22:10 Unknown Location

Out in the open at this height, there was little protection against the cutting cold of the windy night. The foursome stood off to the side, huddled around the unmoving body. Their benefactors stood a few yards away, one talking on a cell-phone, Asad, and the other two stood slightly further away watching them with distrust.

�This whole deal's giving me a serious case of the wiggins,� Xander muttered.

�We play along for now; we might learn something,� Spike replied without looking up. His blue gaze continued to search for signs of animation. They had given Angel the small supply of blood Wesley had been smart enough to grab from the abandoned Rover. Gunn parked the vehicle several blocks away from the Pyramid building and then called the rental agency to report that it had been stolen while the others cleared out their equipment.

They had started dribbling blood past Angel�s lips at the first opportunity, so far there had been no noticeable change and they were starting to worry. Wesley looked up as Asad finished his call and approached them.

�They're ready to see you now.�

Seconds later, two Bell Jet Rangers appear above them, illuminating them in their searchlight. The strike-force helicopters hovered near the edge of the building and two black-clad figures emerged with a stretcher. Spike and Xander hovered near as Angel was placed on the carrier and taken to the nearest helicopter. They climbed in after the stretcher was placed on the floor, taking seats facing the front. Snow slipped into the vehicle and sat facing them as Nyssa slid into the empty seat next to him and gave the pilot the go signal.

Wesley, Gunn and Asad climbed into the remaining Bell Jet. Asad spoke to the two vampires who had brought the stretcher, using a strange language neither of the two men had ever heard before. The two ninja-vamps turned and vanished across the rooftop.

�Where are they going?� Gunn questioned as he stared after the flittering shadows.

�To *clean* up this situation, this facility cannot remain operational. They will finish the cleaning job you started. Leave your truck some place deep in the city, away from the area so that there will be no obvious connections.� Asad was silent for a moment as he looked out into the darkness. The Bell Jet pulled away from the building, a sleek, black, glittering, work of art as it sliced into the night sky.

�The woman who escaped, who is she? The Cabinet will need to be informed of this. It may too late to silence her, but no matter, she will meet her end.�

*****
POV: Spike
*****

Spike looked out over the endless expanse of velvety darkness. He had no idea where they were headed or even where they were at the moment, all sense of direction and time seemed suspended and irrelevant. Two hours in flight and it already seemed longer, like forever. As a rule Spike didn�t fly, he and airplanes didn�t get on well � for some reason, they just didn�t like him and helicopters fell into that category as well. Flying was flying, and the blonde menace didn�t like it. The hop from Sunnydale to S.F. had been tolerably short, that and Xander had not shut up the entire time. Even when he fell asleep, Xander wasn�t quiet. Spike wondered how anyone could babble on endlessly about absolutely nothing and hold him enthralled the entire time; he even missed Xander�s snoring.

~Bugger snores like a damn chainsaw~

The absence of any sound from the mortal added to the vampire�s concern. He looked down into the sleeping face. Xander, unconscious, his head resting on Spike�s shoulder. Spike tightened his grip around the mortal�s shoulder and looked down at his sire before casting another hostile glare at the Asian vampire.

~This one almost killed me pet. Revenge is gonna be a kick in the ass and a stake through the heart, the first chance I fuckin get~

His blue eyes dropped back to his sire�s face, Angel would need more blood soon and Spike was worried about a safe supply. He didn�t trust these creatures at all. The strangely silent vampire had kept staring at Xander, as if he thought he knew him or something. He had studied Spike for a moment and then turned his attention to Angel before going back to his focus on Xander.

The silence was driving Spike mad. He would even have been happy with a round of torture from his own unbearable curse... Cordelia Chase, vision-girl from beyond extraordinaire. He wondered where she was, what she was doing that she had failed to stop by and warn him about these people.

�Once you enter the Trans America Building, keep Xander with you. It�s important.� Cordelia had told him that during her last visit. She hadn�t been able to elaborate. Was this the reason? The strange way in which the three self-proclaimed better than you pure-bloods were reacting to Xander? And what was the deal with the sudden power? Spike recognized the smell of it, the ozone. Cordelia had told him that the PTB had worked through Xander when the chip was removed, that it had been their doing. The words hadn�t rung true at the time but he hadn�t had much time to really think about any of it.

