Reversal of Fortunes

Rated R for some language and disturbing imagery

If you have already read Chapter One at BuffyBB.net, then click here to go to Chapter Two

Laughs per chapter:

Ch. One-10; Ch. Two-28; Ch. Three-28; Ch. Four-24; Ch. Five-9 (your results may vary).

Fights per chapter:

The following fan fiction is based upon "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (BtVS), created by Joss Whedon. This story is written solely for the amusement of fans and is not intended to make any money from any copyrighted material. The characters and even some of the dialogue are modeled on the work of Whedon and his company, Mutant Enemy, Inc. The story takes liberties with both season 3 of BtVS and with the first BtVS X-Box game. (So, how many people are there on a cheerleading squad? The alert reader might discern that I took a wild guess.) Although it is set during season three of the actual series, this story changes the scheme of season three entirely, launching an alternate reality. Don�t get me wrong: I love the way season three turns out, but what if�?

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 8:30 AM. The students of Sunnydale High School were stunned to see bright yellow crime scene tape surrounding their entire school. Of course they were used to seeing individual rooms and even sections of the school cordoned off by the police, but not the whole campus. This was supposed to be the first day of school after Thanksgiving, but there would be no school today. By California standards, it was a cold morning, but clutches of students and faculty huddled about the parking lot less to share body heat and more to guard against the inner chill that came from knowing that their school--so often rocked by horrors--might now be the scene of the most gruesome yet. The rumor whisperers differed in their certainty, but their stories were consistent in one detail: The entire Razorback cheerleading squad had been massacred over the weekend while getting in some extra practice for the state cheerleading competition.

On the school steps, stone-faced police officers stood in a line in front of the crime scene tape. Behind them, Principal Snyder spoke seriously to the Police Chief. �I�m very serious,� he said to the Chief. �This has gone way beyond the detention or expulsion stage. I don�t allow massacres in my school, especially of cheerleaders who have a chance of winning the state championship. And mark my words: whether it�s a massacre or a so-called harmless prank, you can be sure that Buffy Summers is deeply involved.�

�Still, we have to rule out alternative theories before we can go after Summers.�

�Why? I�m telling you, I�m as sure that she�s behind this as I am that Richard Nixon was completely innocent.� When the Chief stared at him searchingly Snyder exclaimed, �What?�

No one paid close attention to the figures gathered at the edge of the parking lot on a grassy patch beneath a tree. Rupert Giles, the school�s librarian, stood while Xander, Willow and Oz sat on the bench before him. They all looked up at Giles as if he could explain what had happened, but his brow was wrinkled in perplexity as he began to speak.

�Quite possibly, I know less than you do,� he said. �Early this morning, one of the custodians discovered the bodies of several young women wearing cheerleader costumes. The bodies were dead only a day at most, I believe.�

�I hope you�ll spare us the unnecessary details,� said Willow.

�What? Oh, yes, of course,� muttered Giles. �The good news is that I don�t believe that Buffy was amongst them. The bad news is that I don�t know where she is.� He fumbled for words. �Sh-she hasn�t checked in since Friday.�

�Maybe Buffy ran away again,� interrupted Willow brightly. For voicing this possibility, she was rewarded on all sides by icy, silent stares. �Sorry,� she said. �It sounded like a good thing when I formulated it in my head.�

�What I�d like to know,� began Xander, who had been chewing on his lower lip for the past ten minutes. �No, I take that back. I don�t �want� to know this if it�s what I think, but I need to know. Did they find Cordelia?�

�To answer your question as best I can,� said Giles, �I�ve heard some names mentioned, and Cordelia�s isn�t one of them. On the other hand, I am afraid that it was the cheerleading squad, and Cordelia is its captain. Has anyone else seen or heard from her since, say, Saturday night?� They peeked at one another out of the corners of their eyes, but no one spoke. �When did you last see Cordelia?� Giles gently asked Xander.

�Saturday afternoon,� he said and then looked down at his knees. �She told me something about her plans for the rest of the day, but I was too busy thinking about�� He gave Willow a sidelong glance; his voice trailed off as he began chewing his lip again.

�What�s this, somebody�s funeral?� They all turned to see Faith sauntering toward them from across the street. �You guys look wicked dreary. What�s goin� on?�

Giles took a step toward her as if he could head her off and spare the others an assault from Faith�s insensitivity. �I�m afraid there has been a massacre in the school gymnasium,� he said.

�God! Vamps?�

�It would seem likely. From what little I�ve learned, there was surprisingly little blood--from the perspective of the police; yet all of the victims are described as having bled to death.�

�Not sparing the gory details!� said Willow in a distressed singsong.

�Oh, sorry,� said Giles.

�Well, what are we waiting for?� enthused Faith. �Better find B and dust some vamps, right?� Everyone was silent. �Don�t tell me, Buffy already took off after them. Doesn�t that girl share the glory with anyone?� Faith looked from face to face, reading in each one the new high on the gloom meter. Finally she said, �Just tell me what happened.�

4:30 AM, EARLIER THE SAME DAY. Angel was visible through the window of his room in the old mansion. He was slowly moving through his martial arts routine. Outside, something stirred in the pre-dawn. Angel slowed to a stop. He then glided across the room, snatched his black shirt and deftly pulled it over his torso while on the move. He slipped outdoors and took a position behind a hedge that bordered the manse. There were no further sounds or movements from beyond. Angel sniffed the air. He moved stealthily to another position, hiding for a few seconds, observing, and then moving again. In this way, he made it around the perimeter of the south wing in less than ten minutes.

Spike had been spying on Angel, whom he held ultimately responsible for Drusilla breaking up with him, but the platinum-haired vampire had cursed his vampyric grandsire and rival silently. He had not become carried away enough to make any noise. Indeed, Spike had heard the same distant crunching of leaves that Angel must have, but he had no idea of what it was.

Spike only changed his hiding place once in order to avoid the path of Angel�s steady prowl. It was then that the two vampires froze, hearing the noise again. It was difficult to tell at that range, but Spike thought that the distant figure moving through the woods looked like Buffy. He wondered whether Angel thought so, too. His suspicion was confirmed when Angel called, �Buffy?� But she didn�t come. Whoever or whatever it was hadn�t heard or didn�t want to respond. The figure disappeared from view and there was nothing but stillness. Angel went back into his mansion. After waiting a suitable length of time, Spike headed toward the spot where the small female figure had disappeared. He was thinking that something was going on that might be interesting enough to distract him from thoughts of his breakup with Dru.

SAME DAY, 11:00 AM. As she trudged along Maple Street, Willow wished she was in class where she always felt most comfortable. She knew that made her a nerd in the eyes of everyone else, including her friends, but it was a truth she had come to accept. It was a truth unchanged even by her recent status boost from dating Oz who belonged to the local rock band, Dingoes Ate My Baby. Willow would not be in school today, however; there would be no school until Thursday. Funerals for the seven victims found in the gym were scheduled for Wednesday, but there were to be memorial services to include the missing as well: Cordelia Chase and Harmony Kendall were not among the victims, but, like Buffy, they could not be found, either.

