A/N: Almost over, only one more chapter to go. Please stay tuned until the end. And thanks for all your comments/reviews. Really. And to the mods for putting it up for featured challenge response. You guys have been great, really!

Chapter 27: The Plan

They didn’t have long to converse. A loud banging sprang up immediately – Anton’s minions were attempting to break down the door. While Giles rattled on, Buffy pretended to listen while frantically trying to cover herself in the stiffening red leather than had been her slave outfit. Giving it up as a bad job, she grabbed Spike’s over shirt instead. It wasn’t particularly thick or long, but it was a heck of a lot better than nothing, which was the alternative. She thought she might never overcome the ickiness factor of knowing that Giles had seen her naked. A fact only somewhat overshadowed by the knowledge that he had apparently saved her from a lifetime as Anton’s thrall. She didn’t actually remember any of it, a fact for which she was exceedingly grateful.

Having outlined the most important details of his escape plan hastily, Giles pulled open the door and then stood out of the way, letting Spike and Slayer do what they were so good at. As they had suspected, Anton’s minions and childer had sensed his demise as soon as he was dusted, and were already gathering in their quest for vengeance.

The first wave consisted of the four guards who had stood outside the room. They charged in, fangs blazing, their stun clubs left behind in favor of a more personal weapon. Two were merely fledglings, and Giles took care of one while Buffy dusted the second. The next two took a little longer. Nevertheless, in under a minute the small room was littered with several more piles of vampire dust.

However, more were swiftly approaching. If Willow’s intelligence was correct, there were more vampires in the den than the four of them (including Tara, who couldn’t do much) could ever hope to fight their way through. Even as the first set fluttered to the floor, two more guards poured in from behind. This was their best chance, and Giles was ready to take it.

Affecting the persona of the auctioneer’s assistant, whose face he still wore, Giles closed and locked the door behind their last two adversaries. At Giles’s instruction Spike chose the weaker of the two, dusting him without a second’s pause, and leaving the somewhat older childe alone and outnumbered.

Giles tried to sound like the voice of reason. “Sorry about your friend, but it was necessary. Here’s the problem,” Giles told the remaining vamp the story he had concocted, hoping with every fiber of his being that the minion was as dumb as he looked. More guards would be arriving quickly – and if they waited too long to affect their escape, sooner or later there would be more opposition than they could easily overcome.

Giles hadn’t even had a chance to verbalize his fear that even if they should manage to fight their way out of the compound, Wolfram & Hart and the Auction company would never allow them to remain unpunished. The vampire’s business affairs were far more organized than Giles ever could have imagined, and he didn’t think that the corporate entities involved could tolerate being made to look so weak. Even if the individuals involved believed it was in their best interests to let the issue drop. No, they needed a way out that would satisfy all parties involved. Hence Gile’s plan.

Clearing his throat, the Auctioneer’s assistant spoke to the most senior of Anton’s forces that they had managed to isolate unharmed. Time to see if this minion would take the bait. If he didn’t, they’d have to try again.

“Unfortunately for all of us,” Giles began, “it seems that Master Anton’s thrall could not hold the Slayer, and the creature managed to break free, momentarily.” At the minion’s look of fear, Giles quickly reassured him. “Master Spike was able to reinitiate the original thrall, and the Slayer is now under his control – at least temporarily. I, for one, am not willing to see how long he can hold it. As you can know, the damage is already done. Master Anton is no more, I couldn’t save him. So – the problem is that we are left with an incomplete contract and a dangerous commodity that could turn on us and dust us all at any moment. We all owe our lives to the fact that Master Spike can control the Slayer – or we’d all likely be dust by now.” It wasn’t so much of a lie. If Spike hadn’t been present, he knew that Buffy would have argued with him about his escape plan. She wanted to fight – to dust as many vampires as possible. But it simply wasn’t prudent.

