking at the BPRI through the video camera, "Buffy, can you hear me?"
"Yes" said Buffy as she remained frozen while Kathy looked at her.
"Can you move?" asked Angel.
"No" said Buffy while Angel and Cordelia looked at each other.
"I'm going out there" said Angel as he watched Kathy walk closer to Buffy, before he looked at Cordelia, "Cordy, whatever she is… she's got some sort of mental abilities. I'm already dead so…."
"Hello Liam" said Kathy as Angel looked at the screen again, "are you there? You can speak through this Slayer."
"Yes" said Buffy after Angel told her what to say, "let her go, let the others go and..."
"I heard a rumour, Liam" said Kathy as she walked looking at each of the personnel with her hands behind her back. She then walked up to Wesley and Garret, before caressing Wesley's cheeks while the Watcher looked at her as he mentally told his body to move. Kathy brushed her fingers on the Watcher's lips before she turned around and walked towards the still Buffy, "the rumour went that you fell in love with a Slayer. Is that true?"
"Why?" said Buffy.
Kathy then looked at Buffy before she grabbed her head and turned to one of the personnel, the same one she had handed her sword to.
"Kill yourself" said Kathy as she pointed at the one with the sword.
BPRI Operations Room, at that time.
Everyone in the BPRI operations room looked on in horror as the man turned the blade on himself before swiftly putting the blade through his throat. While everyone in the room was looking on with their hands on their mouths, and while others gasped; Cordelia was already on the phone to the SGC while Angel got back onto the set piece microphone that was connected directly to Buffy, Wesley and Garret.
"Stop" said Buffy, "whoever you are.. stop."
The man fell onto the ground bleeding before Kathy looked back at Buffy.
"Yes" said Angel while Cordelia was on the phone to General Landry, telling the man that things had changed.. and that an entire squad was about to die, "yes, I loved Buffy. But… that was a long time ago. She's not involved with me or…"
"Good" said Kathy, "that's a good boy, Liam. That means I'll kill her last."
"Who are you?" asked Angel through Buffy's voice while he looked at Cordelia who was still on the phone while she nodded her head before giving him the thumbs-up. He then nodded her head.
"You know who…." Said Kathy when she heard a buzzing sound around her before everyone, including Buffy, vanished in a flash of white light. Everyone in the operations room saw the flash of white light from the perspective of Buffy's, Wesley's, and Garret's camera's before the flash of light vanished and everyone in the Operations Room stood up in shock, while others like Fred turned to look at Cordelia and Angel, when the camera's on their headsets showed the inside of the office of the BPRI's co-administrators.
"Cordy" said Angel as he reached out for the phone in his lovers hands. Once he had the phone on his ear, Angel talked to the General, "General, I need you to lock on to my transmitter, and beam me to the location that Buffy was just beamed from. I… I know… General, please… whoever this is? She's dangerous. She has some kind of a mind control power or… I don't know. I'm dead so it's not going to affect me but… she's killed and we have a chance to stop her. I need a beam out."
"I need medical to Cordelia's office" shouted Buffy over the P.A system, "medical to Cordy's office now!"
It was just then that Angel threw the phone back to Cordelia just before he vanished in a flash of white light while the others, except for Dr. Lee looked on shocked. Cordelia then shook her head and brought the phone to her ear before telling the General that he'll need to send a team to the BPRI. Cordelia then put the phone down and looked at all the faces looking back at her.
"Get medical to my office" said Cordelia as everyone still remained shocked.
"Get someone there now!" shouted Cordelia as two personnel went to the phones, "I want full lock down of the BPRI, no one goes out, and no one comes in except for a team that's coming from the Pentagon, and whichever team managed to kill that bitch. I want one of the teams already out there stationed a block away from that location. I want them to move on at Angel's word. No one… and I mean no one says anything about what just happened or you will be faced with treason against this country. Is that clear?"
Cordelia saw that the people around her, even Fred, was in shock.
"Is that clear!" shouted Cordelia.
"Yes" said everyone.
"Lock down initiated" said Fred as she shook her head and leaned over a computer before entering a code.
"Dr. Lee" said Cordelia, "can the Prometheus get us sound and video?"
