Chapter 7

LONDON

Giles was grateful that Buffy didn’t seem to be catching on to the demon gossip. She hadn’t been patrolling much, wanting to focus more on teaching her charges in the gym, but even Giles had heard the buzzing about Sir Rodney’s dusting. When he’d been with Buffy and the girls at night she was busy with show and tell and most of the demons didn’t live long enough to tell tales.

There was a lot of infighting among the departed Master’s clan which did not go unnoticed, but Buffy was not interested in it. Giles had told her that the demons were fighting for control of territory, and that was all she needed to know, and she didn’t press for more information. She was different, changed from the curious and exuberant teenager he once knew, but she was more than adequately doing her job and he did not fuss. He just continued to hope for the call from Angel which would let them move on, one way or another.

CLEVELAND

The action in the bar went into slow motion when Clem yelled Spike’s name. The slayers froze, staring at Clem, for they knew that name. Buffy had seen to that. She made sure they all heard the tale of the vampire who’d saved them all. Willy glanced between Clem and Spike, the latter of whom was staring into his drink, waiting for something, anything, to happen. Willy cleared his throat to get everyone’s attention on him.

He shook his head, muttering loudly.

“I swear it happens at least once a night.”

“What happens?” Faith asked, her voice heavy with suspicion.

“Some displaced Sunnydale demon wants to raise their glass and either curse Spike or salute him for closing the Hellmouth down there.”

Clem shot a bleary glance at Willy, who shook his head at Clem, hoping the drunken demon would catch on.

“So Clem, what’s it gonna be this time? Was Spike your best buddy ever or the biggest undead jerk this side of Dracula, chasing you out of sunny SoCal and forcing you to move to this shithole?”

Clem’s ears flopped as he tried desperately to follow the conversation. Different as he looked, he knew the vampire a few tables over was his old friend, but he could tell that Willy was trying to cover something up. He was here all the time and no one had ever mentioned Spike.

He was saved from making any decision when Faith banged on the bar, demanding a shot.

“How ‘bout I do the shout out tonight?” Not waiting for any protests, she forged ahead, raising her shot glass.

“To Spike: I wish…”

A chorus of “NO!s” interrupted her and there were shouts about vengeance and justice demons from the crowd. She sheepishly reworded her tribute. “I hope that wherever you landed, you know how proud of you we are, and how much we miss you. Some more than others.”

Everyone took a drink, even those demons who didn’t know what the hell was happening. Mostly, they all just wanted the girls to leave. Large of groups of slayers meant demons were being slaughtered and most knew that if they were drinking at Willy’s instead of committing random acts of mayhem, they were generally safe for another day.

A collective sigh went up among the bar patrons when the slayers left and they resumed their drinking and posturing. Clem was still swaying unsteadily on his feet so Spike stood and retrieved his old friend, sitting him down at his table.

“Is it really you, Spike?” his friend asked, slurring his words.

“Yeah, it is, but keep it down, mate. I’m undercover right now.”

“But last I heard you burned up in the Hellmouth.”

“You heard right. But someone was playing a game and brought me back.” He kept the story light, realizing any detail would be lost on his drunken friend.

“Buffy!” Clem exclaimed loudly before Spike shushed him. “Buffy!” he repeated, softer this time. “She’ll want to see you. She’s so sad, Spike…” The other demon went momentarily quiet.

“I know, mate. I’m workin’ on it. Seems the girl is always two steps ahead of me.”

When Clem looked at him with eyes a bit clearer, Spike explained the trials and tribulations he’d already been through.

“And now I need to get to sodding Japan.” Spike tossed back another shot of JD and sighed wearily. “I’m gonna have to fly, but that’s always been a bit tricky for vamps. I just can’t lose any more time on a fuckin’ boat.”

“I think I can help you with that.” Clem sounded better now, having drunk two cups of coffee since sitting down with his old buddy. The kittens had been relegated to a covered basket that Willy scrounged up; left behind, no doubt, by a previous unlucky gambler. “I know these guys…”

^^^^^^^^

And that’s how Spike came to be loaded into the hold of an airplane bound for Japan.

The “guys” Clem knew were Ursh demons; they could easily pass for human and they owned a funeral parlor which served both natural and supernatural clients. They placed Spike in a plush, satin-lined coffin with discreet holes drilled in the sides; not because he needed the air but to give him some sense of his bearings. He had a few thermoses of blood, a Discman and several CDs, a penlight and book, a blanket for the cold, and some snacks. A hearse delivered him to the airport and where he was none-too-gently bounced into place and secured to the floor.

Spike didn’t enjoy travelling this way, but he was safe from the sun and it would get him quickly to Japan. He napped and read during the 24 hour flight, but he felt as if time was plodding on and was relieved when they finally touched down. His coffin was claimed by associates of the Cleveland Ursh and he ended up at the equivalent of a Japanese funeral home.

Before he left the place he was reassured that similar arrangements could be made for his return trip. He was hoping, though, that he wouldn’t need to. Yes, he would find Buffy; they’d hole up somewhere and get reacquainted, then take a nice, leisurely cruise back to…well, wherever they wanted to go!

The friendly yet obsequious man who was Spike’s contact gave him the location of a bar where he thought the vampire could get some information. He wasted no time in hailing a cab and arrived there 15 minutes later. Swaggering through the door, he paused briefly and scented the place.

He was a bit surprised to detect only human scent. Still, Toshi had sent him here and given him a contact name, and since it was his only lead he might as well see it through. Stepping up to the bar, he signaled the man working behind it.

“Speak English, mate?”

“Yes, enough to get you something. You want whiskey? Beer? Sake?”

“Sake. Warm.” Spike answered. “And a man named Yamamoto. He here?”

The barman placed the sake cup before Spike and poured him a drink from the ceramic flask, which he then sat next to the cup.

“Yeah, he here now.” The man nodded towards the last booth against the wall. “Whatever you need, he take care of for you.”

Spike thanked him and gave him some of the Japanese money Toshi had given him. Grabbing his flask and cup, he made his way to the man he hoped would lead him to Buffy.

LOS ANGELES

“What?” Angel yelled into the phone. “How did he get there so fast? Damn it!” He’d expected Spike to come back to the West Coast to catch a freighter to Japan, but somehow he’d found a direct flight instead.

“Well then have your man send him as far away from Tokyo as possible! Have him go up Mt. fucking Fuji! Just keep him there as long as you can!” Turning the phone off, he let it crash to the desk and rubbed his temples. He was getting tired of the cat and mouse, but Spike wasn’t giving up. He wondered how much more he wanted his grand-childe to suffer. Angel decided to brood a bit as he contemplated the situation.

He really hated having to rely on others; even during his days as Angelus he’d sooner pop off a minion’s head then trust them to follow orders correctly. And since he’d come to LA and started his own business, everyone he’d gotten close to left him in some way. Doyle was dead and Cordelia remained in a coma. Wesley had kidnapped Connor and the boy had suffered for it, leading Angel to make the drastic decision to enter the lion’s den to get it fixed. The memory loss was the nail in the coffin of his estrangement from the former AI team and he knew they’d never regain the closeness they’d once enjoyed.

With a sigh he came to a decision. When Spike left Japan Angel would call off the chase. The younger vamp would create his own trouble soon enough, and if Buffy wanted to be part of it, which he was hoping she wouldn’t, then he would interfere no longer. He had to refocus on his current mission, using Wolfram & Hart’s assets to fight evil, not to make Spike’s life miserable.

TBC