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-five


Let’s Get Out Of Here!


Matt ran along as fast as he could. His heart was racing. He couldn’t believe that he’d made a deal with a vampire, a vampire for God’s sake. Mind you, six months ago he’d been blissfully unaware of the world of demons.


He’d joined up as soon as he’d graduated from high school, anything to escape his previous life. Numerous foster parents had raised him as he had never known his real parents. Whilst he hadn’t been abused, he hadn’t known much love either. His last family had made it clear that he was expected to leave once his schooling was over.


On a whim, he’d signed up for the Army. He’d regretted it ever since. He’d hoped it would have been like in the movies; that it would be the family he never had. But once initial training was over, he’d been assigned to The Initiative. When he arrived, he knew why. He had no next of kin so he was expendable. Of the soldiers he was on patrol with more than half had no family.


He hoped that by teaming up with the vampire, he wasn’t leaping out of the frying pan and into the fire. At least it would mean that he could disappear and start a new life somewhere else.


He hadn’t told Spike that the room containing the master switch was always guarded. No reason for him to know. Matt was prepared to do whatever it took to get to that switch. This place was hell on earth and had to be closed.


Matt slowed to a walk. He checked that the tazer was ready to fire. He looked up at the steep steps leading up to the control room. His heart was beating fit to burst - he could hear it thudding in his ears. He put a foot onto the first step, took a deep breath and climbed up.


At the top of the stairs, he quietly opened the door to the control room, tazer at the ready. There were two soldiers inside. Matt reversed the weapon in his hands and used it to club the nearest one unconscious. As he fell to the floor, the second man turned around, but before he could do anything, the tazer blast hit him. He dropped to the floor next to the first.


Matt muttered an apology as he stepped over them. He studied the console in front of him. The master switch was alarmed, and if it went off, he was as good as dead. Years in the stockade would be all that his future held. He flicked a couple of switches, and then reached for the big one – the master switch. His hand was shaking as he pulled the lever. Immediately a siren blasting through the quiet deafened him.


“Oh, crap. I did it wrong,” said Matt in despair.


Then he realised it was the sound of the lock down alarm. Someone must have panicked and ordered it even before the other cells opened. He had three minutes to get to the exit, otherwise he’d be trapped in here with all the demons. He fairly flew down the steps, stumbling at the bottom, but managed to scramble to stay on his feet and run headlong towards Spike.


Ooooooo


Spike was leaning against the door, eyes closed, trying to blot out the pain in his leg. He had often wondered over the years whether the enhanced and speedy powers of healing a vampire benefited from brought with it increased pain. Of all the injuries that he’d had, nothing had hurt as much as the two times that he’d broken his leg.


His thoughts turned to Matt. He didn’t know quite what to make of him. His instincts told him that Matt was sincere but it was very odd. At one point, he thought the kid was going to fall apart, and then he’d got a grip and acted bravely.


A siren shrieking startled him. He put his right leg down without thinking, then screamed as the pain threatened to make him pass out. Black spots were dancing in front of his eyes and he clung to the wall to keep his balance.


“Fucking hell,” he gasped.


He looked up the corridor. Where was the kid? Three minutes after the light flashes, that’s all he had to get here. Spike limped to push the button to open the door. It rose slowly, disappearing into the ceiling. He stepped through and stood on the outside of it; no way was he getting stuck inside. He hoped the kid would make it, but he wanted to make sure that he got home himself. He kept his eyes on the light – it started to flash.


Ooooooo


Matt was running down the corridors towards the exit as fast as his legs could go, his lungs felt on fire and his breath coming in ragged gasps. He had to make it out before the doors were shut. He’d have no second chance after attacking the two soldiers guarding the switch. He primed the tazer as he ran, wishing that he had a conventional weapon, too. He only had one blast in the tazer at a time - it took too long to make ready for a second when dealing with demons.


He raced round a corner, feet slipping on the floor and he hit the wall. In front of him was a vampire running towards him. Matt reversed his grip on the tazer and without breaking stride he swung it with all his might, hitting the vampire on the side of its head. It fell to the ground and lay still.


“Not much further,” thought Matt. His legs were starting to hurt.


Ooooooo


“Christ! Where is the kid?” Spike anxiously peered up the corridor.


He could hear the growls and roars of various demons in the depths of The Initiative. He glanced up at the door. It hadn’t started to move yet but it couldn’t be long. His thoughts turned to Buffy; he hoped that she’d got out all right.


“Red? Can you hear me?” he projected in his mind.


“Yes, Spike. Are you OK? Are you nearly home?”


“Um, I’m not, but Buffy and Giles should be soon. There’s a problem, Red; they’ve both got Lorac Bugs in them. Whatever you do, no matter what they say, for God’s sake chain them up until we can get the things out.”


There was a pause.


“Did you hear me, Red?” asked Spike.


“Yeah, so Giles had one in him all the time?” asked Willow.


“He did. Not sure exactly when it was done but certainly before the attack on the house. It’s not his fault, Red.”


“Oh,” replied Willow. “OK, I’ll get Dawn and Xander ready with the chains. Where are you?”


“Just about to start for home.” He severed the mind link and looked once more for any sign of Matt.


“Come on, kid, come on,” he muttered, just hoping the demons didn’t find their way down to this exit before Matt did. Spike knew that he’d have no chance in a fight.