"Sound, yes" said the scientist, "but we've got privacy protocols against video."
"Then just the sound will do" said Cordelia as she nodded her head, "do it."
1631 Revello Drive, at that same time.
Meanwhile, back in the house, Kathy was looking around confused before she screamed in rage. She then threw the couch into the fire place before she proceeded to destroy the living room in her rage. She knew that she was so close as she shattered one picture frame after another. She then stopped what she was doing and stood in the center of the destruction around her. She had her eyes closed and her hands clenched into fists as she thought about the powerful magic that was used to teleport the Slayer and her friends away.
Kathy was standing there for a few more minutes when she heard a buzzing sound behind her. Turning around upon seeing the flash of white light from the corner of her eye, she found herself looking at Angel in his trademarked black overcoat.
"Liam" said Kathy as she stood facing her brother, "it's been a very long time."
"I don't know you" said Angel as he rushed towards her and grabbed her by her blouse's collar before slamming her against the wall, all the while the girl was laughing. Kathy could feel that her feet weren't touching the ground while she was laughing in Angel's face, "but you killed people and left messages for me. Why?"
"All for you, my Liam" said Kathy as she stopped laughing and smiled at her brother, "are you really telling me that you don't remember me?"
Operations Room, BPRI.
"We have sound" said Dr. Lee as he got off the phone with the SGC. They all looked at the center screen as the view zoomed in to the roof of the house before the house itself cut away and all they could see was a blue dot that signified Angel.
"I don't…" said Angel's voice.
"Cordy" said Buffy as Cordelia turned around and looked at the blonde Slayer walking into the Operations Room with blood still on her hands, followed by Garret and Wesley, "Matthews is gone."
"Damn" said Cordelia as she looked at the screen again.
"Imagine me with brown hair, Liam" said Kathy's voice, "let's see if that gets through to your thick skull."
"Cordelia" said Wesley as she turned around again and faced the watcher, "what the hell just happened? I think I.. we're owed an explanation"
"Later, Wes" said Cordelia as she looked at the screen again, "later…"
"But…" said Wesley.
"Wes" said Buffy as she looked at the other Watcher, "not now."
"Angel?" asked Garret as Cordelia nodded at the screen, "Oh."
"I need to get back there, Cordy" said Buffy as Cordelia looked back at her friend, and shook her head.
"I've activated full lockdown, Buffy" said Cordelia, "and whoever this is…."
"Kathy?" said Angel's voice as Cordelia and Buffy looked back at the screen in shock, "no…. you…"
"What?" asked Kathy's voice as everyone in the Operations Room listened, "am dead? Supposed to be dead? You want more proof, how about this? The last thing you told me the day you killed me… you know.. after you became Angelus and killed me? I believe you told me 'you're a little bitch, Kathy…. Always following me like a puppy dog. Tell you what… be the puppy dog you are and beg'."
1631 Revello Drive, at that same time.
Angel couldn't believe what he was hearing from the young woman he was holding up by her collar and against the wall. The vampire let go as the young woman dropped down to the floor while Angel stepped back in shock. He remembered the day he became Angelus, and he remembered those exact words he told Kathy before killing her.
'I killed her' thought Angel to himself as he stepped back in shock, 'no… this isn't her.. this…'
"What was it I told you?" asked Kathy as she rushed Angel before she gave the surprised Vampire a kick that flung him against the other wall, "what did I tell you?!"
Kathy screamed at Angel who was still in disbelief as he slowly got up, only for Kathy to grab him and then fling him against the other wall which left a crack on the side before the vampire fell to the floor.
"What did I tell you?" asked Kathy as she looked at her brother slowly getting up while looking at her.
"You… you said you loved me" said Angel as he slowly got on to his feet, "and.. and you forgive me. But… no. It's not possible. You're not her.. you're not Kathy."
"Yes, well" said Kathy as she ran towards Angel. But this time the vampire was ready as Kathy punched him, which he blocked before pushing the young woman away. He put his hands up in a defensive stance while Kathy smiled as she prepared herself to fight. What followed was minutes of attacking and defending that showed what two beings who were more than two hundred years old were capable of. They blocked each other's attack, even though there were many that connected. However, in the back of Angel's mind there was the thought that this could be his sister.. his baby sister. But another part of his mind was telling him that it was impossible.
