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Chapter 19
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"I don't have to prove my loyalties, Quentin.” Crispin Starling had always had always been known as Travers’ faithful bird and he quite chafed at the thought that his idol would doubt him at this stage. “I made my choice when I decided to throw in my lot with you and this mad brilliant plan of yours to end the battle once and for all. 
"When half the Council decided to turn their backs on you, steal from our sacred libraries and go into hiding, I stood proudly at your side.  When you gave that marvelous speech to the U.N. that set the ball into play, who helped you draft the bloody speech?"
 
"Yes, I know, Starling." Travers would be glad when he no longer needed the handful of sycophants and toadies who had helped lend weight to his words in the beginning of his grand plan.  "You've been all that is helpful and loyal.  It would, however, have been more...timely...had I been informed of the captivity of the Slayer of Slayers when it occurred."
 
"Well, sir, you were rather focused on the Slayer at the time," Starling ran a nervous finger under his collar.  Travers might be saying all the right forgiving words, but his eyes made it clear that Starling had erred grievously by not immediately apprising his boss of the vampire's presence in the labs.
 
"As I am still," Travers sighed in exasperation.  "Don't you understand the significance, man?  William the Bloody, the Slayer of Slayers, has greater importance than being just a captured master vampire, especially where this Slayer is concerned.  One of the problems with Miss Summers has been her willingness to associate with dangerous demons, one of whom is this one."
 
"Has Miss Summers entered into an illicit alliance with this one as well as his grandsire?" Starling was aghast.  The stories about the active Slayer taking the notorious Angelus as her paramour had shocked every member of the Council when it happened.  Starling hadn't heard of Summers moving on to yet another vampire.
 
"Not that I have heard.  She has, however, entered into more than one alliance with this Spike, going so far as to permit his escape from a proper dusting and a free pass out of town for himself and his mad sire," Travers sneered in contempt.  Really!  There should have been no dissenters to his well thought out plan to make Slayers obsolete at long last.  This girl and her murderous offshoot, Faith, should have made it clear that whatever process that had once produced compliant and efficient weapons in the form of the Chosen had ceased to function properly.
 
Faith had been dealt with with relative ease.  Quentin only had a couple of second rate seers still loyal to him and thus far they hadn't been able to pinpoint which Potential had been called to replace the murderess.  If one had been called, it had to be one of the girls whose Watcher had taken her into hiding.  The other possibility was that there wouldn't be another called as long as Miss Summers remained alive.  It was a dilemma.  The petty part of Quentin Travers didn't want a quick end to the thorn in his side with the silly name of Buffy. The girl had been an endless trial to him and she had to pay for that before being removed permanently.
 
"So Miss Summers and this Spike are allies?"  Starling was gobsmacked.  "Why on earth would the most notorious killer of Slayers forge any alliance with one of the more eccentric Slayers in recent history?"
 
"Why indeed?!" Travers muttered.  "We are aware of the two of them working together on more than one occasion and of the vampire even residing with the girl's former Watcher, that idiot Giles!"
 
"I know Giles.  He's an odd duck, to be certain, but it seems preposterous that he would allow any vampire into his home, much less make a roommate of one!"
 
"I believe it was at the request of Miss Summers.  The first Initiative managed to implant a chip in Spike before he managed to escape.  I suppose the girl took pity on him."
 
"Should have staked him and been done with it," Starling huffed.
 
"Indeed.  Yet another bit of proof that the Chosen is not functioning properly.  The decision-making skills of the last three have been astonishingly poor."
 
Starling looked at Travers speculatively, "You don't suppose she's sweet on him?  This Spike, I mean--not Giles."
 
"It is entirely possible given her history."  Seeing the appalled look on his underling’s face, Travers got a new idea.  "Perhaps we should test the actual relationship between the two?"
 
*** 
 
Buffy blinked then closed her eyes from the glare of the bright light overhead.  She was still groggy and felt soreness in different parts of her body.  She vaguely remembered the soldiers entering her cell and activating her collar to the point of making her lose consciousness.  She woke only briefly as a mask was placed over her mouth and nose, but she was anesthetized before she could fully test the restraints holding her to the gurney.
 
Whatever the bastards had done to her was completed and she seemed to be in some post-operative area of the labs.  Buffy closed her eyes and tried to keep anyone from noticing she was conscious once again.  Maybe she would be able to figure out what had happened to her. 
 
"I believe we have enough samples of both blood and tissue, a bit from some inner organs as well.  We should be able to see what, if anything, impedes the rapid healing she exhibits."  The butcher who had just invaded her body indicated the cart with the bits and pieces that had been stolen from her against her will to the soldier assigned to transport the samples to the laboratory.
 