Earlier, Willow had spoken to Joyce Summers, Buffy�s mother, and Mr. Giles who, together, were looking for Buffy, so far without any luck. Neither of them wanted to go near the mansion where Angel stayed, so Willow had volunteered because she trusted Angel more than they did. Giles had urged her to take Xander with her, but Willow could not do that. Not only were Xander and Angel like oil and water, but Willow could not take Xander along because they were so uncomfortable around each other. She had been considering a de-lusting spell to bring an end to the developing �hots� between them. But now that seemed unnecessary. Cordelia's death had been better than a cold shower, she thought. (Then she thought better of sharing that thought with anyone.) In any case, now their discomfort was greater than before: he was distraught over Cordelia's disappearance as well as guilty for having betrayed her, and being around him made Willow feel responsible for how he felt on top of her own guilt for having betrayed Oz who was supposed to be--was, in fact--her boyfriend. The only good thing about it all was a dim, peripheral awareness that the whole business made Willow feel grown up; she did not like being grown up very much so far.

At last Willow came to Angel�s mansion. It was weathered, overgrown and dark. It looked abandoned and seemed to scream �creepy!� even an hour before noon. Bravely, Willow walked up the front steps and opened the massive door, which seemed to creak forever. Inside, the light was dim, and Willow had to wait for her eyes to adjust before moving deeper into the house.

�Angel?� she called tentatively. A square-jawed, brooding face came out of the darkness toward her, startling her before she registered that it was Angel.

�Hello, Willow,� he said. �Are you looking for Buffy?�

�How did you know?� asked Willow.

�That�s easy to guess. You know Buffy visits me here. Besides, I thought I saw her this morning.�

�She was here this morning?� asked Willow, her voice fluttering with hope.

�I can�t say for certain. I saw someone in the woods. It sort of looked like Buffy from a distance, but when I called to her, she--or whoever it was--just kept on going. Is Buffy in some kind of trouble?�

�We don�t know,� Willow said. It suddenly sank in that she couldn�t tell whether her friend was alive or dead, safe or in desperate trouble. It was like the previous summer--when Buffy had run away--all over again. Only now Willow felt a particular urgency because Buffy might need to be saved from something; if they could find her in time, they might be able to help her. Willow also knew that this time it was unlikely that Buffy had gone far away; wherever she was probably was not beyond city limits.

�Actually Buffy has been keeping her distance for the past few days,� Angel was saying. �Look, did something happen besides Buffy disappearing?� Willow told Angel what little she knew about the cheerleader massacre, and he was thoughtful for a long time. At last he said, �I�ll help you search for her.�

�The police found some blood on the upper landing, but there was no body nearby," said Allan Finch who was briefing Mayor Richard Wilkins III. The Mayor sat behind his massive desk, steepling his fingers as he listened intently to his deputy. "They are going to have the county crime lab do some DNA analysis to see if the blood matches one of the cheerleaders.�

Wilkins nodded thoughtfully as Finch concluded. �What do you think they�ll find, Mr. Trick?� the Mayor asked.

Behind Finch, a chair swiveled about to reveal the figure of Mr. Trick. �My sources tell me they�re not gonna find a match to any of the cheerleaders. The landing's where �it� happened: The Day of Jubilee in the land of the undead.�

�Jubilee!� snapped Wilkins. �All I need is a fresh Slayer poking around here! Don�t you know the saying, �The devil we know is better than the one we don�t�? Now, I realize that that particular aphorism is inapt in our case, considering we�re the ones on the dark side, but I think the point I�m making holds up.�

�Whoa, whoa, my man,� cooed Trick. �Let me allay your apprehensions. Ain�t no other Slayer comin�. Leastwise, not unless somebody offs that girl, Faith. She�s the one an� only Slayer now.�

�But I thought that when a Slayer dies, another comes.�

�The way I hear it, where do you think Faith came from? She was called after the first time Buffy died.�

�So Buffy has died before this?�

�Yeah,� said Trick, �but this time she�s gonna stay dead.�

�Yo, Red,� said Faith with a casual thrust of her chin. For Faith, it was a subdued and polite acknowledgement.

�Giles isn�t back?� asked Willow. Oz put down the newspaper he was reading. Willow shivered as she caught a glimpse of the blaring headline: �SUNNYDALE HIGH SCHOOL CHEERLEADERS MURDERED.� Oz came over and hesitated a fraction of a second before he kissed Willow on the cheek. Willow smiled at him and realized that her forehead had been a knot of worry before he had kissed her. In her mind, no part of his reason for doing that could possibly have been because she looked beautiful to him; it must have been because Oz saw that she needed reassurance that at least something was still OK. Willow felt deeply grateful; then, in the next moment, she looked at Xander and felt guilty, her forehead reverting to the knot.

�Hi, Will,� said Xander as he attempted a glum version of a smile. Then he suddenly called out, �Giles!� They all looked to see the librarian trudging slowly up the walk, Joyce Summers just behind him. Giles smiled wanly but immediately turned downcast.

�I gather from your expressions you have no news,� said Giles to them all. �I�m afraid we have no news either.� He fumbled jangling keys from his pocket, and then unlocked the door to his apartment. Behind him, Willow and the others searched for words to say to Joyce. Finally, Willow threw her arms around Buffy�s mother and the two women hugged each other for a long, desperate moment. The boys and Faith stood by, uncomfortably silent, before quickly following Giles into his apartment.

When all of them were inside, Oz approached Giles and offered him the newspaper as if he thought he could keep his communication secret and not alarm the others. �Actually,� he said quietly, �there is news, and it�s not good.� He pointed out a story on the bottom fold of the paper. Giles read silently, all the while his brow adding new furrows to the ones that seemed permanently established.

�What is it?� asked Joyce, her voice straining to suppress her frustration.

�I�m afraid there have been additional killings,� he said, looking around at his rapt audience. Then he quoted the newspaper: ��Police say that the twelve murders occurred in various parts of the city, but each bears a striking resemblance to the murders of the Sunnydale High School cheerleaders. Police are withholding details pending their investigation, but unconfirmed reports suggest that, like the cheerleaders, the new victims were drained of blood. The killings occurred between late Saturday night and late Monday night. Only two of the new victims are believed to have known each other. They lived in different neighborhoods and worked in different parts of town at different occupations. Police advise Sunnydale residents to stay indoors after dark and not to admit strangers to their homes under any circumstances�.� Giles dropped the newspaper on the dining room table. �That seems calculated to set off a panic,� he bitterly observed.

�Why shouldn�t we panic?� asked Joyce. Then she thought of something. �Was Buffy one of them?�

�No,� replied Giles quickly. �The names of the twelve new victims are in the article, and I don�t know any of them.�

�Willow,� said Faith, �I understand you saw Angel yesterday. Sorry Giles wasn�t able to find me or I woulda gone along.�

�No, it was OK. Angel seemed genuinely concerned, but he said Buffy has been keeping her distance from him for several days.� Then she remembered something. �Sorry, I should've told you this before, but it�s probably a false lead.�

�What?� said Giles and Joyce in unison. They glanced at one another, apparently startled by the echoic effect. Then they turned back toward Willow.

