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Chapter 20
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Graham stowed his gear and finally dared to take a breath not constricted by fear.  The farm was just what the name implied, an old fashioned California produce farm.  It was easy to forget that California was one of the major crop producers in the U.S.A.  Everyone remembered the beaches and big cities but forgot the largest part of the state.  Maybe the Global Human Initiative would forget it too and do them all a favor.
 
"Hey, new guy," Gunn held his hand out and offered a warm smile. "Lorne says you had a change of heart.  I had one of those myself a while ago.  Funny how meeting some of these non-humans can make you think.  Pissed me off for a while.  Hard to be all righteous, hang with your brothers doin' the same things, fightin' the same fight once you see one of them doin' the right thing better than you. Don't ever tell him I said that though; he's got a big enough ego already."
 
Graham shook the friendly man's hand.  "No worry about that.  I haven't a clue who you're talking about."
 
"Angel.  Vampire with a soul, helper of the helpless, champion of the PTB and a shit load of other titles that all make him a special snowflake.  You might have heard his greatest hits pre-soul on that radio show a while ago.  I went from trying to stake his pasty ass to joining his crew."  Gunn shook his head as if he was having trouble believing it himself.
 
"So he's one of the hostiles that actually isn't a threat?" Graham wondered how many there really were.
 
"I wouldn't say that," Gunn laughed.  "Dude can be a real threat if he thinks you need an ass kickin' and that soul isn't something anyone wants out of him.  Still, he's ace.  Man--well, vamp--with a mission. With the soul, he's only a threat to the big uglies that need killin'."
 
"I wonder how many of them have souls," Graham mused.  "We had a hostile in the labs, a vampire, but he'd been working with the Slayer."
 
"You must mean Spike.  Naw, he's soulless, but he's still fightin' the good fight from what I hear."  Gunn looked uncomfortable.  "So he was captured?  Damn!"
 
Graham looked haunted.  "What was happening to him is a big reason why I had to get out, get away.  There was no excuse for what they were doing to him.  My old friend is so far off the spool it isn't funny and he has a real hard-on for putting the hurt on this Spike."
 
"I never met the guy, but Cordy said Spike was helping Buffy and driving Angel nuts.  They're family and you know how that can go," Gunn smirked.  "Nobody can get a rise like family."
 
Gunn took a seat and motioned to the other chair.  "Look, Lorne cleared you or you wouldn't be here now.  I don't know, or want to know, the crap that's been happenin' in your little lab of horrors, but we need to figure out where you're gonna fit in."
 
"Not my lab--if it was, I'd close them all down."  Graham sat.  "I want to do something to help fix this disaster, stop the craziness, the torture and killing.  I know some of these non-humans were a threat and I'm down with dealing with those, but I've also seen that it's not that simple and most of the ones getting swept up now aren't a threat to anyone."
 
"That's usually the way it works, ya know.  The truly wack always seem to find a hidey hole, fly under the radar.  The innocents pay the price more often than not."  Gunn thought about all the lowlives that seemed to prosper and all the good folk he'd seen shoved down and done wrong over the years.  "Not fair, but it’s how things seem to work."
 
"So how can I make up for some of the stuff I did?" Graham looked crestfallen.  "I swear I never meant harm, but obviously what I meant and what happened aren't the same things."
 
"We got plenty of work for willing hands here, man, maybe too much.  You'll have plenty of chances," Gunn reassured the man.  "Think I'm gonna put you to work with another newcomer here.  His name's Nick and I think you'll get along just fine.  We're puttin' together a whole new route for refugees.  The first part is gonna be dangerous because it'll be hard knowin' who to trust."
 
"That's true everywhere though, isn't it?"
 
***
 
Giles went over the rough draft of a plan to get both Buffy and Spike out of the labs and to safety.  There would only be one chance to pull it off.  Any error would likely result in one or both being killed or moved to different, and most certainly separate facilities.  They had to make this one attempt count and Giles felt the weight of his choices upon him.
 
There needed to be a diversion, something that would engage the attention of the Global Human Initiative troops.  Something that might even distract the medical personnel.  If Giles could figure out a way to make that diversion also remove Quentin Travers from existence, all the better!
 
The group from the Lighthouse project was eager to lend a hand, or many hands actually. 
 
"So you see, Wesley, we think we need someone inside for a short period to make certain that we know just where they are keeping both Buffy and Spike." Giles was glad that Willow had managed to put together secure lines and disposable cell phones for communications.  Her technical skills were every bit as impressive and useful as any of her magical abilities.
 
"Yes, Rupert, I concur.  Are you certain both must be rescued at the same time?"
 