"I'll see they get this right away, sir," the soldier promised.  "I know this is a priority one project."
 
"The sooner we can determine the source of the girl’s powers, the sooner we can decide how to classify her."
 
Buffy wanted to rip loose her bonds and show them a little something about her power. 'Hey, whoever the Powers are that keep jerking me around and decided to choose me a few years ago!  Now would be a great time for you to do more than just sit back and do whatever it is you do when you aren't ruining lives of little girls.'
 
Buffy remembered Giles telling her some of the legends about Slayer power and how some old cave guys had grabbed some demon and somehow put some of its demony power in the poor girl they picked as the First Slayer without actually making her a demon.  She remembered meeting the girl in their dreams not that long ago and thinking Sineya had a major attitude problem.  Buffy really couldn't blame her!
 
Somehow Buffy doubted the scientists here at the Mengele Memorial Home for Maniac Doctors and Crazed Military would be able to pinpoint the source of her powers.  It wasn't like the supernatural change that came over her when chosen was something they were likely to see under a microscope!
 
'Oh, great, my one-man fan club,' Buffy tensed as she noted the entrance of Quentin Travers.  No point in pretending to still be unconscious.  "Here to gloat?" Her words, though slurred slightly, were clear.
 
"Not gloating, Miss Summers.  I'm here in the interests of humanity.  You have degraded your calling, you and Faith.  The survival of the decent people of this world can no longer be left to the questionable protections of the past.  You will provide the information needed to help upgrade humanity once we have uncovered the necessary essence to achieve empowerment."
 
"That's your grand plan?  Get rid of me and Faith just to turn everybody into a Slayer?  That's stupid on a whole new level."
 
Travers looked down his nose as the silly girl, "You haven't the capacity to understand what my plans are, little girl.  There will be no Slayers, because none will be needed.  We are ridding the world of those abominations that the Slayer merely held in check all these centuries.  Finally, it will be Earth for the humans, like those preposterous posters all call for."
 
"So why the slice-and-dice with me then?"
 
"A man can be forgiven indulging in a few pleasures," he whispered before saying more audibly, "The interests of science, of course.  Besides, if you are indeed still fully human, we need to know that as well."
 
Two orderlies entered to transfer Buffy back to her cell only to be waylaid by the former head of the Council.  "Gentlemen, a slight change.  Miss Summers is to be given a different accommodation.  She will be sharing a cell with another high priority subject." 
 
Travers took them aside, along with the Doctor, to give new instructions.  No matter how hard she tried, Buffy couldn't hear a word.
 
"But won't that be highly dangerous?" the doctor sputtered.  "I thought we were still to treat this woman with a bit of care?"
 
"I am convinced she will be quite safe.  Indeed, that is the main purpose in the change in accommodation.  We will be monitoring continuously, of course," Travers tried to reassure the man.
 
"Isn't that one still pretty much out of commission anyway," offered one of the orderlies.
 
"Handicapped, to be sure, but that one has a history of creativity that prevents anyone from classifying him as harmless," Travers nodded.  "The subjects know one another, have had an alliance in the past.  It will be important to see how they react to each other's condition.  Will she choose to try to assist him in healing?  Will he attempt to assist her?  We need those questions answered and the only way to do that is to put them in the same cell and watch."
 
"But what if they do work together?  Will we be able to contain them?"
 
"In the worst case scenario, the vampire can be eliminated.  His usefulness as a subject of research has really come to an end.  Neither of them is in any condition to be a threat—not for the immediate future, at any rate,” Travers smirked.  "This will be more important in gathering data on their interaction.  Once we have the information needed, it will help us evaluate Miss Summers’ allegiances, among other things.  She needs to be assessed for her threat level.  She has proven to be other than the Protector of Humanity; we need to determine just how far she has fallen.
 
***
Giles looked at the small group gathered.  "It's not hopeless.  Now that we know that both Buffy and Spike are in the same facility, it is only a matter of finding a way to get information to them both once we decide on our plan.  I rather wish that Graham Miller had chosen to stay where he was and act as a conduit, but I suppose he had reason to fear for his own safety."
 
"Yeah, the guy was really rattled by all the stuff going on, that's for sure.  I felt really sorry for him.  He was a good guy trying to do good things and woke up to find out the good guys weren't who he thought they were," Xander nodded. 
 
"What about planting a vole?" Anya looked excited.
 
"I think you mean mole, honey," Xander corrected gently.  "Yeah, that's a great idea, but I don't know how we can do that.  I mean, the guy would have to pass for one of the military or medical people, but not be someone they might notice."
 