�Angel said that he heard a noise outside his mansion yesterday shortly before dawn. When he went outside, he thought he saw a figure in the woods that looked something like Buffy, but when he called her name, whoever or whatever it was just disappeared. Angel was really unsure it was her, so I didn�t mention it. Sorry.�

�Did he say how she looked?� asked Joyce. �How was she?�

�No, he really didn�t get a good enough look to even be sure it was Buffy.�

�Still, maybe I should talk to him after all,� said Giles. �Maybe he remembers some other detail that might be important.�

�Seems like if it was Buffy, and he called to her, she might have come over to him,� mused Faith.

�But Angel himself said she was avoiding him,� said Joyce. �Maybe she heard him calling her but didn�t really want to see him.�

�If she didn�t want to see him, why was she near his place?� asked Faith logically.

Joyce�s eyes welled with tears. �Because she still loves him.� Her voice cracked.

Giles shot Faith a look. �Please, everyone,� he said. �Some of us have been up all night and should go home and get some sleep. Xander, would you please take Joy��er�Mrs. Summers home?�

�Absolutely not,� said Joyce. �I�m not going to rest until we�ve found Buffy.�

�I don�t mean to stop looking for her,� said Giles, �but we will all need rest, and soon, or we won�t be much good to her.�

�I have an idea,� said Faith. Willow looked toward her in surprise, as did everyone else. Faith was famous for reacting to the situation at hand, not making plans or having actual ideas. �Since the school is closed and the library off-limits,� Faith continued, �Giles� apartment is obviously Scooby Central for the duration, so�unless Giles has any objections�I recommend we all camp out here. That means Joyce could go home long enough to grab a few things and come back.� Faith paused and looked around at her stunned audience. �What does everyone think?�

�I think it�s a fine idea,� said Giles.

�I don�t,� said Joyce. There was a tense moment as everyone looked back and forth between Joyce and Faith. �I�m sorry,� said Joyce to Faith. �I meant to say I think you have half a good idea, but instead of making Giles' apartment� Scooby Central?� why don�t we use my house for our headquarters? There�s a lot more room there.�

�I stand corrected,� said Giles. �I agree with Joyce.�

�So do I,� said Faith. �Thanks, Joyce.�

�Don�t mention it, Dear,� Joyce said. �Well, what are we waiting for?�

At the Summers� home, everyone quickly settled on room assignments, and Joyce finally took Giles� suggestion and went upstairs for a nap. When she was gone, Giles told the others his private thoughts. He was worried that the increased vampire activity might suggest that Buffy was no longer alive. �Without the Slayer about, Sunnydale�s vampire population seems to have been emboldened.�

�Slayer sittin' right here,� said Faith.

�Sorry,� said Giles. �But you know what I meant.�

�Unfortunately, yeah. As usual, everyone thinks that only B offs vamps around here. I don�t blow my own horn, so I didn�t mention I dusted six vamps last night.�

�Six?� asked Giles. �Doesn�t that number seem unusually high?�

�You calling me a liar?� asked Faith.

�Not for a moment,� replied Giles. �I am asking you whether six vampires in one night suggests to you a sharp increase in vampire activity.�

�Well, yeah,� Faith mused. �Over the past month I�ve averaged only two or three a night.�

�In that case, we have a lot to do," said Giles. "Faith, you can handle patrolling by yourself, but report to me if it gets out of hand. We may be forced to organize backup for you. For now, we should put every available person on the task of trying to find Buffy. I�m not convinced that merely covering ground is helping. Faith, why don't you see about wringing some information out of Willy--not too literally, mind you--and I have a few sources of my own to tap. Then I will go to Angel at dusk. We should meet back here about eight o�clock tonight. Why don�t the rest of you get some sleep until then?�

Willow had chosen the extra bedroom. Whenever she was in it, the room gave her the queer feeling that it was waiting for another Summers to arrive, though that didn�t make any sense to her. Oz, who always seemed to have an extra sleeping bag and foam mattress rolled up in his van, was helping Willow lay out her bedding.

�There�s something I�ve been meaning to tell you,� said Willow.

�Really?� said Oz as he neatly aligned the sleeping bag with the mattress beneath.

�Yeah,� said Willow. Oz said nothing, continuing with his task. Willow went ahead. �I�ve been having certain feelings lately.�

�Uh huh,� said Oz, putting the finishing touches on the sleeping bag which he had lined with one of the Summers� sheets. Then he turned to face Willow. �Is this something we should both be sitting down for?� he asked. �Because I notice there�s a dearth of chairs in this room. Tell ya what: Let�s try out the sleeping bag�sitting on it, I mean.� Willow wondered how it had come to this. Oz was so sweet and thoughtful, and yet Willow was having the hots for Xander�of all people! Xander, who had broken her heart so many times�or, rather, rent it continually since their first day in kindergarten--had finally come around just when Willow was trying to figure out the way to Oz�s heart. She doubted that way could be furthered by confessing her feelings for another guy. But Oz sat her down on the bedding next to him and took her hand in his. He looked at her very seriously. �If you�re having second thoughts about dating a werewolf, I�ll understand,� he said.

�Oh, no! I wasn�t even thinking about that,� said Willow. �I don�t want to break up with you.�

�Well, it just occurs to me that bad timing is called �bad� for a reason,� said Oz. �Buffy is missing, the Scooby gang is in crisis mode, and at dusk tomorrow I�ll be turning.�

�Oh, my God, Oz! I completely forgot. It�ll be a full moon Thursday.�

�So I�ll be kind of wolfish for three nights this week. And I�d understand if you�d rather not deal with that just now. I can use the cell in the mausoleum. Xander or Giles can lock me in, and I'll probably be secure even without anybody watching.�

�Forget about it, mister,� said Willow. �Xander, Giles and I will take turns watching you. We can�t neglect a vital part of our routine just because there�s a crisis on. Why, if we did that, everything would go ker-fluey.�

�Really, you don�t have to�� began Oz.

Willow leaned toward him with the sternest expression she could muster. �Resolve-face,� she intoned.

Before he went out to meet Angel, Giles invited Faith into the kitchen to share a pot of tea. During the long silence that ensued, Giles watched Faith rocking away from the table on the rear legs of a kitchen chair, and he induced from her sour face and untouched cup that she didn�t entirely care for tea but was humoring him with uncharacteristic tact. Finally Giles forged ahead with the thought that had been on his mind for two days.

�Faith, I am not sure that either of us is ready for this, but at the moment, we can�t be certain that there are two Slayers. You could well be the only Slayer in the world right now.�

�Gee, no pressure or anything, huh?�

�Quite right,� replied Giles. �There is a lot of pressure on you, but I want to remind you that it�s my duty as a watcher to help you with that pressure�if you�ll let me.�

�So I have your undivided attention now?�

�If you�ll have me. You are entitled, of course, to petition the Watchers Council for a watcher of your own. I could even make some recommendations if you are interested. I just want you to know that I am willing to serve you in that capacity myself.�

�Well, no offense,� said Faith, further slumping into the kitchen chair and carelessly crossing her long legs, �but I hate taking sloppy seconds.�

�I�m going to ignore the crudeness of that image and presume that you mean that Buffy is my favorite in a way that would prevent me from being a good watcher to you. All right, I�ll admit to being very fond of Buffy. So much so that it frankly pains me to consider the possibility that she is gone and�without a shred of tangible evidence�have to proceed as if it might be so. The work of the Slayer must go on, after all.�

�Well, I�m not really big on �the show must go on� bit,� Faith replied.

