317 Bryant Terrace
Sunnydale, California (the Wishverse)
13 December 1998
The pair of childhood friends tentatively approached the door to the master bedroom suite. The petite red headed woman gently rapped on the door while her tall male companion anxiously shuffled from one foot to the other. They didn’t receive an answer, so Willow knocked on the door a second time. When there was still no answer, Xander pounded on it.
"Xander!"
"Come on, Will," Xander said with a nod toward the bedroom. "You know us. We probably tired each other out so much, only an explosion could wake us up." He took in Willow's sick expression and said, "What?"
"Will you stop referring to the other us'es as ‘us,’ ‘we,’ or anything else in the first person?" she pleaded. "Cordelia would freak. Especially about the sex talk."
"How about Oz?" Xander asked playfully. They stared at each other for a second before Xander nodded. "Right. Dumb question."
The click of the lock being thrown caught their attention. The door flew open and revealed Vamp Willow standing before them, wearing a smile. "What's up?"
Willow and Xander just stared at the vampire as she nonchalantly waited for an answer to her question. Considering she hadn't put any clothes on before answering the door, it was an understandable reaction by the childhood friends.
"Uh, uh, uh. . ." Xander muttered before Willow smacked him in his arm. "OW!"
"Stop looking at me like that!" Willow ordered.
"I don't mind," Vamp Willow said with a sultry grin. "It *is* Xander. It's nothing he hasn't seen before."
Willow began to hyperventilate. "WHAT?!?"
"HER Xander, Willow! Sheesh!" the warrior moaned. Discretion being the better part of valor, he turned around to avoid getting into further trouble with his best friend.
"Hey, his butt's just as tight as MY Xander's," Vamp Willow cooed.
"Uh, uh. . ." the Wiccan caster babbled for several moments before she recovered her faculties and remembered their reason for coming to the room. She held out a bundle and said, "Here. These are for you."
Vamp Willow blinked. "This looks just like your outfit...my normal outfit."
"Toby did what elves call 'kenning,'" the witch hastily explained. "It makes an exact copy of any item he examines."
Vamp Willow grinned. "Cool." She took the corset first and asked, "How closely did he have to examine it?"
"Real..." Willow started to say before she saw Vamp Will's smirk. "Now cut that out!"
"You're no fun," the souled teen said with a pout. She took the rest of the outfit. "You have anything for Xander, too?"
"I am *not* turning around, Will," Xander swore.
"Can't blame a demon hacker for trying."
Willow took the bundle from Xander and handed it to Vamp Willow, who was now heavily loaded with clothing. The longer-haired Rosenberg froze when she heard the running water in the shower. She said, "I guess we got here just in time."
"What do you mean?"
Willow pointed past her doppelganger. "I heard your Xander in the shower."
Vamp Willow turned and glanced at the shower. Then she turned back to smirk at the little red witch. "Willow, Xander's in bed. He's still sleeping."
Xander, caught up in the conversation, turned around. "Wait a minute. If you're at the door, and the other me's in bed, who's in the shower?"
Vamp Willow shrugged her bare shoulders. "Sonja and Gabrielle. I gotta get dressed. Talk to you later."
Vamp Willow closed the door, leaving the stammering Slayerettes staring at the door, but they didn't see it. They had too many disturbing images ((Author's note: Disturbing to Xander and Willow maybe, but not to us if early reader comments are any indication)) stampeding through their minds. They stood there for ten minutes before recovering enough of their senses to draw their attention away from the revelation they'd just been handed.
Willow squeaked, "Xander, you. . . me. . ."
"Oh no," he countered, frantically waving his hands. "Not me. NOT ME!"
"Sonja. . . me. . ."
"Willow, breathe."
Willow did so and regained some of her composure. "Xander," she said, her voice two octaves higher than normal, "are you thinking what I'm thinking?"
"Whether Sydney offers group discounts for treating the same psychological traumas?" he ventured.
"Yeah."
Xander nodded. "Way ahead of you." He paused. "That is, *me* me, not the me that you and the other girls wore out."
"XANDER!!"
Willow slowly stumbled into the kitchen and found Oz, Cordelia, and Amy sitting at the table drinking coffee. The trio looked up at her as she sat down, a stunned look on her face.
"Netgirl?" Cordelia asked. When Willow's head slowly panned to face her, the Amazon asked, "You wanna join us in *this* reality?"
"Uh..."
"Will, what's wrong?" Cordy asked. She glanced at Oz and said, "Oh...you found out."
"Yeah," the redhead reluctantly admitted.
Her fellow Amazon sighed. "I know. I know. I wigged out, too."
"How did YOU find out?!?" Willow asked, blanching a bit.
"They were in plain sight," Cordelia replied with a shiver. "Oz and Larry sleeping together! Augh."
Willow stopped whatever she was going to say in response and her eyes glazed over. "Oz and Larry?"
"Yeah," Oz confirmed. "Strange."
"Understatement much?" the dark-haired warrior grumbled. "When did you see it, Willow?"
"I-I-I...I didn't."
Amy frowned and said, "But you said you found out."
"Not Larry and Oz!" Willow whined. She buried her face in her hands and moaned. "Me and Xander..."
"Will, they're a couple," Cordelia reminded her. "They sleep together all the time."
"Not with Sonja and Gabrielle!"
Willow suddenly found herself targeted by three sets of eyeballs.
Amy whispered, "The kid vamps slept with the Charlie's Angels wannabes?"
Amy now found *herself* targeted by three sets of eyeballs.
"What?" the New Salemite asked. "So they slept together."
Cordelia was looking green in the face. "Will, please tell me you're joking." When Willow shook her head, the warrior woman's head banged into the table. "I'm gonna be seeing Sydney for *decades*!"
"Who's Sydney?" the confused Amy asked.
Oz replied, "Shrink."
"Oh," the Wishverse witch mumbled.
"I'll be lying on his couch next to you," Willow sighed in despair, then hurriedly added, "in a non-sexual, totally platonic way, of course." She glanced at Oz and asked, "How about you?"
"Huh."
Amy looked at Cordelia. "Is he always like this?"
"Except during the full moon," Queen C lamented. "Sometimes we watch just to make sure he's still breathing."
Amy nodded as Sonja walked into the kitchen with a demure smile on her face. She glanced at Cordelia and said, "Now I see why you keep Xander around."
"Oh, don't *even* go there!" Cordelia warned her fellow Amazon.
"Hey, I'm serious, Cordelia," the barbarian offered with a chuckle. "He's good for someone his age. Or at least, this one is. Want to compare notes?"
"NO!!" Cordelia shouted.
"Your loss," Sonja said. She turned to Oz. "How about you? Want to compare redheads?"
Willow's eyes rolled up as she passed out from utter dread at that prospect. Oz had to move to keep her from toppling out of her chair.
Cordelia snarled, "Are you happy now?"
"Oh, trust me," the Hyborean giggled like a schoolgirl, "I've been happy for several hours."
She then turned and walked out, leaving the others to stare at the empty doorway.
After reviving Willow, Oz, Cordelia, and Amy watched her work on the computer. The hacker did it more to keep herself distracted than anything else. Gabrielle entered the room and was tactful enough not to mention the early morning events. She headed into the kitchen, apparently unaware of the stares directed her way.
As she vanished from view, Amy said, "Is it me, or was everyone waiting for the bomb to drop?"
"It's not just you," Willow muttered as she scanned the blueprints.
"Will, any idea on what the battle plan will be?" Amy asked.
"No. I gave up trying to anticipate Steve's planning methods months ago."
Gabrielle walked out of the kitchen, holding a glass of water. She glanced at the computer and asked, "Have Steve or Buffy come down yet?"
"No, not yet," the nervous brunette said testily. "But I'm sure you'll be the first to know. That is, if you're not 'sleeping' on the job."
No, that was a one-time deal," the bard stated. She grinned and said, "I'll say this for Willow and Xander, though; they give great hickies."
The four kids stared at the twenty-five hundred year old warrior in silence. The Amazon Queen downed half her water in a single gulp and glanced at the teens watching her. "I need the water. They wore me out."
Willow's mouth started twitching as she listened to Gabrielle reminisce about her nocturnal activities. Oz gripped her shoulders and started kneading in an attempt to calm her down.
Cordelia's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Look, Gabbie. We're officially Wigging over what you and the Slutty Red Giant pulled last night! Willow is freaking, so stop being Miss Foreplay-Replay..."
"Cordy!" Willow croaked.
"AUGH!" the Prom Queen moaned. She turned her eyes back onto the Queen and said, "See what you've done!"
Without warning, a dark cloud stormed across the beautiful bard’s face, causing a sense of complete and utter panic to flood each teen. "Is self-absorption and prejudice the only states of being you people exist in?" she snapped. "All we did was relieve some of the guilt Xander and Willow were feeling," Gabrielle riposted with a cold tone. "Obviously, you *didn't* notice they were starving themselves over the guilt they feel. For once, think about how *they* felt before Sonja and I showed them that not everyone prejudges them. If I were you, I’d be very careful before you go and condemn us!" She sipped some more water, then took on a syrupy sweet tone. "Oh, I probably shouldn’t have to remind you of this, but…" then her voice became hard and cold. "I don’t believe a fifteen thousand year old woman nor a twenty-five hundred year old woman need your approval before we engage in an activity that doesn’t involve YOU. So, I’d appreciate if you’d go fuck yourselves and keep your noses out of our business!"
Gabrielle finished her water and glared harshly at them. "Self-absorb *that*."
After her parting shot, she turned and stormed back into the kitchen, leaving the teenagers to wallow in guilty silence.
Cordelia whispered, "Damn…we’re lower than dirt, aren’t we?"
Amy nodded, as did Willow and Oz.
"Damn…she’s a lot scarier than she looks, isn’t she?"
Amy nodded, as did Willow and Oz.
"Damn…we’re lucky she left without spilling our guts on the floor, aren’t we?"
Amy nodded, as did Willow and Oz.
"Well," Oz observed, "hanging with a Warrior Princess who slaughtered and pillaged for decades is probably not the best way to deal with managing her anger."
"But," Willow said hesitantly. "If they'd just stop hinting that it was me and Xander, specifically, maybe it wouldn't freak me out so bad."
"Maybe, Will," Cordelia conceded, "but, she’s right. Not once did we make sure they were fed. We were going to let them go into battle without any nourishment. Man," she whined, "I hate this gig sometimes! It’s so hard to be sensitive to the needs of others when you’re always on a ‘save the world’ jag!" Cordelia took a few cleansing breaths, then shrugged and chirped, "Okay…I’m over it! I'm going to get Steve and Buffy and see if they're ready to start discussing battle plans."
The senior took off, leaving the other three amazed by her ability to compartmentalize life. Willow continued to go through the building plans laid out by her twin while Amy and Oz watched.
Amy softly asked, "Are you okay?"
"I will be," Willow sighed. She shut down the computer and said, "I just have to accept that this world is whacked."
"Hey!"
Willow turned to Amy. "Goddess, Amy, come on! Look at this place; the Master’s alive, Angel's good..."
"I'm not my mom," Amy sarcastically added.
"At least you didn't sleep with the other me."
"Yeah, I know," the Colorado native admitted. Anger flashed in her eyes. "I'm still pissed they didn't invite me."
Willow froze and started turning red in the face. Amy laughed at her and said, "Relax! Sheesh, I'm just kidding!" She paused, then added, "Mostly."
"Need to learn when to stop the pep talks," Oz noted.
"Willow," Amy offered, leaning over and laying a supportive hand on the redhead's shoulder, "just let it go. This Willow is different from you in a number of ways, and that's all there is to it. But you really need to loosen up, Rosenberg. You keep letting this screw with your mind, we're gonna be screwed when the spells start flying. Okay?"
Sobered by that observation, Willow eyed Amy for some seconds before breaking the stare. "You're right," she said seriously. "I have to pull myself together. Thanks, Amy."
"No problem," Amy grinned. "Now, let's stop this technostuff and compare some spells. I wanna know how you Amazon sword-witches do things on your world."
Willow smiled in anticipation of that. "Sure!" she gushed. "Come on."
Steve finally completed his review of the plans of the two major and four minor lairs that Vamp Willow had produced. Afterwards, he went over the plans with the combined assault force, indicating the composition of the assaults as well as the contingencies to cut off the enemy’s escape routes. After nearly an hour of comparing notes with the natives of the Wishverse, the Wanderer decided on the finishing touches.
"All right," Steve said with a note of relief, "let’s get this show on the road. We’ll review assault team composition and basic plans of attack for all five raid sites..."
"Excuse me, Mr. St. Wolf," Wish Giles interjected, "but there are only four minor lairs here."
"The fifth is the Bronze," Steve said, tapping the blueprints of the club that doubled as a vampire lair. "We’re going to hit that, too."
The Watcher sputtered, "Are you bloody DAFT?!? The Bronze is the Master’s second most important base of operations! There’s no way you can place a force inside without taking massive casualties!"
"Actually, old son," Steve remarked with a sly grin, "I plan on raiding the Bronze for intelligence, rescuing any and all hostages, and eliminating the vampires using only you, Sergeant Jenkins, Cordelia, the Xander and Willow of this universe, Tannim, and Amy."
"WHAT?!?" Ceirdwyn shouted. "Are you nuts?!?"
JP snickered, "Depends on whom you ask." He glanced at his daughter’s lover and asked, "What’s your plan, punk?"