Lorne stood and stretched his long legs cramped from sitting too long in the slightly damp cave.  "I have the beginning of an idea.  There is a guy who's worked with Angelcakes for a while now, but before that, he was a street fighter with a serious rep for taking out demons.  They might not know about him and he has the cred as being firmly in the ‘demons are bad/must kill’ camp."
 
"Would he be interested in helping?" Giles asked.
 
"He already is.  He's been working with Wes at the Farm, but his talents are wasted there, I think.  We'd need to get him prepped and maybe find out how to get him assigned.  The cute soldier we just sent their way could help with that, maybe?" Lorne looked pretty hopeful.  "That will give us time to perfect our own plans, so he can get the info to our captive cuties."
 
"It might just work." Willow looked thoughtful.  "I can use my hacking skills to get him paperwork and maybe even an assignment, especially if we go low level."
 
"W-w-will we be a-able to get Buffy and Spike close enough t-t-together to get them both out?" Tara worried.
 
"We'll figure out something, sweetie, don't worry."  Willow kissed Tara tenderly.
 
"Are you sure no one will associate this guy with Angel and us?" Xander worried.
 
"I listened to that whole program when Angel was outed.  They never mentioned his crew, just him and his old family and the miracle baby.  If we give him a different name, I doubt anyone would connect him," Lorne looked pretty certain.
 
"And he is reliable?" Giles asked, not wanting to take any chances that weren't absolutely necessary.
 
"He's gold.  Really a stand-up guy and sweetheart, you'll love him!"
 
***
 
"Andy!" Jonathan nearly dropped his Slurpee.  "Didn't expect to see you around.  Aren't you busy with that whole Youth For People thing Warren started?"
 
"Yeah, it hasn't been as fun as I thought it was gonna be.  I mean, it was pretty cool when we went into all those demon-owned stores and broke everything up," Andrew squirmed a bit.  "At The GameStop, I kinda liberated a few games, but mostly we just made the businesses so they couldn't run anymore."
 
"Legal vandalism."  Rabbi Goldstein had joined them as Andrew talked.
 
"Not vandalism, just making sure the demons can't make a profit from regular humans.  That's what Dr. Baker says anyway," Andrew looked a bit sheepish.
 
"I see, and your liberated games are spoils of war then?"
 
Andrew brightened. "I guess so, since we're kinda in a war.  Aren't we?"  He glanced between his old friend and the rather formidable Rabbi, looking for confirmation.  "I'm not too clear on the lines anymore, I guess."
 
"You always did have that problem, Andy.  You follow anyone who looks like power to you and right now that looks like Warren.  I wish you'd use your own brain for a change." Jonathan shook his head.
 
"So you're okay with demons?"
 
"Don't know.  Not like I hang around with a bunch of them.  Can't even find a bunch of them anymore.  I just know that we had friends who were demons and it never bothered you before all of this."
 
"Maybe I never realized what they were taking that was really ours before now," Andrew offered defensively.
 
"And just what was taken from you, son?" the Rabbi inquired.
 
"Well, they took our jobs and businesses and...and...," Andrew recited the party line like a robot.
 
"You didn't want a job, Andy!  Besides I'd bet Mr. Griflyx would have hired you at The GameStop--before you trashed it, that is.  He always used to like you," Jonathan reminded him.  "Where is he now?"
 
Andrew felt his eyes tear up at the memory.  "He was hurt in the purge.  I think he died, but I don't know for sure."  He sniffed back a tear.  "This is just all so confusing!  It sounds so right when Dr. Baker talks or that guy on the radio or Warren, but then I think about our old Star Trek club or Mr. Griglyx, and I'm not as sure."
 
"Maybe you should try to decide what YOU think is right before you just follow others’ orders, young man," the Rabbi cautioned.
 
As Andrew walked away, Jonathan shivered in fear.  "I don't think we should have let him know how we felt, Rabbi."
 
"You think this boy would say something to the wrong people?  I don't think we said a thing they don't already know.  As long as they don't suspect we are actually taking action, I doubt the young man can cause us too much grief."  The Rabbi smiled and draped an arm around Jonathan's shoulders.  "Besides, maybe he'll have an attack of conscience and stop being a mindless brute that creates chaos and disaster.  There is always hope for salvation, Jonathan, never forget that.
 
"It's easy to forget hope in times like this, Rabbi," Jonathan looked around at the town he no longer recognized.
 
"That is why we must not ever permit ourselves to do so.  I believe it was Christopher Reeve who once said, 'Once you choose hope, anything's possible.'  Those are wise words; hold them close and don’t let go.  Better days are still ahead of us, but first you must believe.”