~Blasting shit!~

Xander had blasted through the glass chamber that even Spike hadn�t been able to break. Then he had gone wild again when the she-vamp was millimeters away from making Spike�s neck smile from ear to ear. Somehow, Snow had been able to deflect those lethal blasts and even survive the one that hit him.

And what was the deal with these pure-blood blokes? Who the hell were they, and why hadn�t Spike, or Wesley for that matter, ever heard of them? When they revealed themselves and their nature, Wesley and been as surprised and shocked as either Spike or Gunn. Was this part of another prophecy thing? Would they be given anything resembling some kind of information, an idea of what they were dealing with? What the hell was going on?

He didn�t know. Just like Spike didn�t know what was wrong with Xander. The boy had seemed fine until they were in the air. One minute he was okay and the next he was slumping against Spike, as if his mind had been turned off.

~Why did I pick that term, turned off? Because this doesn�t seem like normal sleep~

Spike suspected that whatever was wrong with Xander, it had to do with the silent vampire. That made his dislike and wariness of the being even stronger. He shifted his glance toward the female and found Nyssa studying Angel intently.

�What?� Spike questioned.

�They tell stories about him, the great *Angelus*, Scourge of Europe. Frankly, I'm disappointed.� Spike lifted an eyebrow in question. �That you were willing to come along so easily, I mean. Without any assurances,� she clarified.

Spike nodded and shrugged. �Seemed like the move to make at the time, besides, I didn�t get the impression you were willing to just let us leave?� It was Nyssa�s turn to raise an eyebrow in question. �You attacked us, or did you forget? And Mister Super Samurai Ninja-turtle, over there, tried to slice and dice the kid.�

Nyssa gave him a slightly perturbed look. �You are mistaken, we came to help. You attacked us without warning or provocation, I was merely defending myself.�

�Is that what you call it? The swords and trying to take off me head!?�

She gave him a long intent look. �I am a pure-blood. I could have easily killed you at anytime. I have been training since I could lift a sword, think on that. As for Snow, he was merely responding to the threat posed by the young one. He would not have harmed him.�

�Didn�t look that way to me,� Spike snapped. His blue eyes were flashing with inner fire as he fought to stay calm and not attack the smug looking duo.

~Overly self confident and superior much, ya smug bastard?~

*****

*****

The Bell Jet Ranger abruptly banked right, dropping down low and touched down outside a terraced, cutting edge architectural masterpiece overlooking the ocean. Nyssa and Asad led Wesley, Gunn, and Spike towards the facility bearing some type of logo, circular crimson markings with a double-helix at the center. Several dark-clad vampires had been waiting at the edge of the landing pad with an additional stretcher for Xander. Snow fell back to walk between them as the two unconscious men were carried into the complex. His eyes flickered from one face to the other, as if memorizing them for later contemplation.

Wesley and Gunn noticed several moving red light dots on their arms and chest and looked up to find dozens of vampire marksmen on the roofs above, training their weapons on them as they moved toward the building.

*****

*****

The elevator stopped, the doors slid open and the group stepped out and followed as Nyssa and Asad led them into a hub from which multiple corridors branched off. They continued down the central corridor, not noticing when Snow and the vampires carrying Angel and Xander turned off down another.

They reached the end of the steel corridor, sealed by a pair of steel security doors. Nyssa moved to stand before a bio-scanner and a beam of light moved over her face; checking and confirming her identity. The impossibly tall doors hissed as they slid open to reveal another series of security doors. These doors opened successively as the group moved forward, ending with a final door of oak, set into a stainless steel wall. The wood was incalculably ancient and elaborately carved. Wesley moved closer, after a nod from Nyssa, to examine the carvings.