"It’s quite simple," the Immortal stated, bringing the floor plans for the nightclub forward and to the center of the display. "We’re going to use glamour spells on Tannim, Amy, and Cordelia to ‘turn’ them into vampires. While Willow distracts the vampires using her own unique style," he began, smiling at the chuckles coming from Vamp Willow and Xander, "Xander will lead Tannim and Amy to where they keep the human prisoners. Tannim and Amy will use their magic to eliminate the guards. Then Tannim will open one of his gates to send the prisoners out. Cordelia will keep track of what’s going on through a hidden microphone. Once the last of the prisoners is through the gate, our people will get out of Dodge. Once they’re out, hopefully without a single punch being thrown, Giles and Jenkins will destroy the Bronze."
"And just how do you propose we do that?" the sarcastic Celt asked.
Steve grinned at the two Brits. "With one of the rocket launchers I just happened to bring along."
Ceirdwyn and Wish Giles took several seconds to pick their jaws up off the floor.
"M-m-my word," the alternate Rupert whispered in shock. "You do play for keeps, don’t you?"
"It's your universe, your town, they’re your kids, and you’re the Watcher who’s been here for two years. If anyone deserves the honor of pulling the trigger, it’s you." Steve glanced at Ceirdwyn. "Your role is to set up the launcher and make sure Giles points it in the right direction. It’ll be harder than it looks, if his technical skills are anything like our Giles."
The gang got some laughs in at the Watchers’ expense.
"Very funny," Giles muttered, to which Jenny gave him an affectionate squeeze.
"All right," Steve continued, "here’s how we’ll line up; one team each above and below ground. The above ground teams are as follows; at the warehouse will be Jenny, my Giles, and Tobabaird. At the die and tool company will be Keighvin, Tina, and Raul. The chop shop will be handled by my Willow and Genie. At the pool hall will be Catherine, Dharinel, and Robin."
"May I ask why you have these people above ground, Sir Steve?" Dharinel asked, looking less than happy with the prospect of being teamed with a certain fairy.
"Of course, Lord Dharinel," the Texan replied. "These people are all spell casters, who need room to work their magic. The most powerful member of each team will use their magic to determine if there are any prisoners in each location. If there are, the sewer teams will try to rescue them. If not, the magic workers will launch a volley of offensive spells in order to ‘convince’ the vampires to escape through the tunnels."
Gabrielle finished, "At which point, they expose themselves to our close quarters weapons, giving them two options; face our firepower, or risk exposing themselves to wizards, witches, and sunlight."
"Devious," Ceirdwyn said with a smile. "And how can you be sure none of the vampires will know what’s going on from the explosions?"
"That’s why the raids will take place simultaneously," Steve answered. He looked at the fighters carrying their firearms and said, "Remember, you’ll have Dutch loaded wooden and silver bullets. Heart shots will kill with both, but the silver will also work with headshots. He looked at the two JP’s and Hercules. "The JP’s and Kevin will be our reserve, should anything hit the proverbial crapper." He glanced around again and said, "The teams in the sewers will be as follows; under the Bronze and supporting Cordelia’s team will be myself, Sonja, Gabrielle, and Arthur. The warehouse team will be led by Darius, and includes this world’s Connor, Duncan, Mulder, and Scully." Darius nodded solemnly as the people Steve had named began to merge behind him. Steve looked to Duncan MacLeod. "Duncan, your team heads for the tool and die factory. Your team will have our Connor, Mulder, Scully, and Maxine. You and Connor are co-leaders."
"Of course," Duncan seriously agreed.
"Now, the chop shop shouldn’t have any prisoners," the demon hunter said. "But just in case, that team will be my Buffy, Xander, Oz, Randi, Adam, Angel, and four Knights of the Grail. Buffy, you’re in charge. The last group will be the Hunters and the remaining Knights, under the command of James Horton."
"Excuse me," Wish Buffy objected, "how about us?"
"It’s simple, Buffy. Most of the people mentioned all have training or experience that equals or surpasses the training given to the Green Berets and Navy SEALs. Of those who don’t, even you would have a problem matching them. No offense, but Arthur and Randi have Excalibur and Joan of Arc’s sword, Angel has two hundred years of experience on you, and Oz is a werewolf, making it very hard to hurt him, as I doubt these vampires even have guns, let alone silver bullets. As for the training, being an ex-Green Beret and current Knight of the Grail myself, I can speak with some authority on the matter."
"Hey," Wish Oz said, "we can fight."
"I know that, Oz," the Immortal responded, "but I’ll bet you twenty bucks here and now that you’ve never carried an Israeli-issue Uzi submachine gun or Ithaca ‘Shorty’ shotgun equipped with incendiary shells, have you?"
"Uh, no."
Steve nodded. "There’s also a second reason. The teams are likely to be slowed down by any wounded they have to rescue. That means we’ll be bringing wounded in, especially from the Bronze. Besides Ed’s team, that leaves the three of you to set up a triage area using the cots and rollaway beds Genie made last night. Also, this is your town, I figure you’d recognize any vamps trying to pass themselves off as human. Buffy, your vampire sense will help greatly in that regard."
Wish Oz and Larry nodded. Wish Buffy’s eyes flashed for a second, until it sank in that she *was* needed here. "Okay, Rambo. I’ll hang here."
"All right, people," St. Wolf said with a raised voice, "we leave in one hour. Assemble in your assigned teams and ready your gear."
As the teams began moving, Joe Dawson limped over to Steve. "Wanderer, can I talk to you for a minute?"
Steve glanced at Buffy, who nodded to indicate that she could oversee the preparations. "This way, Joe."
As the men walked into this universe’s analog of Steve’s office, which its former owner had been using as a TV room, Joe glared at Steve while the Immortal closed the door.
"Before you start blasting me about teaching the kids from my universe how to fight vampires," the warrior said as he turned to face the Watcher, "they were fighting for two years before I arrived. The girls are Amazons, except for Buffy, and the boys have all had their abilities boosted by Robin’s magic. I don’t need to get into Robin, do I?" A pause. "Does that about cover it?"
"Part of it," Dawson said with a chuckle, but still glaring at the double of an old friend. "But there’s more. Darius and Duncan have both come to me about your girlfriend’s double."
"I don’t suppose it matters that she’s an Immortal, too? Or that she turns eighteen in a month? Or that her own Mother set us up, with tickets to Titanic of all movies?" St. Wolf asked in a tight voice.
Joe rolled his eyes and barked, "Not that one!"
Steve sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I hate dimensional differences." He glared at the chuckling Watcher. "Fine. What about her? If you’re about to tell me she’s a Pre-Immie, I already know."
"Is that why you’re keeping her here, then? To keep from having to explain everything to a newbie in the middle of a mission?"
Steve’s eyes grew icy. "As well as the fact that she has a moderate case of lone wolfitis. Joe, I need people here; we’re sure to have hostages coming here that need medical attention. And while Ed’s team is elite, none of them are equal to Buffy, not even Mindy. I want to be sure that no vamps escape our raids, and if any do find their way here, the Slayer will take care of them. Besides, right now the Master doesn’t know she’s here."
The Factory
Sunnydale, California (the Wishverse)
13 December 1998
"She has returned?"
"That’s what our guide told us before he died," Kronos replied. It was the literal truth. "And it seems she’s accompanied by some reinforcements."
"I highly doubt that," Nest said, waving off the assassin’s claim. He paced as two of his lieutenants watched closely. "The Watchers would never permit it."
"Perhaps the Watchers are the ones who have accompanied her?" a blonde female vampire suggested.
"Perhaps," the Master agreed. He turned to Ramirez and said, "Do you have an opinion on that, Mr. Ramirez?"
The Egyptian frowned and shook his head. "I don’t think it was these ‘Watchers.’ They sound far too ‘genteel’ to equip themselves with firearms, let alone semi- or fully automatic machine guns. We can positively say we heard gunfire."
The Master considered their information. Ramirez and Kronos were professional assassins. They’d know what gunfire sounded like. He finally conceded their point. "I agree with the mortals. It would seem the Slayer has upped the stakes." He turned to his lieutenants. "Send out some runners. Have them inform everyone to be here at sundown." He looked up at the ceiling, staring as if he could see the accursed sun. "Tonight, this town bleeds."
The Sewers (the Bronze)
Under Sunnydale, California (the Wishverse)
13 December 1998
"All right, Cordy," Steve said to the Amazon, "you’re in charge up there."
"We’re doomed," Vamps Willow and Xander innocently chimed.
"Shut up!" the warrior woman snapped in mock threat. She looked at her team and said, "We all know the plan, right?"
Vamp Willow grinned impishly. "I be myself, toying with the poor boys’ affections and distracting them while Xander ‘shows the new kids’ around the place."
Vamp Xander took up the thread. "I take Tannim and Amy back to the prisoner area, we take out the guards quietly if possible, and start evacuating."
Cordelia finished the roll down. "I walk around, listen to the vamps talking so you can get intel from the hidden mike, learn if the Master Dweeb’s planning anything, and take my team out, letting Giles and Jenkins know when to blow this joint."
"Which is only after we rescue all the prisoners," Tannim finished.
"Right," Steve said, pleased at his Amazon led team. "Remember, we’re trying to avoid a fight if possible. Remember, the glamour spells last for only two hours, so be careful." The Wanderer turned to the Vamps. "Xander, Willow, go for it."
The kids nodded and started climbing the rungs that lead to the basement of the Bronze. Gabrielle pulled Cordelia into a motherly hug and whispered, "Go with Artemis' blessing, sister."
Cordelia held the Amazon Queen tightly and whispered, "You, too. I'll take good care of them." Gabrielle gazed into Cordelia's eyes and gently stroked her cheek. Then Cordelia reluctantly turned away and followed the vampires, with Tannim and Amy closely behind her. As the others began to prepare for any opponents that might come, Steve echoed what was going through the minds of Sonja, Gabrielle, and Arthur.
"Be careful, Cordelia."
Vamp Willow waited for the others to scramble out of the sewers before she softly lowered the sewer cover. She stood up and looked at Cordelia. "What happens if someone recognizes you, Cordy?"
The Prom Queen started at the use of her nickname, but brought her mind back to the business at hand. "I’m dead here, remember? Just tell them you and Xander changed me instead and kept it under wraps, so you wouldn’t have to share me with anyone." She paused and then said, "Don’t get any ideas."
"Oh, pooh," Vamp Willow cooed with a pout, followed by giggles from Amy.
Cordelia silently growled and counted to twenty before she stood aside and let Vamp Willow lead the way upstairs. The vampiress brazenly entered the club's main floor, allowing her companions to hear the sounds of the bombastic rock and roll compete with the clack of pool balls colliding. Vamp Willow, once again, in her element, sashayed across the floor, leaving the others to follow her triumphant return.
Vamp Willow saw the faces of several vampires turn her way. She paused, then braced one arm against the doorjamb and thrust her opposite hip to the side, a seductive lick of her lips heralding her arrival. "Howdy, boys! Didja miss me?"
She chuckled at the belated recognition that registered on several faces. She walked in, boots clomping as she strutted toward the bar. She shot a saucy look at the bartender and said, "Cow’s blood, on the rocks."
"Since when do you drink cow’s blood?" the confused vampire asked.
The undead hacker linked her fingers and rested her chin on them. "Since I gained two pounds from drinking gang bangers last week. So full of coke I got high and didn’t know when to stop. A demon’s gotta watch her figure, you know."
The bartender chuckled and began rummaging around. "What happened to you? Last we heard, you and your squeeze disappeared during the big fight with the Slayer."
Vamp Willow blew a raspberry. "Stupid Slayer had her dumb Watcher try to do a spell and fry us. Dumb Watcher sent me to Dallas instead." Her face scrunched up and she shivered. "I actually had to listen to country music! At least Xander landed in Detroit. He only had to put up with Motown oldies."
The room broke into laughter. It died when Vamp Xander led the other three into the room.
"Who the Hell are they?" one vampire demanded, suspicious of out-of-towners.
Vamp Willow rotated her stool to face the crowd. She leaned back against the railing, languidly placing one leg over the other, leading several vamps to try and sneak a peek. She purred, "These are some...friends we picked up on the way back. I’ll make the introductions, so you guys can make them feel at home after Xander shows them the...facilities."
She stared at Cordelia and said, "Some of you might remember Cordelia, our resident Fashion Plate. The boss told us to kill her, but she all but begged us to turn her rather than let her die. So, we turned her. Don’t worry, she’s just as fast and loose now as the writing on the wall in the boys’ locker room said she was while she was breathing."
She let a devious grin form as Cordelia fought down the urge to explode over the comments; this was her show and she was the original showstopper. She looked at Tannim and said, "This is Tannim. Don’t ask about the name, I don’t know. All I know is he’s a good ol’ Oklahoma country boy, cute but not too bright. Good thing for us is that he likes hard rock instead of the music for old or depressed people."
The crowd chuckled at that, but Tannim gave them a salute. "The harder, the better!"
Amongst some cheers of approval, Willow glided off of the barstool and slinked over to Amy. The witch had attracted her own share of attention from the way her leather pants hugged her bottom and legs, while her leather jacket and tank top gave off an aura that this girl had some serious attitude.
"And this," she said, putting an arm around the witch and gazing adoringly at her, "is Amy."
