From: steve711 <steve711@concentric.net>
Date: Sat, 05 Sep 1998 20:34:25 -0400
Subject: The Chronicles of Wanderer - Hellmouth - New Beginnings


                      Part 21 - Road Trip II
(Bob and Bing Still Won't Come and Dean and Jerry Won't Return My Calls)

     Sometime later, Steve feels a hand on his shoulder.  He wakes up instantly, he sees
Buffy standing over him, her eyes red from crying.  She sits down next to Steve on the
couch and hugs him.  

     "You alright?" Steve asks, returning the hug.

     "Yeah, Dana and Kyra explained the situation to me.  I think, I'll live through it."

     "So, you still want to come with me to pick up Brother Aaron?  Or get some more
sleep."

     "Yep, I've never been to a monastery, besides, I can probably sleep on the way
down."

     Steve sees that Buffy wants to leave the house and do something.  So he gets ready. 
As he's getting his coat and carry weapons, he finds a Glock 26, which he gives to Buffy. 
Steve then spends a few minutes giving her the basics.  She looks at it dubiously, but takes it
and puts it away in the holster Steve then gives her.

     The trip to the monastery outside of San Diego is quick and not note worthy.  Buffy
sleeps through most of it.  As they drive up the monastery's curving driveway, Steve wakes
Buffy up.  She looks at the monastery and feels the peace here.

     "God, its beautiful here."  Buffy comments.

     "The brothers take very good care of it, Buffy.  Part of their day is spent tending the
grounds.  This place is considered a national treasure by a lot of people."

     "I can believe it."

     They pull up to the front door.  A group of brothers is waiting for them there.  Steve
notices Brother Aaron standing next to Abbott Michael.  He points them out to Buffy.  As
they pull up, they both feel the 'Buzz'.  Buffy turns to Steve.

     "Steve, Brother Aaron is one of us?"  She asks.

     "Yep, so's Abbott Michael and a few guests as well."

     "What do you mean by guests?"

     "I'll explain everything on the road back.  Now, lets go meet Brother Aaron and
Abbott Michael."

     As they get out to the car, a brother rushes up to Steve and picks him up in a bear
hug.  Steve hugs him back.  Buffy, looks worried.  A smiling Aaron and a bemused Michael
and walk up to her.

     "Don't worry, Miss."  A smiling Abbott Michael begins.  "Brother Franklin is happy
to see Mr. St. Wolf again.  It's been two years since he last visited.  Allow me to introduce
myself.  I am Abbott Michael and this."  He points to the brother standing next to him.  "Is
Brother Aaron.  And you are?"

     "Hi, my name is Buffy Summers.  I'm Steve's new student."  Buffy tells them.

     Abbott Michael smiles at this, as Brother Aaron comments on Brother Franklin.

     "Yes, Brother Franklin is happy to see him again.  He prays nightly for Brother
Steve."  Brother Aaron tells Buffy.

     Buffy looks at Brother Franklin and gives Aaron and Michael a questioning look.

     "Miss Summers, Brother Franklin suffers from a severe form of mental retardation. 
He has the mind of a six year old in a grown man's body."  Aaron tells her.

     Buffy gives a look of surprise.  "But he's an Immortal.  How can he be retarded?"  

     "We don't know."  Brother Aaron begins.  "When Steve brought him here, twelve
years ago, he was like that.  To be safe from other Immortals, his condition forced him to
live in a wilderness, in the high north.  Steve never said what he was there for, just that
Brother Franklin needed some place safe to stay.  And here he has chosen to stay."

     Buffy watches me as I talk with Brother Franklin, a small smile on her face.  She
mutters, "Small children and puppies." under her breathe.

     Abbott Michael hears this, and smiles.  "They're usually the best judges of character
in a man."

     Buffy feels the 'Buzz' again as a man walks up.  He stands about 6' 6".  Very
muscular, with sand colored hair.  He introduces himself as Robert McCallister.

     "Hello Abbott Michael, Brother Aaron, whose the gentleman with Brother Franklin,
and this charming young lady."  He asks.

     Abbott Michael does the introductions.  Robert McCallister is over 1,800 years old
and has known Abbott Michael for 600 years, they are old friends.  Abbott Michael turns to
Buffy.

     "Miss Summers may I tell Robert of your cause?"  Abbott Michael asks.

     "Please clear it with Steve first, Abbott Michael."  Buffy replies.

     Abbott Michael nods his head and calls to Steve.  "Brother Steve, a moment of your
time, please?"

     "Of course Abbott Michael.  Frankie, please excuse me, I have to talk to the Abbott. 
I'll come and visit soon, I promise."  Steve then turns to Abbott Michael and the stranger.

     "Steve, allow me the pleasure of introducing you to my oldest and dearest friend,
Mr. Robert McCallister.  Robert, this is Steven St. Wolf sometimes he is referred to as
Wanderer."  Abbott Michael formally introduces the two men.

     Steve is impressed, the name, Robert McCallister, is spoken with respect in quite a
few high places.  "A pleasure, Mr. McCallister, your reputation precedes you, Sir."  Steve
respectfully tells him, as he extends his hand to him.

     "Your reputation precedes you as well, Mr. St. Wolf.  Your name is not unknown to
me.  Brother Franklin thinks the world of you, and speaks of your bravery often."  He
shakes Steve's hand as he adds.  "Its not often I meet a man of honor, but it is always a
pleasure.  Michael tells me that you have a mission that I could help with."

     Steve turns to Abbott Michael with a questioning look.  "Abbott Michael, may I ask
what you have told Mr. McCallister?"

     "Nothing beyond the fact that you have a mission and that his skills could be of use
to you."

     "I could use someone of your skills Mr. McCallister.  But I must confer with Buffy. 
If you'll excuse us for a brief conference?"  They nod their heads in agreement a walk a few
yards away from Buffy and Steve.

     Steve whispers to Buffy, "Buffy this guy is supposed to be one of the deadliest men
alive.  What do you think of him?  Could we use his help, if Abbott Michael recommends
him?"  Steve notices Frankie talking to Abbott Michael and McCallister.  They seemed to
be on friendly terms.  An idea strikes him.  He calls Frankie over and introduces him to
Buffy.

     "Frankie, what do you know about Mr. McCallister?"

     "You mean Brother Robert?"  Frankie asks.  Steve nods.  Frankie then tells how he
got lost one day trying to find a kitten and another Immortal had found him and tried to kill
him.  McCallister had be passing by and saw what was going on.  He defended Frankie and
brought him back to the monastery, unharmed.  Since then, he had been friends with
Frankie, visiting whenever he could.

     Buffy and Steve look at each other and nod.  They thank Frankie and go to where
Abbott Michael and Mr. McCallister are waiting for them.

     "Mr. McCallister, Buffy and I hope that you will help us."  Steve tells him.  "Buffy
can explain what has to be done.  She's the one most familiar with it."

     "Very well, Miss Summers, please explain what has to be done."  He asks Buffy.

     Buffy gives him a complete run down of everything that has happened to her and
her friends over the last two years.  After she completes her story, Steve tells him
everything that he has done and what their plans are.  McCallister turns to Abbott
Michael.  Abbott Michael only nods.

     McCallister takes a deep breathe, and let's it out in a sigh.  He turns to Buffy and
Steve with a smile,  "It is truly refreshing to see the younger generations actually fighting
for something worthwhile, and not each other's heads.  I'll help."

     "We're leaving in about fifteen minutes.  Are you joining us or going by yourself?" 
Steve asks.

     "I'll join you.  It'll give me time to get to know you better.  Now, I must pack."

     Abbott Michael watches his friend go pack.  He turns to two young Immortals.  "He
has needed a noble cause for a long time.  Thank you for giving it to him."

     Buffy and Steve wait by the car for Brother Aaron and McCallister to come out. 
Buffy turns to him.  "Steve, are most Immortals like these guys?"  She asks.

     "Like I said before, Buffy, Immortals are like everybody else.  You have all types,
good and bad, and everything in between.  You just lucked into meeting a bunch of hero
and saint types, your first time out."  Steve replies with a smile.

     "Oh, and which type are you?"  Buffy asks with a smile.

     Steve reaches down and takes her into his arms.  "The hero type, because some of
my thoughts concerning you, certainly don't make me a saint."  Steve replies as he reaches
down and kisses her.  She doesn't refuse.

     "Ahem, shall I post the bans at this time?"  They hear Abbott Michael ask them.

     "No Abbott Michael, it's not necessary."  Steve tells him quickly.  Buffy looks
puzzled.  Steve then sees Robert and Aaron coming with overnight bags and their swords.

     "Time to go.  Abbott Michael always nice to see you again.  I'll be back soon to visit. 
Tell Frankie goodbye for me, please."  Steve tells him as they quickly get into his car.

     As they leaving the monastery, Buffy turns to Aaron and asks him, "Aaron, Abbott
Michael offered to the post the bans for me and Steve.  What does that mean?"  She asks. 

     Steve winces, hoping that Aaron doesn't answer her, but as luck would have it,
Aaron is curious in turn.

     "May I ask what brought that comment about?"  He replies.  Buffy tells him that
Abbott Michael caught them kissing.  Aaron gives Steve a grin and a wink.  "Abbott
Michael was asking if you two had set a marriage date."  He tells her.

     Buffy blushes a pretty shade of pink, at this comment.  She looks back at Aaron, who
is smiling ear to ear.  Robert is also smiling.

     "I hope that you two know that Michael is rarely wrong about such things.  If he
told you to post bans.."  Robert lets the rest of his comment go.

     Needless to say this set the tone for the entire trip back.  Buffy enjoys the ride
immensely.  She chatted with Robert and Aaron the entire way down.  Steve wants to hang
himself, at least twice, by the time they get back to Sunnydale.  The only relief that he got
was when he called Frank at the motel and got the rooms that he needed for everybody.

                   St. Wolf Residence - 9:00 am

     Frank is up and about, preparing breakfast, helping him is Kyra, Reagan and
Scully.  The rest of the group is sitting in the living room going over the notes that Giles has
put together.  Almost everyone is there, except Amy who had just called to say she was
coming over a little late.  The door bell rings and Willow goes to answer it, expecting Amy,
but the Immortals tense.  Willow knows that her friend wasn't at the door, she moves out of
the way as Frank goes to answer the door instead.  Everyone else pulls out weapons, while
they wait.