�Brought over from the *Old World*," she told him with a hint of pride, �The House of Arelius you encountered before were nothing but feudal lords. The true power of the Vampire Nation lies here.�

Wesley and Gunn shivered and Spike noticed that their breath escaped in frosty puffs. Asad noticed Spike�s look and spoke. �Few outsiders or warm-bloods have seen what's beyond this door,� he stated while pushing the doors open. They were led into a crescent-shaped room filled with antiquities: quarry columns from Egypt, stacks of arcane volumes, medieval frontispieces. There was a Borgia-esque renaissance portrait staring down on them with a severe countenance, and towering over all of this was a massive Greek cross carved from stone. Music wafted around them in soft echoes � Boito�s Faust � and standing in the midst of this glorious splendor was the vampire overlord, Eli Damaskinos, draped in a robe of black silk.

Nyssa stepped forward and spoke softly, �Father...� Damaskinos held up a hand motioning for silence as the music rose into a crescendo. He turned with his face hidden in shadow.

�I hope you don't mind the cold. When one such as myself reaches an advanced age, certain precautions are needed in order to preserve the flesh.� His voice was soft and slightly sibilant.

Asad stepped forward and bowed. �Gentlemen, this is Overlord Eli Damaskinos.�

Damaskinos spoke again. �Welcome. I thank you for coming. I've been anxious to meet you for quite some time,� he said as he drew closer, stepping into the light. His eyes were bright and his smile was like moonlight gleaming off a knife blade. His skin was impossibly pale, almost marble-like, with traceries of blue blood pulsing underneath. �Ahh, the spawn of the Accursed One, this is more than I had expected or hoped for.�

Spike glared at Damaskinos, who returned the look with a cool regard; the two men sizing each other up. Damaskinos continued speaking with a knowing smile.

�It has been said, you may have enemies whom you hate, but not enemies whom you despise. Be proud of your enemy; then his success shall be yours, too. In that regard, I should thank you.�

�For what?�

�Eliminating Carter Stevens,� an officious-looking familiar who had been quietly watching from the wings said smoothly as he stepped forward. �All of that unseemly business with Wolfram & Hart, you did us a favor. Frost, Roman Frost,� he offered his hand to Wesley. Spike�s keen eyes noticed the flash of a vampire glyph poking out from beneath the man�s shirt cuff as he and Wesley shook hands.

�You're human,� Spike said, a question and statement at once. Roman smiled.

�Barely, I'm a lawyer.�

�Mr. Frost works with the National Institute of Health. Given that they monitor the nation's blood supply, a strategic alliance seemed prudent,� Asad informed them

�We also finance a number of humanitarian organizations, the National Institute of Infectious Diseases for one, the Human Genome Project...� Frost trailed off.

�Why?�

�Survival,� they were informed flatly.

They all turned to Nyssa, who used a complex mechanical key to activate a holo-projector mounted above the table she was now standing next to. She focused the 3-D image of viral nucleo-capsids from vampiric blood. The nucleo-capsids were attacking what she identified as red blood cells from a human. �As you may know, vampirism is an arbo-virus, one that's spread through the saliva of parasitic organisms,� she motioned to the hologram, �in this case, vampires are the vector. The virus replicates within the human bloodstream, evolving its host into an entirely new life-form... Unfortunately, viruses evolve too...�

They watched as one of the viral nucleocapsids changed, mutating from its original, elegant design into a harsher, more menacing form. The mutated nucleo-capsid started feeding on the original vampire capsids, creating a chain-reaction of mutation. In seconds, the holo-image was filled with throbbing, microscopic horrors.

�We've dubbed this new virus the Reaper Strain. And like any good pathogen, it appears to have found a carrier � a *Patient Zero*. His name is Jared Nomac.� A rotating 3-D image of Jared Nomac�s face replaced that of the mutated nucleo-capsid horrors, red eyes, face in full *reaper mode*.

�Thiavolos, as we used to say in Greece. The Devil. Pure Thirst. Nothing more. He was born a vampire, but he is an anomaly. Unlike the rest of us, however, he feeds on not just humans, but vampires as well,� Damaskinos told them, his voice was full of disgust.

�Their vampire victims don't die. They turn. They become carriers. If the Reapers continue unchecked, there could be thousands of them before the month is over. Do the math. This is what is loose in Sunnydale.�

At the mention of home, Spike realized that Xander wasn�t with them. �Where are they?� he snapped, looking around with suspicion and accusation. He took a step forward and Gunn and Wesley both placed a restraining hand on him. �My Sire, my human,� Spike snarled morphing into game-face.