Either way, the thoughts going through his mind were a distraction.
Kathy managed to get an uppercut in and threw the ensouled vampire back before she followed through with a kick that sent Angel flying through the wall, and into the side of the stair case. Walking around the remaining wall, Kathy walked towards Angel who was slowly getting up again. She was about to kick the man's side when he grabbed her leg in mid-kick. He then looked at Kathy with his 'vamp face' on before pushing her away.
"You are not Kathy" growled Angel as he ran towards the young girl before he started to punch her savagely, "you are not her.. you are not my sister... I don't care.. you are not her!"
The last punch from Angel threw Kathy into the dining room where she crashed through the dining table where she groaned before lying on her side.
"I killed my sister when she was twelve years old" said Angel as he changed back to his human face while looking at the young woman slowly push herself up, "that was my first act as a demon, my very first regret after I got back my soul. I see every new sunrise, and her face is first in my mind. She will never know how sorry I am and…"
"Sorry?" laughed Kathy as she slowly got onto her feet, "sorry? You did this to me!"
Kathy shouted at Angel as her eyes yellowed and her fangs and nails extended. Angel looked on in surprise at there being no ridges on her forehead.
"You did this to me!" shouted Kathy as she as she rushed the man and this time she swiped at him with her sharp nails. Kathy slashed at his front, and then she rolled around under his punch before slashing at his side while the ensouled vampire hissed in pain. She then lunged at him just as he jumped back before running into the kitchen. There, Angel grabbed the first two things he saw… two frying pans. He used those pans to block Kathy's nails, and to give him a chance to fight back. He soon gained the upper hand when everything occurred in slow motion. He jumped back as she swiped at him, before he got to her side and kicked her. Kathy then lost her balance just for a moment, but it was enough for Angel to hit her head once with the frying pan, before he swung his other hand and hit the back of her head. The second hit caused her to hit another wall before she looked at Angel with her eyes wide open.
Angel saw the girl who was claiming to be his sister slide back down onto the floor. He saw her yellow eyes vanish as she just sat there with her legs outstretched, and before long her fangs and nails retracted. All she looked like to the ensouled vampire was a normal girl who was trying to get up but failing. He saw her pull her leg back and try to push herself off the floor, but Kathy was so dazed from the last hit that she fell back on the floor again.
All she could do was look at her brother.
Operations Room, BPRI.
All everyone heard while they saw the dot that represented Angel move from one side to another, from one room to another was the grunts, crashes, and anything else that was said during the fight between the both of them. Everyone was looking transfixed on the screen as they heard the footsteps of Angel while he was presumably going to finish off the creature that killed so many in two days of terror.
Many still had questions about the flashing lights; but this was the priority for now as Buffy held on to Cordelia's arm while they, Fred, Wesley, Garret and everyone in the Operations Room looked at Angel's signal move to a wall of the house before stopping.
"Why are you saying you're Kathy?" they heard Angel ask.
"My name is Katherine O'Grady" they heard Kathy say; it was as if they were now listening to a little girl who's voice was breaking just before she was about to cry, "I had a brother I…."
"You're an agent of the First" said Angel while Cordelia looked on at the screen with her hand over her mouth in worry, "you…"
"The First is nothing compared to me, Liam" said the girl's voice which started getting progressively angrier, "I'm more! I'm…."
"My sister was kind" said Angel before everyone heard sounds of something metallic falling on the floor; which unknown to them were the two pans the ensouled vampire dropped.
"Damn" said Cordelia, "we should have had video. I need to know if he's alright."
"I was…" said Kathy;s voice.
"You are not my sister!" shouted Angel just before everyone in the room heard grunts, following by the sounds of the ensouled vampire hitting the one who identified herself as Kathy, "show yourself demon, who the hell are you?"
1631 Revello Drive, at that same time.
"I was kind" said Kathy as she pushed herself up after Angel kicked her so that she could sit up again while leaning her back against the wall, "I was so happy when I saw you at the door."
"Stop it" said Angel, his voice suddenly low.