     Frank walks up to the front door.  He looks out the peep hole and sees Amy standing
there with four men.  Three of the men, Frank remembers from their little adventure in
Libya.  He pulls open the door.  The tall, dark haired man with a pony tail, smiles at the
sight of Frank.

     "Hello Amy, I see you've meet Duncan and his friends already."  Frank comments.  

     "Hi, Mr. Iverson, these guys were looking for the house.  I found them lost about two
blocks over and brought them here.  They stopped and asked me for directions.  I told them
I was coming here anyway, so they gave me a lift."  Amy explains.

     "Still getting lost, I see Duncan."  Frank comments with a smile. < God it's fun
getting Duncan's goat. > 

     "Steve gave bad directions, Frank.  I do not get lost."  Duncan replies defensively.

     Joe Dawson whispers to Amy, "Only in the bathroom, and even then, its sometimes a
close call."  He tells her.  Amy starts to giggle.

     Duncan gives Joe a dirty look, which just makes Amy giggle more.

     Frank leads them into the house and tells them to find a seat.  He introduces
Duncan's group to everyone.  Frank turns to Giles and asks, "Giles would you mind
bringing Duncan and his friends up to date on our little mission?"  

     Giles nods and starts to explain the situation to Duncan's group, when every
Immortal tenses.  The front door bell rings again and Frank goes to answer it.

     Frank looks out through the peep hole and see his old friend Casey standing outside
with four men.  He opens the door and greets Casey warmly.

     "Casey, my man, how are you?"  Frank asks.

     "Frank, been a while, but I'm still alive and kicking.  Wanderer said he had a
mission for me.  I've brought a few friends to the party, hope you guys don't mind."  Casey
replies.

     "No, he doesn't mind.  The more the merrier.  Steve's not here right now, but he'll
be back in a couple of hours. C'mon in, I'll introduce you to everyone."  Frank tells Casey
as he lets him and his friends in.

     In the living room, Duncan and Giles are talking, when Casey comes in.  When
Duncan sees one of the men Casey brought with him.  He gets up and walks over and grabs
him by his collar.

     "Hammer, you son of a bitch, remember New York back in 1978?  You almost killed
me there.  Those drug dealers would have cut me up after they shot me.  I barely revived in
time to kill them."  Duncan tells him.

     "Yeah, I remember New York.  I also remember four children who had to be saved. 
It was them or you.  You're still alive, so quit bitching about it."  Hammer angrily replies.

     "What do you mean?"  Duncan asks, puzzled.

     "Those bastards had four children.  They were using them to test their product on. 
They offered me a choice.  Get them to a hospital and save them, but by doing that, they
could kill  you, an Immortal.  Or try and save you and let them die.  I didn't hesitate in my
choice.  I would do it again.  So would you."  Hammer angrily tells Duncan.

     Duncan looks into Hammer's eyes and sees that he's speaking the truth.  "I didn't
know."  He tells Hammer in a soft voice.

     "You would have found out if you had met me later that night, but you hopped on a
plane to Paris, before I could tell you."  Hammer tells Duncan.

     "I was angry.  I wanted to kill you for leaving me behind."  Duncan replies.  "I
apologize for my rudeness."

     "Apology accepted, now let's get down to business."  Hammer says.

     The entire room breathes a sigh of relief.  

     Giles stands before a captive audience as he explains what is happening in
Sunnydale.  The new arrivals are pissed by the time Giles finishes his lecture.  Casey turns
to Giles.

     "Mr. Giles, you mean to tell us that the cops in this town are hiding their heads,
collectively up their assess, over these vampires."  Casey asks.

     "Yes, it appears so.  But in their defense, most people in this town don't seem to
notice the number of vampire related murders.  They chalk it up to the large number of
drug gangs in LA.  It somehow doesn't register on the human psyche that vampires really
exist."  Giles tries to explain.

     "Bull shit, most of us here are or were law enforcement officers, at one time or
another.  We would have gotten to the bottom of this situation in record time, vampires or
not."  Bolan replies.  "This is stupidity and cowardice of the worst magnitude."
     
     The conversation continues on this vain for a while.  Willow, tired of the constant
kvetching, decides to get some fresh air and heads to the side door.

                      Part 22 - Welcome Home
              (What is a Home?  Just a Fancy Bunker)

     As Steve pulls up to the house, he sees two new cars parked in front, one, a four door
airport rental.  The other, a dark blue Suburban Blazer with Montana plates, riding low on
its shocks. < Probably carrying a heavy load, knowing Casey. >

     Steve parks by the garage.  As they get out, Robert and Aaron feel the 'Buzz' of
multiple Immortals.  Robert turns to Steve.

     "Steve, how many of 'us' are in that house?  I have never felt so many of us in one
spot, at one time."

     Before Steve can answer, Willow comes out of the side door.  She sees Buffy and
rushes over.

     "Steve, Buffy, am I glad to see you here.  Your friends from Seattle and Montana
are here.  Your friend Duncan came in first, shortly followed by this Casey guy with four
friends of his.  All of them are Immortals.  One of them and that Duncan guy don't exactly
get along, but at least they're not trying to kill each other, either."

     Steve enters his home to find a small army waiting for him.  Willow, Buffy, Aaron
and Robert follow closely behind.  Off to one side of the room the rest of Buffy's friends
were clustered, with Frank, Mulder and Scully keeping an eye on them.  Near them is
Kyra's group, keeping an eye on Casey's tight little group.  Duncan and his friends were
sitting together, watching everybody.  Joe Dawson, was sitting next to Duncan, not
believing the number of Immortals present in this house.  Methos was looking a little
worried as well.  < Probably afraid for his head in this crowd.  I pity any bastard pissing off
this gathering. >  As he enters the living room, all eyes go to Steve, the son of a bitch that
got everyone in this room out of a warm bed, on a cold Saturday in February.

     Steve turns to Casey, "Casey, nice to see you again, would you care to introduce
your friends?"

     Casey turns to his friends, who nod their heads.  "Alright Wanderer, the tall
Englishman is Richard Blade, the dark haired fellow to his right is Mack Bolan, the
mustached gentleman is Mike Hammer, and the brown haired gentleman at the end is
Remo Williams."

     Robert McCallister walks in behind Steve and looks at Casey and grunts in
surprised recognition.

     "Casca Rufio Longious, you're still alive, I see.  How long has it been?  Over 500
years, at least."  McCallister comments walking over to shake Casey's hand.

     Casey gets up and gives McCallister a warm hug, "General Tiberius Callistri, you
look well preserved."  Casey replies with a smile.  "It's good to see you again, I don't have
too many 'old' friends, still around."

     < Casey knows McCallister?  And they haven't seen each other in 500 years? >
Steve thinks to himself.  He looks at Duncan, who doesn't understand it either.  

     "Casey," Steve asks, "What does Robert mean by calling you Casca Rufio Longious? 
And how can he know you 500 years ago.  You're not Immortal, are you?"

     "Steve, you and your friends deserve the truth.  I'm two thousand years old.  When I
became immortal, I was a legionnaire in Jerusalem almost two thousand years ago.  One
day, my commanding officer ordered me to escort a prisoner to be crucified.  The prisoner
was Jesus Christ.   I wanted to be merciful and tried to give him a quick death.  I was the
Roman legionnaire who stabbed Jesus Christ while he was on the cross.  Christ cursed me
to await his second coming."  Casey explains.

     The room is silent, almost every person in the room is shocked at Casey's admission. 
Steve finds himself shaking his head in disbelief.  The situation has gone beyond the weird
into the realm of the surreal.   He looks over to Joe Dawson and Rupert Giles and watches
them shake their heads in shock over Casey's statement.  Brother Aaron looks as if he has
been pole axed.  Casey's four friends and McCallister are not phased in the least.  They've
heard it before, and believe him. 

     "Alright, let's just suppose what Casey just said is true."  Steve says.  "That would
explain why none of us can feel him when he comes around, and why McCallister, here,"
He points to Robert, "Has known him for over 500 years."

     Duncan and Kyra both drop their drinks, Duncan asks "Robert McCallister?" 
Steve nods his head.  "Steve, how in the hell did you get McCallister, to join in this little
party?"  

     "Simple Duncan, I asked politely."  Steve replies with a grin.  McCallister just
laughs.

     McCallister steps forward and stands before the assembled Immortals.  His name is
legend among the Immortal community, though none, until now have ever met him.  Some
Immortals think he's Methos, but those who know, know better.  Everyone is silent waiting
to hear what he has to say. "Steve is correct.  I'm here for one reason, and one reason only. 
I won't sit idly by and watch innocents being butchered by vampires.  Also, let me add, that
it brings a warm feeling to my old bones seeing you, younger Immortals, standing here
together, fighting for a just cause, and not each other's heads.  Thank you, for letting me
see that there is some hope for all of us."

     "Actually, there is more hope than you can imagine."  Steve then tells everyone
about Krevar's journal, that he and Frank had found in Tibet, and its translation.  It's
Steve's turn to shock the entire room.  Robert turns to him.

     "Steve, if this manuscript is genuine, then all the senseless butchery can stop.  I hope
to God that its true."  He tells Steve.  The other Immortals also have a look of hope on their
faces.

     "Tell me, how are you planning on getting this information to every Immortal still
alive."  Bolan asks.

     Steve looks at Joe Dawson, who nods his assent. "For those of you who don't know
this, it may be a shock.  But, I'll be blunt.  There is a society of mortals who have been
chronicling the history of us Immortals for the last three thousand years.  They are called
the Watchers.  Each of us has at least one Watcher on him at all times, keeping a history of
our lives.  Now, please understand this, they do not interfere in our lives, just keep a record,
so that what we are and have done is not lost."  Steve sees shock on many faces at this bit of
information, but he goes on.  "What I'm plan to do is provide a photo copy of the journal,
along with its translation, to them.  They could arrange to have it delivered to every living
Immortal in the world within a couple of days." 
     