Damaskinos gazed serenely at the display; there was a secretive smile on his colorless lips as he informed them that both men were safe.

�No harm will come to your sire or your *human*,� Damaskinos soothed, �they both require attention and are being seen to even as we speak.�

�I want to see them. Now,� Spike stated stubbornly as he allowed his features to smooth away the raised ridges creasing his brow. His eyes retained their amber-ish glitter.

�My daughter will conduct you to them straight away then. We shall speak again when your companions have been restored. Be at ease Halfling, you are safe within these walls, none would dare risk my displeasure should any harm befall you.�

Spike nodded in acceptance and relaxed. Wes and Gunn cautiously removed their hands but stayed close. Gunn was especially wary, after having seen Spike go head to head with Nyssa he had a new respect for Angel�s unruly hell-spawn and could appreciate why Spike had been considered the wildcard of the devilish foursome when they had terrorized Europe.

�Mind you, that you bring no harm to any within these walls as well,� Damaskinos finished pointedly as he turned away in polite dismissal.

*****
POV: Cordelia
*****

Cordelia decided it was time to pay Spike a little visit. San Francisco had been interesting and exciting, to say the least, but there was no longer any reason for her to hang around. And besides, there weren�t any more decent malls left for her to whisk through. At the rate things were going, she wouldn�t be spending much time in Chicago so the superficial higher-being utilized one of her newly discovered powers and translocated herself to State Street, downtown Chicago. Having found a city that offered serious shopping competition and options, all lined up neatly on one street just for her, Cordy lost herself in the first mindless shopping binge she could remember since... since... well, since before she�d died. She deserved a bit of self-indulgence after having died in that awful outfit.

~Yeah, *outfit*, not *ensemble*~

That outfit had been the cream of the last shopping binge.

~Thank ME, I died, now I can dress according to my real station in life~

The scatter-brained spirit dashed madly through Bullock�s, ignoring the nagging sensation that there was something else she had been meaning to do and idly wondering what they were wearing in Milan, Paris, and Japan at the moment.

*****
POV: Xander
*****

:{�Will you sleep forever my son?�}:

The question brought him fully awake. He turned his head to the right and saw Angel lying on a bed across the room. The vampire he knew as Snow sat on a cushion nearby, his head tilted forward, chin resting on chest. There seemed to be something wrong with his vision, though, everything seemed insubstantial and in flux. Xander was inside of the parchment and gold colored room and he wasn�t.

The brown eyes blinked several time as Xander sat up slowly, disturbing his bed of cottony fog. He looked around again to find that everything was now layered in multi-colored wafts of fog. The room and its occupants were now far in the background as he set his bare feet on the cushiony firmness and stood up.

~Drafty... oh not this again! What is it with me being naked in my dreams? The last time was in front of an entire classroom, oh wait, that was real~

Xander shrugged and stated toward the source of the colored mist, a marble pool with a fountain at the center. He approached the dark-haired power perched on the edge.

:{�Took you long enough, enjoy your dreaming?�}: the male voice belled in amusement.

:{�What is this place?�}: Xander moved closer, :{�And do you think I could um, have a pair of pants or something. Dangling in the mist here,�}: he gave a quirky smile as he recognized the being and relaxed. The power chuckled.

:{�Thanks,�}: Xander mumbled as he gathered the flowing toga around his calves and perched on the rim of the basin beside the power. He twisted to peer into the silver depths and found himself mesmerized by the reflective surface imitating the colored spray of mist wafting from the fountain yet never reaching the pools surface as it floated away.

The power studied Xander for a while, watching the young man as the colors bemused and hypnotized him with their display.

:{�Don�t fall in,�}: the bell warned as Xander stood up and turned completely around to lean over the rim and peer into the swirling waters.

Xander nodded absently, :{�I can see pictures in here.�}:

:{�Then the time has come. You must make the next choice.�}:

�Choice? Make what choice, what do you mean the *next* one?�

The power smiled fondly at Xander�s slip into verbal communication. :{�Look deeply my child, look into the waters and choose.�}:

Xander hesitated but the briefest moment. This was it, whatever *it* was. That thing he�d been yearning toward, unknowingly expecting, and had always known within his oneness. He was aware of his stability, that cohesive unity of self. This was who he was meant to be. What he�d been created for.