"I ran to you…"
"The First could have told you everything" said Angel, "there's nothing that…"
"I hugged you" said Kathy as she looked at Angel through blood that was flowing from a gash on her forehead, cheek and neck, "then you killed me. But those times we had… do you remember? You carrying me to the lake where we'd just…"
"Stop" said Angel, "just stop."
"We'd just sit" said Kathy as she looked at her brother, "do you remember the song you'd sing to me so that I would go to sleep? Do you remember you putting me to sleep even when you were drunk? I would always stay up for you.. always. You would always keep me away when… when father would scream at you for being the no good son. Do you remember that? You would protect me from that, Liam.. you always protected me from that."
"Please" said Angel, his composure and resolve that this wasn't his sister breaking, "stop."
"You killed me, Liam" said Kathy as she showed her vamp face for a few seconds before changing back again, "you made me into this."
"No" said Angel, "no… I…"
"Do you remember old man Connolly?" asked Kathy as she stared at Angel's face; the expression of recognition of that name making Kathy grin on the inside, "we always thought he was crazy? Always talking about magic this.. and magic that?"
"No" said Angel shaking his head as he stepped back in shock, "no…. no…"
"You killed his entire family when you killed everyone in our village" said Kathy while she enjoyed the look of shock on her brother's face, "guess what he did? He sold his soul to bring mine back."
Operations Room, BPRI.
"Oh my God" said Wesley as he looked at the screen before looking at Fred, "Fred, contact the archive in London and…"
"No" said Angel as they all heard the sound of anguish in the man's voice, "no… it's not possible.. it's…"
"Like you getting a soul?" everyone heard Kathy say, "huh? Liam? Or was it Angelus?"
"He brought her back and made her a vampire" said Wesley, "that has to be it and…. Fred, again… contact the archives in London. Have them send over everything on soul restoration of the newly reincarnated and…"
"Kathy?" asked Angel's voice which interrupted what Wesley wanted to say, "if… I.. I don't know what kind of vampire you…"
"If you're talking about restoring my soul" said Kathy as everyone listened, "then don't bother… do you know what he did to me? After you killed the entire village?! Three years! Three fucking years I was tortured because of what you did! He restored my soul to punish me and… and I screamed for you. I shouted for you to help me! Where the hell were you?"
"I…." said Angel as everyone just looked at the screen in silence; no one said a single word.
"Then… then when he made me hate you as much as he did" said Kathy, "he… he forcefully merged my soul.. my human soul with that of a demon! The same fucking demon that's a vampire! You made me this way!"
"This.. this is much worse than any of us thought" said Wesley as he put his hand over his head before looking at Fred, "check the archives here and in London for Chimera's. Quickly, get your team together and… and… and we can't kill her…. we…."
"Wes" said Buffy as she looked at her one time Watcher, as did Cordelia, "she killed Callie, she killed so many people that…."
"I know" said Wesley, "I was here when Callie died, Buffy. But that was the demon that killed her, give me some time. Maybe there's a way to separate the human soul from the demon.. there's always a way. If… if there's nothing then we kill her."
"Cordy?" asked Buffy as she looked at her friend, and her boss.
"I'm sorry, Wesley" said Cordelia, "she managed to gain control of four NID teams, four full teams; over ten people. She already killed one of them. If we hadn't beamed the others out when we did… then she'd have killed everyone. Do whatever research you need to do but…"
"Ummm… excuse me?" said Dr. Lee as he put his hand up while Cordelia and the others looked at him, "we do have a device that was created specifically to neutralise mental abilities of… well… I'm sure Miss Chase knows who I'm referring to."
Cordelia then looked at Buffy and they immediately knew who Dr. Lee was talking about; the Ori.
"Why" said Kathy's voice matter-of-factly as everyone looked back at the screen.
1631 Revello Drive, at that same time.
"Why?" asked Angel as he looked at the person who he was slowly coming to realize was indeed his sister.
"You're wondering why I'm old.. why I'm not twelve anymore" said Kathy after she had calmed down from her earlier outburst, "I don't know… I've wondered about that myself. But what I…. what I want to know… Liam… why? Why didn't you take me with you?"
"Kathy" said Angel as he shook his head.
"I loved you" said the younger girl as her voice broke again, "I loved you.. you told me that you'd always take care of me, Liam."