Before she could make any comments about the New Salemite, Amy turned, gently cupped Willow's chin in her right hand, drew the vampiress' pale face toward her own and locked her mouth onto the shorter red head's in a deep and sensual French kiss. As Amy's tongue teased and dueled with Vamp Willow's, the witch took her left hand and gently stroked the vampiress' leather clad bottom. As they continued their kiss while keeping their eyes open and locked on each other's, only Amy spied the pleasant surprise and passion expressed in Willow's witch green orbs. After several glorious moments, Amy reluctantly broke their kiss, smacked her lips, and said, "Before I was turned I was like Willow as she is now. Guess what I’m like now?"
The redheaded vampire’s eyes glazed over with desire, as did those of many of the other customers.
Amy gave Vamp Willow a demure grin and said, "Isn’t that right, sweetie?"
Cordelia groaned inwardly and thought, <Why ME?!?>
Amy took more of the opening she’d made for herself and asked, "Okay, Xander honey, where are the ‘rides’ I heard SO much about on the way here? Willow told me you’ve got people here in cages that I could ride like ponies."
Vamp Xander just chuckled at his girlfriend’s starstruck look and started walking toward the back, where the human prisoners were kept.
"This way, Amy."
The crowd just watched as the forward young woman’s tight pants hugged her curves as she strutted behind the teenager and older male vamp. When they were out of sight, the bartender turned to the vampiress.
"She was like you are now before she got turned?!?"
Recovering quickly, the souled vampiress turned her stool around and licked her lips, savoring Amy's taste. "That’s the theory."
The guy handed Vamp Willow her drink and sighed. "How does Harris find all the good ones?"
Vamp Xander led the spell casters into the back. Tannim and Amy took in the sight and had to fight to keep from visibly shuddering.
There were fifteen humans scattered throughout the storage room. A few were chained or restrained in various positions, but more than half were set up as demented versions of vampire beer taps. Even worse was that the humans had signs taped to their chests, indicating their blood types. Vamp Xander shot the human kegs a look of sympathy. The conscious victims, though, returned his looks with glares of impotent fury.
"Harris?" one of the two guards said uncertainly, surprised to see the missing teen. "When did you get back?"
"Early this morning," Vamp Xander said as the two vamps shook hands. "Seems that the White Hats screwed up a spell during the fight, sent some of us across country. I ended up in Motown." He glanced at Amy and Tannim. "Picked up some new friends along the way."
"Who’s the chick?" the other, larger guard asked.
Amy looked the big man up and down with a predatory fervor. "The name’s Madison, big boy." She strutted toward him. "And you would be?" she asked, giving the jock a seductive look.
"The name’s Percy," the vampire replied. Dragging his eyes off the smiling redhead, Percy glared at Harris. "Hey, Harris, have you presented these two to the Master?"
"Tonight," Vamp Xander assured him. "I just want to keep them out of trouble until then."
"He won’t let me have any fun," the dark-haired witch said like a pouting six-year-old, with an expression to match. "He’s afraid I’ll steal Willsy away from him if he leaves me alone with her for six hours again."
Both vampires felt their jaws dropping. Percy slowly asked, "You and Rosenberg?"
"The kids at my high school didn’t call me Mad-woman for nothing, you know," Amy responded as she turned to give her ‘wanton hussy’ look to the souled man. "Xandy was sooo tuckered out after the girls got through with him last night."
Xander’s jaw dropped as the witch played her role to the hilt. "Uh, Amy, you’re not supposed to kiss and tell, remember?"
"Oh, don’t worry," Amy giggled, "I won’t bore them with details about *kissing*. I’d skip right to the juicy parts."
"Xand," the skinny vampire sighed, "I know a lot of men who’d give their left nut to be you."
"Dude, you have no idea," Xander said, having the same look as the other vampires.
Percy sneered at the girl and said, "Are you saying the great sex idol of Sunnydale, Xander Harris, couldn’t hang with two itsy-bitsy girls? I don’t believe it!"
"Percy, honey," Amy sweetly told the athlete, "trust me. I could have you squeaking for mercy in a matter of seconds if I wanted."
Angered by that challenge to his machismo, Williams walked up and gripped Amy’s wrist. He started to say something about her taunts, but stopped and stared with round eyes when he felt something.
Amy’s pulse.
He shoved the teenager with all of his strength, sending her sprawling into some crates with a crash. So hard was her impact that one of the crates actually splintered.
Percy turned to his fellow vampires to alert them to Amy’s status as a living human, but the shout died in his esophagus when his fellow guard vanished in a cloud of ash.
When Vamp Xander saw Percy’s eyes go wide, he realized the jig was up. <Oh well.>
Not even hesitating, the vampire pulled a slim stake out of his jacket pocket. When the other vamp turned at the sound of the impact, he struck. His former friend dissolved into grave leftovers as the wooden shaft drove into his heart.
Vamp Xander turned to deal with Percy in the vain hope of keeping him from shouting an alarm, but two things stopped him. The first was a sound that suspiciously resembled tearing leather. The second was the sight of Percy stopping short and grasping his throat, as if he were being choked by some unseen assailant.
A low growl dragged his attention from the vampire jock. He looked over and saw Amy stalking forward, her eyes going ebon as she stalked up to Percy, one arm extended, her fingers curled like an eagle’s talons. She raised the arm fractionally, lifting Percy about twelve inches off the ground. Vamp Xander and Tannim watched the alarm in Percy’s eyes grow at his situation.
Amy walked forward until she was only a couple of feet from the choking demon.
With her eyes shining onyx, the Madison girl said, "You done fucked up, dickhead." Without moving, she asked, "Xander, how do we dispose of this piece of shit?"
Admiring Amy’s take-charge attitude, the kid grinned. "Well, quietly I guess."
"Fine," the furious teen decided. She squinted in concentration. Percy flew into the wall at a prodigious rate of speed, falling to the ground in a sprawled heap. Having the wind knocked out of him, the stunned vampire was unable to shout for help before the Colorado witch started chanting.
"Goddess Hecate," the sorceress intoned, causing a cascade of orange energy to encircle and swirl about her, "work thy will! Before thee let the unclean thing crawl!"
In the main barroom, everyone turned to the back door when a series of thumps and thuds was heard emanating from the room.
One vampire asked, "What was *that*?"
"Amy," Vamp Willow and Cordelia answered, one keeping in line with the plan and the other from personal experience with Amy’s double.
"What the Hell is she doing back there?" the bartender asked.
"Foreplay," the redhead replied with a wanting gaze.
"How does Harris find all the good ones?"
Vamp Xander just stared in awe as the teenaged sorceress let the spinning vortex of energy grow by the second. When the column of raw magic reached its apex, Amy threw her arms forward and the energy followed, enveloping Percy.
The former football player was wreathed in the fiery power and screamed as the witch’s spell took effect.
The bartender shuddered when Percy’s scream reached his ears. He shook his head in jealousy. "How-"
Cordelia moaned, "We don’t know how he does it, all right?"
"Speak for yourself," the sexual force of nature purred.
<I am SO going to kill Steve for this!>
Percy vanished into thin air and his clothes fell to the floor in a heap. Tannim smiled in approval while Vamp Xander just stared at the empty space once occupied by Williams.
The leather-clothed woman dusted her hands off and grinned. "I am SO good." Vamp Xander saw her look at him with her smile. "You want to do the honors?"
"What honors?" the confused vampire asked.
Before she could answer, the trio’s attention was snared by a squeak. They, as well as the conscious prisoners, all shifted their eyes to the pile of clothing. Seconds later, something emerged.
As he watched the large rat sniffing the air, Xander blurted, "What the Hell is that?!?"
"Percy," Amy answered with a smirk.
Vamp Xander sputtered, "What the Hell did you do THAT for?!?"
Amy looked puzzled by his outburst. "You said you wanted to do this quietly."
Vamp Xander looked into the Percyrat’s beady black eyes and said, "I can’t believe you turned him into a *rat*!"
"What?" Amy asked in genuine confusion. She glanced at the Percyrat and shrugged. "He’ll be a lot easier to handle now."
"Lady’s got a point," Tannim chuckled as he shoved his hands into the pockets of his Battlestar Galactica Colonial Warrior jacket.
Vamp Xander waved a disgusted hand at the Percyrat. "What the Hell am I supposed to stake him with, a toothpick?!?"
"Oh, for Hecate’s sake," the witch groaned. She stalked forward, lifted her right leg up to her chest, and brought her booted foot crashing down with all the force she could muster.
A second-long squeak later, all was silent.
"Overkill much?" Vamp Xander dryly asked.
"Hey!" she protested. She waved an arm behind her. "Asshole tore the butt of my best leather pants!"
"Is that all?" Tannim laughed.
"Look, Mage Boy," the witch said warningly, "I can’t teleport back to New Salem, I don’t have time to go shopping in this vamp-infested town, and it’s December for Goddess’ sake!"
"You don’t have to teleport or go shopping," Tannim promised. "Toby can ken you a new pair or fix these ones."
"Fine," Amy said, maintaining a surprising level of professionalism despite having her derriere revealed to the world. She said, "Let’s get these people out of here."
As she turned around, Vamp Xander looked at the chuckling mage. "You know, you’re taking this way too easy."
"Which part?" Tannim asked. "The dimension parts or the sex parts?"
"Both."
"The first, I travel Underhill all the time. I work with elves, ghosts, humans, you name it." He grinned sadistically and said, "As for the second, my girlfriend’s pretty unique in her own right."
Vamp Xander shrugged. "Amazon, wizard, Gypsy, librarian, werewolf, Slayer, vampire, angel, Immortal, fairy, elf, ancient legendary king, Goddess or any combination of?"
"Nope. She’s half kitsune," the racecar driver said to the puzzled vampire. He explained, "Japanese fox spirit, pranksters fond of jokes. Basically the same personality as Robin."
"Oh. That’s not so bad," Vamp Xander guessed. "At least she’s half-human."
"She isn’t any part human."
The teenager did a double take. "Then what’s the other half? Fairy?"
Tannim shook his head. "Dragon."
The magician left Vamp Xander stammering for a comeback. <There’s a one-liner about having sex with animals that I’m SO not touching.>
Giving up, he turned to help with the prisoners.
In the lair, Cordelia watched Vamp Willow dance up a storm on the night club’s floor. The vampire would flawlessly switch from a normal American rock style to bawdy, exotic dancer gyrations that the Amazon knew had to be driving the men wild. The raven-haired beauty smiled to herself. She had always suspected that Willow was a head-turner in her own right. As she circulated to gather intelligence per the mission parameters, she couldn’t stop staring, from time to time, at the sentient force of nature that wore the body of the girl whose friendship with Xander had kept him from being with her for so long. And whose friendship with her now had provided Cordelia with the sister she had never had.
She’d been walking around for some time, trying to pick up snatches of conversation that might give her and Steve some indication of what was going on outside the Bronze. Thus far, she hadn’t had any luck whatsoever. Finally, she decided to take a break and sit down.
The latest set ended and Vamp Willow sauntered over to the bar, knowing that every eye in the place was rightfully on her. She grabbed two glasses of blood and breezed over to the table. She set one glass in front of Cordelia, who made a sour face.
"You have got to be kidding," she disgustedly remarked.
The redhead picked up and drained her entire glass in one gulp. She plopped her glass down and shifted her eyes to her partner. "We’re in trouble."
"What?" the Ball Breaker asked, concern etched onto her illusory mask.
Vamp Willow shivered. "The Master’s called in two hit men to take out the White Hats."
"Well, duh! We know that."
"These guys are the best," the hacker whispered. "They prefer taking out high-profile targets. The more security, the better. It’s a challenge thing, I think."
"Anything else?"
Vamp Willow snatched the other glass and took a draught. "Luke, Darla, and the Three are in town," she said in a soft whisper. "The Master called them back after Xander and I disappeared." She shook her head. "This is SO not good."
Cordelia was stunned at the change in the redhead. "Okay, Red, ‘fess up. What’s wrong?"
Vamp Willow hissed, "It was one of the Three who did this to me, Cordelia. And Darla. . ."
"What about her?" the Amazon asked gently. "We’ve beaten them before."
"On your world." The leather-clad teen sighed and said, "It’s not that. You see, Xander and Darla. . ."
"AUGH! Say no more! I can’t believe he’d be caught dead with that skanky ho!"
"We agree on something," Vamp Willow giggled in surprise. "Imagine that."
"No kidding," the cheerleader muttered with a dry grin. She paused and said, "I hope you got that, Steve." She sighed and turned her dark eyes on the grinning vampiress. "I’ve been walking around for an hour and I didn’t get *anything*! How’d you get all that?"
Vamp Willow took a sip of her drink and huskily murmured, "The old fashioned way."
Cordelia stared, then laughed heartily. "You offered them mercy sex."
"Bingo," the crimson-tressed girl smiled. "You have six lined up for tonight."
"WHAT?!?" the Amazon warrior screeched. Fortunately, the music drowned out her outburst.
"Cordy," Vamp Willow sighed, "they’ll be dead soon enough."
"But you’re trashing my rep!"
"Wasn’t very good to begin with."
Cordelia thumped her forehead with the heels of her palms. "Fine!" She sighed and said, "I hope Xander and his group hurry up. I want to get out of here."
"You and me both," the girl whispered. Off of Cordelia’s look, she said, "Hey, I’m into ‘soul’ music now, remember?"
Cordelia’s face softened, but she said, "Stay in the role, kiddo."
"All right," Vamp Willow said, trying to cheer up. She grinned and said, "I know a way to pass the time."
"How?"
The leather lover leaned in close. With a humor-filled whisper, she said, "Let’s compare boyfriends." When Cordelia’s eyes widened in alarm, the computer expert said, "Come on! You have a Xander, I have a Xander. Between the two of us, we can come up with ways to keep them in line and exchange a few of our own tricks."