     "Do you think they'll do it?"  Richard Blade asks.

     "Yes, I do.  They're basically a good group of people.  I don't think their consciences
wouldn't allow them to hide this information from the other Immortals.  After all, they
could just make the copies and Fed Ex them to everybody.  Let each of us make that
decision, and not involve themselves any further."  Steve explains.  He sees Joe nod his head
slightly at this plan.

     "Now, lets get to the matter at hand."  Steve tells them, everyone goes quiet, "We
are here to destroy a large number of vampires that are planning on feeding off this town. 
The preliminary  plan is as follows.  First, we will go over a list of possible nest sites. 
Second, groups of us, lead by Buffy and her friends will scout the areas that might hold the
most concentrations of vampires."  Everyone in the room looks at Buffy's group.  "Third,
we will attack about an hour before dark, hitting only secondary targets, today. 
Tomorrow, we'll hit the primary ones at nightfall when the vampires feel the strongest, but
are the least observant.  Also, Buffy's group, Frank, Joe and Nick will not be joining the
assaults."  Steve sees that Nick and Frank are very angry about this, so are most of Buffy's
friends, but he continues. "I am not down playing your role in this believe me, but you are
not Immortal, and you can die much more easily than the rest of us can.  At present, there
are, including myself and Buffy, eighteen Immortals here.  Most of us have combat
experience and weapons training that far exceeds anything that you could possibly have. 
Besides, we will need a tactical reserve and support, which will be you people."  Nick and
Frank relax, they're not going to be left out.

     "Giles, you, Joe, Jenny, Willow, Cordelia and Oz will make up our communications
and computer section, believe me, when I say, we'll need it.  This operation will have to be
coordinated, and I think you can handle it.  Frank, Nick and Xander will be our tactical
reserve.  I have six anti-tank rockets.  They're to be used as bunker busters, if we need
them.  You three will be responsible for getting them to us and using them.  Amy, your our
only witch," Steve sees several of the Immortals stir at this comment.  "So, you'll be teamed
up with Frank's group, who will also be responsible for you."

     "Primary weapons for this operation will be wooden stakes and edged weapons,
secondary weapons such as pistols, should be carried, but not used.  Also, each unit will be
given a pump shotgun loaded with Dragon's Breathe shells for those crowded moments. 
For those of you wondering about the use of assault rifles, forget about it.  They won't
affect vampires.   The only ways to kill them is to stab them in the heart with a wooden
stake, behead them or burn them up.  Most of us here, have experience beheading
opponents with swords and axes."  Steve adds lightly.  Most of the Immortals laugh at this
joke.  "Now any questions?"

     Remo Williams gets up, "All well and good, you've detailed out a good attack plan,
but what are the groups going to be and the command structure?"

     "The groups will be as follows, Casey, you and friends stay together.  Duncan your
group will be Richie, Adam and Aaron.  Kyra's Group will be augmented by the addition of
Robert."  Robert looks at Kyra's group of Valkyries and smiles.  "My group will be Buffy,
Mulder and Scully.  The command structure will be as follows, myself, then Casey, Duncan
and Kyra, in that order.  Any questions?  No, good."

     Steve turns to Willow and Jenny, "Willow were you, Jenny and Dana able to access
the building records for the building we're going to hit?"

     "Yes Steve, we got all of them, including renovation up dates.  I stored everything in
your hard drive.  Now, we have to pull them up and print them."

     "Everything's in the hard drive?"  Willow nods, "Good, Frank, give me a hand with
the projector."   Steve and Frank go to the office and pick up a small device nobody had
ever seen before, as well as a portable keyboard, and place them on the coffee table in the
center of the room.

     Willow and Jenny are curious about the device, "What is it Steve?"  Jenny asks.

     "Just watch."  Steve replies with a grin.

     As he turns on the device, a computer screen floats in the air above it.  "It's a
holographic projector."  Steve explains, as he's accessing the computer.  He then pulls out a
three dimensional image of the town, including the sewer system.  All of the target
buildings are shining in red.  Steve touches one of the target building's and create a three
dimensional display for the tactical review of that building.  Casey immediately starts to
take notes and make comments about the building structure and the assault possibilities. 
Willow and Jenny note the program that Steve's using and want to give it a try.

     Mulder turns to Steve and asks. "Steve, where in hell did you get this device?  Its
beyond anything that I have ever seen."

     Steve looks at the projector, and answer.  "Mulder, let's just say that this was given
to me by a friend for whom I did a favor.  A really big favor."

     Mulder just shakes his head and comments.  "This case is one for the records, for
every answer we dig up, I have three more mysteries to solve."  He looks pointedly at the
projector.

     < Mulder's a good man, but sometimes, he asks too many question. > Steve thinks to
himself.

     The assembled group looks at all of the possible hiding places and decides that they
couldn't hit them well enough to put a dent in the vampire population, so the plan was
changed to one of the classics, the bait and switch.

     The order of attack was decided on.  The first scout trip would be Buffy, Frank and
Steve.  They would pay Willy, the squealer, a little visit at his bar and make life a little
painful and drop some misleading information on him.  The second scout trip would be the
sewers, also by them.  They would make Angelus and his friend think that Buffy had joined
forces with Frank and Steve.  The scouts would be lightning quick and hard.  The plan was
to make them hate the trio and want to get at Buffy Frank, and Steve as fast as possible. 
They would be the bait in the trap.

     Steve and Buffy decide to hit Willy's Bar first.

              Part 23 - Dialogues and Conversations
            (Beating the Hell out of a Piece of Slime)

     Frank and Steve go to his bedroom to get ready.  They grab a pair of black dusters
and watch caps out of the closet.  And change out of their pants and shoes to fatigue
bottoms and combat boots.  Besides his Katana, Steve grabs a pair of Glock 21s out of the
arsenal, a couple of grenades and five wooden knives.  Frank grabs his H&K Spec Ops .45,
an Ithaca 'shorty' 12 gauge pump, and four wooden knives and a pair of throwing axes. 
After they 'load' up, Steve tosses Frank a pair of dark sun glasses, they put them on at the
same time.

     As they enter the living room, Buffy's group is stunned.  Frank and Steve see that
their 'Hollywood' bad to the bone looks has the right effect.  Everyone else just starts to
laugh.

     Casey gets out between laughs, "Wanderer, couldn't you and Frank steal any more
cliches?  You guys look like Terminator wannabees."

     "Just make sure you don't go into any liquor store."  Bolan cracks, between laughs. 
"Or we'll have to bail you out, if the owner doesn't shoot you on sight."

     Steve takes off his sun glasses and smiles.  Buffy and her friends don't understand
what the joke is.  Steve tells them.  "Buffy, the reason everyone is laughing is because, no
true professional would be caught dead, dressed like this.  What we want to do is make
Angelus and his friends think that we're just a pair of amateurs who got lucky that night. 
We want to make them come after us in force."

     Buffy looks confused, "Why do you want all those vampires to hunt us?  They could
kill us all, if enough of them got together."

     "Buffy, that's exactly what we want.  It'll make it a lot easier to kill all of them. 
Especially, when they think, they have you and only two amateurs, who you have to
protect, against them all.  Not twenty professional killers."

*****

     Their first stop, Willy's bar, is in the really bad section of town.  Buffy enters first
followed closely by Steve and Frank is bringing up drag.  Once they enter the bar, they see
Willy, a short, nervous guy, talking to three guys you won't want to meet in an ally.  Hell,
you wouldn't want to meet them in a police station.

     Buffy grabs Willy and throws him to the bar.  Frank and Steve cover Willy's little
playmates. 

     "Okay Willy, where do I find Angel?"  Buffy asks.  "Tell me before I rip off your
lying face."

     < Now that's a polite girl.  Gets right to the point. > Steve tells myself.  One of the
hard cases decides to get up and help Willy.  Frank clubs him down with his shotgun.

     "Now, now, they're playing nice.  Don't interfere."  Frank, grinning evilly, warns
the three toughs.

     Buffy slams Willy against a wall .  < Just getting his attention > Steve thinks to
himself.  

     "Willy, I'm not playing here.  Tell me where I can find him, now!!"  Buffy angrily
tells Willy.

     "Look, I don't know where your boyfriend, Angel, hangs out.  But I can tell you that
they're scared of your two friends over there, and want to get rid of them, as fast as
possible."

     Buffy pulls Willy off the wall and turns him around.  "What do you mean?  What
are they planning?"

     "I just know that they put bounties on their heads with the Order of Teraka."  Willy
informs Buffy.

     Steve turns to Willy, leaving Frank to cover the three hard cases.  "Angel put a
bounty on my partner and me?"  He asks, grinning.  "What did he offer?  What's the
bounty?"

     Willy looks at Steve, then at Buffy.  He sees no way out of this situation, but to tell
the truth.  "He offered a hundred thou for each of your heads, delivered to him. 
Preferably, minus the rest."

     "Only a hundred thou?  Man, I feel insulted.  Frank, do you feel insulted?"  Steve
asks Frank.

     "I feel insulted, Steve."  Frank comments.

     "What about me?"  Buffy asks.

     "He told them to leave you alone.  You were his."  Willy tells her.

     "Willy," Steve asks.  "Who are your three little playmates?"

     Willy stiffens and looks at Steve.  "They're nobody.  They're just here to get a
drink."

     "Oh, I kinda find that hard to believe, Willy.  They look like the type the Order
would send after the two of us."

     Buffy turns around and goes to one of the men.  She grabs his right hand and looks
at a ring on his hand.  "This guy is one of them."  She tells Steve and Frank.  She then
checks the other two.  "These two as well."

     "Well gentlemen, you three are members of the Order of Teraka."  Steve states. 
"The last time I meet with your little play group, it cost you twenty of your members." 

     The three look at Frank and Steve with nervous glances.  The largest one looks at
Steve.

     "Who are you to brag about taking out twenty members of the Order?"  As he asks,
a look of recognition, dawns, on his face, quickly followed by fear.

     Steve looks at him and smiles.  "Just call me Wanderer.  The place was Istanbul,
about five years ago."

     The three turn a very pale shade of white.  They must have heard what happened.

     Meanwhile, Willy is having a stroke.