"Buffy made it clear that she had no intention of leaving without Spike.  Frankly, given the condition Mr. Miller said Spike was in, I think there won’t be an option to extract him later."  Giles knew it only made the mission harder, but he fully understood Buffy's reasoning.  It was both of them at once or they would only get one. 
 
"I had no idea Spike had become such an important member of your team," Wes remarked.  "Angel never seemed to think William the Bloody had anything much to contribute.  Actually, he had little positive to say about him at all."
 
"Well, you can take whatever Angel had to say on the subject with a grain of salt," Giles huffed.  "He has blinders on where Spike is concerned and no doubt more than a bit of a case of dog with a bone."
 
"Pardon?"
 
"Buffy," Giles explained.  "Angel cannot have her, may not actually even wish to have her, in point of fact.  However, that being said, Angel does not want anyone else to have her either, hence the comparison with a dog and a bone.  He's returned to Sunnydale more than once to mark his territory when he felt it might be threatened." Giles sounded disgusted, but then he usually was regarding Angel.
 
Wes laughed.  "Yes, he does seem to have some interesting attitudes towards Miss Summers.  You do know about young Connor?  It isn't as though Angel has put his life on hold for Buffy."
 
"Ah, yes," Giles sounded as amazed as he looked. "The miracle baby.  Born not only to two vampires, but one of whom had previously been a large pile of dust here in Sunnydale."
 
"Angel was also a casualty there, if I am not mistaken," Wes reminded Giles.  "Didn't Buffy send him to hell at one point?"
 
"A miracle child indeed."  Giles shook his head and wondered just what possible reason the Powers had for young Master Connor.
 
"I do think Charles would be excellent as your mole, to get back to the issue at hand," Wes sobered.
 
"Will he be willing to put himself at risk in that way?"
"Courage is not something Charles Gunn is short on.  He's a stalwart fellow and completely committed to fighting the good fight wherever it might take him."  Wes looked out the window at the man in question, who was engaged in a conversation with the newcomer Graham Miller.  "I think he would be perfect as the inside man.  Furthermore, he looks the part.  Very 'heroic American soldier' in appearance."
 
"I'll let you run the idea by him," Giles nodded.  "Once he is on board, send him up here so that Willow can set up paperwork and we can get this ball rolling."
 
"I'll speak to him this afternoon," Wes promised.  "He's befriended your actual soldier contact that you sent to us.  Perhaps Mr. Miller will have some pointers that will make his deception easier.  I'll talk to them both."
 
"Thanks, Wes," Giles concluded.  "How are thing otherwise there on the farm?"
 
"So far, we couldn't have picked a more perfect spot.  We've stayed under the radar, so to speak, and have plenty of land to make surveillance difficult should we come under suspicion.  I have to say Lindsey has really done a stellar job with the whole operation.  I never thought to have reason to praise him for anything.  I suppose that is another thing we have to thank Darla for: a miracle baby and a miracle white hat."
 
"Somehow I doubt she would be that proud of the latter," Giles chuckled.
 
"Indeed!"
 
***
 
"You call me a disgrace as a Slayer.  What's that make you, Quentin? An abomination of a Watcher?"  Buffy glared at her nemesis.
 
Quentin drew himself up to his full height, looking for all the world like he had the stick up his butt that Spike was always accusing Buffy of having.  "You should be thanking me, Miss Summers.  We're moving you into the same cell as your latest pet vampire.  You seem to prefer their company to humans.  It would seem I am doing you a favor."
 
"Yeah, your favors are never in my best interest."  Buffy narrowed one eye suspiciously.  "I don't know what your game is, but I'm not fool enough to think this change is any kind of favor for me or for Spike."
 
"Think as you will, you always do," Travers dismissed her.  "Not that it matters, Miss Summers, but I truly don't blame you for your failings.  Clearly something in the process has ceased to work properly.  Your lack of proper qualities is only a symptom of the real problem, a problem we are currently rectifying."
 
"Wow, you win the arrogance award and I know plenty of contenders,” Buffy scoffed.  "You think your plans are the right answer to keeping the balance, that you know more than the Powers that set everything up centuries ago?"
 
"Balance is not the objective; it never should have been."  Travers moved to the door to leave.  "Earth and this dimension are for humans.  Those demons that chose to stay should have paid the price for their decision long ago.  We are merely doing clean-up."
 
"Yeah, this is a cleansing alright, just like some of those countries that do ‘ethnic cleansing’ and say it's a good thing.  You're sick, Travers."
 
"I am pragmatic and effective, Miss Summers," Travers smirked, "And you are obsolete."
 
***
 
..."And with that signature, President Toledo of Peru opened his nation for any peaceful non-human seeking refuge.  Neighboring countries have not expressed any strongly worded complaints about the policies in Peru and Ecuador, although President Lagos of Chile has gone on record that the neighboring nations will be monitoring the situation in the interests of national safety.
 