"I…" said Angel as he took a step forward while he watched Kathy's eyes tear up.
"Why.. why…. Why didn't you turn me!" shouted Kathy as she looked at a stunned Angel while tears, mixed in with her blood, flowed down her face, "I wanted you to take me away from my torture and turn me… I wanted to see the world with you.. I wanted to… I wanted to be by your side, Liam. Why.. what did I do that made you decide not to turn me? Why? Why? Why? You could have turned me, Liam… you could have turned me and I could have been by your side so why? Why?"
Angel watched as his sister sobbed while screaming the word 'why' at him. The ensouled vampire walked towards the young girl before crouching down. He wiped away the tears of his sister while she weakly pounded her fists on his chest before he wrapped his arms around her back.
"I'm sorry" said Angel as he pulled in his sister and hugged her tight, "God forgive me, I'm so sorry."
It was just then, while Angel was hugging his sobbing sister, did the latter suddenly stop sobbing while she lay her head on the man's shoulder. In a flash, she opened her eyes which turned yellow just as she extended her fangs and her nails again before stabbing Angel in the abdomen with one hand.
Kathy then looked at the look of shock on Angel's face before she had a wide grin form on her lips.
"I'm not sorry" said Kathy as she used her other hand and stabbed the ensouled vampire through his back and pulled him in before whispering into his ear, "I hate you… you think I want to become like you? I'm anger, I'm hate, I'm vengeance…. And I. Hate. You."
"Ka… Kath…" said Angel as she pulled out the nails that were now dripping with blood before she stabbed his side. She could feel Angel struggling as she stabbed him again.
Operations Room, BPRI.
Meanwhile, everyone at the Operations Room at the BPRI heard what Kathy had just said as Cordelia ordered one of the awaiting teams to head to the house that Angel was in. Cordelia then turned to Dr. Lee and told him to contact the Prometheus, that she needed to be there. She then turned to Garret and asked for his gun.
"Miss Chase" said Garret.
"Cordelia" said Wesley, "don't be foolish and…"
"I'm giving you an order!" shouted Cordelia as she looked at Garret.
"Prometheus reports ready, Miss Chase" said Dr. Lee as Cordelia held out her hand for Garret's gun while Buffy ran to the wall and grabbed a fire extinguisher before returning to Cordelia's side. Cordelia still held out her hand before looking back at the screen when they heard Angel gurgling. They knew that the man was losing a lot of blood which was why Cordelia turned to Wesley and asked him to make sure that they had blood bags ready in the infirmary, before she turned to Garret again.
"Please" said Cordelia, "it's got to be me."
"Then I'm going with…" said Garret as Buffy told him no, that she was going since she could take Kathy by surprise almost immediately while Cordelia helps Angel. Frowning while nodding his head Garret reluctantly gave Cordelia his sidearm. Cordelia then told Wesley that he was in charge until she got back.
"Dr. Lee" said Cordelia, "me and Buffy, now."
1631 Revello Drive.
Back in the home, Kathy had one hand's fingernails buried into Angel's back while she stabbed him again with the other hand. She glanced at the floor and smiled at the pool of blood that had gathered while he had his head laying on her shoulder. She was about to stab him again when she heard a soft word coming out of his lips.
"Kath…"
"Die" said Kathy just as she looked up at a buzzing sound before two flashes of light deposited Buffy and Cordelia. Before Kathy can say anything, Cordelia moved to one side and shot at Kathy, her aim perfected thanks to training she received. Once her magazine was empty and Kathy was still moving despite the bullet holes in her body. Buffy fired the fire extinguisher at the vampire before she stepped forward and swung the metal tube against Kathy's head. That action forced the vampire to release her brother as Buffy looked on in surprise at Kathy's vamp face when she turned back towards the Slayer before she got up slowly.
However that look of surprised was soon gone as Buffy kicked Kathy in the head while Cordelia, with blood all over her hands from Angel's wounds dragged him away. Buffy continued to hit Kathy with all her power, one kick… one punch followed by an uppercut and then another punch before throwing Kathy against the wall. Buffy was viciously beating Kathy, not giving the vampire a chance to even speak or regain her balance. All the while, Cordelia as looking down at Angel who was looking back at her… his eyes trying to focus.