Cordelia surprised herself by actually warming to the idea. "Oh, what the Hell," she said with a smile. The girls leaned in closer together. "Start dishing, Rosenburg."
In the sewers, Steve moaned and ripped the earphones off his head. Sonja, Gabrielle, and Arthur all looked at him with varying expressions.
Gabrielle harshly hissed, "What are you doing? We need to keep listening! They might need backup!"
"If they needed help, they wouldn’t be comparing notes about their boyfriends," St. Wolf grumbled.
"Who?" Sonja asked, perking up.
Knowing he would immensely regret answering the barbarian’s question, he said, "Willow and Cordelia."
Sonja and Gabrielle looked at each other, then at Steve, and held their hands out. Sonja grinned, "Flip you for it, Gabs."
"Nope," the last Queen of the Amazons said while glancing at the Wanderer. "Hand it over."
Muttering, "I’m getting too old for this shit," Steve smacked the earphones into the blonde’s palm.
With a triumphant grin, the Potadean inserted the listening device into her left ear.
"You know you’ll be sharing the dirt later on, honey," Sonja said with a sweet tone.
<What did I do to deserve this?> Steve asked the universe in general.
Amy walked over to a pair of prisoners while her companions did the same to check on their conditions before sending them to the house. As she drew near a girl her own age, a middle-aged man with thinning hair snarled, "Stay away from her!"
Amy blinked at the vehemence in his voice. She let a look of sympathy come over her face. She gently told the man, "We’re here to get you out."
"Don’t insult my intelligence, bloodsucker," he hissed while struggling against the shackles around his wrist.
Amy reached up and examined the restraints. She said, "I’m going to say this once. Feel for a pulse in my wrist."
Suspicious, the man grasped her wrist. When he felt the blood pumping through her veins, he became confused. "But. . your face. ."
Amy grinned at him. "Ever hear of the Good Witch of the North?" When he nodded in puzzlement, she jerked a thumb at her chest. "Well, I’m the Ass Kicking Witch From the Rocky Mountains."
She chanted a simple unlocking spell. The shackles suddenly sprang open. The man started to fall but caught himself with some aid from Amy. "We’re gonna get you out of here."
"Through the vampires in the club?" the man asked incredulously. "Sure you are."
"Trust me, you can do a lot of things with witchcraft," the Hecatian suggested with a smile. "Let’s check your daughter."
The two of them released her from the chains linking her to the wall and gently brought her to the floor. Amy could see the teen was about her height, but the fiery orange locks possessed by her were natural, unlike Amy’s. The witch felt a surge of anger rumble through her at the holes in the girl’s neck and arms. <Payback’s a bitch. And so am I.>
The man timidly asked, "Jessica?"
The teenager’s eyes fluttered open, trying to focus. She weakly asked, "Dad?"
"It’s okay," he promised, glancing at Amy. "We’re going to get out of here."
Jessica smiled and passed into sleep, reassured by the certainty of her father.
Amy laid a hand on his shoulder and asked, "Can you carry her?"
"I think so, once I get the feeling back in my legs," he admitted. He looked at the two young men releasing other prisoners. "What about them?"
Amy waved off his concerns. "One’s a wizard, he’s alive. The vampire’s on our side since his body got possessed by his soul."
"What?" the befuddled man asked while gently stroking his daughter’s hair.
"He got his soul back," the adolescent replied. "That means the guy who owned the body when he was alive got sent back by the Man Upstairs to stop the demon from doing all sorts of bad stuff with his body. Xander’s pissed at that demon. He’s a good kid, he just doesn’t breathe any more. It’s sorta like the guys from Blues Brothers."
"Excuse me?"
The witch giggled. "He’s on a mission from God."
"Jesus Christ," the man whispered while crossing himself.
"Him too," Amy grinned.
Vamp Xander was unlocking a college kid serving as a blood dispenser when she was shaken awake by the jostling. As they locked gazes, the woman’s mouth opened and drew breath to scream. Vamp Xander clamped his hand over her mouth, stifling a long, shrill shriek of terror.
The jacket-clad teen hissed, "Come on, lady! We’re trying to get you out of here! If you blow our cover, none of us are gonna live!"
The woman’s eyes held nothing but stark terror; she didn’t believe him.
"Come on, lady," Vamp Xander pleaded. "Give us a chance here."
"Maybe I can help, Xander," Amy said as she came up. She tenderly said, "If you hold the Guns n Roses imitation down, I’ll prove we’re here to help. If you aren’t convinced, you can scream all you want. But take a look around; we’re releasing everyone so we can evacuate you all."
The woman’s dread-filled eyes flicked around. She saw how Tannim and two of the stronger prisoners were freeing their fellows. Finally, she nodded uncertainly.
Amy said, "Xander."
The vampire removed his hand.
"Punch me in the stomach."
Both Vamp Xander and the captive woman stared at her in dumb blankness.
"Come on, do it."
Vamp Xander knew better than to argue with her after what she’d done to Percy. He formed a fist and gave the Colorado native a soft blow that still doubled her over. <Why the Hell did she make me do that!>
Amy started inhaling like crazy to catch her breath. She looked at the silent woman and hoarsely asked, "That (wheeze) enough (cough) for you?"
The woman’s eyes started leaking moisture as she realized that Amy wouldn’t be laboring so hard to catch her breath if she was a vampire. She looked at Vamp Xander and said, "But you. ."
"Amy and a couple of her friends did a little voodoo on me that restored my soul. Basically, I’m back to being the guy I was before I started enjoying the night life."
Amy walked up and smacked him on the back of the head. When he snapped, "OW!", she glared at him. "For one thing, we didn’t have the option of wiping out your sense of humor. Second, it was witchcraft, NOT voodoo, stupid!" She looked at the amazed college woman and shrugged. "Hey, *someone* has to keep him in line, right?"
"Just help me get her out of here," Vamp Xander groaned.
As they unhooked her, Vamp Xander noticed her eyes continued to glance fearfully at him. He said, "Hey, don’t do that, please? I’m not like those other guys."
"Yeah, he’s just a normal American man, which isn’t saying much as it is," Amy joked with a smile. When the college girl looked back to Amy for reassurance, she said, "Hey, my friends had to keep him from killing himself the second his soul was restored. Of course, that means we have to put up with his sense of humor. Other than that, don’t worry."
The woman actually smiled a bit at Xander’s rolling eyes. "Thank you," she whispered to him.
"No prob," he said with a goofy smile. He turned to Tannim. "Tannim, we’re ready."
Tannim nodded. "Got it." He turned to the steady humans who were carrying or supporting those incapable of going themselves. "Listen up. I’m a mage. I’m about to cast a spell called a Gate. When this’ll do is open a doorway to our headquarters. So no ‘ooh’s,’ ‘aah’s,’ or other open-mouthed words. All of you who are able bodied will carry the less fortunate or healthy through. When you get through, you’ll do what the nice FBI Agents and soldier boys tell you to do. We have some people trained in first aid, so you will receive what aid we can provide."
Knowing not to draw the vampires’ attention by cheering, the prisoners simply nodded. Tannim started chanting. In a few seconds, the portal appeared in the room. "Okay, let’s get moving." The healthiest started moving forward. Amy and Vamp Xander helped out, leading a few over to the gate to wait their turn. The young man looked and saw the girl named Jessica being carried by her father. As the last walking wounded passed through, a pair of healthy men came back through to take the last ones off of their hands.
One of them looked at Vamp Xander as he handed over a kid and asked, "What do you get out of this?"
Vamp Xander looked right into his eyes. "I get to make up for what this dick demon that took my body did with it."
The man nodded. "You seem like a good kid."
"You wouldn’t be saying that if you had to put up with his one-liners," Amy pitched in.
"Hey!"
The man chuckled and cradled the child against his chest. "You coming?"
"No," Tannim said. "We have to go back and act natural. We have backup waiting in the sewers if we need it. Now go, so we can bug out."
The man nodded in understanding. "Godspeed, kids."
Cordelia nudged Vamp Willow under the table. "Here they come."
The natural redhead turned on her stool and watched the customers staring at Amy’s back as the trio approached. She heard someone mutter about Amy’s lack of underwear and wondered how they’d notice something like that.
"Hey, Willsy," Amy pouted, sounding vastly disappointed. "Percy was squeaking like a rat. You told me he could hang."
"I’ve been wrong before," the vampiress shrugged as they shared a quick liplock. "Besides, that just means more for me."
"Yeah," Cordelia sighed, "and on that note, let’s blow this joint."
The quintet started to leave, leaving Vamp Willow to turn and say, "We’ll catch you guys later. See you tonight, so start praying." <You’re going to need it.>
"Later, Rosenberg," the bartender said with a chuckle.
Amy leaned in close to Tannim. "Please," she begged, "just one."
"No. Remember the plan."
"What are you two talking about?" Cordelia demanded.
Tannim whispered, "She wants to cast a fireball up these guys’ asses for the way they had prisoners strung up."
"Oh," the Amazon muttered to herself. Thinking rapidly, she leaned into the corset-dressed Netgirl. "Will, leave the door to the basement open when we leave."
Vamp Willow looked at her sidelong, but restrained from commenting. She pulled the door open to let her companions descend into the basement. Taking one last glance at the club she’d spent much of her life in, she turned and vanished from the barroom.
Vamp Xander lifted the grate for the others. Tannim went down first, followed by Vamp Willow. Cordelia took the grate and said, "Head on down. I don’t want Will worrying about you."
"What?" he asked in confusion. "But.."
"Stop being a gentleman and go!" the brunette hissed.
Vamp Xander started descending, against his better judgment. Cordelia looked at Amy, who was wondering what was going on.
"Here’s the plan," the warrior began with gleaming eyes. "I’m gonna head down. You start, but do whatever you want to do." A devious grin crossed both women’s faces. "Since the door’s open, you have no excuse to miss. Now listen up. Once you fire that thing off, *drop*. Don’t climb down, don’t scamper, and don’t stay to watch. D-R-O-P. I’ll be there to catch you. I’m not going to risk you getting third degree burns. Got it?"
Her eyes gleaming in delight, Amy cracked her knuckles. "Let’s do it."
Gabrielle chuckled as she overheard the girls’ plan. She glanced at Steve, who was watching her with interest.
The bard said, "Call Ceirdwyn and Giles. Tell them to get ready. They’re to fire on Amy’s signal."
"Excuse me?" the demon hunter asked. "What signal?"
"Just do it," Gabby said, a trace of urgency in her voice.
Sighing in frustration, Steve St. Wolf keyed his radio.
"Got it, St. Wolf." Ceirdwyn turned to the box she and Wish Giles had lugged to the roof across the street from the Bronze. "St. Wolf says to wait for the signal from the bar team, then send them this little party favor."
"What signal?" Wish Giles asked, to which his companion shrugged. "I do hope it’s something we can interpret. This military-style cloak-and-dagger method is somewhat beyond my experience."
"As opposed to fighting vampires?" Ceirdwyn chuckled as she set up the launcher.
Wish Giles joined her. "Quite right, Sergeant."
Ceirdwyn finished setting up the launcher and held it out to the librarian. "All right, it’s simple. Point this end at the club, look through this sight, pull the trigger. Simple."
"I think I can handle it," the Watcher mumbled with a dry chuckle. He took the launcher and settled in the position Ceirdwyn had demonstrated three times already. "Let’s hope this signal comes soon."
Cordelia had hustled down the chute, leaving Amy alone. She descended the first few rungs until her head, shoulders, and arms were the only things visible. She pointed one hand like a finger gun at the entrance to the bar.
She let her face turn grim over what she’d seen in the prison room. Her eyes bled over from blue to pitch-blackness as she chanted. "Goddess Hecate, to thee I pray, with this spell, set my foes aflame!"
Amy’s finger glowed for a bit. Without warning, a pea-sized orange ball of flame shot from her digit. The ball shot forward at supersonic speeds, expanding as it shot through the doorway. Rather than take satisfaction in viewing the results of her incantation, the New Salemite kicked back, threw her arms straight up, and let gravity do the rest, yelling out a sharp, "BANZAI!"
The vampires lounging closest to the basement door heard the chant coming from the cellar, but were unable to make out the words. They jumped back in surprise as the baseball-sized meteor shot out of the basement. The others, their attention drawn by the whistling sound, turned just in time to see the beach ball-sized streak of orange iridescence impact against the ceiling.
Collectively, the vampires thought, <What the H. .>
Anything more was forever rendered unknown by the tremendous roar from the explosion that consumed them in proverbial fire and brimstone.
Wish Giles and Ceirdwyn jumped back in shock as the door and windows were blown off of their mountings as flames whose heat could be felt across the street spilled out into the late morning air.
"Oghma!" Ceirdwyn proclaimed in a dry whisper.
Wish Giles gave a different oath. "DAMN BLOODY YANKS!!!"
"You were right, Giles," the Celtic Immie noted. "St. Wolf does play for keeps."
"I assume that the signal has been given?" the Watcher noted sarcastically.
"She’s all yours," the cop laughed. <This chap was right. St. Wolf is scary.>
"I’ve dreamt of this for a bloody long time," Wish Giles whispered, though Ceirdwyn heard every syllable. "God save the Queen!"
As the man’s finger pressed the trigger, there was a dull roar as one of the United State’s finest military implements flew at its intended target. Giles’ aim was apparently fine, as the rocket passed directly through one of the open windows. A split second later, a massive wave of concussive force sent pieces of all four walls of the Bronze flying in all directions, disintegrating the cinder and concrete. The roof then collapsed, falling to the ground and bringing the walls down with it, burying any and all who were in the club.