“Now, here is how I propose we handle the situation,” Giles continued. “Since Master Spike appears to be the only one who can control the Slayer – I say we let him have her. Now, of course, we could just let it stand there. But on the other hand, if we claim that the transaction was not complete, that means that Anton should be entitled to a refund.” Here’s where it was important that the minion understand what Giles was saying. “Of course, as things stand now, Anton is in no condition to accept the return of his funds. Are you following? So, instead, I suggest that the purchase price, minus the buyer’s premium and a small service charge, say an extra ten percent, be refunded directly to the vampire in charge.” At the dim look on the vampire’s face, Giles elaborated. “What I am suggesting of course, is that that should be you. I can have the Auctioneer re-credit the money directly to you. What do you think?”

“I ain’t Anton’s heir. That’d be Josef, most likely. Or possibly, Rafe.” That only proved the remaining minion was incredibly stupid as well as a poor bodyguard. No surprise there.

“Yes, but they aren’t here, my boy, and you are,” Giles coaxed. “It won’t be safe for any of us should more fighting break out. What we need is someone who can safely get us out of here before Spike loses control over the Slayer and more of us die. Someone strong who can take decisive action; for the good of the remaining members of the family. What I suggest is this. That you lure, um, ask Josef and Rafe here. Preferably one at a time. We’ll take care of them for you – plus any others you believe might hamper our peaceable exit from this place. Then, you escort us out. Once we’re gone, Spike can do what he likes with his toy. I’ll take the little human with me. Then I will arrange the transfer of funds back to you, and we can all go happily on with our unlives. So, what do you say? You’d like to be lord and master here, wouldn’t you? Now that Anton is gone.”

The dull vampire squinted his eyes at the tweedy assistant. It seemed like his plan might work. And Anton was definitely already gone – that much was clear. He didn’t much relish the idea of a feral Slayer on the loose within the compound, either. Especially since he was the next closest vampire she was likely to dust. So, what tweedy had suggested made sense. He never did like Josef or Rafe much, anyway. Why shouldn’t he be the vampire in charge?

* *

Red met the four of them just outside the back door and they all piled into the DeSoto, Tara and Giles in the front with Willow, leaving Spike and Buffy alone in the backseat. It was a measure of how rattled he was that Spike didn’t ask the redhead to move over so that he could drive.

They had dusted several additional vampires besides the aforementioned Rafe and Josef, but eventually their little guide had led them to the appropriate exit. Given what he had learned about vampire society in the past few days, Giles thought it was unlikely that the little minion would be able to hold on to the power he had been handed. Some one stronger from inside Anton’s clan would almost certainly try to challenge him, and if they didn’t, well, it was almost inevitable that a rival gang would try to take advantage of the virtual power vacuum. Left to itself, chances were good that Anton’s former empire would shatter of its own weight in a matter of days, scavengers fighting over the scraps. But if someone strong enough to hold it suddenly appeared to take control, while Giles didn’t plan to let that happen.

Coming back to himself, Spike spoke up from the back of the car. “Take us back to the motel, Red. You got your own ride there, don’t you? Buffy and I will ride back in the DeSoto. Watcher can go with you two, if you don’t mind.”

“No, that’s quite all right, girls,” Giles answered. “I have my own transport. And I am not going back to Sunnydale immediately in any case, although I would suggest that the four of you leave town as quickly and quietly as you can.”

“Why aren’t you gonna come with?”

“Well, I really do want to be sure that the paperwork is completed and everything seems to be above board. For vampires, they really keep remarkable records, and I wouldn’t like for there to be any unforeseen complications in the future. For example, if Wolfram & Hart decided that Spike did not have legal title to the Slayer, had in fact stolen her from Anton, well, from their perspective, they might feel the need to enforce the original contract. That is, well, they could make things difficult for us in Sunnydale.”

Buffy shuddered. As far as she knew, Giles didn’t even know the terms of the original contract, or just how binding that contract was.

But it was Spike who answered, “Do you think the little troll will give you any trouble?”

It was the Ripper who grinned back at him, “That’s why I added that bit about the extra premium. The ‘little troll’ as you call him will jump at the chance to line his own pockets some more. Bribes can be very effective in the right circles. But after the deal is done, signed, sealed, and official, I have a special stake with his name on it for that greedy bastard, and as many of the corporation as I can find. This wasn’t just about rescuing Tara, you know. These…sales are an abomination. They must be stopped.”

