"So, that's your girlfriend." Colonel Telford said flatly.

"Yes, Sir." Xander nodded.

"She threatened me with a prostrate exam via stake if I try to keep you permanently."

"Yes, Sir."

"I believe her."

"You should, Sir."

"I'm pretty sure she qualifies as a hurricane. I'm also pretty sure she's capable of being scarier than that. And what I just saw is AS scary as a demon."

"Yes, Sir."

"How long have you known her?"

"Since the first day of kindergarten."

"How long have you been together?"

"Altogether, two and a half years. Would be three but we had a break up for a few months toward the end of Senior year."

"Willingly?"

"Most definitely, Sir.

"You're a very brave man."

"I consider myself very lucky. She's perfect."

"Takes all kinds and I won't take what she said personally since it comes from fear. So what got you involved in the cause in the first place?" The Colonel asked curiously.

"Watching the closest thing to a brother I had turn to dust on a stake I was holding."

Telford winced. Hell, that was rough. "How old were you?"

"Three weeks passed my sixteenth birthday. I haven't hunted since graduation. I want the life Cordy and I are building. No one can fight forever, Sir. Not and stay sane."

"No, they can't."

"And revenge will get you killed in the end or leave you empty." Telford glanced sharply at Xander. The young man just returned his gaze directly.

"So when do we leave, Sir?"

"You brought your duffel, right?"

"Of course, Sir."

"One hour, our destination is Classified so I won't be able to brief you until we're in the air."

"No problem, Sir. I'll meet you in the hanger. I'll get a bite to eat in the cafeteria."

Telford watched him go and wondered was Private Harris talking about his own revenge or he, Matt Telford's, revenge?

Xander winced as he felt the cold steel of the transport plane under him. He supposed if he was regular Army he'd be used to it by now, but he hadn't experienced it enough to get use to it, yet. And he was already missing Cordy. She'd been so angry when the Colonel told her Xander was being ordered to join a demon hunting team, even temporarily. Vampires were found everywhere and if you knew how to identify them and take precautions, you could avoid them. Demons were rarer and some of them had to be dealt with in creative ways. Xander's heart had gone out of the fight because he'd found something worthwhile away from it. Unless Cordelia got hurt or killed, he saw no reason to get involved in it a second time. There would always be demons and there would always be hunters, he didn't have to be one of them, not anymore. Didn't mean he'd just walk passed if he saw someone being attacked, no more than he would if he saw a mugging happen. It did mean he didn't want to go looking for it though.

"We've got six teams currently." Colonel Telford began explaining to him. "In time we hope to grow that number, but like I said, it takes a certain mindset to handle even knowing these things exist, let alone fighting them. We are not scientists, we have no intention of studying them, beyond want's needed to hunt them. My unit is stationed in Brazil, but we've got units stationed all the way from Belize in Central America, down to Argentina. Most of the tribes that still live down there are aware that they exist and have been trying to fight them themselves for a long time. Many of them offer advice and information freely once they know we're fighting them. We have the Magic user assigned to our unit put up Wards around their villages to try to protect them and to give us an early warning if they attack. Our last Magic user was young and not very experienced. The Wards he did around one of the villages didn't hold and they were overrun. Our new Magic user, Aaron Sorenson, has been doing it for decades. Very calm and wise man."

"I don't like Magic, actually it's more accurate to say I'm afraid of it." Xander told him. "I've been on the unwilling receiving end of bad Magic a couple of times. And I think it's too easy a go to for some people. I prefer to rely on myself and my weapons. If your gun misfires, the gun itself can still be a weapon. If Magic misfires it's unpredictabily and becomes even more dangerous. But when done right or used responsibly, it can have it's uses."

"Aaron would agree with you, he uses it sparingly, but he is powerful, that's for sure. And he's also psychic, he gets visions. So don't be offended if he doesn't shake hands, it can give him a glimpse of your future and he prefers to be prepared before doing that."

"I understand."

"The first thing I want to do after I introduce you, is to see for myself if your CO's evaluation of your planning abilities is accurate. The things that attacked the villagers, we know where they're holed up, we're going after them."

"I'll need everything you know about them, the area where they're holed up and the terrain between us and them."

"You'll have it."

"Than I'll see what I can do for you."

"Get some rest, it's a long haul, even when we're flying."

"Yes, Sir." Xander leaned back and closed his eyes. He held a picture of Cordelia in his thoughts as he drifted off, but it didn't follow him into his dreams. Instead he saw a rainforest and demons and a cave.