     "Your Wanderer!?  Oh shit man, please don't kill me.  I'll tell you everything.  Just
don't do me."  He wails.

     Buffy shuts him up with a slap.  "Shut up Willy."  She tells him.  She then turns to
Steve.  "Steve, what are you talking about?  You killed twenty of them?"  She points at the
assassins sitting in front of me.

     Steve keeps his eye on the assassins as he tells her.  "The Order of Teraka killed an
old doctor, about five years ago.  The man was a decent human being, who cared for people. 
The Order killed him because he gave sanctuary to one of their targets, a small child.  He
refused them entry, and they then targeted him, as well.  I was in town buying some items
and one the man's followers knew me.  She told me what the situation was, and naturally, I
got involved.  I have a very low tolerance for child killers.  I protected the old man and
child for a month.  It cost the Order twenty of their best assassins, before they quit."  

     The big man with the scared face glares at Steve with hate filled eyes.  "The only
reason the Order let the child live was because the bounty was lifted on the child. 
Otherwise you would still be protecting him."

     "Why was the bounty removed?"  Steve asks, curious.

     "The client who wanted the child dead refused to pay for more assassins to kill you. 
The Order wanted at least ten million dollars to kill you.  That price still stands, and if your
friend here is with you, the price for him goes up as well.  This contract, now that we know
it concerns you, is terminated."  Scar face tells Steve.  "We will leave this town
immediately."

     "There is a problem."  Steve tells them.  "After Istanbul, and that man's death, I
made myself a promise that I would kill any of your members that I came across in my
travels."

     "You wouldn't dare!!  We are the Order of Teraka!!  We have existed for centuries
and killed thousands.  What makes you think that you can destroy us without dire
consequences?"  Scar face haughtily asks.

     "Simple, a promise to an old man.  This is for Akbar."  Steve tells him as he shots
each one in the head, point blank.  Steve next turns to Willy.  He has just pissed his pants. 
"Willy, can you contact the Order?"  He nods his head, yes.  "Tell them what happened
here.  And tell them that this is just a warning.  If any more of them come to Sunnydale, I'll
start hunting them full time."  Steve turns to leave, taking a shocked Buffy by the arm,
followed by a worried Frank.

     As Steve leaves, he turns to Willy.  "Oh, and Willy, if Angelus finds out about this, I
will be back for you."  Steve tells him.  Willy turns paler still.

     As they head back to the car.  When they get in, Buffy turns to Steve.  "Steve, how
could you kill those three men like that?  They weren't going to do anything."  She angrily
tells him.

     "Buffy, they would have gone straight to Angelus and told him who I was.  Then,
every vampire in town would have left.  I don't want them to leave.  I want all of them
dead.  And, as to me shooting them down like that, ask yourself, how many people have
those three bastards killed?  Every member of the Order of Teraka has killed at least a
hundred people before they're offered a chance to join.  Who is going to avenge them?  The
law?  Forget it, the Order is beyond the law.  Most law enforcement agencies are scared
shitless of these people.  Let's go back to the house.  Frank and I have to change our clothes. 
The plans have changed."  

                Part 24 - Hauntings From the Past
                       (History Lessons II)

     Buffy looks a little scared, and doesn't say a thing the entire trip home.  When they
get back, she gets out of the car and heads straight to the house without a word.  She goes
straight to Giles and Jenny and takes them to the side, and tells them what happened at
Willy's bar.

     "Giles, Steve just butchered three members of the Order of Teraka.  He shoot them
down like they were animals."  A scared Buffy tells them.

     Giles and Jenny are shaken by this turn of events.  He turns to Steve, whose sitting
down, waiting for his reply.

     "Mr. St. Wolf, we are not in the business of coldly butchering down human beings,
even members of the Order of Teraka.  If they were vampires, I could understand, but
normal humans?  Sir, this is beyond redemption."

     Casey looks at Steve, and asks.  "Steve, who did you just kill?"

     "Three members of the Order of Teraka.  Angelus put a bounty on mine and
Frank's heads.  We found them at Willy's bar and one of them recognized me.  I did what I
had to."

     Joe Dawson perks up at my comment.  He gets up and approaches Steve.

     "Steve, you didn't tell them, did you?"  He asks, as Steve just glares at him.  "No,
you didn't.  Well, I'll tell them."

     "Joe, it's none of their business."  Steve tells him.

     "Yes, it is, and don't give me any crap about it."  Joe angrily tells Steve, as he takes
a seat.  Everyone sits quietly, waiting for Joe to tell them what has gotten Steve so angry. 
He takes this opportunity to leave the room and go into his office to sit alone and have a
good cry.

     "For those of you who don't know me.  I'm Joe Dawson.  I'm also the head of the
North American branch of the Society of Watchers."  Most of the Immortals give Joe 'the
eye' at this revelation, but remain quiet, waiting for his story to unfold.  "The story begins
in Istanbul, about five years ago," Joe begins.  "Steve had just purchased a piece of art for
one of his clients when a young girl came running up to him.  Steve had rescued this girl
from an attacker, a couple of days before, and she trusted him.  She told him about the man
who had raised her, and the trouble he was in.  The girl lead him to a large house where a
man named Akbar, a retired doctor, was housing and raising homeless street children.  He
also ran a school there for the children and a clinic for the entire neighborhood."

     "An old woman came to the house the day before, carrying a small child.  She gave
the boy to Akbar, to protect him from the assassins sent to kill them by an enemy of her
husband.  This enemy had all of the woman's family killed because of a vendetta against her
husband.  As she was leaving, the Order of Teraka found her and killed her.  They
attempted to gain entry into the house but Akbar somehow stopped them.  The Order then
tried to break in, but the house was protected by something.  By the time the Order found a
way around the protection, Steve was already at the house offering his services to the old
man."

     "For a month, Steve protected them, killing any member of the Order that tried to
enter the house.  At the end of the month, twenty members of the Order of Teraka laid
dead, trying to fulfill that contract."  Joe tells a rapt audience.  He takes a drink from his
beer, before continuing. 

     "The Order finally stopped trying.  They sent a third party to tell Steve that the
contract on the boy had been withdrawn.  Steve then got the boy out of there and got him
hidden away safely.  He thought that with the boy gone, Akbar and the rest of the children
would be safe.  He was only gone for two days."

     "In that time the Order attacked Akbar's house and brutally murdered all of the
children there, as revenge against Akbar's stand against them.  They crucified Akbar to a
wall in the house and slit his eye lids to force him to watch, as each child was murdered in
front of him.  It drove him mad."  Joe's eyes turn cold as he continues, "Three of my
Watchers, Mike Anderson, Pat Samuels and Robert Thorpe, tried to stop them.  The Order
killed them and left their bodies in the street."

     "When Steve came back the next day, he found Akbar still crucified to the wall and
all of his children dead, at his feet.  The bodies of my Watchers had been taken by the local
police and put in the morgue.  The police wouldn't go into Akbar's house for fear of the
Order.  Steve had to take the nails and boards off Akbar himself."

     "The worst part was the children.  Steve had to take each child out of the house and
bury them himself.  No one local would do anything to help him.  The Order had made sure
of that.  Two of my Watchers, Frank Drey and Tony Driscal, saw what he was doing and
went to help him.  That's where he learned about the Watchers, and the sacrifice three of
us made for Akbar and his children.  Steve, Frank and Tony buried seventy four children
that day, sixty three of them were ten and younger."  Joe tells them.  His audience sits
there, listening to the story unfold.  Many of them with cold gleams in their eyes.

     "It was also too late for Akbar, no local doctor would help him.  By the time Steve,
Frank and Tony were able to get him out of the country, and to a doctor, a deep infection
set in.  Akbar died three days later from blood poisoning.  His final words were for Steve. 
He said, 'The children and I do not blame you.  These men would have killed us anyway. 
You gave us life for another month, and showed us what a single good man could do.  Just
remember us in your heart.'"

     As Joe finishes his story, he sits back and gauges the reaction of those around him. 
The Immortals in the room, those that have seen many years and wars have a cold rage in
their eyes.  The younger Immortals and mortals are much more open in their hostility. 
Giles is the first to speak.

     "My word, no wonder he just gunned them down.  If I had seen that, I wouldn't
have hesitated myself in killing them."  Giles comments.

     Buffy meanwhile heads towards Steve's office.  She opens the door and slips inside. 
She finds him asleep on the couch softly crying in his sleep.  She gently reaches out to him
and touches his face.  

*****

     Steve awakes to find Buffy gently stroking his face.  He reaches for her and pulls her
towards him and she sits down, next to him.  Steve looks into her hazel eyes and sees
understanding in them.  

     "I guess Joe told you the whole story about what happened in Istanbul."  He asks
her.

     Buffy wraps her arms around Steve and just holds him tightly as she tells him, "I
don't know Steve, I'm sorry for over reacting like that."

     "No, you didn't over react.  Just hold me, that's all." Steve tells Buffy as he gently
hugs her and lays his head against her shoulder.

     Frank chooses this moment to enter the office.  He smiles at the sight of Steve and
Buffy, before he clears his throat.

     "Steve, Buffy, come back into the living room we have some major plans to make."

     Buffy gets up, pulling Steve up with her and leads him back to the meeting and to
the matter at hand.

     As Buffy and Steve walk back to the meeting, Giles walks up to him and apologizes.

     "Mr. St. Wolf, I wish to apologize for my earlier remark."  Giles tells Steve as he
offers his hand.

     As Steve takes his hand, "I understand Giles, you didn't know the whole story, so no
harm done."

     Casey starts the meeting with, "Steve, do you think this Willy guy is going to stay
quiet?"

     Steve shakes his head, "No Casey, this little turd is going to roll over at the first
threat.  Angelus is definitely going to find out about me.  And I think, Buffy correct me if
I'm wrong, that this will make Angelus come after me with everything he's got."

     Giles and Buffy put their heads together and compare notes.  Giles turns back to
Steve and tells him.  "From our experience with Angel and the notes in the Watcher
Journals, we can expect him to attack you and Frank as quickly as possible.  He will not
tolerate a serious threat to himself or to his game with Buffy.  And you two are definitely
that."