Oooooo


Buffy and Giles had just climbed out of the air shaft in the woods when they heard the faint sound of an alarm going off in the heart of The Initiative.


“Spike!” cried Buffy. “Oh God, he’ll be killed.” She shook her head furiously as a part of her controlled by the Bug was delighted.


There was nothing they could do but get back to the others and pray that he’d make it.


“Come on, Giles,” she ordered, giving him a bit of a push. He was still pretty unresponsive. Looking at him terrified her – is that how she’d end up?


They followed the track through the woods until they met a road. They turned right, heading for Sunnydale and Revello Drive. A half hour later, they arrived at the door. Xander pulled it open as they walked up the path.


“Buffy! Thank God you’re alive.” He ran up to her and enveloped her in a bear hug.


She clung to him for a moment and then pulled away.


“We’d better get inside,” she said.


Dawn and Willow were waiting in the hall. When Buffy saw her friend with that hideous contraption on her face she burst into tears.


“Oh, Willow,” she sobbed, hugging her and her sister.


“What’s with Giles?” asked Dawn when they let go of each other.


He was standing slightly to one side, silent and impassive.


“Dunno, must be an after effect of the Lorac Bug, I guess,” replied Buffy.


She started to walk towards the sitting room.


“Er, Buffy,” said Xander hesitantly.


“What?”


“Um…we need you and Giles to go to the basement.”


“Why?”


“Because of the Lorac Bugs in you both. Spike told Willow that you needed to be chained up until we got them out.”


“Spike told you that? He’s alive?” said Buffy.


“Yes, he’s alive,” replied Xander.


“What did he say? Is he OK?”


“Buffy,” said Xander, glancing at Willow. “We didn’t get the specifics, she only just managed to communicate to us about the chains.”


“Oh, I’m sorry, Will. We’ll sort you out,” promised Buffy.


“The basement,” said Xander, pointing at the door.


“OK, OK. Come on, Giles.”


She pulled Giles along with her. Xander and Dawn followed them down the steps into the basement. Xander used the chain that Spike had been secured with for Giles, fastening the manacle to his right wrist. Giles sat down on the bed. Xander then took Buffy to the other corner where he’d prepared her chains. This time he fastened shackles to both of her wrists and her ankles, the chains long enough to allow her to stand or lie down.


“How come I get all this lot and he just gets one?” complained Buffy. “He’s the one who did all the bad.”


“Slayer strength, Buff; can’t take any chances,” replied Xander.


“I’ll bring you something to eat,” said Dawn, disappearing back up the stairs.


Xander sat down in front of Buffy.


“So what happened in there? How come Spike’s not with you?”


So Buffy told him all about what had happened from the moment Spike found her.


Ooooooo


Spike noticed the door starting to slowly lower itself down at the same time that Matt appeared at the end of the corridor hotly pursued by a Divad demon.


“Come on!” yelled Spike, frustrated that he couldn’t help him.


Matt risked a glance behind him; the creature was gaining on him. He looked at the door - it was nearly halfway to the floor. Spike was leaning down looking under it as it lowered and urging him on. As he got to the door, Matt started to lunge through the gap, but as he bent down, the Divad hit him and he fell, his head cracking on the edge of the door. He was motionless as he hit the ground.


“Matt!” Spike screamed. He threw himself on the floor, ignoring the pain in his leg, and reached for the boy.


For the second time that day he pulled the unconscious soldier to safety by his collar. The Divad grabbed Matt’s leg as Spike dragged him under the door, drawing on all his vampiric strength to do it. After willing the door to stay open, Spike now begged it to finally close. His plea was heard and it slammed shut, severing the demon’s arm as it did. Spike lay flat on his back with a groan.


“Bloody hell.”


He eased his right leg into a slightly less painful position. He looked at Matt and could see the shallow rise and fall of his chest as he breathed, but he was out cold.


“Great,” said Spike. “Just great.”


He struggled to his feet, using the axe for support. He felt incredibly weak and in desperate need for more blood. He looked at Matt and for a moment considered taking some from the boy. He growled and shook his head. No, he couldn’t do it; to get enough to make any difference he’d kill him. He got hold of Matt’s arm with his left hand and started to drag him along the tunnel.


Their progress was painfully slow. Spike had to rest every few yards, leaning on the wall to ease his broken leg. It was only when he’d slid down the wall and sat on the floor without being aware that he had, that he realised that he was at the end of his strength completely and needed help.


“Red.” He tried to find the mind link. “Are you there?” He had to force his eyes to stay open. It was so tempting just to go to sleep.


“Spike? I can barely hear you. Concentrate harder. What’s wrong? asked Willow urgently.


“I need help, Red. I’m too tired and weak to get home.”


“Where are you?”


“In the tunnels leading from The Initiative. It’s the one that comes out in the woods, not far from where the air shaft does,” said Spike.


“OK, sit tight. I’ll get Xander to come to get you.”


“How can you tell him, Red? Have you got that stuff off your face?”


“No, not yet, but don’t worry - he’ll be there,” replied Willow.


“Get him to bring the car. I’ve got someone with me and he’s unconscious.”


“He’ll be there as soon as he can.”


“Thanks, Red,” said Spike weakly. He let the mind link fade, leant back against the wall and closed his eyes.


To be continued…