He saw this with startling clarity, revealed on the surface of the shifting silver. The dense liquid revealed all � the beginning, when creation was torn asunder by Darkness and the Champions who rose to oppose the evil and restore the balance. There had always been The Chosen � The Child of Chaos, law, un-law, and neutrality � this time it was Alexander Harris. It had been necessary for the forces to remain separated within him until such a time as he was needed. A safeguard to protect his identity and nature; the time had arrived, Xander must *Become*.

He saw the other Champion, The Shadow Warrior. A being of both Light and Dark, sharing the same space; separated within as had been The Child of Chaos, a safeguard again � Liam �Angelus� O�Riley.

Xander relived his first choice, choosing the Shield of Light � William �Spike� Bloody. Bound and anchored by blood. It had been that binding which shielded Xander during his encounter with Nomac, the minion of Darkness. The nature of chaos acted as a reservoir for all things good, bad and in-between.

Understanding brought acceptance, acceptance brought clarity. The binding must be complete. The Choice must be made. Would The Child of Chaos take up his role and stand against the coming Darkness? Would he, Alexander LaVelle Harris, bind The Shadow Warrior to him, as he had bound The Shield of Light, thus anchoring them both? Would they *Become*?

Nomac�s goal was to break the seal on the Hellmouth and unleash the Darkness bound within. It was his intent to sacrifice The Child of Chaos in a blood-ritual to neutralize the seal. He had been thwarted by Spike, being bound to Xander, his shield; Spike was his Defender. Angel was the Avenger, Xander�s offensive aspect. Separate and un-bound, they were weak, vulnerable. Only bound would they have any hope of standing against Nomac and the Darkness. They must Become.

Xander witnessed the cracking of the Hellmouth. The war of the Vampire Nation. His role in it. The destruction of Sunnydale and the spread of the Reaper plague. Endless paths and possibilities unfolded before him, all contingent upon his choice. A choice he must make without knowing which of the instances would be the result. It could be any of them. It could be all of them.

He saw glimpses of himself, alone, in a dead forest, arguing with Jesse, the third member of the Sunnydale Three Musketeers. He saw Snow, chosen by the powers to complete the Binding. An elaborate ceremony, steeped in ancient Vampire Lore. The Chosen must be bound completely in order to Become. Xander, bound to them as they were bound to him, by blood. He understood how he would change; how Snow would fulfill his own destiny in the upcoming battle. It was his to be Guide and Mentor in all things Vampiric.

*****
Real-time
*****

Xander stood beside the bed, staring down at Angel�s unconscious form. He couldn�t help but admire the lines of the vampire�s superb body. He understood what it had been all that time, the tension between the elder vampire and himself was the same as that connection between him and Spike. His true self had recognized them for who and what they were, what they meant in the spectrum of Xander�s existence. It didn�t hurt that he�d always been physically attracted to them on a purely hormonal level, in fact, it would make things easier if what he�d glimpsed hints of were true.

His skin appeared darker, duskier, against that of the vampire�s dusky skin as he released his hand and pressed the blood smeared across his palm to Angel�s lips. Xander experienced a series of tingles, stirring through his body and awareness, at the soft flicker of tongue tip against his palm. Angel�s eyes flickered open slowly. The dark orbs were ringed with amber/gold as he stared up into Xander�s depthless brown pools.

�Drink,� Xander said softly, confidently.

Angel�s lips brushed a kiss over Xander�s palm before he took the warm hand in his larger one and moved them to his chest. They both stared down at their joined hands, resting over the vampire�s un-beating heart. �Are you sure?�

Then Angel was pulling his head down, claiming what was offered as he brushed his lips over Xander�s. Angel shifted on the bed and Xander was beside him, close, real, and warm. His hand flexed against Angel�s hard chest. �Will you drink?� Xander breathed out as Angel�s lips trailed along his jaw toward his ear.