     "This boy is one sick puppy."  Mulder comments.  "How does this help us?"

     "Simple, Angelus will probably surmise that we will be calling in the calvary, and he
will want to hit us before we can get reinforcements in and get organized."  Steve looks at
the assembled group and grins.  "Poor bastard probably thinks it'll take us at least week to
get something together.  Too bad for him.  The three of us were planning on being bait in
our revised attack plan, this makes it easier.  We hit them hard now, taking out as many as
possible.  Make them think that we're the only ones on the hunt and then lead them into a
trap.  The place we'll need will have to be enclosed, where they will have limited room to
move in and run, but they can enter freely.  Anyone know about a place like that?"  Steve
asks Buffy and her friends.

     Xander perks up, "Yeah, you're talking about the high school gym.  We can make
Angel think we're headed to the library and let him corner you guys in the gym.  The gym
has only four entrances, and those can be easily blocked."

     "That sounds like a good plan."  Steve comments.  "Do we have access to the gym,
available to us?"

     Giles looks up and replies, "Yes, I have a complete set of keys to the school, as well as
the security codes.  And Principal Snyder is attending a meeting in San Francisco.  We
shouldn't have any problems."

     "Good, its Saturday, let's go scope out the place, right now.  We'll all meet at the
high school in fifteen minutes."  Steve turns to Buffy, "Buffy, have one of your friends go
with each car, this way," He look pointedly at Duncan, "no one will get lost."

     Everyone of Duncan's friends started laughing.  

                 Part 25 - How to Set Up a Party
     (Combat - One Part Preparation, Two Parts Determination,
       Four Parts Pure Insanity and Twenty Parts Pure Luck
            Where's Chance Harper When You Need Him?)

     The group meets over by the school gym and scopes out the place.  Casey is the first
to speak up.

     "This place is perfect.  The building is built like a bunker and the windows even
have steel shutters on them.  No vampire that enters here is going to leave here, except as
dust."  Casey comments.

     "We can use the office and the equipment rooms to hide in until the vampires are too
busy fighting Buffy, Steve and Frank.  Those rooms also give us an excellent cross fire, if we
need it."  Xander adds.

     Casey gives Xander a speculative look. < Who is this kid?  He walks around us old
soldiers like he's one of us.  Let's see if he can back up his act with action. >

     "Alright kid, since you know so much about these things.  Why don't you just give us
the attack plan."  Casey asks with a grin.  His four partners, along with Kyra, knowing
Casey's style are waiting for Xander to take the bait and get his ass handed to back to him.

     Xander gives Casey a 'I'm not some civilian, playing a make-believe soldier' look. 
He takes a deep breathe, letting it out slowly before he begins, looking Casey straight in the
eye.  "Casey, you may be two thousand years old.   Fought in God alone knows how many
wars.  But, I've been fighting here for over two years.  I've watched my friends being
murdered and turned into vampires.  My best friend since childhood, a guy named Jesse,
was turned into one of them.  I had to kill him to save innocent lives.  I've seen the bodies of
my friends lying in coffins and in chalk outlines.  And gone to, god alone knows how many
funerals.  Yeah, I know about these things, and to tell you the truth, I hope that I can kill as
many of them as possible.  Just to get a little payback."  Xander angrily tells him as he
sheds a tear for his boyhood friend.  "Now, can we get started setting up this little party?"

     Casey, his friends and Kyra, are surprised at the strength and honesty behind
Xander's words.  They've all been there.  The constant battle.  The fear, the not knowing
whether today you'll die or one of your friends will, instead of you.  Never knowing when
you'll wind up dead or live to fight another day, starting the same cycle over again.  They
look at this kid, turned into a man before he should have been, and they see themselves. 
Whether the battles were in the Sahara Desert, Viet Nam, Gaul, the Rubicon or any one of
a thousand other places or times, they've all been there.  They see that Xander is truly one
of them, a brother soldier who has been in combat and seen much of the dirtier side of
existence, but hasn't let it destroy him, just made him stronger.

     Casey feels a lump in his heart.  He wishes he could give this kid a normal childhood,
but it's too late for that.  The only thing Casey can think to say is, "You're right Xander,
it's time to give these things a major payback for all of the pain and death they've caused." 
Casey replies and smiles, as he reaches over and clasps Xander's shoulder while saying,
"Like you said, let's get started planning this little party."

     Buffy and Steve watch this little drama play itself out.  Xander's remarks strike
home in many of the people present and they understand where he is coming from.  Most of
them wish they didn't, but they do.  Steve leans over and whisper to Buffy, "Looks like
Xander has made himself some new friends."

     Buffy smiles, "I can't imagine a more stranger group than that."

     "WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?"  Principal Snyder shouts as he enters the gym. 
"Who the hell are you people?"  

     "Principal Snyder, weren't you supposed to be attending a meeting in San
Francisco?" Giles asks.

     "The meeting was canceled.  What are you doing in this gym on a Saturday, Giles?
And who are these, and I use the term loosely, people?"  Snyder orders.

     Before Giles can answer, Mulder and Scully step up with their badges open.  "Mr.
Snyder, I'm FBI Special Agent Fox Mulder and this is my partner, Special Agent Dana
Scully."  Mulder nods his head toward Scully.  "We requested the use of the gymnasium
from Mr. Giles."  Mulder tells him.

     "Why," Principal asks.

     "I'm afraid I can't tell you at this time.  You'll be given a full report on Monday, no
sooner."  Mulder tells him.

     "Alright, but it better be good."  Snyder tells Mulder.  As he stalks out he sees Buffy
standing next to me.  Snyder walks over and tells Buffy, "Summers, you skipped school
yesterday.  Unless you have a very good excuse, I'll have you in detention for a month." 

     "Principal Snyder, Buffy was helping me, all day, yesterday."  Scully speaks up.

     Snyder looks at Scully with pure hate. < How dare she make excuses for Summers.  I
can't do anything this time.  But next time, Summers will be sorry. >

     Snyder uses the shocked silence to make his leave.

     "Uh, who was that?"  Steve asks.

     "That was Principal Snyder.  He detests all of the students, especially Buffy and all
of her friends."  Giles informs us.

     "No wonder the American education system is so bad, with people like him running
it."  Steve comments.

     "Wanderer," Casey begins, "The rest of us can get this place set up.  You, Summers
and Iverson should go and start the ball rolling."

     "Change in plans Casey," Steve tells him.  "I'm not taking Frank with us."  Frank
starts to protest.  "Frank, don't!!  We need to take another Immortal with us on this one.  I
want to make it look like all three of us are wounded."  Steve sees the grins start to show. 
Predators always go after the wounded animals with the most stubbornness.  "Mack, you
Frank look enough alike to fool anyone who doesn't know you, would you be willing to play
the wounded goat with Buffy and me?"

     "Yeah, no problem."  Bolan replies.

               Part 26 - Discoveries - Willy's Bar
     (The Information Tree, Shake It and See What Falls Out)

     Willy is having a *very* big drink.  Normally Willy avoids drinking too much,
especially with his clientele, but what has just happened and the following phone call have
scared him shitless.

     < Wanderer, teamed up with the Slayer.  Man-o-Man what have I gotten myself into
here? > Willy thinks to himself.  His head jerks up at the sound of the sewer entrance being
opened. < Who the hell can this be? > Without turning around Willy yells out "We're
closed, come back later."

     "But Willy, you have such interesting lunch specials."  Angelus tells him as he
examines the three dead assassins.  Willy starts to sweat heavily.  After looking at their
rings he gets back up and turns to Willy.

     "What happened here Willy?  Those three are the assassins the Order of Teraka
sent here to help me.  Who killed them?  Who has the balls to go against the Order of
Teraka?"  Angelus questions Willy.

     "Angelus, my man, it was just a little disagreement that went out of hand, nothing
more."  Willy explains nervously.

     "A LITTLE disagreement Willy?  There are three dead members of the Order of
Teraka sitting in your bar, shot through the head.  Who did this, and is the Order going to
do something about it?"  Angelus demands.

     "I just got off the phone with the Order.  They're not sending anyone else here. 
Your money is being sent back to you.  As far as the Order is concerned, Sunnydale is too
hot for them and they won't come back here."  Willy tells Angelus.

     Angelus is taken aback, the Order of Teraka, too scared to come to Sunnydale? 
"Did they say anything else Willy?"  Angelus demands.

     Willy nods his head, "Yeah, they said you and your vamps can go to hell for setting
them up like this."

     "Set up?  What the hell are you talking about, Willy?  Who in their right minds, sets
up the Order?  Tell me everything Willy, or so help me, I'll rip your guts out."   

     "It's your old girlfriend, she got some professional help to take you out, Angelus." 
Willy tells him. 

     Angelus looks at Willy closely, asking, "Alright Willy, just who are these two guys
and why is the Order so scared of them?"

     "I can't tell you who they are.  They'll kill me if I do."  Willy wails.

     "Willy, listen to me.  I'll kill you slowly right now if you don't tell me everything,
and I mean everything."  Angelus demands.

     "Look Angel, you're a tough guy, but this guy really scares me.  I'm too afraid to tell
you anything."  Willy explains

     Angelus takes Willy and slams him against the wall.  As Willy slides down the wall,
Angelus leans down and whispers in Willy's ear, "Willy, either you tell me, or I will change
you into a vampire and then you'll have to tell me."

     Willy pales visibly, "Okay, okay, okay Angel.  The guy that the Order is scared of, is
called Wanderer."  Willy pauses waiting for Angel's reply.

     Angel growls low in the throat, and tells Willy, "Tell me more, I've heard rumors
about this guy, but I need more information." 

     "I don't know anything."  Willy tells Angel.  "The only stuff I've heard about this
guy is that he's one of the deadliest SOB's on the planet.  He admitted to killing twenty
members of the Order right here, in front of me.  In less than a month.  And the way those
three were looking at him, confirmed it.  Then, he just blew those three sitting there away,
like they were nothing.  I've also heard rumors that this guy actually took out a Demon
Prince of Hell."

     Angel releases Willy and lets him fall to the ground.  He then turns and leaves via
the sewer opening in the back of Willy's bar.  He hurries to the factory where Spike and
Drusila are waiting for him.

