Betad by Carol and dawnofme


Banner by dawnofme


Disclaimer: the characters do not belong to me - they are used purely for fun and not fiancial gain





Chapter Thirty-Four


An Unexpected Friend


Spike stayed on the floor for some time. He could feel his power draining from him - injuries heal quickly but can sap strength as they do. He needed more blood. He looked at Michael’s body but he’d been dead too long to be any use to him - his blood would no longer flow from his veins.


He had to get moving, he knew that. Every minute he stayed there, he was a minute nearer to capture. He put his hands onto the chair that Giles had sat on. He gritted his teeth and pushed down with his hands, levering himself to his feet, well, foot. His head swam, vision blurring. He held himself steady with effort. Only the thought of the pain that he’d feel if he fell, made him stay upright.


“Spike,” he muttered to himself. “I think you would have been better taking your chances with the Slayer.”


Another few minutes passed until he felt able to move. He needed something to use as a crutch. He looked around the room.


“Shit, should’ve got Buffy to find something.”


His eyes fell on a long handled axe at the far side of the room. Its blade wasn’t too large so he reckoned he’d be able to use it. He just needed to get to it. He half hopped, half dragged himself along, clinging to anything he could for support. He was panting when he got to the axe. He got hold of it and turned it upside down so its head was on the floor. The shaft of the handle was just about the right height. Spike tried it out and it did the job just fine.


He stood there, trying to gather his thoughts. He knew he ought to just try to get out, but he wanted this place shut down even if he killed himself doing it. His original plan had been to release all the captives and get out as quickly as possible. He knew the military would then lose control of the facility and seal it off. The problem with that now, was that he wouldn’t be able to move fast enough to get out before the demons caught him and killed him. So what now?


“Blood, I need blood. Maggie must have had a supply somewhere.”


He’d just started to move when a siren started to screech.


“Crap! They must have found Adam’s body.”


He went to the door and out into the corridor beyond. By leaning heavily on the axe he found, he could make reasonable progress. He hobbled along, heading towards the holding cells in the main part of the complex. He hadn’t decided exactly what he was going to do, but he knew he couldn’t get out via the air vent like the others - no way could he crawl his way along there with his leg.


He walked round a corner and found out why the alarm had sounded. Two huge demons, looking like everyone’s idea of Bigfoot, were fighting in the corridor. They’d obviously gotten out of their cells and, being primitive and very aggressive, their only thought was fighting and not escaping.


“God, how do I get past these?” thought Spike in alarm.


He warily made his way around the pair. As he drew level, one threw the other at the wall. It hit just in front of Spike but amazingly, it just leapt up and attacked the other demon again.


“Thank God for stupid Toofgib demons,” thought Spike, as he managed to get by them.


The sight around the next corner brought him to a halt. On the ground in front of him were three soldiers; one had literally been ripped in half, the others were covered in blood and lying still.


“Poor bastards,” muttered Spike. “They never stood a chance.”


He went over to the two men, groaning with the effort that it took to bend down between them, and checked for signs of life. One was dead, the other alive. He looked like he’d been knocked unconscious but had no other obvious injuries. Spike looked at the dead body. He needed blood. The soldier didn’t need it any more. Spike knew that it wasn’t a good thing to do, but in the end, his sense of self-preservation won. He changed his features and sank his teeth into the corpse’s neck. In seconds, he’d drained all the blood. He closed his eyes as he felt the surge of energy the blood gave him flow through his body. He heard the fighting demons starting to come back in his direction.


“Sodding hell.”


Spike struggled to his feet and started to move away. As he did, he saw the surviving soldier start to moan and move his limbs as he began to come round. Spike knew that if the Toofgibs saw the movement they’d kill him. He hesitated, then gave a bit of a yell, went over and grabbed the soldier by his collar and dragged him along. The effort made him grunt and his features vamp up.


Luckily he saw a door on the left. He pushed it open and had just gotten the soldier inside as the demons came past. Spike held onto the doorframe and peered out of the crack, sagging with relief as they went by without noticing.


Spike froze as he heard a buzzing sound behind him. It was the all too familiar noise of a tazer being charged ready for use.


“Don’t move,” said the soldier.