Giles was about to say something cross when he stopped and smiled to himself. �You and Buffy have a lot more in common than you realize. Did you know that when I first met her, I did not immediately say, �That�s going to be my favorite Slayer�?�

�Really?�

�Yes. I believe I said something more like, �Damn, that didn�t go well at all�. In point of fact, I thought Buffy to be self-centered, contrary and more suited to slaying the English language than vampires.�

Faith laughed. �Yeah, Buffy comes up with some wicked Valley-speak sometimes, don�t she?�

�Right,� said Giles evenly. �My point is, Faith, that people who work together�if they get to know each other�s strengths and weaknesses�they-they eventually find out whether they can depend on each other, and that�s where the bond--as I like to think of it--between Buffy and me originates. I can�t guarantee that you and I will develop the same kind of relationship that I have had with Buffy. I don�t expect it to be the same, but--at the same time--I have observed that you are a remarkably talented Slayer, and I don�t expect that our relationship would be inferior to the one I have had with Buffy�just different. I�m only making a suggestion that you can think about if you want.�

�So, you think I�m talented?� asked Faith.

Mayor Wilkins sat across his desk from Mr. Trick, staring for a long time before he spoke. Trick tolerated this for as long as he could but eventually began craning his neck as if searching the walls and ceiling of the Mayor�s office for a threat that might seep into the room by way of unseen crevices.

�I appreciate your taking the time from your busy schedule to see me,� Wilkins finally said with an edge of sarcasm.

Ignoring the Mayor�s acerbity, Trick answered, �As they say in Paris, je vous en prise.� He was even amused with himself at the way that �Pa-ree� and �en pree� had rhymed. A smile crossed his lips.

�I wonder whether you are aware that Spike is back in town,� continued the Mayor.

�Is that boy up to it again?� asked Trick, seemingly almost relieved.

�Gee, at least nineteen dead bodies turning up around town--Do you think?� the Mayor asked pointedly. �Who could it be but Spike?�

�Yeah. Ain�t too many suspects,� said Trick nodding.

�I don�t mind bloodshed,� the Mayor assured Trick. �Heck, bloodshed is an important part of what made this country great, but I�d like to keep things quiet around here during the coming months. The next time there is a massacre in Sunnydale, it should be me doing the massacring.�

�So, you want me and the boys to organize a welcoming committee for Spike?�

�It�s almost as if you�ve read my mind,� said the Mayor jovially. He looked with seeming interest at a paper on his desk and reached for a pen.

�Anything else I can do for you?� asked Trick.

�I think that will do for now,� said the Mayor. �How many of the fellows are you going to take with you?�

�Ah, well, naturally I�ll leave a few to hold down the fort,� said Trick.

Wilkins sucked in his breath. �Not what I asked,� he said, his tone caustic once again. �I haven�t seen as many of your scamps around lately. Seems like they're at, what, half-strength? They haven�t taken off, have they? I�m not looking in the wrong direction for the killers in town, am I? Maybe nineteen victims is a little many just for Spike.�

�No, no,� said Trick quickly. �They�ve been out trying to find out whatever�s causing this little spree. I was just thinking, maybe I should get in touch and see if any of the fellas have located Spike.�

�Gee, already sent them out looking. That�s nice.� The Mayor beamed. �That�s the kind of initiative that brought you to my attention in the first place.� Wilkins went back to signing papers and Trick started for the door.

�Oh, Mr. Trick,� said the Mayor.

�Sir?� replied Trick.

�Don�t let him get away.� Wilkins spoke without looking up from his desk.

�I won�t,� replied Trick.

�That�d be swell,� said the Mayor as he signed a document with particular flourish.

�Well, she sounds very unreasonable,� Joyce was saying to Spike as they sat at her kitchen table.

�She is. She's out of her mind! That�s what I miss most about her," Spike said. "But enough about me. Have the police told you anything about Buffy?�

�After calling me in this morning for a DNA swab, they telephoned this evening to say that they think Buffy was there--in the school that night--but they won�t say whether my DNA helped determine that or anything else. They claim they haven�t found her, but they seem to know something. �It�s an on-going investigation, ma�am�, they keep saying.�

�Soddin� coppers,� muttered Spike. Then, �Excuse my language.�

�Don�t worry about it. Frankly, I couldn�t be more furious. Mr. Giles said he would go talk to someone he knows who might be able to find out more about it.�

�I hope he finds something. It must be terrible to have Buffy go missing.�

�Well, it helps that you may have seen her. I have to wonder why, if she�s out there, she doesn�t just come home. Do you think it could have been something I said?�

�I�m sure it couldn�t be. She wouldn�t do anything to cause you worry, if she could help it. Oh, I heard about last summer, but I�m sure she�s learned her lesson. One thing I�ve found out about Buffy is she cares about her mum more than anyone.�

�Spike!� Angel hollered angrily from the back porch by the kitchen door, which Spike had left open when Joyce let him in.

�Well, almost anyone,� Spike allowed calmly.

�Spike, you get away from her! I�m warning you!�

�Why are you here?� said Joyce alarmed by Angel's ire. �Buffy doesn�t want you here.�

�Is Buffy here?� asked Angel, confused. �I thought she was missing.� He was distracted from this line of inquiry when Spike stood behind Joyce and raised his fingers over her as if they were claws. Spike put on his game face.

�Right,� added Spike. �You aren�t welcome.� He mimed diving his fanged mouth into Joyce�s neck.

�Spike, I�m warning you!� said Angel. Without thinking, he put on his own game face.

�What is going on?� asked Joyce, shaken. She turned and saw Spike�s game face and jumped aside. �What are you two doing?�

�I�m protectin� you,� said Spike, losing his bumpy face and straightening up. �Angel is evil, don�t you know that?�

�I might have believed that this morning,� Joyce said. �But Willow says Angel helped her look for Buffy yesterday.�

�But he didn�t find her, did he?� Spike noted, raising an eyebrow significantly.

�Well, he did as well as you,� said Joyce.

Angel lost his game face, too. ��As well as you�? What does that mean, Spike?�

At that moment, Giles entered the kitchen. �Spike! What are you doing here? Get away from Joyce.�

�Why does everyone think I have it in for Joyce�except Joyce?� whined Spike.

�I�m beginning to wonder myself,� she said.

�Would somebody just invite me in?� shouted Angel.

Giles hesitated before he said, �Joyce, would you mind asking him in? Only someone who lives here can invite him.�

�Is that so?� said Joyce. She walked up to the doorway and stared into Angel�s face, not eager to give up the one bit of control she had over the situation.

�Please, let me in,� said Angel contritely.

�Come in,� said Joyce sighing. She walked over to the sink and leaned against it, facing the room. Giles went to her and placed his hand on her arm. He seemed about to tell her something.

�What�s this about you seeing Buffy?� Angel demanded.

�Oh, that,� said Spike.

�You saw Buffy?� asked Giles turning away from Joyce. �Where?�

�At the old mansion where Angel lives.�

�But�you told me it was in the woods,� started Joyce. �Oh, those are the woods near the mansion, aren�t they.�

�You�ve been snooping around my place?� demanded Angel.