     As he enters the factory, Angel calls out, "Spike, Drusila, get out here, now!!"

     Both of them hurry over, wondering what has Angel so hot and bothered.

     "Angel darling, what's wrong?"  Drusila asks.

     "I just got back from Willy's bar.  I had gone there to meet the assassins the Order
of Teraka had sent to help us with our problem."  Angel tells them.

     "So, Angel, what happened?  The buggers didn't show up.  Mighty cheeky if you ask
me."  Spike comments.

     "Oh they showed up alright."  Angel replies as he hits his hand against a wall.

     "So, what's the problem?  The Order will take care of the Slayer's two new friends
in quick order."  Spike comments.

     "The assassins are dead, Spike.  One of Buffy's new friends killed them in Willy's
bar.  He shot them down like they were animals.  And the *mighty* Order of Teraka will
not send any more assassins to Sunnydale because they're afraid of this guy."  Angel tells
them.

     Spike and Drusila jaws drop.  Spike is the first to recover.

     "Angel, just who is this guy that the Order is scared of."  Spike asks in awe.

     Angel pauses before he answers, "Ever hear of a guy called Wanderer?"

     "Bloody Hell, not him."  Spike exclaims, visibly shaken.

     Drusila starts to whimper. "Please Angel, make the bad man go away.  He hurt us in
Prague.  He killed everyone of Miss Edith's little friends."

     Angle looks at his two brethren, "So, I take it that you've heard of him."  Angel
replies.  "Care to tell me what you know about him?"

     "Well it started in Prague, about seven years ago."  Spike begins.  "Me and Dru, had
been in town for a couple of months enjoying ourselves, when a mortal raised the Demon
Kretrag.  And Kretrag promptly ate him.  After that, the Demon started to gather a few of
us vampires, with certain mortals, who were truly evil, together to help him.  It wanted to
raise a few more of it's fellow Demons and start killing more mortals.  In order to do that,
we had to gather a large number of mortals for a blood sacrifice."

     "Everything was going fine, until this group of mortals attacked us.  They destroyed
almost all of us vampires in the first few minutes."  Angel looks surprised at this, but
remains silent, waiting for Spike to continue.  "There were almost fifty vampires and a
Demon Prince of Hell in that room.  The only reason that Dru and I survived was because
Dru got hurt and we ran.  But, we saw this Wanderer bastard take on Kretrag and kill
him."

     "They fought for almost ten minutes.  Kretrag should have killed him, but this
mortal just kept taking everything Kretrag gave him, and kept coming back for more. 
Everything Kretrag threw at him was absorbed by his damn sword, 'Demon Slayer'." 
Angel jerks at this information.  "Finally, he cut off the Demon Prince's head with that
sword of his and one of the other mortals, a priest, blessed the body, completely destroying
it.  We got out of Prague that night."  Spike tells Angel as he finishes his story.

     "Who were the other mortals helping him?  Did you ever find out who they were?" 
Angel asks.

     "Yeah, I did, and it scares me.  One of the mortals who was helping us survived and
escaped, before we drained him, he told us what he knew.  He found out that the priest was
a Monk of the Order of St. Francis of Assisi.  Also, judging by the description the mortal
gave of their uniforms, three of the warriors were Knights of the Order of the Grail.  The
other two were Japanese Ninjas."  Spike tells him.

     Angel looks at the wall, deep in concentration.  After a few minutes, he turns to
Spike and Dru.  "So this guy is everything Willy claimed him to be.  Now this presents a
major problem.  Tell me Spike, how many vampires do we have here in town, right now?" 
He asks.

     "About a two hundred, maybe a little more, if any of the new vampires we made
wake up early."  Spike answers, "Why?"

     "Because, we're going to hit them before they hit us.  If we give them any time, don't
you think that this Wanderer guy is going to call in his friends.  And how long do you think
we can stand against a small army of professional warriors lead by the Slayer?"  Spike and
Drusila look really scared at that prospect.  "How long do think it will take to assemble
them and attack Buffy and her two new friends, as well as everybody else?"  Angel asks.

     "Not long.  You do realize that a lot of them wouldn't be coming back from this little
mission."  Spike comments.

     "So what?  Who cares if a few vampires die to take out the Slayer and this
Wanderer guy?"  Angel comments.

                     Part 27 - Sewer Scouting
             (No Ralph, Norton is Not Coming With Us)

     The Sunnydale Sewers are large.  For some reason the designer had the construction
company build them six and a half feet high and wide, making it the perfect day time travel
route for the vampires.  Go figure.

     Buffy, Steve and Mack go back to Steve's house and change into black clothing, 
armed themselves with pistols, swords and wooden knives.  Besides Steve's usual combat rig
of Katana, Glock 21 and stakes, He carried an Ithaca 'shorty' loaded with Dragon's
Breathe shells.  Buffy, in addition to her normal stakes, was carrying a Kyber Bowie she
found in Steve's collection as well as the Glock 26 he had given her earlier.  Mack had his
saber, Desert Eagle 44, stakes and a couple of smoke grenades.  Each was also given fifth
generation night vision goggles.

     Their first target is a group of four vampires.   They hit them hard and fast, taking
all of them out.  Buffy drop kicks the first one into the wall, as he bounces off the wall, she
stakes him, quick and dirty.  The second vampire is Mack's.  He is quick and brutal.  He
grabs it by the throat and stabs it through the back to the heart.  The third and fourth
vampires are Steve's.  They make the mistake of attacking him at a crossing.  Steve cuts
them both open with a single slash of his Katana.  As they fall to their knees in pain, Steve
cuts off their heads.

     Mack noticing Steve's style comments, with a wry grin, "Keeping in practice, I see." 

     As Steve wipes his blade clean, "Always got to keep up the style, Mack.  You never
know."  Steve replies with a smile.  Buffy just looks at around, trying to sense anymore
vampires.  "Got a lock on anymore?" He asks.

     "Yeah, about ten of them, to the south of us, about a half mile."  Buffy answers.

     "That's quite a range Buffy.  Can you always sense vampires that far away?"  Steve
asks.

     "Normally no, but Amy used a spell to heighten my vampire sense, and it appears to
work fine."  She tells Steve and Mack.

     "Isn't that kind of dangerous?"

     "Normally yes, but we need the extra edge.  So I took the chance." 

     Steve decides to change the subject.  "Do you think they heard us?"

     "No," came Buffy's short reply.

     Then, in Steve's best John Wayne, "Well then Pilgrims, let's mount up and ride." 

     "You know Steve, Duke would have shot you for imitating him that badly."  Mack
tells Steve.

     As they move south, Buffy asks, "Mack, did you know John Wayne?"

     "Yep, I doubled for him in Rio Lobo and Rio Bravo.  One of the greatest actors and
gentlemen, that I have ever known."  Mack replies wistfully.  "That's our main curse,
losing good friends and loved ones."

     Buffy holds up her hand, "The vampires are around the corner, I can feel them."

     Steve eases forward and checks around the corner.  He sees the vampires, all eleven
of them.  They're scaring a couple of young girls, who are huddled in a corner, tied up.  <
Man, I hate it when someone plays with their food. > Steve thinks to himself as he moves
back to Buffy and Mack.

     "The vampires are there, but they have a couple of kids with them.  Both are still
alive.  But I don't think that'll last long."  Steve tells them.  "I think the best way to get
them is to rush them, and take out as many as possible, protecting those kids."

      Buffy and Mack nod their agreement.  As they start to moving forward they hear
gun fire in the tunnel ahead of them.

               Part 28 - A Convergence of Forces II
            (Sewers Are Not Just For Turtles Anymore)

     Steve leans over and asks Buffy, "Is it more vampires?"

     "No, something else is there, let's hit them while they're distracted."  Buffy reasons.

     Mack and Steve agree and they rush forward to see a man and a woman, armed
with guns and  swords, fighting the vampires, protecting the girls.  All of the vampires have
their attention, so we are able to sneak up on them and take out six of them before the rest
see us.  The first three are taken out with stakes in the back.  The next three get the same
treatment.  Of the final five, three are wounded by the man and woman, and fall back to be
decapitated by Buffy, Mack and me.  The man and woman, seeing that the three strangers
are helping them, stand their ground protecting the children, while the strangers take care
of the rest of the vampires.

     As Mack decapitates the last two vampires, turning them into dust, the three turn to
the man and woman.  They are still on guard, waiting to see what happens next.  Steve puts
his sword in it's scabbard, Buffy and Mack follow suit.  He turns to Buffy.

     "Buffy, any more vampires in the area?"  The man and woman stiffen when they
hear this.

     "Nothing for at least a mile, Steve."

     "Any of them coming this way?" Steve asks, worried if the gun shots would bring
any more.

     "No, I don't think they heard anything."

     Steve turns to the man and woman, still standing there, on guard. "Hi there, I don't
know who you are.  But if it'll makes things any easier, I've always believed the expression,
'The enemy of my enemy, is my friend.'" 

     The children, at this time, start to cry, the woman gives a worried look to the man. 
The man nods and both put down their weapons.  The woman turns to the children and
begins to untie them, softly whispering to them.  As she unties and removes their gags, the
two girls, begin to cry, "Mommy, Daddy, you came for us.  We were worried."

     The woman, an imposing redhead, turns to the three strangers.  "Who are you
people?  What were those things that took my children?"  She demanded.

     "Well, we were just, sorta,  passing through, and saw the kids in trouble, and
decided to rescue them.  As we were moving forward to attack, you two jumped them
before we could.  While the vampires were distracted, we attacked them from behind. 
Killing all of them."  Steve explains.

     "Vampires?  Are you serious?  They can't exist.  They're only myths to scare
children."  The redhead stammers out.  Her husband remains quiet.

     "Well Miss, why do you think they disappeared into piles of dust, when we staked
them or cut off their heads, but wouldn't die from your bullets?"  Steve replies evenly.

     The redhead is about to tell Steve where to go, when her husband lays a hand on her
shoulder.  She looks at him and he just shakes his head.  Steve notices a strange tattoo on
the husband's arm.  He'd seen it somewhere before, but nothing comes to mind.