Ceirdwyn and Wish Giles looked up at the utter destruction and started packing their equipment. As they stood up and began to head to the door to the roof, Ceirdwyn couldn’t help but glance at the White Hat’s leader.
"God save the Queen?" she dryly asked.
He shrugged. "It was all that came to mind."
"Not bad, though," she offered. The two chuckled as they left the roof.
A dull rumble sounded in the sewers. Steve and his partners began looking around, but were soon joined by Tannim and Vamp Willow, who came running into their designated meeting point.
"Where are the others?" Steve barked.
"Right behind you!" Vamp Xander announced, skidding to a stop in the intersection.
Sonja snarled, "Don’t tell me you left the others behind!"
"Hey! I didn’t want to leave, but I know better than to piss that Cordelia off, from personal experience," the vampire said. "She was the boss, she told me to join Willow. Don’t ask me more."
A second rumble was felt, its epicenter being close to where the bar team had been. Ten seconds later, Amy and Cordelia came strutting in, looking far too pleased with themselves.
Steve marched over to Cordelia and said, "What the Hell did you do?"
"Hey, Grail Boy, don’t blame her!" Steve looked over and saw Amy glaring at him. She walked up to him and jammed a finger into his chest. "She didn’t see what those dead dudes did to the mortals in there. I did. So did Xander and Tannim." She settled down, a hard look on her face. "I wanted to be able to tell the people that we gave them some payback. You have a problem with that?"
"We waited until everyone else was gone, and Amy fired her spell from the sewer grate," the Amazon teen continued. "She dropped right into my arms and we booked. We were as far from the club as we could get before they launched the rocket. I do know what I’m doing."
Steve considered their argument and looked to Gabrielle. "What do you think? Seriously."
"It was a risk, sister," the Battling Bard told Cordelia. "You pulled it off this time, but you can’t allow your personal feelings to interfere with our mission." She looked dead on at Amy and said, to both of them, "Our job is to save lives and help people, not to take out our frustration and anger by playing Vengeance Girls. It worked this time, since we knew there weren’t any prisoners left. But next time. . ."
Trailing off, she saw that she’d gotten the message across to both girls. Gabrielle then added, "At the same time, Cordelia, you did weigh the risks and made sure your people were safe before improvising. In that, you did well. So overall, you handled the mission satisfactorily, in my opinion. Steven?"
"Same here," St. Wolf said, having seen the message received loud and clear. "Good work, all of you. Now let’s get back to HQ. Arthur, you and Sonja are on point. Gabrielle, you and me are drag. Amy and Tannim, have some offensive spells ready, but I want surgical precision, not massive explosions. Move out."
Sonja and Gabrielle handed Glock 21’s to Vamps Willow and Xander, who took the weapons since they didn’t have mystical power to add to that of the witch and mage. As they started walking, Gabrielle raised her voice. "Cordelia, Willow, I need to ask you one question."
Not looking back as they marched, Cordy said, "Shoot."
Sonja tossed back over her shoulder, "We have to know; just how loud does Xander moan at the Motor Lodge?"
Cordelia and Vamp Willow paled (a somewhat difficult task in Willow’s case) as they realized what this meant. They glared at the cursing St. Wolf.
"You gave them THE HEADPHONES?!?" Cordelia screeched.
"We were bored," Gabrielle said with a giggle. "At least Steve didn’t listen in."
"You are SO dead, you chowder-head!" Cordelia promised the Immortal soldier. "I swear to Artemis!"
Steve tried to ignore her bluster. "Let’s keep our minds on business, shall we?"
Someone was, as Amy quickly started chanting in Latin, something only Gabrielle and Sonja understood.
Amy conjured a rope composed of glowing light and started twirling it like a lasso. She threw the loop forward and the rope shot out, weaving its way through the sewers like a sidewinder. The warriors heard a yelp, and then someone screaming for help. Amy made motions of dragging a rope in, and sure enough, the created rope came back, dragging a young vampire by his heels.
"You have GOT to teach me that spell," Vamp Willow gushed.
"Why? To catch vampires?"
"No, for bondage fun with Xander during playtime."
Cordelia growled, "Ewwwww!"
The witch just smiled as she leaned over the constricting rope. "Okay, just what are you doing sneaking around,
buddy boy? You like peeking in on people when you’re not invited?"
The vampire gave her a defiant glare and
said, "I’m not afraid of you, little girl!"
"This little girl happens to be a witch," Vamp Xander said as he knelt down. "How’s it going, Jimmy?"
"Harris? What the Hell are you doing with these humans?!?"
Vamp Willow ran a finger up and down Xander’s neck. "Now you know he’s not the one who kisses and tells, Jimmy."
The vampire looked back and forth in confusion before Vamp Xander revealed his secret. "It’s a soul thing, Jimmy. You know how it goes. Master unveils the factory, Watcher casts spell, we go to alternate universe, get our souls back, and come back to wipe the vamp answer to Captain Picard off the face of the Hellmouth."
Vamp Xander pulled out a stake and said, "Sorry you won’t be around to see it." He drove the stake into the runner’s heart and whispered, "I hope you don’t hate me for turning you, kid."
Vamp Willow squeezed his shoulder with tender care, rather than sexual intent. He stood up and said, "Let’s get out of here before we get any more guests."
"I’m all for that," Amy said, taking the lead before Steve could order a marching order.
"Amy," Steve said with a sigh of embarrassment.
The witch turned around to see everyone staring at her, some with smiles. "What?"
"Your pants," the Green Beret said as he averted his eyes.
With a roll of her eyes, Amy took off her leather jacket, wrapped it around her waist, and tied off the sleeves. Waving her now bare arms, she snapped, "Happy now?"
"Not anymore," Sonja, Gabrielle, and Vamp Willow said with mock disappointment.
"Save it for the bedroom!" Cordelia snapped.
"Okay," all four bi-girls happily agreed.
They turned and started marching toward the combined teams’ meeting point, leaving Vamp Xander with a look of longing, Cordelia gagging, Arthur wondering if waking up in this century was a good thing after all, and Steve rubbing the bridge of his nose with his thumb and index finger.
"I’m getting too old for this shit."
St. Wolf Residence
Sunnydale, California (the Wandererverse)
13 December 1998
Amy exited the kitchen, suppressing a small yawn as she shuffled into Steve's living room. She glanced at her watch and saw that the time was 8:45. Then her tired mind revisited the events of the previous night.
<Goddess. In about seven or eight hours we captured Xander’s and Will’s doubles, restored their souls, gathered a small army, and Artemis transported the team to another reality. Yep, Fed Ex would be jealous as heck.> She snickered, then stopped abruptly when she realized she hadn't heard herself laugh. She called out for Joe or Brian and was stunned when she couldn’t hear her own voice.
<What in the Goddess' nam—Yikes!> She jumped as someone touched her shoulder from behind. The startled Amazon whirled and prepared to punch whomever it was. She found a startled Kendra there and snapped, "Don't DO that!" but heard nothing.
Kendra just stared and said something in return, but the Slayer's words were just as inaudible as Amy's. Amy just rolled her eyes and shrugged. The blonde witch pointed upstairs and Kendra nodded. As the Slayer took the stairs two at a time to wake up Joe N'Gato, Amy scanned the living room, then started for the computer room to check the monitors. Then something caught her attention and the pieces all fell into place when she saw her cousin laid out on the couch, fast asleep.
<Obviously she was here all night,> Amy sighed. <Of course, she used some of her research time telling me how she found Millie. And she…> A smile dawned on her face. <She showed me that stuff about my Amazon blessing.>
The witch crossed to the front of the couch and stepped around Shaw's dark blue Nikes, taking care not to trip over them. She wondered why Shaw had cast a silence spell over the room and crouched to take a closer look at the slumbering Hunter. Shaw's face gave Amy all the answers she needed.
Shaw's cheeks were flushed a deeper shade of blue and the blonde girl could see obvious tear tracks on her face. Amy's face fell as she realized the likely reason her cousin had cast that spell and a surge of anger rose within her.
<Ares, I hope Mielikki makes you pay through the ass for this.> Then she shot a sympathetic glance at the sleeping Shaw. <Well, cuz,> she thought, <rise and shine.>
Amy jostled Shaw's arm where it met the shoulder. With a couple of shakes, Shaw's eyes snapped open. Caution and determination came first, but awareness followed soon after. She sat upright with a fluid motion, bleary eyes darting from side to side.
Amy waved her hands to capture the half-elf's attention. When she squinted in confusion, the witch grinned and uttered a silent, "Hi!"
Shaw caught on and closed her eyes in concentration. Amy felt her cousin tap into the effect of the spell she'd cast and sensed when it had dissipated. She cheerfully smiled at the half-elf and chirped, "Morning, sleepy head."
Shaw raked her fingers through her tangled hair and said, "Good morning."
<Goddess, and I thought you were a morning person,> Amy inwardly chuckled before sobering. She sat on the couch next to Shaw and asked, "You want to talk about it?" When Shaw gave her a confused look, she added, "You had a nightmare, didn't you?"
Shaw's eyes grew a bit clearer. "Yes, Amy," she admitted. "But I cannot remember it. I tried to focus on the dream, but…"
"The harder you try to remember, the quicker it goes 'poof,'" Amy finished. She shrugged. "That happens to me, too."
Shaw simply nodded before glancing at Amy. "What time is it?"
"Almost nine," the witch responded with a grin. "How late were you up?"
"I am not certain," Shaw confessed sleepily. She slowly stood and stretched.
Amy stood next to her and asked, "Why don't you go home and catch some Z's?"
The ranger shook her head. "No, I will go home and change into fresh clothing."
Amy folded her arms and frowned. "Shaw, I worry about you. If you skip your sleep…"
"I took a nap yesterday afternoon," the cleric noted with a sigh. "I can sleep later this afternoon or tonight." With a slight pause, Shaw said, "It is not as if I shall patrol."
Amy glanced at the floor. "We'll still need you here tonight, Hunter. If anyone needs to be healed, I want you handy."
Shaw nodded slightly. "I just worry about you," she told the Amazon before adding, "all of you."
"I know," Amy replied putting a reassuring arm around Shaw. The sound of creaking wood attracted their attention. The cousins looked up to see Kendra coming down the stairs with Joe and Brian. She asked, "How are you doing, guys?"
"Hi Amy," Brian said with a smile.
Joe nodded at the girls. "I am well this morning, Miss Madison."
"Good," Amy said with a sharp nod. Switching her attention to the Knight, she asked, "So what's on the agenda for today, Joe?"
Joe closed his eyes and seemed to consider her question. "I am to give Detective Foley a wakeup call at ten o'clock and fetch him at the Motor Lodge at eleven. Mister Blaisdell, Mister Banyon, Miss Kentraine, and Sir Korendil are due to arrive here around the same time. Other than that, I had thought perhaps a light workout might allow us to familiarize ourselves with one another's styles before we patrol tonight."
"Okay, that sounds good." She smiled. "I can save you a trip to the Motor Lodge. Let me take Steve's truck and I’ll drop the night owl here at home. Then I’ll pick up Detective Foley."
The Liberian considered her offer and let a minute smile touch his lips. "Thank you, Miss Madison."
"You *can* call me Amy, Joe."
"Very well…Amy," N'Gato agreed with a bit of hesitation. "I'll fetch the keys for you."
As Joe left, Amy turned to Kendra. "Before we book, I'll take orders for take out. Did you have breakfast?"
Kendra nodded evenly. "Buffy's mother is most insistent on such matters. She asked me to ensure that Buffy had a sound meal this morning. She does not know..."
"Because Buffy doesn't want her to have a heart attack. So mum's the word," Amy reminded her. "How about you, Bri?"
"I'll take the special with extra bacon," the young man answered.
Shaw started to laugh, while Amy narrowed her eyes at him. "Brian, I asked what *you* wanted. That crazy mutt can scrounge his own bacon."
A plaintive whine came from the kitchen.
Amy started to shake her head when the phone in Steve's office rang.
Amy groaned. "Oh man…here we go!"
"What?" Kendra asked.
Amy glared at the Slayer. "Well...we're all alone here, the gang's gone, and now Steve's phone is ringing!" Amy blurted out. She hustled to the office and said, "You know what this means."
"We are SO screwed?" Shaw suggested innocently.
Amy stopped at the doorway as Kendra and Brian snickered. With a silent plea for her cousin to stop emulating Robin and Xander, the Amazon stormed inside.
Amy plopped into Steve's chair and hit the speaker button. "Talk to me!" she snapped.
The caller was somewhat slow to respond. "Er...I'm sorry. I must have the wrong—"
"Captain Randall?" the witch asked. She recognized the caller's voice from July. "It's Amy Madison."
"Amy Madison?"
"Yeah, Captain," she responded with a grin. "L.A. The Forum? I’m the non-Slayer blonde who fired an assault rifle at Throlog's head?"
"Of course!" the captain snapped in belated recognition. "I remember you now, Amy. Sorry." He paused then said, "Amy, is Steve there?"
"No. He and most of the team are out of town." <WAY out of town.> "Lemme guess; another seven hundred vampires are trying the same old summoning trick?"
"No, but it's strange in its own right," the Captain said. "This time we have two inner city gangs, one human and one vampire, battling in Los Angeles. I have the Rangers and Zombies on standby, but I wanted to call your group in if they were available."