“Just saved your life, mate,” said Spike quietly, changing back to his human features.


“How do I know you’re not with them?” the soldier asked, voice quivering.


“Can I turn round?”


“Uh, OK.”


Spike slowly turned round and faced the soldier, taking in his appearance properly for the first time. He was just a kid - eighteen at most.


“What’s your name?” asked Spike.


“Matt.”


“Look, Matt, I’m not going to hurt you, okay?” said Spike.


“But you’re…you’re…” stuttered Matt.


“A vampire,” said Spike. “Yeah, I know I am, but I’m still not going to hurt you.”


“You’re going to make me become like you,” said Matt, the tazer wavering about alarmingly.


“No,” said Spike patiently. “I’m not going to do anything to you, all right? I just want to get back out of here.”


He shifted his weight a little, leaning on the axe. Matt’s hand shook so badly that he accidentally fired the tazer - it missed Spike by about an inch.


“Bloody hell, Matt!” exclaimed Spike. “Put the sodding thing down before you bloody hurt yourself with it.”


To Spike’s surprise Matt dropped the tazer, put his head in his hands and started to weep.


“Um…take it easy, mate…it’ll be OK. Your mates will be here soon. I just really don’t want to end up back in a cell though. Been there done that, got the t-shirt or rather the chip,” said Spike.


Matt looked up at him, his brown eyes looking huge in his pale drawn face.


“But haven’t you just escaped like those other demons?” he asked.


“I did escape but it was a while back,” answered Spike.


“Why did you come back, if it’s not to kill us all? That’s what you do, isn’t it? Vampires just kill everything.”


“Christ! Don’t believe all the stereotypes,” snapped Spike. “I’m a good guy. No, I am, really,” he added as Matt just stared in disbelief. “I saved you from the Toofgibs, remember.”


Matt nodded.


“Look, I’ve got to get out, OK? If you stay in here you should be safe enough.”


Spike turned to open the door and look out. He winced as he moved his right leg.


“You’re hurt,” said Matt, noticing it for the first time.


“Yeah, my leg’s busted,” said Spike. “You’ve got your tazer. Keep it aimed at the door until I shut it again, OK? The reinforcements will soon be here to rescue you.” He opened the door and started to hobble out.


“Wait,” said Matt.


Spike looked back at him.


“You’ll never get out with your leg like that.”


“I’ll take my chances.”


“I’ll help you get out but with one condition,” said Matt.


“And that would be what?” said Spike suspiciously.


“I get out with you. I can’t stay here. I can’t stay in the military,” said Matt desperately, standing up.


“No offence, but not a minute ago you fired at me and said vampires were just killers. How come I’m now a good prospect as an ally?”


“If you were going to kill me, you would have done so already, I reckon,” replied Matt. “You saved my life so I owe you.”


“OK,” agreed Spike. “But we’ve got to get a move on before we’re overrun with GI Joes.”


He turned back to the door.


“Hang on. I’ve got an idea,” said Matt, putting a hand on Spike’s shoulder. “Stay here.”


The kid ran out into the corridor and back to where his colleagues were killed. He went to the body Spike had fed on and stripped it of its sweater. He picked up a cap from the floor and then ran back to Spike.


“You bit him. You bit Robbie,” said Matt, as he handed the clothes to Spike.


“Um. Shit. Yes, I did but he was dead already. I just needed the blood,” replied Spike defensively.


“I know he was. I saw them kill him,” said Matt quietly. “Put them on and if we’re lucky, we can convince them that you’re one of us. This place is so big you can’t recognise every soldier here. Lean on me.”


Spike put the clothes on but hesitated before leaning on Matt, as equally suspicious of Matt, as Matt was of him. In his experience, humans weren’t the most trustworthy of creatures.


“I thought you wanted to get out of here,” said Matt impatiently. He hated being here and suddenly understood that Spike was his best chance of getting out and covering his disappearance.


“I do,” said Spike, deciding he had no choice but to trust Matt. “I thought we could try for the southeast access to the tunnels.” He tapped his head. “Maps courtesy of your boss,” he added as he saw Matt’s eyes widen when he realised Spike knew the layout of The Initiative.