�Oh don�t get your knickers in a bunch, Cinderella,� said Spike offhandedly. �It isn�t like there�s anything to see. All you do is prance about like some ballerina without a bleedin� tutu. I�ve seen dryin� paint that was more excitin�.�

�You practice ballet?� asked Joyce.

�In the buff?� asked Xander, who had just come into the kitchen and was still trying to size up the situation.

�It�s tai chi, not ballet,� said Angel. �And I don�t practice in the buff or else Spike would be more excited about it.�

�Ooh, snappy comeback,� said Spike appreciatively.

�So, you two actually saw Buffy at the same time,� said Giles trying to get the conversation back on track.

�Except I�m not sure it was Buffy. How about you, Spike. Did you get a better look?�

�I did follow her into the woods,� said Spike, �but I lost her. I didn�t get much more of a look, but it means something that we both thought it was her, doesn�t it?�

�Yes,� said Giles. �As inclined as I am to doubt each of you individually, for some incomprehensible reason, I�m more inclined to trust both of you together.� Giles then said to Angel, "I went to the old mansion, but you weren�t there."

"Sorry," said Angel. "I should get a phone so you can call ahead next time."

"Hmm," said Giles doubtfully. "I suppose the specific questions I had for you have been answered, but I would still like to speak with you about coordinating our search for Buffy. First, however, I need to have a word with Mrs. Summers in private."

"Don't you worry, Joyce,� said Spike too loudly, �We'll find Buffy soon enough.�

Giles glanced at Angel and shifted his eyes quickly in Spike's direction. Taking the hint, Angel said, "Spike, I think you and I have some minor differences to iron out. Right now. Outside."

"Don't see as that's necessary, mate."

"Oh, it is necessary. Let's go," said Angel, guiding Spike by the arm. The blond vampire shrugged off Angel�s grip but nevertheless accompanied him out the back door. �We�ll be standing by in case you need us,� called Angel over his shoulder.

"Don't mind me," said Xander. "I'll just take the Pizza Palace's number off the fridge and go in another room to order us three pies with a tasty variety of toppings. Ah, somebody does have money to pay for pizza, right?" He looked from Giles to Joyce and back again.

Giles scowled but reached into his pocket and withdrew several ten dollar bills which he shoved into Xander's open hands. The two adults watched Xander pad out of the kitchen.

�The police have found Buffy�s blood in the high school," said Giles wearily when they were alone. "It was on a landing and some steps.�

�They matched it to the DNA sample I gave,� Joyce stated with certainty. She sighed.

�Yes, the blood was from your daughter, and since you have only one daughter��

�It has to be Buffy�s,� Joyce stated flatly.

�I�m afraid so.�

�But if she�s been dead since at least Sunday, how could Angel and Spike have seen her on Monday?�

�That�s what I am wondering, too,� said Giles.

�Could they both be lying?�

�I am thinking they are not.�

Joyce eyed him suspiciously. �Are you sure you aren't biased in favor of Angel? You are more used to trusting monsters than I am. You live in their world so much of the time, I suspect you almost prefer them to people.�

�That�s not fair,� said Giles. He removed his spectacles and cleaned them with his handkerchief. �I�,� he began. Joyce watched, fascinated by his meticulous actions in spite of herself. �Last year, when Angel turned evil, he kidnapped and tortured me. That was after he murdered Jenny.�

�My God!� exclaimed Joyce.

�He�.� Giles put on his glasses.

�I am very sorry,� said Joyce. �I should have remembered about Ms. Calendar. I didn�t know about the other thing, but I should have remembered that he killed someone you were close to.�

�Yes.� Giles removed his glasses again and pressed his lips together. Joyce suddenly embraced him, but they both pulled away just as suddenly, like obedient boxers retiring to separate corners once the bell has ended their round. �I�m sorry,� he said. �I didn�t mean to take advantage. I know that you are vulnerable right now.�

�Oh, don�t talk nonsense,� said Joyce.

�I beg your pardon?�

�And stop apologizing,� she added. �I hugged you.�

�Oh, so you did.�

�There is a lot more to it, you know,� she said. �It�s more than just the fling we had in the fall.�

�That didn�t really count,� said Giles. �We were under a spell at the time, as you may recall.�

�Was that all there was to it?� she asked. �I feel so guilty about it sometimes. I�d be mortified if Buffy ever found out.�

�Yes, I�m very sorr-�oh, uh, never mind� but you can�t blame yourself for what you did under a spell.�

�Maybe not, but I blame myself for sometimes wishing it hadn�t been so easy to chalk it up to the supernatural.�

�What are you saying?�

�Just that I don't know why I'm having these feelings at a time like this; maybe I am vulnerable, but I feel as if I'm seeing you for the first time. I suddenly realize that even while I�ve been blaming you for Buffy�s life, I�ve known all along that you care about her. Maybe--I sometimes think--as much as I do. I don�t know why you care about her so much, but I appreciate it more than you can know.�

�I must confess that I wish I actually could protect her, but I can�t�obviously. I feel rather powerless.� They drifted toward each other and met in the middle of the kitchen.

�You�re wrong,� said Joyce. �I understand now that there are many more monsters that would be out to get Buffy--and would have gotten her long ago--if you hadn�t been there to help her.� They were now only a few inches apart, a distance that rapidly closed as each touched the other�s body; their lips came near. They were about to kiss when shouts came from the backyard; there were too many voices to be accounted for by Angel and Spike.

Behind the Summers� house, Trick and his few remaining flunkies were squaring off with Spike.

�Mayor wants me to bring him your ashes,� said Trick to Spike. �Now, Angel, you can step aside and no one else needs to get hurt.�

�Not sure I can do that,� said Angel. �I mean, thanks for the tempting offer to watch you dust Spike, but in good conscience I don�t think I can let you do it.�

�That�s right,� said Trick. �Vampire with a conscience�and a soul to go with it. Might just be your downfall, don�t you think?�

�So far, so good,� replied Angel as he and Spike stood back to back. The vampires closed in around them, but Angel produced a stake in each hand and instantly dusted the vampires nearest him. Seeing this, the others each backed up a step. It was all the advantage that Spike and Angel needed. They each led a small group of vampires off to battle separately. Trick�s initial advantage of a massive force against Spike alone was now divided into a mere three of his minions surrounding each enemy. Since the mission was to eliminate Spike, it was not difficult for Trick to decide which trio of his people to join, and he added a fourth to Spike�s adversaries.

Giles came out of the house at that moment, bringing crosses, stakes and holy water. Xander appeared, too, with a crossbow, letting loose on a vampire about to deliver a flying kick at Spike. Finding its mark, the arrow turned the vampire to dust almost at once. Giles splashed holy water on the first vampire to break off engagement with Angel and go after Xander. Crying in pain, the vampire backed directly into one of Angel�s waiting stakes. Another vampire, seeing the futility of further combat, turned and ran. Angel approached to help Spike, when Trick, too, saw the hopelessness of their position and ordered a retreat.

�This ain�t over,� Trick said to Spike over his shoulder.

�He always says that,� complained Angel.