<Damn! This just had to happen!> Amy punched the numbers in her head. <Me, Kendra, and Joe from our team. Eric, Beth, and Korey have a good amount of power, that'll help. That leaves Larry, Brian, Shaw, Charlie, and Detective Foley for Sunny…no, it's no good, Sabrina.>
"Miss Madison?"
His voice yanked Amy back into the conversation. "Captain Randall, we're short on weapons and manpower. A lot of the people we called in July are already committed. I have some backup arriving shortly, but I'm hurting even then." She paused and then softly asked, "How many vampires are we talking about?"
"According to one of the kids we’ve talked to, I’d say around fifty to sixty."
Amy thanked Artemis for small favors. <If that's all, maybe we can do this.> "Captain, why don't you come to Sunnydale?" she asked. "That way, we can compare notes."
"Amy," Randall said carefully, "I have three people involved in the case who know about vampires, but don't have experience in…other matters."
Amy paused for a moment, then said, "What do you think about them?"
Randall was silent for several seconds. "Well, one's a good man, but he's having a hard time believing in this. Another's the kid whose group has been fighting the vampires. The third is another detective, she's like Steve and Buffy in that she takes a long view of things."
Amy thought about it and considered calling Joe for his opinion. She halted when she remembered that *she* was the one Steve had left in charge. <I'm in charge,> she thought dully. Some of the irritation she still felt over not going with the team began to fade as she began to understand the trust Steve had placed in her. "Captain, bring all three of them. If they're going to be involved, we might as well throw them in the deep end."
"I hope to God you're right about this," the cop sighed. "All right. I'll bring them and Pat Kelly as well."
Amy smiled at the mention of the Immortal. "Okay. Tell him not to worry, Buffy won't take him down this time."
Randall laughed on the other end. "I'll do that. We can be there by noon."
"Good. I'll have everyone here."
Amy terminated the call and rose from the chair. She strode out of the office and went straight to Joe N'Gato.
"We’ve got a problem," Amy told him.
The leader-pro-tem relayed the situation to the people present in a brief, concise fashion. When she had finished, she started issuing directives.
Handing her cell phone and a number to Kendra, she said, "Kendra, call Beth in San Francisco. Tell them to get here ASAP. Food will be waiting for them when they arrive. Then call Larry and tell him to get over here."
She turned to Joe. "Call Detective Foley and tell him to be ready to go in a half hour. Then call the diner and order ten breakfast specials, extra everything. That way everyone gets their fill. I'll pick them up when I swing back."
As the Grail Knight moved for the office, Shaw asked, "What can I do?"
"Go home," the Hecatian said. Seeing the shocked look on Shaw's face, Amy rolled her eyes. "I'll drop you off, you'll get a shower and clean clothes, plus any equipment you've got hidden there, and I'll pick you up and bring you back. We'll go from there."
The Amazon then turned to Brian. "Okay, kiddo. First thing, put a pot of coffee on. Second, start sorting out some ammo, wooden and silver bullets. Got it?"
"Got it," the younger Jessup said with a smile.
The Amazon turned to her cousin. "Come on, Shaw. Let's motor."
"Any questions?" she asked, scanning the room. It was ten-thirty and everyone was sitting in Steve's living room. Amy had reported on the events in the City of Angels, as well as what they could expect when their visitors arrived.
To the witch's surprise, it was Korendil who spoke first. "Lady Amy, while I do not have much experience in such battles, I have learned enough >from your television shows to know that these vampires, being 'gang bangers,' would likely possess firearms."
"Which fire bullets made of steel or iron," Amy finished. When he nodded solemnly, she said, "Steve left us a few suits of Grail body armor, Korey. It stops anything up to fifty caliber, including armor-piercing bullets."
Having seen the suits on those who had ventured to the other universe, the Magus Minor nodded in appreciation. "Thank you, milady."
"You're welcome, and nix the 'milady' stuff." She glanced at the other witch. "Beth?"
"I have a few offensive and defensive spells, but those are more for dealing with single opponents. I don't have anything to address multiple targets."
Amy dismissively waved a hand. "You're Wicca, right?" At Bethany's nod, she continued. "No problem. We have a copy of Wiccan Spells And Rituals in the original Celtic AND transcribed into English."
Beth Kentraine's jaw dropped. "Oh Lord and Lady, you're fortunate we have a battle on the horizon. Otherwise, I'd lock myself in your library."
"I know the feeling," Amy agreed. Turning to Joe, she said, "Joe, you and Brian have the ammo ready?"
"Enough for a pitched battle, although I hope it won't come to that," the civil engineer responded. "I also readied Uzi and Beretta nine millimeter weapons. We also have two Ithaca shotguns with Dragon's Breath shells."
"Cool," Amy muttered. "Kendra, everything ready on your end?"
The Slayer nodded. "I have ten holy water grenades and five white phosphorous grenades set aside." She glanced at the young woman next to her. "Also, Shaw and I have filled five more with another liquid. Shaw believes that they will prove effective."
"This is *not* the time for experimentation, you two!" Amy scolded. She glared at her cousin and asked, "What's in the grenades?"
"Hydrochloric acid."
Amy and the others did a double take. The teen shook her head and said, "Where-- no. Don't answer that. I SO don't want to know." She turned to Larry and Axel. "Larry, Detective Foley, once we figure out a plan of action, the two of you will team up with Charlie for patrols. I don't like it, but I don't see much of a choice at this point."
"Hey girl, it's okay," Axel said with confidence. "Now that I got hooked up with your goodies, I'm ready to kick ass and take names."
Axel's bravado was a bit infectious. "Thanks," the Amazon said gratefully. "But I want to cover all our bases, just to be safe." She glanced at the Misthold entourage. "Korey, I know from Shaw and Robin that there's a group of elves in Los Angeles. Would they be willing to help?"
Korey looked between his human friends and pondered the question; it was his home Elfhame they were talking about. "They might be willing to aid us. It will depend on how persuasive I am. Dharinel would not approve, but since he is not here…"
"Okay, go ahead and call them," she said while sharing Korendil's secret smile. She looked to Joe. "Joe, did you get ahold of the monks?"
"Yes, but they are currently engaged in a battle near the Mexican border."
Amy's confidence sagged a bit. "Damn," she snapped before looking back at Shaw. "Okay, cuz, I hate to ask you this, but can you call Blade? We could use any extra hands we can get, and we know he'll do it just to take them out."
The ranger nodded uncertainly. "How are they supposed to come here from New York?"
"I'll worry about that. Just place the call." She looked everyone over. "Okay, let's get the equipment organized. Kendra, show Beth where we keep the spell books. Larry, you and Brian arrange equipment kits. Joe, Shaw, I want to talk to you."
As most of the others left, Joe and Shaw remained seated. The Amazon looked at the man with earnestness. "Joe, do you have any experience in urban combat?"
"Yes, Amy. But you have enough time under your proverbial belt to command this group in Sir Steven and Buffy's absence."
"The suburbs aren’t the same as a city, Joe."
Joe conceded the observation with a nod. "But close quarters is close quarters. It should at least be easier than fighting in the sewers beneath Sunnydale."
"Good point." Amy sighed. "Thanks, Joe. I need to talk to Shaw."
Joe sent a glance Shaw's way before turning and leaving the living room. Shaw just watched Amy, allowing her to speak first.
Amy considered a viable starting point. "How do our healing stores look?"
The elfgirl blinked. "The others took the potions after we gave two of them to Angel. That leaves us with a number of scrolls; three with five lesser healing spells each, two with three moderate healing spells per scroll."
Amy did a quick tally. <Twenty-one spells.> "You've been busy." She eyed her relative carefully. "Shaw, I'll be straight with you. If we aren't going to have Aaron or Michael with us, those scrolls are just graffiti without a priest to cast them."
The older woman knew what Amy was saying. She slowly stood and said, "Amy, I am in no condition for this. Last night proved it."
"I'm not talking about fighting, Shaw," the servant of Artemis explained. She licked her lips and said, "I figure we'll set up a command post before we go after the bad guys. You could stay there and do any healing when we get back."
Shaw looked toward the living room. "What about those who stay here? Who will watch over them?"
<She doesn't want to go,> Amy realized in shock. She frowned at the taciturn half-elf. "Shaw, we might need you. We don't have a mega-Immortal army this time."
"But you will be stronger in magic with Bethany, Eric, and Korendil. Eric can cast healing spells."
"But it takes a lot out of him," the witch countered. "You know that as well as I do." She glanced at the floor for a second before looking back at Shaw. "Shaw, I know you're not in good shape. Do you think I'd ask you to do this if it wasn't absolutely necessary?"
"I know you wouldn't," Shaw whispered, though Amy picked it up. Amy watched Shaw look into her eyes, uncertainty plain to see. "I will do what I can, Amy, but..."
"I know," she said tenderly. The Amazon nodded softly and said, "Like I said, we'll let you stay at the command post. But now, I need you to place that call."
Shaw nodded and went to follow Amy's orders. The teenager watched and thought about how easily giving orders was coming to her, wondering what the day would hold.
Abandoned Warehouse
New York City, New York (the Wandererverse)
13 December 1998
Blade flipped open his cell phone before the first tone even ended. "Blade."
"Blade? I am calling to ask for your help," came an accented female voice.
Blade's left eye rose a millimeter. "Hunter? What help do you need?" He left the words "this time" unsaid.
The voice on the other end sighed. "Two things, one of which is simple, the other not. The Wanderer and most of our group have been called away on a mission to wipe out a large group of vampires, leaving us under strength for our routine patrols on the Hellmouth. We have just learned of another situation involving a group of vampires fighting a similar group of humans, and your urban experience might prove to be useful."
Blade stonily said, "Just a minute." He looked to the back of the room and called out, "Whistler. Hunter's on the line."
Whistler dropped the modified shotgun he was working on and walked over to his student and friend. He slowed only long enough to throw a spit of tobacco juice into a spittoon before coming up to the dhampir. "What's ol' Pointy Ears want?"
"Says she needs backup," the vampire hunter replied. He held the phone out and said, "Something about vamps fighting humans."
"Lemme see," the old man said. He took the phone and lifted it to his ear. "Hey, Hunter, what's your situation?"
"Hello to you as well, Whistler," she said dryly, giving Whistler a good chuckle. "Steven and much of our team are on a mission, leaving us with only a partial team. This morning, a Captain with the Los Angeles Police Department who knows of certain things called us. In a sense, he is asking for our team's help in dealing with what I believe you N'Tel'Quetethiras call a... ‘turf war?’"
"Lemme get this straight, kiddo," the armorer snapped in disbelief, not rising to the bait of the Hunter using Elvish to describe him and Blade. "You want us to help you and your teenybopper vamp hunter friends stop a couple of STREET GANGS?!?"
"One of which is composed of vampires, yes," came the deadpan response.
"I knew I should've thrown away this cell after seeing Cherokee again," Whistler mumbled. He thought about it and said, "And just how are we supposed to get to L.A.?"
"We can arrange…transport for you," she said over the connection, "in the form of a Gate spell cast by an elven mage. It would open and allow you to walk through like any portal."
"Damn," the former soldier said, impressed despite himself. "Give us an hour to call some 'friends' who might want to join the party. Open your little doorway in sixty minutes. We'll be ready, alone or no."
"Thank you, Whistler," the woman said over the phone.
"You wanna thank us, you give us the address of a bar so Blade and I can get good and drunk once the fight's over," he told her jokingly.
She laughed over the line. "That will *not* be a problem."
She broke the connection and Whistler closed the phone. He looked at the taciturn fighter. "Call Castle and Ketch, ask them if they want to join the party. I'll dial Morbius."
"You're gonna ask a bloodsucker to work with us?" Blade asked emotionlessly.
Whistler shook his head in frustration over an old argument. "He's not a normal vamp, you know that. Not his fault he’s a shitty chemist. Who would YOU have me call?"
Blade's head dropped just a bit as he pondered the question. After a few seconds consideration, he looked up. "Wilson."
Whistler snorted. "Oh sure. Hunter asks us for help, and you want to call a guy that'd charge US an arm and a leg." He tossed the phone back to its owner. "Get dialing, Blade."
Fifty-three minutes later, three men stood in the headquarters of the Daywalker. Besides Whistler and Blade, a young white man wearing a motorcycle jacket and blue jeans talked with the two about the fight they might be heading into.
"So this *elf* calls you and asks for your help with a vampire fight," Daniel Ketch, also known as the Ghost Rider, started. "And you call me to help out since they might be fighting a vampire street gang."
"That’s about the size of it, kid," Whistler said through a smile. "Kinda hard to believe, huh?"
"Not in that I don’t think it could happen, old fart," Ketch joked. He rubbed the five o’clock shadow on his face and said, "I thought this kind of thing could only happen in New York."
Whistler joined his chuckles. "Laugh it up, kid. You think the Big Apple is bad, just wait’ll you get a load of the Hellmouth. There are some nasty bastards in that town and they’re the good guys!"
Ketch sobered and shot a questioning glance at Whistler. "So we’re it, the entire cavalry?"
Whistler shuffled his feet and spat on the floor. "Yeah, we’re it. Morbius, Castle, and Wilson couldn’t make it to this party. They’re all tied up. They just have to make do with us, rugrat."
Blade, who had been listening half-heartedly to the conversation, stiffened. "Do you feel that?"
Whistler reacted immediately; he picked up a double barrel shotgun and cocked the hammers. "What is it, Blade?"