�Yes. Thank you... Xander,�

�Now,� it came out as a gasp. Pin pricks of pain in his neck spiraled into ecstatic pain as fangs broke skin. He could feel the slide of flesh along tooth enamel, their porous hardness, and pleasure washed through them. Xander�s fingers tangled in the dark hair as Angel first lapped and then sucked at the thick blood, flowing hot and sweet from the hollow of Xander�s neck and shoulder.

A whimper, a sigh of breath, as limbs shifted. Skin against skin. Heat and coolness as Angel�s thick, muscular thigh pressed between Xander�s. Their erections pressed tightly against naked hips as they moved together with infinite slowness.

~Stop. It�s enough. More. So good. So sweet. Hot. Cold. Xander. Angel.~

And still the vampire drank, swallowing the heady blood with slow languid pulls, in time to the intense humping of his hips. Xander was whimpering now. he squirmed with mildly frantic energy. One hand skittered down Angel�s broad back, grasped at the flexing ass-cheek. A moaning growl as the hand clawed upward, drawing blood from dusky globe to broad shoulder. The other hand clenched in the thick, short hair. The air was heavy with blood and sex as Xander came and Angel continued to drink, dangerously close to the point of no return. The feeling was like menstruation, the intensity of emotions women experience when their blood time comes. When they fight the urge to hit, hurt something, someone. To cry in anger and joy, scream until the throat becomes raw and hot tears flowed from his clenched eyes as his heart labored and gave the first stutter of failing.

And then Spike was there � in game-face, roaring and tearing into Angel. And Snow was released from the spell. The pure-blood surged to his feet, knocking the struggling vampires apart and away from Xander. Wesley grabbed Spike, Gunn grabbed Angel. Both were thrown aside like rag-dolls. Two Master Vampires in a full rage closed on each other. Or at least they tried to, their attempts were met and deflected as Nyssa and Asad stepped between them. Snow was no longer silent, but yelling. Ordering everyone out as he held Xander close, protecting him from getting hurt. Even in his weakened state of blood loss, Xander struggled to get to the two demon-faced vampires. His vampires.

�You let them go!� Xander yelled hotly, fighting the weakness that threatened to overwhelm him, against the immovable vampire holding him back.

�Enough!� Snow roared as Xander slumped into his arms.

�Don�t hurt them,� he whispered as the glow faded from his eyes and he slipped into unconsciousness.

�And so, it is done,� intoned a new voice from the doorway. The stranger stepped into the room and surveyed each of the occupants. He smiled knowingly at Spike and Angel. The two were no longer trying to get at each other; they now strained toward Snow, and the unconscious form of Xander.

�Well, now that we�ve taken care of that, I suggest you all go and find something... *else* to do *someplace* else.� There was a subtly threatening bell-like resonance in the newcomer�s tone. It brooked no dispute or argument as to who was in charge. �You two as well,� he told Spike and Angel pointedly as the others filed out of the room.

*****
*Else-where*
*****

Cordelia stopped in mid-shop as she was suddenly surrounded by misty fog. A bodiless voice shimmered around her.

:{�We are sorry to inform you that your shopping privileges have been suspended until you have completed the necessary tasks at hand,�:} a deep disapproving bell-tone informed.

:{�What do you mean suspended? What tasks?�}: she asked back, peering around suspiciously.

:{�Sister, dear, are you sure somebody didn�t error in elevating this... this... creature?!�}:

:{�Don�t growl old Wolf, you�ll frighten the poor thing,�}: the female power chided.

:{�Poor thing? This silly star-fluff is neglecting her responsibility and the others may suffer because of it and you say don�t growl?�:} there was a hint of disbelief and raised eyebrows in the bell-tone.

:{�Others,�:} Cordelia questioned, then, :{�OH!�}:

:{�Yes, OH,�}: the male power mimicked. :{�Did you plan on informing William about Roman Frost, and what he needs to know any time soon or where you just going to shop yourself off into eternity?�}:

:{�All things considered, young lady, my brother has a point...�}:

:{�Yes, yes I was just about to do that...�}: Cordelia babbled as she tossed the Prussian silk scarf aside and concentrated on the window. She had recently discovered that she didn�t have to wait for it, but could call it at will.