�What I don�t get,� said Spike loudly in the direction of his retreating assailants, �is why the Mayor wants me dusted! What�d I ever do to him?�

�I think I can guess,� said Giles. �Aside from the usual trouble you cause when you�re in town, I�ll wager the Mayor thinks that you�re behind this latest murder spree. He probably thinks that you massacred the cheerleaders.�

�Oh, please, come on!� said Spike. �I just got into town late Sunday night. No, really it was after midnight, so it was early Monday morning.�

�And who else knows that?� asked Giles.

�Well, nobody aside from your lot.�

Joyce had now joined them. She had wrapped a wool sweater around herself against the cool evening air. �What does it mean, Rupert?�

�Well, for one thing, it means that the Mayor doesn�t know who is doing these killings anymore than we do.�

�But what does he have against killing, if he�s evil?�

�Nothing in principle,� said Giles, �so long as he retains control over who kills whom.�

�And how often,� added Angel. �So what�ll it be, Spike? Are you going to help us find Buffy?�

�Sure,� said Spike. �Why not? Got nothin� better to do other�n mope over Dru. And I�m feelin� too good after the bundle we just had to go back to pinin'.�

Faith managed to enter City Hall without having to slay more than one vampire, which she accomplished with a minimum of noise. Mayor Wilkins stood when she entered his office but made no further move. His deputy, Finch, did move, but Faith stayed him with a look.

�Well, well,� said Wilkins. �Your ears must have been burning. We were talking about you this morning.�

�Yeah? Why was that?� asked Faith.

�Seems that you are now The Slayer, with capital �T� and capital �S�.�

�Hmm, I like to think of myself as having capital T and A,� said Faith.

�Now, now, young lady, I don�t allow language like that in here,� Wilkins chided. �This isn't the Oval Office, you know.�

�Yeah, yeah,� replied Faith. �So, you admitting you killed Buffy?�

�Killed her?� Wilkins chuckled. �Hardly. It wasn�t part of my plan to upset the delicate balance on the Hellmouth quite so soon.�

�But you know she�s dead.�

�Well, I am the Mayor. I know what the police know.�

�Not to mention whatever Trick knows.�

�Heh-heh. That�s right. You and he go back a ways, don�t you? But you�ve wasted your time. I was just telling Allan, here, that it�s about time to leak Miss Summers� demise to the press. It�ll be in the papers tomorrow morning, along with the obituaries of her two friends." He paused. "Cordelia Chase and... is it Harmony Kendall? It's so sad, isn't it, Allan, when young people go before their time?�

�Found any bodies?� asked Faith.

�No, actually, but if you should stumble upon them, it could be very rewarding for you to let me know.�

�That�d be nice, except I don�t work for you, Wilkins.�

�That�s a real shame, too. A clever girl like you finding her way in here past all of my security. Mr. Trick did leave me with some security, right?� Allan was about to speak when Faith answered for him.

�You�ve got four guards left. You had five.�

�And if I called them in here right now?� asked Wilkins playfully.

�Then you�d have� Let me see. Oh, yeah. Exactly none.�

�Heh-heh. You are cocky as well as clever. I like that. Isn�t cockiness an appealing quality, Allan? I mean, in someone who can back it up the way my girl Faith can.�

�I�m not your girl.�

�No, not yet. I hope you will be, though. I think someone with your talents would find herself appreciated more in my service than she is by that stodgy Watchers� Council. Oh, yes, I know all about those stuff-shirts across the pond.�

�Save your breath,� said Faith.

�But here, Faith, you would be my number one. With the Council you�re only second choice.�

�Buffy isn�t here anymore," Faith said. "I�m their only choice now.� With that she backed out of the office, glancing over her shoulder once to see where she was going. Wilkins strolled to the door and looked out into the empty hallway. Then he returned to his desk.

�She makes a fast exit, too,� he observed nonchalantly.

�You want me to call anyone?� asked Allan.

�Who?� cried the Mayor. He picked up a gavel from his desk. �Trick is out searching for Spike, and he obviously didn�t leave enough security to protect ME!� With the last word, Wilkins brought his gavel down on a crystal paperweight, smashing it into myriad pieces that scattered across the floor.

Finch shielded his face with his arms as shards peppered his pants. Recovering himself, he asked, �Isn�t it just as well she didn�t accept your offer? Mr. Trick is still your number one, isn�t he?�

�So far,� said Wilkins.

Giles and Angel drove downtown in Giles� car to search for Buffy. They walked around together for a while and were about to split up when Angel said, �Who does that look like?�

Giles squinted through his glasses. �It-it looks like Cordelia.�

�I�m on it,� said Angel. �Are you coming with?�

Angel was difficult to keep up with, but Giles managed. They followed the woman who resembled Cordelia passed the coffee shop and the theater. She did look a great deal like Cordelia except that Cordelia never wore quite so much form-fitting black leather and never before any PVC at all. Giles tried to wipe his glasses on the run but nearly stumbled and had to put them back on right away. Cordelia�or the woman who looked like her�stayed ahead of them consistently. She walked around the block�by chance passing Giles� parking spot�and turned to enter the mall.

�If you'll be good enough to follow her in,� Giles suggested. �I�ll go round to the rearmost entrance.�

�At the rate she�s going, you�d better take the car or she�ll come out before you can get there.�

�Right!� called Giles as he dashed off.

Angel entered the mall and saw that the woman who resembled Cordelia was already half way across the concourse and headed for the rear exit, gliding through the crowd of shoppers without obstruction. In the harsh artificial light of the mall, she looked strikingly artificial herself. Her skin was pale and her hair seemed especially dark and sleek. Her lips, when she turned to one side for a moment so that Angel could see them, were thickly red and there seemed to be a touch of rouge on her cheek which only emphasized the paleness of the rest of her. She wore black stilettos, dark nylon stockings, a tight black leather miniskirt, and an equally tight black PVC top, which appeared to be low-cut, although it was difficult to tell from behind because a leather jacket that came only to the midriff, did cover her shoulders. Nevertheless, Angel saw enough now to be convinced that it was Cordelia. He hurried to catch up, but she reached the exit well before him.

As Angel exited through the double doors, he saw Cordelia standing at the curb. Giles had just parked a few feet away from her and called her name as he clambered out of his car. She whirled and vamped out. Giles nearly fell backward as Cordelia advanced on him.

�Cordelia,� called Angel. She turned to face him. He did not bother to put on his game face. Cordelia snarled at him, and then cast a doubtful glance in Giles� direction. As she turned away from them both, Angel recognized the little sports car that now pulled up to the curb. The license plate read �Queen C.� The passenger door opened and in an instant Cordelia was inside. Even before she shut the door, the car screeched away, leaving a trail of rubber ten feet long.

�Did you see who was driving?� Giles asked breathlessly.

�I saw it,� replied Angel, �but did you believe it?�

Spike snuck into Willy's by the back way. He eyed the room for a moment. There, as he had hoped, was Trick, sitting at a table, nursing wounds and, evidently, in his cups already. He seemed to be alone. Spike had noted that each of the vampires at the Summers house had gone off in a different direction.

Spike slipped into the chair beside Trick. �Let�s parlay under a truce,� suggested Spike. Trick eyed him suspiciously but made no move.

�What�s to discuss?� said Trick. He took another sip of his Bloody Mary, which, Spike could tell from the smell, had been made with real blood. It was Willy�s specialty.

�You know I didn�t kill those cheerleaders,� said Spike, �or anybody else for all that.�

�How do I know that?�

�Because you did it."