Blade turned to indicate what he had sensed, but it became unnecessary when a shimmering portal opened before them. Blade picked up his katana and Glock 21 and said, "Looks like our ride’s here."
Dan leaned in and said, "Did Blade just crack a joke?"
"Sounded like it," Whistler shrugged. He cocked his head in thought. "It was bound to happen sooner or later. Enough jabber. Let’s move."
Ketch nodded and walked over to his parked motorcycle. He raised the kickstand and started walking toward the portal, watching in fascination as Blade and Whistler walked into the glowing oval and disappeared from view. <Strange,> he thought before shrugging. <Of course, I transform into a demon biker with a flaming skull. Who am I to talk?>
Ketch proceeded into the portal, wondering what his mother would think if she had any idea of how he spent some of his nights.
<Just once, I’d like to meet a teenager who knew what I went through.>
He passed through and the portal closed in on itself, vanishing without a trace like it had never existed.
St. Wolf Residence
Sunnydale, California (the Wandererverse)
13 December 1998
A pair of SUV's parked in front of the large house. John Randall, Tracy Vetter, Steve Sloan, and JD Heart exited the first. Exiting the second vehicle were Pat Kelly, leader of the SWAT team known as the Zombies, as well as three younger people; Charles Gunn, his friend Pablo, and a tall young woman, barely twenty years of age, with long blonde hair and large, dark eyes.
Randall shivered as he glanced at his partner. "Remember the last time we were here?"
"Don't worry," Vetter said jokingly, "I don't think 'Ironman' is waiting for you this time."
Randall shot her a glare before turning to Gunn. "Charles, you do realize that everything you see and hear in this house is classified, right?"
"Yeah, yeah, we get the point," Gunn said in resignation. "And don't call me Charles. Makes me feel old."
Pat Kelly and JD just shared secret smiles.
Steve Sloan asked his partner, "So what do you think? Not exactly the type of headquarters I'd expect for a commando unit."
"True," JD agreed readily enough. She asked Randall, "So, Captain, this is the home of the cross between Van Helsing and Rambo?"
Kelly put his two cents worth in at that point. "Heart, trust me. The man that leads this team is the real deal."
"Really? I'll judge for myself," Heart said with a grin that did nothing to reassure her superiors. Off their looks, she rolled her eyes and said, "I promise to behave, Mommy and Daddy. Cross my heart and hope to die."
Muttering, "This is going to be one of those days," under his breath, Randall led the group to the door and knocked. Seconds later, a young, athletic-looking blonde woman with medium-blue eyes answered the door.
She glanced at the group standing behind the Captain and seemed to linger over JD for half a second. Her face became neutral. "You said you were bringing three, Captain."
"The situation's changed a bit," Randall answered sheepishly. When the girl's left eyebrow arched a bit, he told her, "The two kids came into the station just before we were leaving for Sunnydale. Things are a bit more urgent now. One of their fighters was taken by the bad guys last night."
The teenager nodded and backed away to allow them to enter. "Come in. Our backup has arrived."
"Thank you," Randall said. He started into the house. "Let's go, people."
JD shared a look with Pat Kelly, who smiled and started walking. She turned to her partner and said just loud enough for others to hear, "Tight butts before beauty."
Steve groaned and tried to ignore the SWAT Lieutenant’s snickers.
As the cops entered the strange house, Gunn glanced at the blonde woman standing next to him. He whispered, "Well, Lily?"
The girl he'd asked shook her head. "It's not her. I'll never forget her face."
"Then who is she?" Pablo asked, slightly worried.
"Guess we'll find out," Gunn said tightly. "Come on."
The three young people reluctantly followed their escorts inside.
As the last three walked in, Amy shut the door behind them and engaged the safety on the gun hidden behind her back. She followed the new arrivals into the living room.
She heard a couple of startled gasps as the kids took in the people who they believed were going to help them with their vampire problem. She had to smother a smile as she imagined the looks on the trio's faces at the sight of three elven warriors in full glory; full plate mail armor, swords at their hips, their flowing hair done up in ponytails to reveal their pointed ears, and their green cat's eyes, complete with slitted pupils.
<Well, Captain Randall and I agreed we'd throw them in the deep end,> Amy snickered to herself. <So let's see how they handle it.>
The Amazon moved to the center of her group and said, "Captain Randall, why don't you and your group take a seat? I know we're going to have some stunned folks, so I'd rather have them sitting in case someone faints."
She heard Brian snicker behind her and shot a stern look his way. After he gulped, she turned to the L. A. group as they took seats, most bearing looks of wonder or fear on their faces.
She looked to Randall once again and asked, "Okay, Captain, why don't you give us the scoop?"
Randall looked to the bald African-American kid, who didn't look too pleased with becoming the center of attention. He glanced at the blonde girl who kept stealing glances at the Sunnydale group. Finally, she shook her head and shrugged.
He looked at Amy and said, "You're not the Slayer."
Amy stiffened a bit before she shot a hard look his way. "How do you know about the Slayer? Don't lie, because I'll be able to tell."
"Say what?" he demanded.
Amy smirked. "Let's just say…I have many skills."
He looked to the girl, who said, "My name's Lily. I once belonged to a group that had raves here…"
"Part of the group that wanted to become vampires," Amy finished, remembering one of the stories told her by Buffy and the gang about their time before she had joined. "Go on. How did you end up with these two?"
"I'll answer that," the bald kid said, standing up with a slightly belligerent pose.
As he stood, Amy felt someone shifting and moving forward. She turned her head and saw Shaw stepping forward. She held a hand up to stop her fellow Slayerette. "Down, cuz!"
Sensing Shaw’s conflict, but noting that she obeyed, Amy nodded to the spokesman to go on.
"My name's Gunn," he said, figuring that introductions were a good place to start. Indicating the man next to him, he said, "This is Pablo, the girl's Lily. She runs a homeless shelter in our 'hood that my Lost Boys occasionally use to stash homies who get wounded."
"You have two separate gathering places?" Amy asked.
"They only stay at the shelter if they're wounded," Lily interjected, and Amy could see that the girl still wondered who she was. "We've managed to keep it a secret, until..."
"What happened?" Amy said, feeling the waves of concern off of the woman.
Gunn spoke up. "Eight months ago, a couple of gang bangers got turned into vamps. Instead of joining the bloodsuckers that made them, they decided to start their own gang. They took members from several groups, which kept their brothers from figuring out what was going on, at least, at first. When one of our people survived an attack, he came to me." Amy started to ask a question, but he answered it before she could ask it. "People consider me a sort of 'Robin Hood' type. I work with people in the 'hood, helping them with crooks, keeping drugs off the streets, stuff like that. When I found out what was going down, I didn't believe it. But after I approached one of those vamps, I was a believer. I got some of the guys who believed me and we started fighting back."
Amy considered that and nodded. "And it's a losing battle?"
Gunn winced and snapped, "Hey, we've held our own. But last night we got suckered. We caught a group trying to hit up some 'recruits' and took them on. Then their buds who were waiting for us started attacking. My sister Alonna got bit, but her vamp got dusted before he could drink her. But one of our boys came up missing."
"You think they took him."
"Yeah," Gunn admitted, showing a pang of sorrow in his eyes. "I think they're gonna turn him and find out about both hideouts."
"And being a public place," Shaw reasoned from behind the witch, "the vampires can enter freely and attack anyone who is in the shelter."
"No!" Lily countered nervously. "I live there, it's my home."
"Then how can the vampires attack?" Kendra asked from her position.
Gunn looked at her, recognizing her accent. "They don't go in. They do whatever they can to get the people to come out." Seeing her confusion, he posted some scenarios. "Firebombs, shutting down the power, doing things to make it impossible for us to stay inside."
"Damn," Amy cursed. Glancing at Randall, she asked, "Who do you have available, Captain?"
"I have the Zombies, of course," Randall said, nodding toward Pat Kelly, "I have the Rangers on standby, since they're not as qualified in some ways as the Zombies are."
Knowing what he meant, Amy disagreed. "We'll still need them as backup, Captain. So I'm including them in any assault plan."
The three kids and Sloan were shocked at her admission that she was leading the team.
Gunn jumped up and shouted, "YOU'RE in charge?!? You gotta be shitting me!!"
"Believe it, Gunn," Pat Kelly chuckled. "I was involved in the fight at the Forum. You should have seen Ms. Madison taking on the biggest demon this side of the Bible. Girl's got skills."
"You expect me to buy this?" Gunn barked. He took a look around the room and remembered the pointy-eared men staring at him, looks of amusement on their faces. "What makes you think you can do any better than my boys?"
Amy sighed; this was going to be a long meeting. "Gunn, please sit down, and we'll get to that. Okay?"
Not seeing he had much of a choice, Gunn sat down and sulked. Amy took that as a good sign. She shifted her gaze to Randall. "Captain, would you mind making introductions?"
"Of course," Randall said, standing up. He held a hand out to Tracy and said, "This is my partner, Detective Tracy Vetter." Moving along, he named the rest of those who'd accompanied him from the big city. "This is Lieutenant Pat Kelly, commander of the Zombies SWAT team." He pointed to the other detectives. "These are Detective Steve Sloan and his partner, Detective JD Heart. The kids," he continued, pointing out each one, "are Charles Gunn, leader of the Lost Boys, Pablo Gonzalez, and Lily Westbrook."
"Glad to meet you," Amy said with a nod of greeting. "All right, from the top." She pointed to Kendra, Joe, Shaw, and Brian. "These are members of our Sunnydale team. In order, Kendra McPhereson, Joe N'Gato, Shaw Hunter, and Brian Jessup." Going on to the backup called in from the West Coast, she said, "These are the people who are going to help us. They are Korendil and his cousin, Arvindel, from an elven community in the Bay Area." The indicated Korey and the other Misthold warrior, who cut an impressive figure in his own right. The other was wearing his hair in a purple color, shaved on one side and thrown over the side of the other. "The punk rocker Knight is Eldenor, one of the high-ranking warriors from the group of elves native to Los Angeles." Going on to Beth and Eric, she introduced them. "Eric Banyon and Beth Kentraine, they work with the elves in San Fran." She then indicated the rough-looking trio standing off to the side. "These three are Blade, Whistler, and Dan Ketch. They're from New York, we called them in so we'd have some people with experience in urban settings." She then pointed to the last person. "And this is Detective Axel Foley, Detroit PD." Finally, she pointed to herself. "I'm Amy Madison, and I'm in charge in our boss's absence."
She took in the looks sent her way by the others. Randall and Vetter looked a bit surprised, but seemed open-minded. Sloan was slack-jawed, as were Gunn, Pablo, and Lily. Kelly rubbed his chin softly, while Heart just gave Amy a grin that said she wasn't caught off guard at all.
Amy shifted her sight into the mystical realm and drew back before she could be blinded. <Yep, *she's* the Immie he mentioned.> By the amount of energy she carried, probably from Quickenings, she had to be pretty up there in years.
"Okay, now before anyone starts shouting, 'this can't be real, that can't be real,'" the high school senior said, "it's real. You know vampires exist, so ask yourself this; is it really that far-fetched that other so-called legends would exist?"
"When you put it that way," Sloan said with a snort, "no."
Gunn didn't seem as convinced. "Let me get this straight; those three guys are elves? Real, live, Lord of the Rings elves?"
"We are, Charles Gunn," the one called Eldenor answered, running a hand through his purple locks. "And know that we will do whatever we can do to help you eliminate the vampire threat you and your friends have been so bravely facing."
"Why?" Gunn asked, suspicious even though the man was complimenting his group's courage.
The curly redhead Beth stood up and told him, "It's what they do."
Gunn looked at the others, who shook their heads in confusion. He turned back to Amy and said, "What about you? No offense, but what's a white bread, stick-figure Barbie from the suburbs know about fighting vampires?"
"Well…Hey! Who’re you calling stick-figure Barbie?"
"Hey…if the Calista Flockhart wardrobe fits…"
Amy’s eyes began to turn jet black just as Shaw noisily cleared her throat. That startled Amy and made her regain her composure. "As I was saying…we have our own vamp problem here," the Scooby informed him. "And let's just say that if I wasn't qualified to handle this mission, my boss wouldn’t have left me in charge."
"Who's your boss?"
Amy smiled at him. "Just your average ex-Green Beret turned CIA spook."
The kids and Sloan all stared back wide-eyed. Amy nodded and continued. "Yep, you heard right. The CIA, or certain people in it, knows about what you and I know about. Now, as for me, I have my own special skills."
"Like what?" Gunn asked. "I don't suppose you'd care to share your 'skills' with us, huh?"
Pat Kelly put a hand on Gunn's shoulder. "Son, I wouldn’t go there if I were you. You ain’t gonna like it, trust me."
"Really?" he said, despite Kelly's endorsement.
"Fine," Amy said, turning away from him. Before anyone could comment, she whirled on the L. A. group, threw out her arm and extended it toward Gunn.
Gunn's eyes opened wide as he was sent into the air, flying back about two feet before stopping, hovering in midair. Amy studied him like a bug trapped in a jar while he gaped at what she knew he now saw; her eyes, normally a moderately dark shade of blue, were now pitch black, making it impossible to determine where her irises ended and the pupils began.
Most of the L. A. group looked stunned, and it was Pablo who jumped up and said, "What the Hell are you?!?"
Shaw stepped forward and let a small smile form. In Spanish, she said, "~~I believe, mi amigo, that the word in your tongue is…bruja?~~"
Pablo crossed himself and whispered, "Madre di Dios."