*****
POV: Spike: December 10
*****

Not wasting time with preliminaries since she was ashamed embarrassed, and already in deep trouble, Cordy reached through the window and gave Spike a vicious pinch to get his attention.

:{�Shut up and listen, Angel needs to know this right now,�}: Cordelia snapped and began filling her clueless charge in.

Spike spoke up immediately. As soon as vision-bint delivered some worthy information, and about damn time as far as Spike was concerned considering she hadn�t told him a damn thing since before they moved on Lilah�s base, he passed said information along to Angel.

�Hey Wyndham, just had a visit,� Spike said. They all turned to look at him. Wes and Gunn stole glances at Angel, then decided they should tell him the particulars of Spike�s visitor.

�Cordy What!?�

�Cordelia is a higher being now, Angel, elevated by the powers. From the way I understood it, the PTB had decided that Spike is to be her replacement. He has visions, actually he has Cordelia-vision,� Wes said with an absolutely straight face.

�Sod off ya wanker,�

�So Cordy became a higher being while I was playing angelfish and Spike, who is now her replacement, has visions...�

�Yep, that�s about it. Cordy stops by whenever there�s something we need to know, like now. I think I must be going crazy, have to be, that�s the only explanation for why it doesn�t bug me anymore the only thing is she�s always in some damn shopping mall. You know how much I hate malls.� Spike rolled his eyes and gagged theatrically.

�Yeah, okay, what did she say?�

�Oh yeah, well, That familiar of theirs who claimed he was with the NIH? Roman Frost, it turns out that lawyer-boy used to work for them but not anymore...�

�Then who does he work for?�

Spike looked at Nyssa flatly while he answered the question. �Some biotech outfit called Byzantine Industries. They've been lying to us, this Nomac fucker didn't evolve. He was designed.�

Nyssa looked at Angel, imploringly. �I don't know what he's talking about.�

�You expect us to believe that?� Spike asked full of scornful disbelief. He turned back to Angel, �Who you going to trust, Angel? Me or her?�

�If it came from Cordy, then it�s true,� Gunn stated confidently, moving to stand near the two men now facing Nyssa.

*****
Byzantine Industries: December 11 19:00
*****

They crouched outside a high-tech; heavily guarded industrial complex nestled within an expanse of unassuming wooded acreage overlooking the ocean.

A series of quiet flutters and shadow blinks later Roman Frost shuts down his computer workstation and moved to the heavy oak door, glancing at a medical chart as he opened it. He looked up in shock, �You?�

A fist slammed into his face and Frost stumbled back. The door swung open and Angel stalked into the room with Wesley directly behind him and Gunn behind him, holding a gun on Nyssa. Spike brought up the rear.

Angel moved in on Frost, �Start talking, asshole,� he snarled as he slipped into game-face.

�I don't know what you...�

Angel spun Frost around, shoving his face against a glass case, crushing the man's nose and spider-webbing the glass. �Nomac! You created him!� Angel clamped his fingers around Frost�s broken nose and twists it with a sickening *crunch*, Frost screamed and started babbling in agony.

�Ohgodohgodohgod... alright, alright yes, we did...� gasping now, �PLEASE! PLEASE!!!�

Angel released him and Frost sank to the floor, cradling his brutalized face. �Keep talking, Frost. Tell me why.�

Frost started sputtering haltingly, �The Shadow Cabinet. For decades they've been trying to find a way to rid themselves of their hereditary weaknesses. Viral epidemiology, immunochemistry. Recombinant DNA was the next logical step.�

Nyssa had a look of horrified disbelief on her beautiful face, �No, that's not possible. They wouldn't keep something like this from me...�

�Your father didn't want you to know... Something went wrong... The Reaper strain was too aggressive... Then Nomac escaped.�

�And now the freak is running loose in Sunnydale. Fucking perfect.�

Frost tried to defend himself. �Look, the fact that Nomac was artificially created doesn�t make the threat any less urgent. He is still out there, spreading the Reaper virus. In Sunnydale.�

Angel is quickly starting to make connections. �The genetic material he took from me what was the reason for it...� he asked fearfully.