Meanwhile, in Europe, pockets of resistance have turned violent with attacks on bases established by the Global Human Initiative.  There have been reports of sabotage of rail lines vital for transportation of non-humans and demons to containment centers.  Disturbing video from a few of these attacks clearly show both humans and demons taking part in these terrorist activities.
 
"Well, I for one am feeling a little better knowing some humans are finally waking up!"  Anya really was looking less tense than she had in quite a while.  "I had begun to worry that the entire world full of human beings had lost their minds from fear."
 
"Plenty have," Xander admitted.  "A lot of them that know something is wrong are keeping quiet about it too.  Look at me!"  He had been chafing at having to keep his thought to himself at work every day.  Over and over he heard Max spew nonsense but knew he couldn't, shouldn't say a thing.  He was trying to help by passing information and doing things in the free world for those he loved who were in hiding.  It wasn't easy though and only getting harder.
 
He was worried about Anya too.  She had so few filters on what she would say that he lived in dread that one day she would say the wrong thing to the wrong person and he would have to do something dramatic to keep her safe. 
 
"Just remember, sweetheart, that we have to lay low.  We're doing something, but we can't let anyone know we are." He hoped she took his words to heart, because their lives depended upon it.
 
"I understand that, Xander.  If I didn't, I would have made a scene everyone would remember at any one of your work-related events.  That man you work for is a bigot as well as an idiot."
 
"Can't argue with that," Xander agreed.  "But Max has the eyes and ears of lots of powerful people here in Sunnydale.  We've learned a lot that Giles and the resistance groups have needed to know just by keeping on the old goat's good side."
 
 
"Will we have to live like this forever, Xander?  I don't do well living a lie," Anya truly looked uncomfortable.
 
"Not forever, baby.  Just as long as it’s needed.  Sooner or later, we'll join everyone else and try to bring sanity back to this poor old planet."
 
"I never thought I'd look forward to living underground in a cave with your friends as roommates!"  Anya shook her head in amazement.  "Not to mention that we'll have to finally close down the Party Box, just when I managed to get it making the sort of profits we had before our change in merchandise."
 
Xander pulled his fiancée into his arms for a comforting hug.  There were times they felt all alone and isolated from everything they once knew.  It wasn't a happy feeling.  Xander looked forward to his trips to the caves, even if they had to be kept to a minimum lest anyone note his comings and goings.  Anya made even fewer trips and was feeling the isolation even more acutely.
 
The bell over the door chimed, alerting them to a customer.  The harried looking middle aged man looked around as if he feared he was being monitored.
 
"I'm looking for Rupert Giles.  I was given to understand he is partial owner of this establishment?"
 
The British accent and tweed suit screamed Watchers Council.  'Great!  Where's a witch when you need a reliable truth spell?'  Xander tensed up.
 
"Mr. Giles no longer is involved in the shop.  He left town as well."  Anya pasted on her chirpiest smile.  "We do still have the finest of party goods in the whole county, however.  How can we help you?"
 
"You can help me by letting Giles know that Paul Jeffries, formerly of the Watchers Council, has an important bit of information he needs to hear as soon as possible."
 
"Assuming I did know how to reach Giles, and I am not saying I can, where can you be reached?"  Xander hoped he wasn't making a big mistake, but he seemed to remember the name Jeffries as one of the Council members Giles had met with early on, one of those who went into hiding.
 
"I'm currently staying in a secure location nearby."  He narrowed his eyes and appraised the young man. Suddenly he remembered where he had heard of this Alexander Harris.  The lad was one of the humans who had banded together with the Slayer and risked life and limb in the good fight.  Surely such a one would not have succumbed to the madness of the world.  "I wouldn't think of taking a chance like this if it were not imperative.  I volunteered to come here to let the old boy know what has happened.  We tried to protect all the girls, but that wanker Travers or some of his goons managed to get his hands on the location of Davina White's safe house.  She was looking out for five Potentials and we've lost all contact with her."
 
***
 
Starling switched off his cell phone and ran his hand over his face.  "I tremble at the thought of what he'll want to do with them."
 
"You say something?"  Barnes hadn't been eavesdropping on the British civilian, but judging by the man’s face, he wished he had.
 
"Nothing that concerns you," Starling snorted dismissively.  "Your pay grade doesn't go that high, young man.  Please inform Quentin Travers that I need to speak with him immediately."
 
"I'm a commissioned officer with the Human Global Initiative, not your lackey, Brit boy."  Barnes sneered. "Get him yourself."  He really hated all these civilians, not even good Americans, running around acting superior to good, loyal operatives like himself.
 
Starling sighed in annoyance and left to find his superior.
***