"I know you guys can hear me" said Cordelia as she looked up at the ceiling before looking down at the heavily injured Angel while whispering that everything was going to be alright, "I need…."
"She… sister" said Angel as Cordelia looked down at him, "need…. Help…. Don't… kill…"
"Lock onto Angel's transmitter" said Cordelia, "beam him directly to the infirmary… now."
Angel vanished in a flash of white light as Cordelia got up and looked around all the broken pieces of wood. It was then she noticed a long piece of wood that was relatively sharper than the others. She ran and picked it up before she headed to the other room where Buffy had slammed Kathy into another wall as the entire house shook. Cordelia saw that Kathy's movements were sluggish and she was bleeding from various injuries that were caused by Angel, and further exploited by Buffy. Cordelia saw the oldest living Slayer deliver a strike to the vampire's throat just as she was about to speak.
Cordelia then walked towards Kathy with the stake ready to strike. She remembered her early days in Sunnydale High when she and Scoobies would hunt, to various degrees of success, vampires while Buffy had run away to LA. She remembered all the other times she had used stakes in High School, she remembered all the times she used weapons in Angel Investigations, she remembered Angel teaching her everything she needed to know fighting-wise when the BPRI was formed…. She remembered their training sessions together as she got a good grip on the stake in her hand.
Cordelia saw Kathy looking back at her while she opened her mouth in pain and put her hands to her own throat. Cordelia saw her chance as Buffy looked back at her before she stepped to one side and the dark haired young woman stabbed the stake into Kathy's heart.
"Die" hissed Cordelia as she pushed the stake in deeper.
However, Cordelia and Buffy looked at each other in surprise when the vampire didn't turn to dust.
"What the hell?" asked Buffy as Kathy, with blood coming out of her mouth, looked at the stake, then looked at the blonde Slayer and smiled before she looked at Cordelia.
Kathy struggled to talk but found that she couldn't, she figured that Buffy must have crushed something within her throat.. but she knew that whatever injury it was.. it would heal again. She knew humans..she knew that they were going to be curious about why she didn't turn to dust. As Kathy looked at the rage, mixed with anguish, on Cordelia's face, she smiled. She wanted to have more fun… maybe kill the Slayer before she was 'caught' by the BPRI. But there were unforeseen events that changed her schedule… and now, she got something she didn't expect.
The next part of her vengeance.
'I will turn you' thought Kathy to herself as she looked at Cordelia, then she looked at Buffy, 'and you… the Slayer… I will drink your blood, don't worry.'
However, her plan would go to hell if they actually did kill her. Kathy looked around but found that they had no weapons. She could try and take out Cordelia first and then escape by trying her best to avoid Buffy.. but she also knew that with her injuries, that there was very little chance of escaping Buffy's wrath.
"Angel wants her alive" said Cordelia as the team that was waiting a block away just screeched to a halt outside the house, alongside the now empty vehicles from the previous teams, "he thinks that she can be helped."
"After what she did to Callie? To poor Lisa? To all those people? Even the lady who owns this place?" asked Buffy as she panted while she took out the bloody stake and watched Kathy slide down the wall to the floor, "she doesn't deserve it, Cordy."
"I wanted to kill her" said Cordelia as she looked at the stake, and then back at Kathy who was looking back at her, "I still do; Buffy, she gets out of line…"
"I know" said the Slayer as Violet and Rona rushed in with five NID personnel. Buffy told Rona and Violet to fire all of their tranquilizers into Kathy, which they did. And the next thing they knew… Kathy's eyes rolled back into the back of her skull before she fell to her side unconscious. They then picked up the vampire's body and placed it in a body bag before taking it out to the NID van before they headed back to base, which would be under lock-down for five more hours before a team from the Pentagon was due to arrive.
Unknown to any of them however, the last thing that Kathy thought was that she was happy… that while she may have failed to fulfil her first mission to kill her brother, she'd be getting another chance since Cordelia mentioned he was still alive. And once she was finally done with Angel, she would finally be getting her river of blood. Kathy was also ecstatic that she found out about the woman Angel loved.
'Perfection' thought Kathy to herself just after her eyes closed, and she was covered in darkness.
TBC