“I don’t think you should stay here alone, Giles,” Buffy piped up. If there was staking to be done, SHE wanted to be the one to do it. Most of the events of the past few days were a bit cloudy, but she had a burning desire to dust as many vampires as she could as soon as she could. “What you are suggesting sounds awfully dangerous.”

“Quite the contrary. You saw how easily I dusted Anton – he completely discounted any possibility that I might be a threat. I’ve kept up the pretense of this disguise so long, that if I play this right, no one will suspect me, even after that little toad is nothing but ash. If I can, I intend to lure some of the higher ups to investigate, and will treat them in the same manner, implicating Anton’s group if I can. You would just be in the way if you stayed here, Buffy. Although I do appreciate the offer.”

“What about your glamour?” asked Willow. “If what you say is true, you’ve already maintained it far longer than I managed to hold on to mine. Are you sure you’ll be okay?”

“Yes, Willow. I’ll be fine. Unlike you, I never intended to hold the glamour by sheer force of will. The very fabric of the spell is tied to this location. As long as I am in Las Vegas, I will appear to be the Auctioneer’s assistant.”

Spike snorted. “That mean if you come back to tinsel town with some bird for a bit of fun a couple years down the road that you’ll revert to type? Might shake things up a bit, wouldn’t it?” Spike snarked. “Oi, forgot who I’m talking to for a minute there, Rupes. No one could ever accuse you of knowing how to have a bit of fun."

“Yes, well, I am glad you are having fun at my expense,” Giles huffed. “Mind, I hate to point it out to you, but I was the one who pulled both your derrieres out of the fire. If not for me and this cleverly thought out disguise, you, Spike, would be no more than dust, and I shudder to think of the fate that was awaiting Buffy and Tara. But by all means, have a good laugh while I go finish off the rest of the slavers.” As the car came to a halt in the parking lot, Giles was the first to jump out. “Go home, children. And don’t wait up.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen Mr. Giles mad before,” said Tara. “Is it true, what he said, that he is the one that saved us all? I don’t remember much.”

“Nah,” Spike lied, hoping to spare the girls’ feelings and himself no little embarrassment. There was no need at all for them to know just how close a call it had been. “He just has an exaggerated opinion of his own importance. All Watcher’s do.”

“But do you think he’ll be all right? I mean, by himself among all those vamps?” Tara continued.

“He’s a right subtle bastard. Those idiots will never know what hit them,” Spike replied. “Guess it’s time for all good children to head home to bed, then, and leave the Watcher to it.”

“You really sure he’ll be okay, Spike? You don’t think we should stay and help?” asked Buffy.

“No. I think for once, Slayer, you should do what you’re told and head home to your nice safe virginal bed.” Tara clearly didn’t remember anything that had happened while she was under thrall, and he was hoping that the Slayer didn’t either. He was putting money on the fact that the Watcher and Willow were also ignorant of what exactly had happened on stage in the auction hall, or he expected that his reception would have been very different. He didn't think that the Watcher would be too forgiving if he had the slightest idea of what Buffy had been forced to do, despite the fact that Buffy had, at least somewhat, agreed to it. He didn't like his chances much if the Slayer decided to forget that one small part of it either. It wasn't like either of them had had much of a choice at that point. Still, he didn't like to put all his eggs in one basket, so to speak, and was hoping that a quick talk to the Slayer would put his mind to rest about what she did and didn’t remember. “Put all this behind you, Slayer,” he advised. “Stop thinking about what is clearly over,” he wished that he could take that advice himself, but he knew that even if no one ever caught him on it, things would never be the same between Buffy and him. “Best to keep your guard up, never stop being vigilant. That’s the best way to thank your Watcher.”

Climbing beside him into the front seat of the DeSoto, the Slayer had no reply. Within a few miles outside of Vegas, and heading back towards Sunnydale, the Slayer was fast asleep and dreaming, her head resting in the lap of the vampire who had worked so hard to keep her safe.