"Huh?" said Trick.

"And besides, I know near as well as you that Buffy has turned.�

Trick snorted. �What�you saw the girl do a pirouette?�

�I saw her in the woods the other night, and I know when I�m looking at a vampire.�

Trick was quiet for a moment. �You talk to the girl?�

�No, I didn�t talk to her,� said Spike, �but I�ve only seen three vampires in this town who coulda turned her, and I know Angel and me didn�t do it, so it had to �ve been you.�

�Well, this is an awkward situation,� said Trick. �I�m supposed to take you out for all the killings, and now you know that I�m the one whose hide the Mayor would be after if he knew the truth.�

�Yeah, so what?�

�Well, this little parley don�t give me no reason not to kill you, do it?�

�But killin� me only buys you time. Sooner or later, the Mayor�ll find out that Buffy�and Cordelia, too, I�ll wager�� Spike gave Trick a chance to nod acknowledgment of this surmise, �--that they�re the ones doin� all the killin� around town. In that case, you�ll be needin� an alibi. I�ll tell the Mayor I turned the birds, and you can rest assured he�ll never suspect it was you.�

�You�d do that for me? Why?�

�To save my own skin for one.�

�But how can I trust you?�

�Simple. If I talk, I�m dust.�

�But the Mayor still expects me to bring your ashes back tonight.�

�You�ll be bringing me back whole tonight, instead.�

�He�d probably tell me to waste you.�

�Not if I made him an offer he couldn�t refuse.�

�That�d be�?�

�Well, let me ask you a question," said Spike. "Where are the rest of your men, really?�

Trick looked worried for a moment, and he replied cautiously. �You not only answer a question with a question, you ask one that don�t make sense,� he said.

"These killings. They couldn�t be just Buffy and Cordelia alone,� said Spike, laying out his entire hand. �There�s teamwork in �em. So where did your men go, Trick?�

�All right,� said Trick, surrendering his secret at last.

FLASHBACK: SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 8 P.M.: The gym and girls� locker room were the only areas of the school with lights on. The Razorback cheerleading squad had been working for more than an hour already, but, to Cordelia, perfection was not a matter of time spent but precision achieved.

�Try to keep up, Buffy,� said Cordelia.

�You�re forgetting that I�m not actually on the cheerleading squad,� said Buffy. �I�m just here to provide security.�

�Well, you�re holding the rest of us back,� Cordelia complained. �Get with it or step aside.�

�Gladly,� Buffy said. She began to head for the bleachers.

�Where do you think you�re going?� demanded Cordelia.

�Just having a little sit-down,� answered Buffy.

�Then we won�t have the right number,� Cordelia complained.

"Makes no difference to me,� replied Buffy.

Suddenly, they heard a scream.

�What was that?� asked Harmony?

�Shhh,� said Buffy. She stood still for a moment. �Sounds like it came from the boys� locker room.�

�I guess you�d know,� giggled Harmony.

�Quiet,� ordered Cordelia. �What is it, Buffy?�

�I don�t know, but I�m going to check it out. Get everybody into the locker where they keep all the athletic gear. Lock the door behind you, and don�t come out until I tell you the coast is clear.�

�All right,� Cordelia said in a stage whisper, �everyone come with me.�

�But I don�t want to go into that locker,� complained Harmony. �It smells like Coach Haskell in there.�

�So that�s what that smell is,� mused Cordelia. �Oh, never mind, Harmony, let's go.�

Trusting Cordelia to herd the cheerleaders into storage, Buffy went out of the gym and into the hallway. All was quiet and dark. Her eyes adjusted to the dimness in a moment. Seeing no one, she pulled on the door to the boys� locker room. It was locked. She gave it a tug with all her might and the entire handle and lock mechanism came away in her hand as splintered wood rained onto her gym shoes. �Sometimes I wish I could say that I don�t know my own strength,� she said. Tearing a piece of wood from the torn door, she went into the locker room. Turning the corner of a bank of lockers, she saw a girl cowering on a bench, sobbing. Buffy approached her and said, �It�s ok, I�m going to get you out of here.� But the girl just kept sobbing into her lap.

A vampire left a shadowy corner of the room and approached Buffy from behind. With ease, Buffy staked him without even turning around, and when the girl before her stopped sobbing and arose in full game face, Buffy staked her, as well.

In the showers, two vampires attacked Buffy, and again she slew both of them easily. Buffy explored the locker room until she was satisfied that it as vampire-free.

When she reentered the hallway, she found herself by the stairs leading to the walkway above the courtyard. As she climbed the stairs, two vampires came at her, one from above and one who had been downstairs. Buffy slew the one in front of her before turning on the one behind. �Hiding from me,� she said. �That�s not fair.� She kicked the vampire on the chin and sent him bouncing down the stairs. Bones noisily crunched. The vampire groaned, but then climbed to his feet. �Work through that pain, why doncha,� quipped Buffy. She edged up the stairs, looked around and then faced the partially crippled vampire ascending toward her. �Silly vampire,� she said. �You don�t have a chance.�

�I wouldn�t be so sure about that,� said a voice from behind her. Buffy turned to see Mr. Trick, flanked by five vampires--five on each side of him. Before she turned back to face her crippled opponent, it registered that all eleven of the vampires behind her were standing in a neat row in the same posture, almost like disciplined soldiers at parade rest. They were not about to rush her: they were biding their time.

Then the crippled vampire before her placed his hands around Buffy�s throat in a frontal stranglehold. Buffy hesitated for only a moment before bringing her palms together and forcing her arms upward like a wedge between his arms. She then wrapped her arms around his so that she not only broke his stranglehold hold but pinned his arms under her own. Lowering her head, she draw him in and battered his face with the top of her head. Next she let go of him and delivered a kick to his chest, this time sending him all the way to the bottom of the stairs.

From behind her came the sound of applause. It was only two hands clapping, but the echo resounded off of the high ceiling of the walkway and even against the wall across the courtyard. Buffy turned to see that Trick�s men had not moved, but Trick himself had taken one step forward and was putting his hands together in slow, rhythmic slaps.

�Mm-hm! That was some fightin�,� he said. "Let�s see what else you got.� Trick glanced at the first vampire to his immediate left. The vampire assumed game face and rushed forward. Buffy blocked a kick and a punch before beginning her own barrage of punches that forced the vampire to stagger backward. Buffy drew her stake and finished him.

No sooner had she done this when a male and female pair of vampires rushed Buffy simultaneously. The dark-haired, dark-clad female was more skilled than the male and survived him. Buffy was feeling tired now, though. And as she squared off against the female, suddenly three additional vampires surrounded her. Deftly moving between two of them, she placed herself outside of their circle. One vampire rushed her only to be impaled on her stake.

�You see that, people?� called Trick. �Don�t get careless so close to victory. Time is on our side. Use it. Wear her down.�

�I don�t see you taking any of the risks they are,� said Buffy breathlessly. "Are you going to talk me to death?�

�Oh I�ll get involved when I�m good and ready,� said Trick. At that moment, the black-clad female moved in. Buffy went to stake her; the vampire parried, then deftly kicked the stake from Buffy�s hand. Buffy had only enough time to see it sail over the balustrade before she had to dodge another vampire�s attack. The stake made a faint clatter when it landed in the courtyard.