“Oh,” said Matt weakly. He’d seen some of the things that they’d done to the demons and that was part of the reason he needed to get out. It was just so wrong. “You know my name, so what’s yours?”


“I’m Spike. Though in here, I was known as Number Seventeen,” said Spike dryly.


“You’re Number Seventeen?” gasped Matt. “But you were killed.”


“Obviously not, mate. That was a story the Professor told to cover my third escape. Look, I’ll level with you. I want to close this place down. The Slayer wants it, too--”


“Slayer?” interrupted Matt.


“Christ, don’t they teach you anything in here? We haven’t got time for this, so I’ll fill you in later. If you want out too, will you help me to finish this place? The Professor was crazy--”


“Was?” asked Matt.


“Stop bleeding interrupting!” snapped Spike. “Yes, was. I killed her. The Slayer killed her pet Frankenstein, too. When they find that thing’s body, all hell will let loose down here, so come on, let’s get moving.”


“OK,” said Matt, not thinking it wise to anger the vampire further.


They finally stepped out of the room. Spike was grateful for the support Matt gave him. He still carried the axe and Matt had the tazer.


“There’s somebody coming,” whispered Spike. “About six somebodys, I think.”


“I can’t hear anything,” replied Matt.


“All part of the vampire package,” said Spike. “It’s the reinforcements.”


“Let me do the talking,” said Matt.


Spike raised an eyebrow.


“Trust me,” Matt added.


The soldiers ran into view. Spike leaned more heavily on Matt and hung his head in case any of them might recognise him.


“What happened?” asked the first of the soldiers.


“Two Toofgib demons escaped and attacked us. We’ve got two men dead. Dan here got his leg broken, and I took a bit of a knock before I managed to get Dan out of their grasp. I need to get him to the infirmary ASAP. He could have internal injuries,” said Matt, his voice sounding strong and confident.


“I’ll send John with you,” said the soldier.


“No, it’s OK. I’ve got him. You’ll need all the men you have to stop those bastards,” said Matt, starting to walk forwards. “Be careful, they’re faster than they look.”


“OK. Get yourself checked out, too. You’ve got quite a gash on your head.”


Matt put his hand and touched the sticky mass of blood at his hairline.


“Come on, Dan, it’s not much further,” said Matt.


Spike moaned artistically as they walked away. Neither spoke until they were out of earshot.


“They bought it,” said Spike.


“Yeah,” replied Matt. “Not sure how long we’ve got though after they spot your tooth marks in Robbie’s neck. We better hurry.”


“Damn. Never thought of that,” said Spike. “Is there any single switch that can override the locks on the cells?”


Matt thought for a moment. “Yes, yes there is.”


“I want to unlock it to let all the demons out. You all right with that, Matt? I reckon they’ll just pull out all the humans and leave the demons to it. What do you think?”


“It’s a good idea. We’ve been drilled on that happening and you’re right, if we can’t contain them, we retreat and seal all the exits,” replied Matt.


“Right then, how do we get to that master switch?” asked Spike. “They didn’t program that into my chip, surprisingly.”


“We don’t. I do,” said Matt.


“What?”


“There’s no way you’re going to be able to come with me to the switch and get to an exit before they seal them. I don’t think they’ll fight them for long. So you make your way to the southeast access as planned and wait there. There’s a light near the door. If that goes red before I’m back, get out. It’ll lock down three minutes after it starts to flash.”


Spike could see the sense in it. Despite the blood he’d taken from the fallen soldier, his strength was dipping again.


“OK,” said Spike.


“You’ll wait for me though, won’t you? Until the light flashes?” asked Matt, looking very young and frightened.


“Yeah, mate, don’t worry, I won’t leave you unless I have to,” said Spike. “If you miss the lockdown and still want out of here, just get to the cemetery and the Albert mausoleum. You can’t miss it - it’s the biggest one. Be there at ten thirty any night for the next week and we’ll find you and help you, all right?”


Matt nodded and held out his hand. Spike looked at it and then took it. The pair shook hands and split up - Matt running along to find the master switch, tazer at the ready, and Spike once more using the axe as a crutch, making his way painfully to the exit to the tunnels.

Tbc