Gunn snapped, "Put me down!"
"Okay," Amy said, smiling fully as she gently lowered him to the floor. After her eyes had returned to normal, she said, "Qualification number one. When fighting vampires and demons, witchcraft is a really, really good equalizer."
"Holy shit," Sloan breathed. He turned to JD and asked, "Do you believe this?"
"Of course," she smiled at him. She glanced at Amy and said, "If I had a nickel for all the people like her I’ve met…"
"How can you have met so many?" Lily asked, wondering just what kind of cop would hang out with witches.
JD gave her a winning smile. "It's L. A., kid. You run across all types in that town!"
Lily blinked and looked at Steve. "She's your partner?"
"Yeah," Steve sighed.
"You have my sympathies."
Steve nodded in understanding. "I get that a lot."
Amy walked over to Gunn and offered her hand. "Sorry about the little demonstration, but I want to get any doubts out of the way quickly, so we can plan our little hunting trip."
"All right," Gunn said uncertainly. Looking at her hand, he asked, "What happens if I shake your hand? You won't, like, turn me into a rat or anything."
Amy laughed pleasantly and Gunn inclined his head toward her and laughed as well. He gently took her hand and said, "So what’s next?"
She cocked an eyebrow slightly when it struck her that he might be flirting with her. Blushing slightly, the witch said, "What we're going to do is plan an assault on the vamps' nest and take them out before they can go after you or Lily's shelter. Do you know where they are?"
By the sheepish looks that came to the three kids' faces, Amy knew that meant bad news. "You don't know."
Gunn shook his head.
"Damn," Amy muttered. "I don't like the idea of going to your hideout, since the vamps would probably expect you to go on the defensive once you find out your man was taken. Do you have any idea how we might find out where they are before sunset?"
It was Sloan who answered. "I did find something at the scene last night, Ms. Madison." He pulled a small card out of his pocket and handed it over to Amy.
She examined it and said, "Vamps with lawyers?"
"Well, it’s not surprising, kinda a professional courtesy thang," Axel noted. When everyone turned to him with questioning looks on their faces, he added, "You know…one bloodsucker to another."
After everyone moaned at the punchline, Amy looked to Joe N'Gato. "Joe, what do you think?"
The Knight of the Grail mused, "I don't know, Amy. I see no legal recourse that we could use to ask them to hand over information on these vampires."
"I wasn't thinking of doing it legally," Amy said with a smile. When the detectives stiffened, the witch said, "Don't start with the whole search warrant thing. We have no way of telling a judge that a vampire street gang is going to attack a homeless shelter, so would you please give us a warrant to search their lawyers' offices."
She tapped her chin, an idea coming to her mind. "If these lawyers are defending vamps, then it stands to reason that some of the local vamps would know about them, right?"
"I would think so," Joe answered before seeing what Amy was getting at. "Willy's?"
"Willy's," Amy snickered. She turned to Shaw and said, "You up for paying a visit to the Alibi Room, Cuz O' Mine?"
"I think that you, being underage," Shaw said, getting her own smile, "would need chaperones so as not to have the authorities suspect William of selling alcoholic beverages to minors."
"Who do you think would make good chaperones?" Amy asked idly.
In unison, the two women glanced at Blade and Whistler.
"I knew we'd get to have some fun while we were here," Whistler chuckled. "This wouldn't be the bar you mentioned during the telephone call, is it?"
"Not this morning," Amy told him. "But it's the local vamp and demon hangout."
Blade smiled, which sent shivers through most of those present. "Sounds like fun. Let's check it out."
"Let's move," the Amazon said before turning to Randall. "Captain Randall, you and Joe get all the info you can from the kids while we're gone. We'll be back soon."
"Right," Randall said. <Why do I get the feeling it's going to be one of those days?>
Willy's Alibi Room
Sunnydale, California (the Wandererverse)
13 December 1998
Willy spared a glance at the door as he poured a Bloody Mary with real blood in it. He smiled when he saw two men walk in, one being an old guy with thick whiskers and a lump of tobacco in his cheek, the other a black man dressed in leather.
He took the payment from the vampire and turned to help the new customers, but stopped when he saw the two young women who entered the bar behind the men.
"Oh, shit," Willy groaned, attracting the attention of two demon customers. "Not now!"
One of the girls, a willowy teenager with shiny blonde hair, strode up to the bar and leaned across it. Smiling at the bartender, she sweetly asked, "How are tricks, Willy?"
"Oh come on, kid," he groaned, glancing at the silent, black-haired little number next to her. "I can't go through this again!"
"Go through what again, Willy?" one of the demons, a Chaos Demon with slimy horns, asked. Standing up, he growled, "Don't tell me this is the Slayer everyone's so afraid of."
"Why, yes…yes I am," the girl said to Willy's confusion. "I'm not your typical Slayer, though."
"I don't see your boy toy here to protect you," the Chaos Demon snarled aggressively. "You're acting pretty cocky for a little slip of a girl who's all alone."
The other woman coldly said, "She is not alone, demon. Now mind your own business."
"Who do you…" the humanoid said before Willy grabbed his shoulder. "What, Willy?"
"That's the Hunter," he hissed. "She destroyed my bar last month, I don't NEED this!"
Shaking off the whiny owner's hand, the Chaos Demon glared at the light-haired girl. "Look, kid, you might have a rep, but you don't impress me. At least the other Slayers were able to fight without an army backing them up."
The woman claiming to be the Slayer grinned widely and said, "Yeah, and look where it got them. But most of the time, I don’t need an army, slick. And to prove it, let me say a few words on the subject." Not waiting for the demon to react, the girl gestured with her hands and chanted, "Goddess Hecate, work thy will! Make my foe small to thee!"
The "Slayer" gathered a massive quantity of glowing orange eldritch energy and flung it at the demon. Startled gasps came from the nonhuman customers as the Chaos Demon disappeared, leaving nothing but clothes in a limp pile. The girl reached into the clothes and grunted in satisfaction. She picked up the four-inch tall demon and asked, "Not so big and tough now, are you, Tiny?"
"Turn me back!" the demon said in a soprano voice.
"Sorry, no can do. I can't cast that spell twice a day," Amy said, flipping the demon to Willy. He caught the demon while she listened to whispers about the Slayer being a witch. <Make them think twice about trying something,> she thought. She leaned forward and said, "Now Willy, before we go any further, let me tell you something about last month. It wasn't the Hunter's fault your bar got trashed."
"I was there, Madison. She trashed the place!"
"That was Ares' influence," Shaw retorted from Amy's left. "He tried to make me his champion. Needless to say, I refused."
Willy looked at her with a frightened look. Glancing beyond her, he asked, "Who's the muscle?"
"Oh, them," Amy said nonchalantly. "They're just some people covering for the Wanderer while he's out of town running an errand."
As she expected, the vamps and demons in the bar perked up at the mention of the absent demon hunter. Sure that she had their attention, Amy heard Shaw muttering under her breath to enact part of their plan.
The witch jerked her head at the men and said, "They're the guys who we called in to help handle patrols while the Wanderer's incommunicado. The old guy's Whistler."
"Hey ya," Whistler greeted Willy.
"And the statue?" Willy asked, suspicious.
Amy turned to lean back against the bar; she didn't want to miss the looks on the vamps' faces. "Oh, him? I think we should let him introduce himself, since he thinks all vamps are good for only one thing—target practice."
Her jab got a newbie undead to snarl, "And just who is this asshole?"
Blade just eyed the vampire through his shades. "The name's Blade."
A number of drinks were either dropped or spat out as the vampires and several demons tried to rush out of the bar. Amy glanced at Shaw and said, "I take it they've heard of him."
"B-B-B-Blade?" Willy stammered, near to wetting himself. "T-T-T-T-The Daywalker?!?"
"The one and only." Amy grinned. "Hunter?"
Shaw finished the last word to her shielding spell and it sprang up around herself, Amy, and the frightened Willy. Blade drew a pair of Para Ordnance 45's and pointed them at the undead customers.
"AHHHHHHHHHH!" Willy screamed, hiding behind the counter.
As the two men cut loose on the vampires, Shaw leaned into Amy. "I think he is going for intimidation."
"Hey, you want intimidation," Amy noted, "you should have seen the reaction Robin got at this demon bar in L. A."
Shaw only nodded as Blade efficiently shot all twenty-two vampires in the bar, not even touching the demons or the few human patrons. As the reports silenced, the remaining customers just stared in shock while Willy slowly rose from his crouched position.
Amy turned to him and said, "Now that we don't have to worry about people interrupting our little chat, there's a little matter of business from last month. Hunter?"
Shaw pulled out a thick envelope and tossed it onto the bar. When Willy looked at her frightfully, she said, "Enclosed is forty-five thousand dollars in cash, to cover the damage I inflicted last month, as well as lost revenue. As I said, it was Ares' attempt to convert me to his cause that led to this."
Remembering the God of War's appearance in his bar the previous month, Willy had no reason to doubt her claim, despite his fears. He swallowed and hesitantly brought up another point. "What about my juke box? That was a one of a kind vintage antique!"
Amy smiled, which made Willy’s knees shake. "Why do you think we took out the vamps first?" She looked over to the spot where Willy's jukebox had stood for years and concentrated. A few seconds later, a jukebox appeared there.
Willy nearly fainted at the sight; it looked even older than the one the Hunter had destroyed. He turned back and asked, "What's the catch?"
"You'll see," Amy promised. She said out loud, "Try it out, guys."
A lizard demon decided to try his luck. He inserted a quarter and pressed a selection but nothing happened. "It's broke!" he protested.
"Allow me," Shaw said. She walked over to the jukebox, ignored the lizard demon scampering away, and inspected the box for a few seconds. She formed a fist and pounded on a spot.
Suddenly, the jukebox began to play "Rock Around The Clock."
Willy blinked and chuckled. "Just like the one from Happy Days."
"Willy, a word of advice. The Hunter doesn't do replicas."
Willy started to stammer while Amy and Shaw leaned in close, with Blade coming up to cover their backs with his stony sneer boring into Willy's shifty eyes.
"W-w-what do you want?" the terrified barkeep asked.
Amy's smile grew. "Wolfram and Hart. Big law firm in L. A. What do you know?"
Willy gulped and said, "You don't want to mess with them, Madison. They're connected."
"Keep going," Amy ordered.
Seeing little choice with a powerful witch, a half-breed elf fighter, and the East Coast's version of the Wanderer less than two feet from him, Willy capitulated and spilled the beans.
St. Wolf Residence
Sunnydale, California (the Wandererverse)
13 December 1998
"So that's where we stand," Amy said neutrally.
The Amazon, in addition to Joe, Shaw, Kendra, Blade, Korendil, Captain Randall, Pat Kelly, and Gunn, all sat in Steve's office. Upon their return from Willy's, Amy had relayed the information given them by the snitch.
"Let me see if I got this right," Gunn growled, unhappy with the turn of events. "Wolfram and Hart, the suits that work for the bloodsuckers we're facing, are the demons' answer to Johnny Cochran, F. Lee Bailey, and Bobby Donnell, all rolled into one?"
"Pretty much," Amy agreed sourly. Glancing around, she said, "But I don’t see any way we could get the info from them." She glanced at Steve’s computer. "Since our resident hackers are on the team’s mission, we can’t do it the easy way, either."
"You saying you can’t help us?" Gunn asked with a hard voice.
"No, that’s not what I’m saying, Gunn." The witch gave him a dark look. "What I am saying is that we have to rethink our strategy. And you’re going to help us do it."
Gunn glanced around before asking, "How?"
Amy pulled out a map of the area of L. A. where Gunn’s group operated. She smoothed it out on Steve’s desk and pointed at it. "From what you told us, the vamps basically work in these areas, right?" She indicated three locations on the map, which overlapped in areas.
Gunn apparently saw the point she was trying to make. "Yeah. We patrol outside the ‘hoods, but we’ve never had problems except when they tried to take us out last night."
"Bingo. So, what does that tell you?" When he looked at her in confusion, she spelled it out. "I think these vamps are still thinking in ‘gang banger’ mode." She pointed out the vamps’ known hangouts. "Seems to me, they’re staking out their own turf, and you’re in the way. No offense."
"None taken. Bein’ in their way is our job."
Amy smiled at him and he returned it with one of his own. "Okay. Here’s my plan." She glanced at Kendra. "Kendra, you know that spell I came up with for enhancing the range of a Slayer’s ‘vampdar?’"
Kendra blinked. "Buffy has told me about it, yes. You want to cast it on me?"
"I thought there were risks involved with that spell, Amy," Joe said hurriedly. "Sir Steven definitely told me that he had concerns about that. Are you sure about this?"
Amy sighed. "Joe, you know a Slayer’s normal range is about a hundred feet. The spell will crank it up to half a mile. And I don’t plan on having her go in and count the vamps." She turned to Blade, cutting off Joe. "Blade, how fast can Dan’s bike go in ‘normal’ mode?"
The Daywalker considered the information for a few moments. "One-fifty, easy."
"Good enough." She turned back to Kendra, who patiently waited for the Amazon to spell out her plan. "Okay, here’s my idea. I cast the spell on Kendra to boost her ability to detect vamps and figure out how many we’re facing. Dan takes her on his bike, in human form, to L. A. and rides through the areas where Gunn’s little playmates hang out. We’ll get numbers and addresses. They return and we use the intel to saddle up and go after them." She graced Gunn with her blue eyes again. "But I will leave a group at the shelter, just in case."
"Cool. So when do we s