�Now, what have you got left?� asked Trick.

�I still have me,� replied Buffy defiantly.

�Yeah,� said Trick, �but I got you outnumbered.� To the others he added, �Wear her down.�

And they did. Trick sent in another and another vampire until he alone stood outside the fray.

Buffy was nearly out of breathe�something vampires never were. She was able to land an occasional blow, but she was not slaying any now. The fight went on for more than an hour. In the end, Buffy fell and could no longer get up. Only one of the vampires on the landing was similarly prostrate.

�Well, I have got to step in and finish the job now,� said Trick. The other vampires parted for their leader, and he strode in. He leaned over Buffy who, with one last effort kicked him in the groin. �Ooh, that is what ya call determination. You don�t think we are going to just kill that, do you?� he said to the others. �No, we need that kind of skill on our side. We are going to turn this one. When we do, things are gonna get better. The Mayor will be happy, and, more importantly, we�ll be happy. You dig?�

None of the vampires said anything, but Buffy said, �No.�

�Don�t worry,� said Trick. �You�ll thank me later.�

As hours drew by, Cordelia and the other cheerleaders became increasingly restless. Cordelia herself wanted to get out of that smelly closet, but she understood better than the rest of them how dangerous it was out there. She was running out of lame explanations to keep her girls in line.

�Don�t be such a wuss, Aphrodesia,� said Cordelia. �If we stay in here, we�ll be safe. Why do you think I invited Buffy tonight? She�s pretty good at bodyguard stuff, even if she is d�class�, hanging out with the geek squad and all.�

�Oh, I thought it was because you date one of her geek friends,� said Sarah.

�I need to pee,� said Harmony.

�Well, welcome to the club,� snapped Cordelia. �I�ve been a charter member for the past hour.�

�What�s keeping her?� complained Aphrodesia.

�I don�t know, but if she doesn�t come back it�s because there are bad people out there,� said Cordelia. "And, believe me, I�d rather be in here than face those, ah, people."

�What people?� complained Harmony. �I don�t care anymore. I�m going to open this door.�

�No you�re not!� warned Cordelia.

�Shh,� said Aphrodesia. �I think I hear someone coming.�

�Cordelia, the coast is clear,� said Buffy�s voice.

�Really?� asked Cordelia.

�No,� said Harmony, �she�s making it up. Now will you open the friggin� door?�

Cordelia and Harmony undid the chain on the inside of the door together, but as soon as they did, it was pulled open from outside by half a dozen figures with hideously bumpy faces. Two were female and one of these resembled Buffy down to the cheerleader outfit she had been wearing. As these monsters closed in on them, the cheerleaders began to scream. Only one, the youngest vampire hung back.

�What are you waiting for?� Trick asked him. �Get in there.�

�But it smells like coach Haskell in there,� he complained.

�You�ll smell worse than that if you don�t get in there!�

The cheerleaders were dragged out and some were unceremoniously drained of their blood. Clothing was removed from the rest so that they could be passed at leisure from diner to diner. The black-clad female took a particular interest in Harmony who sobbed and wept copiously. The vampiress grabbed Harmony by the hair; pulled her head back. She nibbled her neck and face and then licked the blood and tears away.

"You know," said the vampiress, speaking for the first time. "We need to replace some of our losses."

"So what, Malicia?" said Trick. "You want to replace them all with Miss Waterworks? She's probably worth about ten men." The other vampires laughed.

"We've already eaten most of them," said Malicia. "We should consider turning those who remain."

�This one has got to be the prettiest,� said a tall vampire who dressed like a leather cowboy but spoke with a European accent. He held Cordelia�s nude body by the shoulders and presented her to the others. �What should we do with her.� Cordelia futilely tried to cover herself as she whimpered, �Please don't kill me.�

�WE aren�t doing anything with her,� said Buffy. �I am.� She stepped forward and took Cordelia�s arm, glaring at the tall vampire until he let her go.

"Seems the new girl's awful uppity," said Trick. "As your official sire, I might have somethin' to say about this."

"'Official' is right," snarled Buffy. "I've got more skill and experience than you'll ever have. You took me when you had all your friends, and I had the disadvantage of being human, but do you want to go mano a mano right now?"

Trick hesitated, then looked around at his people--who were watching him. "What do you want her for?" Trick asked finally.

"Let's just say I have some unfinished business with this bitch. First I'm going to make her into my own special toy, and then, if I'm not too bored, I'll turn her." Buffy pressed Cordelia by the shoulder, making the frightened girl sink to her knees.

"Want your own protegee already?" asked Trick.

"More than that. I'll be recruiting my own army. If anybody's interested, meet me back here in an hour." Buffy glanced down at Cordelia who was crumpled in a quivering heap at Buffy's feet. "Make that two hours."

"We have to get out of here by dawn," said Trick. "In case you forgot: things are different now."

"It's Sunday, Trick. No one will be here all day. And are you forgetting I already know all of the tunnels connecting to the school--maybe even a couple you don't know about?" With that, Buffy took Cordelia by the hair and dragged her away as is if she were as light as a lunch box.

"Don't you want no help?" Trick lamely called after her.

"No," Buffy said without turning around, �This is a private party.�

When Buffy and Cordelia had disappeared from their view, the rest of the vampires--excepting Malicia who busied herself making Harmony a vampire--amused themselves by redressing the dead cheerleaders and arranging them in the pattern of a horizontal pyramid on the floor of the gymnasium.

�Buffy is out of control,� Trick was telling Spike. �Too good for her sire now. She an� that head cheerleader went off on their own, taking half my crew with �em! No respect for their elders among young people these days!�

�So you pretty much bolloxed up,� Spike observed dryly.

�Listen, you can still be dust,� warned Trick.

�No need to go bonkers now,� said Spike. �Just makin� an observation.�

�It�s the kind of observation I don't need anybody makin'.�

The Mayor was about to swing his miniature-golf club when he looked around and saw Spike and Trick at his office door. "Well, well. More surprise visits," said Wilkins. "I have to admit, Mr. Trick, I didn't expect you to fulfill your promise by bringing him back alive. I hope you still intend to kill him."

"Hear him out, Mr. Mayor," said Trick. "He didn't do it, but he knows who did."

"Be that as it may, when I say to eliminate someone, I generally don't want them standing in the middle of my office an hour later."

"See, here, Wilkins," said Spike. "Before you have me eliminated, you need to know I've seen the Slayer, and she ain't completely dead, if you get my meaning."

"That's impossible. It's been confirmed."

"Ah, but you don't 'ave the corpse, do you?" said Spike. "I've seen her."

"Are you two telling me Buffy Summers is a vampire?"

"I haven't seen her myself," lied Trick, "but I have heard from our people that she is out there, and she's the one that's been doing all the killin', not Spike. Not only that, but...well, Mr. Mayor, you know how we've been a little shorthanded lately...?"

"Yes, that's the next item that I was planning to bring to your attention," said Wilkins.

"Well, It turns out Buffy has been recruitin' her own army."

Wilkins leaned wearily against his desk. "This is certainly an upsetting turn of affairs."

"And there's another reason your man here didn't off me right away," said Spike. "I got a plan you might want to hear--a plan to kill 'er."