     "Get your children out of here and out of town as fast as you can."  Steve tells them.  
The woman starts to say something, but Steve holds up his hand, and continues.  "Things
are going to get very hot here in a little while, and we don't want any innocents getting
hurt."

     The man and woman just look at the three strangers, but nod their heads in
agreement.

     Steve turns to Buffy and asks, "Buffy, where is the closest opening that we can get
to?"  

     "About a quarter mile north of us.  But I can feel about a dozen vampires coming in
from that direction.  We should be able to get these people out before they get there.  Then
we take out those vamps."  Buffy explains.   The man and woman each pick up a girl and
follow.

     Buffy takes point and Mack does drag, and Steve stays by the family.

     As they're moving out, the woman comes up to Steve and asks, "Who are you
people?  You three act as if you've fought these things before."

     "Listen Miss..?  You know, I never did ask your name."

     "It's Scarlet, no last name, what's your's."  She asks.  "And don't worry, my family
owes you three for helping us rescue our children, we won't betray you.

     "I can live with that, Scarlet.  Just call me Steve, the young lady is Buffy, and our
associate is Mack.  But as far as the vampires are concerned, yes, we've fought them before. 
And we probably will again.  You mind if I ask a couple of questions?" 

     "Go ahead, it's the least we can do."

     "Who are you two?  Very few people know how to use swords like you two were
doing earlier."

     "We learned them in the Service."  Scarlet replies with a straight face.

     "In the Service, huh?"  Steve smiles.  "Just one more thing, your husband hasn't
said a single thing.  Can he talk?"

     Scarlet looks at Steve.  "Just barely, he lost his voice in a helicopter accident, saving
my life."

     Steve looks at her and realizes that he's stepped into a sore area.  He quickly
changes the subject.  "Look Scarlet, when you get to the exit, get out of town as fast as
possible.  At night fall, go to a large hotel and don't let anyone in during the night. 
Vampires can't enter unless you invite them in."

     "What about you three?  What's going to happen to you?"  She asks.

     "Don't worry about us.  We're going to kill as many as possible.  We won't stop until
all of them are really dead."  Steve tells her as they reach the exit.  Just as they are leaving
Scarlet turns to Steve, Buffy and Mack.

     "Good Luck.  Snake Eyes and I will be back to help, as soon as our daughters are
safe." 

     "Scarlet, the help is appreciated, but not necessary, the three of us are more than
able to take out every vampire in town."  Steve tells her. < Snake Eyes?  Who the hell
names their kid Snake Eyes. >

     Buffy tenses suddenly.  "Steve, the vampires headed in this direction, they're almost
here.  Get ready.  Oh Damn!!  There's about twenty of them.  Let's get ready."

     Scarlet is outside with the two girls.  Snake Eyes looks at his wife and nods his head
in silent communication.  She looks worried, but she understands.  Honor demanded that he
stay with the three strangers and help them.  If it wasn't for the girls, she would've stayed
as well.  

     Snake Eyes comes up to where the three are standing and takes a stand to Steve's
left.  Steve looks at him and he nods his head.  "Couldn't leave, could you?  You and Scarlet
aren't the types to leave a fight half finished."  Steve replies with a smile.  Snakes Eyes
smiles as well.

     The four stand about 200 yards from the turn off when the vampires come around
the corner.  They see the four people standing in the tunnel and charge, hoping to get them
before they can exit the sewer.  Steve quickly calculates and tells Mack, Buffy and Snake
Eyes, "Form a line, and let them come to us."  He then reaches for his Ithaca 'shorty'
loaded with Dragon's Breathe shells.  "Let them come at us.  I'll fire the gun at about ten
yards.  When I say 'fire' close your eyes or you'll be blinded."

     At about twenty yards the vampires are clumped together real tight.  Probably
hoping to overwhelm the small group.  At ten yards, Steve yells "FIRE!"  And lets loose
with the shotgun.  The Dragon's Breathe shell lives up to its name.  It releases a fifty foot
fire ball which engulfs the entire hoard of vampires, leaving nothing in its wake.  The air is
sucked right out of their lungs, but they don't mind, every vampire is gone.  

     Buffy, Mack and Snake Eyes are completely shocked.  Buffy turns to Steve with a
look of pure wonder. 

     "What was that thing you used to make the vampires disappear?"  She asks in awe.

     Steve gives her that devil may care grin, that tends to piss women off. "It's called a
Dragon's Breathe shell.  Think it lives up to its name?"

     "That it does, that it does."  Mack replies with a smile.  Snake Eyes just nods his
head and grins.

     "Buffy any more vampires in the area?"

     "Yeah, about ten more coming this way from the same direction as these guys were
coming from."

     "Okay, don't forget the plan.  We have to let these guys hurt us bad enough to get
the rest of them to come after us in force."  Steve turns to Snake Eyes, "Snake Eyes, you
cover the opening and protect it.  It'll be our means of escape."  Snake Eyes didn't like that,
but he would do it.

     As Buffy, Steve and Mack move to attack the vampires, the vampires see them and
rush the group.  Steve takes out his first vampire with a straight stake thrust to the heart. 
Buffy, slams a fist into her first vampire's throat and a stake into its heart.  Mack has side
stepped his first attacker and cut it's head off with his saber.

     After this, the three let everything go to shit.  Steve's second vampire is able to grab
his arm and break it.  Buffy stakes her second vampire, but another one hits her with a lead
pipe shattering her collar bone.  She goes done and Steve rushes over to help her.  Steve
uses his last knife to stake the vampire with the pipe.  As he helps Buffy get up, another
vampire attacks them, Buffy uses his support to kick it's face in.  Meanwhile, Frank is
holding off the rest of the vampires.  Steve reaches for his communicator with his good
hand and calls Cordelia to come and pick them up.

     "Cordelia, can you hear me?"  

     "Yes, Steve, we hear you, and have you located.  We'll be at the entrance in a couple
of minutes.  Get out now."

     Steve grabs Buffy by the waist and starts to the entrance.  Seeing this, Snake Eyes,
moves forward to help Mack fight the rear guard action.  At the entrance Xander reaches
down and grabs Buffy with her good arm.  Steve pushes her up to Xander's waiting hands. 
Then he climbs up and calls to Mack and Snake Eyes.  As Steve reaches topside, Xander
leans in with a huge sprayer and let's loose on the vampires who immediately retreat back. 
"Holy water."  Xander replies.  The holy water allows Snake Eyes and Mack a chance to
climb out of the sewer.  As Mack is climbing out, one of the vampires, braving the holy
water bath, stabs him in the leg with a large knife.  Xander and Snake Eyes pull him out
and over to Steve's Blazer.

     "Everybody in and let's get back to the library." Steve yells out hoping the vampires
hear him.

     As they rush to the Blazer, Scarlet pulls up next to it.  Steve turns to Snake Eyes,
"Look, thanks for the help, but get out of town.  I don't want your kids growing up without
both of you."

     Snake Eyes glares at him, but his children make their presence known.  "Mommy, is
Daddy coming with us to Grampa's.  I'm scared."  They hear.

     He looks to his car, where his wife and children are waiting for him.  "Go," Steve
tells him.  "Be a father to them, not a memory."  He goes, not willingly, not because he has
to, but because Steve wants him to go. 

     Steve then climbs into his Blazer. Cordelia peels rubber getting them out of there. 
As they head to the library, they see Scarlet enter the freeway, headed out of town.

*****

     Scarlet turns to her husband, "Carl, I know you didn't want to leave, but those
people knew what they're doing. < I hope. >  Besides, they told you to go, it's not like you
deserted them."  She tells him.  Snake Eyes just nods his head.  "One other thing darling,"
Scarlet's voice pulls him out of his dark mood.  "While you were busy helping our new
friends, I called Tommy.  He said that he would have the rest of the clan by my father's
house by tomorrow night.  Then, along with my brothers, we are coming back here to do a
little payback.  I hope our three friends survive the next two days."  Scarlet adds.

     Snake Eyes sees something written on the pad between the chairs.  He lifts it up and
gives Scarlet a questioning look about it.

     "Oh, that's that Blazer's license plate.  I figure we could get Jinx to pull up the
owner's name.  Even if it isn't one of them.  It will probably lead us to them."  Scarlet
explains.  Snake Eyes starts to smile for the first time since this morning.

*****

     As the Blazer heads toward the library, Xander asks, "Steve, who was that Ninja
guy that came out of the sewer with you?"

     "Don't know Xander.  Ouch" Steve replies as his arm pops back into place. "But he
calls himself Snake Eyes, his wife's name is Scarlet, any more than that, your guess is as
good as mine.  They were in the sewers to rescue their children.  That's something that I
could understand."  Steve replies, as he turns to Buffy, "How's the shoulder?"

     "Fine, a little sore, but fine."  She replies.

     "Mack how's the leg?"

     "Already healed up.  Are we going to play the sick and wounded at the Library?" 
He asks.

     "Yep, we want to give these vampires a real show.  So let's make it good, people."

     "You know guys, I can never get over how you just heal like that."  Xander
comments.

     "Sure saves a bundle on medical insurance.  But the clothing cost is a bitch."  Mack
replies with a grin.

                  Part 29 - The Walking Wounded
                 (We Ain't Gonna Win Any Oscars)

     When they get to the library, Steve gets out of the car and helps Buffy inside. 
Xander helps Mack inside while Cordelia covers them with the Super Soaker.

     As they're walking, he whispers to Buffy, "Any vampires lurking around?"

     "Yeah, six of them.  No, make that four, two of them just left in a hurry."  She
replies with a smile.

     When they enter the library proper Giles is standing there with a worried look on
his face.  "Is everything alright?"  He asks.

     Steve lets Buffy go, reluctantly.  She walks over to Giles and gives him a hug.

     "I'm fine.  One of the vampires shattered my collar bone, but it healed in about five
minutes.   Steve had a broken arm and Mack was stabbed in the leg.  Both of them are fully
healed as well."

     "My word, this is incredible."  Giles stammers out.

     "The good thing is that the vampires think we're wounded and will be easy game. 
They're probably on their way back to Angelus now.  Now, the wait begins."  Steve
comments.