�I should think that would be obvious at this point.� Damaskinos said from behind them. He reached to a nearby control panel and pressed a button causing a pair of massive doors to slide apart, revealing a copy of Lilah�s Eugenics Chamber. A vast, multi-tiered, temperature-controlled chamber � a futuristic medical facility of horror. A network of catwalks looked down on the circular chamber; the center was dominated by a massive, steel cask ringed by a safety railing. The setup resembled a small-scale water purification plant, or a futuristic distillery. The liquid churning within the cask was purified blood, being pumped out through a network of clear tubing attached to credit card sized cryo-cases. Each of the case contained a tiny embryo floating in human blood, each one no bigger than a thumbnail. They lined the walls of the chamber, thousands of them, resting atop one another in racks stretching from the floor on upwards. It appeared that the *cleaning* crew had been able to salvage a lot from the contents of Lilah�s secret base. There were files on Angel, Buffy, and a few others, as well as insights and notes on what was being planned. They could thank Lilah Morgan for here obsessive need to document everything, her cover your ass method ingrained from time in the ranks of Wolfram & Hart.

Damaskinos moved forward and removed one of the embryos from the rack, another cryo-case slid forward; taking the place of the one he removed, like some kind of perverse vending machine. There was no easy way to determine how deep they're stacked with a cursory glance; there could be tens of thousands in total. Nyssa stood before the banks of vampire embryos, clearly troubled while Damaskinos regarded her.

�My child,� Damaskinos moved close to Nyssa and ran a finger along her throat. She didn�t acknowledge it, but continued to stare in horrified fascination. �I would hate to think you were losing your perspective. Who do you think God favors in the web? The spider or the fly?�

�Where did this come from? What is this for?� she asked full of fearful trepidation. Her question was ignored in favor of information. It was then that they learned Nomac was preparing for war. He planned to wage the greatest war the Vampire Nation had ever known.

�When Patient Zero escaped he stole information and data. Data he intended to use against the House of Damaskinos. His personal vendetta against his family for their perceived crimes would be the cause of the destruction that would sweep across the face of the world.�

�Why father, why does this creature hate you so much?�

�I have fathered thousands of children in centuries since I first walked this earth.�

�What are you saying?�

�He�s saying that Patient Zero, Jared Nomac is his son,� the visionary vampire informed them. He was edgy and irritable, but agreed with Snow, Xander wasn�t strong enough to be running around yet, and there was a lot of it to do.

Both he and Angel were worried that something might happen to Xander; they would have felt more secure having him with them. No matter what was said, their inherent distrust of the Vampire Nation had just been validated and they didn�t trust leaving Xander inside of that complex alone. Right now, that was the safest place for him. After this they were going to have to deal with the situation in Sunnydale.

�You experimented on your own son?� Nyssa�s face was rife with horrification as she stared at Damaskinos.

Damaskinos regarded Nyssa coldly �Make no mistake, Nyssa. Those blood-ties mean nothing to me when measured against the ascendancy of our race. Nothing. If you have any interest in remaining alive, you would do well to remember that.�

He went on to tell them that, when Nomac made his move against his father, the entire Vampire Nation would go to arms and fall into civil war. Nomac planned to have an army at his back, an army of super-mutated Reaper-vamps. Because of the many experiments suffered at his father�s hands, the pure-blood was practically immune to sunlight; he was immune to garlic, crosses, holy water, and silver. By combing his DNA with that of a Slayer and the Accursed One, the ingeniously deranged abomination hoped to unleash an infinitely virulent mutation of the original Reaper strain.

He had chosen Sunnydale because of its seclusion and the fact that there was a slayer there for the taking. It had been the slayer who had led him to the Accursed One. That�s where Lilah had come into the equation. Nomac picked her because of her constant interaction with the LA team and her connections with Wolfram & Hart. Yes, they were well known even here. Through Lilah, they had been able to capture Angel and steal his DNA to create what now stood before them. The embryos were the first attempt in creating the ranks of Nomac�s army.

With his base of operation destroyed and the contents missing, Nomac would be forced to begin again. It was a given that there were reserves of Angel�s DNA stored someplace safe. Once Nomac had the slayer, then he would move to unleash the Darkness that would consume the world.

*****