                      Vampire's Hidden Lair

     The two vampires rush into Angelus' presence.  They see him talking to several
wounded vampires.  Both approach and wait until Angelus is finished talking to a second
group of vampires.

     "Alright, so you know the plan.  You are to attack the orphanage and hold those kids
hostage until I say different.  Do you understand?"  Angelus asks.  The vampires nod and
leave the room, going to do as they were told.  As he finishes, he sees the two waiting for
him.  He calls them over.

     "You two were part of the group I sent to watch the library.  Why are you here?"

     The first vampire speaks, "Angelus, we were at the library when the Slayer and two
men came in heavily wounded.  We could smell fresh blood on all three of them."

     Angelus starts to smile.  The previous vampire had informed him of the fight in the
sewers.  And how Buffy and her two friends were seriously wounded. "Go back to the
library and inform me of any changes."  Angelus tells his scouts. < Now the fun can really
begin. >  He calls to Drusila and Spike.  "Spike, how many vampires are here now?"  Angel
asks.

     "About a hundred and fifty."  Spike answers.

     "Good, because we're going to kill the Slayer and her friends at the library right
now."  Angelus tells him.

     "Oh goody, we're going to have a party."  Drusila exclaims, clapping her hands
together and jumping up and down.  "And the Slayer is going to be the main treat.  Oh,
may I have her friends, Angel darling?  Miss Edith could use some company."

     "We'll see Drusila."  Angelus tells her as he turns to the mob of vampires before
them.  "The plan is simple, we will all go to the school, right now.  We will kill everybody
there, but the Slayer.  Now hear this, I want the Slayer alive.  She is my personal property. 
Anyone who tries to kill her, will answer to me.  Am I clear?  Good.  Now any of her friends
are fair game.  You can kill all of them."  Angel tells them.

     Angel points to one of his scouts who's just came in. "What's going on at the
school?"  He demands.

     "They've moved the Slayer and her two friends to the nurse's office in the gym.  I
over heard one of the Slayer's friends complaining about the blood on her clothes."  The
vampire tells Angelus.

     < That would be Cordelia. > Angelus thinks to himself.  "Alright, this is it let's move
out in small groups.  I don't want any of you stopping for a snack.  You can do that later,
first the Slayer and her friends, then the rest of the town."  Angelus exclaims.  The
vampires cheer.

     They move through the streets in groups of ten or less.  All of them fixated on a
single point: Get the Slayer and her friends.

                        Part 30 - Showdown
                    Sunnydale High School Gym
             (It Ain't the O.K. Coral, But It'll Do)

     Steve doesn't know which is the worst part.  The waiting or the fighting.  Buffy is
nervously flipping around a stake as they wait for Angelus to take the bait.  Mack is
checking and re-checking his weapons.  Steve, he's constantly checking all of the exits, his
watch and his weapons.

     Xander calls from the south side of the building, "Guys get ready, I see a major
bunch of vampires moving in.  From the south, about forty of them and from the west,
another forty.  Angelus is leading the pack from the south.  Drusila the west."

     Joe calls from the north and east sides.  "Man, Wanderer, what'd you do to get them
this pissed off?  There must be at least fifty vampires coming in from the north and another
thirty from the east.  A blond haired guy looks like he's leading both groups."

     "That would be Spike."  Buffy comments.

     "Alright everybody let's get ready.  It's show time."  Steve quietly tells his friends.

     Steve hears the soft clicks and scraps as weapons are readied and unsheathed.  He
hears Aaron, softly praying, Casey, checks everybody's placement, making sure they're not
visible to the vampires outside.  Joe Dawson and the rest of Buffy's friends are on the track
above the Immortals, hiding, ready to do their part, in this trap.  They're being guarded by
Brother Aaron, Nick Raven and Frank.  The doors leading to the track has been spell
warded by Amy and Brother Aaron.  No vampire would be able to get through to them.

     The doors on the ground floor level have been locked, but not spell warded, yet. 
After all they can't make it too easy now, can they?  They wait for the vampires to come to
them.  Buffy, Steve and Mack are armed to the teeth and it looks like they're making their
last stand.  Going done hard all the way.

     All three doors are smashed in at the same time.  Angelus, Spike and Drusila lead all
of the vampires inside.  Steve recognizes Spike and Drusila from Prague, almost seven years
ago.  

     "So, I see you two made it out of Prague."  Steve tells them.

     Spike, looks at Steve, surprised that he remembers his face.  "Yeah, we made it out
of Prague, just barely.  It'll be a pleasure to kill you tonight."

     "I see you brought some of your friends.  What's the matter, can't fight on your
own?  You have to have an army backing you up, like the last time.  Well at least there's no
Demon Prince of Hell to kill."  Steve comments.  Buffy stiffens next to him and gives Steve a
what-the-hell-are-you-talking-about look.  "I'll explain later."  Steve whispers to her. 

     Angelus is looking at Mack intensely.  Then it hits him. < This isn't the same guy
who shot my leather jacket to pieces.  It could be his brother, but not him.  Oh Shit!! This is
a trap. > Angelus thinks to himself.  He turns to Spike and Drusila, "Spike, this is a trap,
we've got to get out of here, now!!"  He tells them.

     Then suddenly, the doors seal themselves shut. trapping all of the vampires inside
with the three Immortals.

     Steve sees one of the vampires in the rear try to open a door and he gets blasted into
dust from the magic ward guarding the door. <Ain't magic wonderful? > Steve thinks to
himself.  

     Angelus turns to the three Immortals before him with a hiss.  "You three are going
to die.  I'm going make sure of it."  

     Steve smiles as he pulls out his Ithaca 'shorty' shotgun.  Buffy and Mack follow suit. 
"The only things that are going to die, are you and your vampires, Angelus."

     "Are you insane?  You're outnumbered a hundred and fifty to three.  And if you
think those shotguns are going to help.  Think again.  Buffy should have told you that
bullets can't kill vampires."  Angelus tells Steve.

     "Angelus do me a favor and just stand there."  Steve tells him, as he points his
shotgun directly at him, Buffy and Mack point their's about 30 degrees away from Steve in
different directions.

     Angelus, Spike and Drusila, sense something is foul, and duck.  The blast from the
three Dragon's Breathe shells takes down three wide rows of vampires.  Cutting down the
odds from a hundred fifty to less than a hundred odd vampires.

     The shotguns are the signal for the rest of the Immortals to attack.  The battle is
joined by the Immortals against the vampires on the gym floor.  Buffy's friends start to
spray the entire gym with holy water.   Steve moves to the side and stakes one vampire and
cuts off another's head.  Buffy is in her element, killing vampires with abandon and glee. 
Finally getting some payback for the last two years.  Mack moves to the side and starts to
lay into the vampires with his saber.  Cutting off heads left and right.  Casey and the rest of
the Immortals move in and start staking and cutting as well.

     Xander, standing on the running track, turns to Cordelia and says, "Man, I can't
believe what's happening down there.  I'd never thought, I'd say this, but, I'm glad that I
didn't volunteer to be down there."  

     Cordelia just nods her head and keeps on spraying the holy water down onto the
vampires.

     Joe Dawson turns to Giles, "Giles can you believe what is going on down there?"

     "No Mr. Dawson, I find this situation to be something beyond my experience.  I
don't believe in the entire annuals of the Watchers that this many vampires have been
killed by a Slayer and her allies, ever.  I must say though, it is most refreshing to be
slaughtering them, rather, than them slaughtering innocents."  Giles replies.

     It is a dance of slaughter on the gym floor.  Immortals are stabbing and cutting into
the vampire host with reckless abandon.  Most of these vampires have never seen a sword
before, let alone faced true blade masters.  Mulder and Scully work as a team, cutting down
vampire after vampire while covering each other's backs.  McCallister lives up to his
reputation, any vampire the comes within five feet of him, winds up dust in seconds.  He is
remorseless.  

     Casey moves with the grace of a leopard, using strokes and slashes that could only be
seen in ancient frescos in the Roman Coliseum.  Regan Cole is using a wooden knife as a
Main Gauche, slashing with her sword and stabbing with the knife.  

     Bolan is working like a machine, cut, chop, lob.  Taking out vampire after vampire. 
Remo Williams moves through the ranks of the undead like a scythe, cutting them down
with sword and ax.  Richard Blade, using a medieval English sword, is a proper terror. 
Hammer lives up to his name.  He hammers the vampires down with his sword or fist and
cuts off their heads.

     Kyra, Cara and Katherine are working together as a team, doing sweeper duty,
making sure no vampires can attack the rear of the Immortals.  Methos, Duncan and Richie
are rolling up the other side of the gym driving the vampires into massed Immortals'
blades.

     Angelus and Spike are trying to rally their vampires to fight back.  Drusila is
cowering between them, in terror.  They are slowly backed up to the wall in an ever
tightening circle of steel and wood.  The number of vampires is rapidly declining and they
can't do anything about it.  Spike turns to Angelus, "How could this have happened?  Who
the hell are these people?"

     "I don't know.  But it looks like we'll have to use the alternate plan."  Angelus tells
him.  Spike nods his head.

     "You think so?"  Spike sarcastically replies as he gets up on a bench and yells out,
"ALRIGHT EVERYBODY, *JUST STOP*.  *STOP WHAT YOU ARE DOING*."

     The remaining few vampires, about twenty of them, hearing Spike's command
immediately stop fighting and hug the wall.   The Immortals stop killing them and ease back
a bit, but keep their guards up and ready.

     Angelus sees Buffy standing next to Steve and smiles.  "I see you've got yourself a
new boyfriend.  Too bad you can't give yourself to him like you did me."  Angelus snickers.

     Steve gets pissed. < No one, not now, not ever talks about Buffy like that in my
presence. > He moves suddenly forward and stabs Angelus in the gut.  While the wound is
not fatal, it's painful as all hell.  Angelus falls to his knees in agony.

     "Now was that necessary?"  Spike comments.

     "Yes, it was."  Steve tells Spike, pointing his sword at Spike's throat.  He can feel the
magic in the blade.

     "Just asking, is all mate."  He replies holding up both hands.

     "Now, what do you want vampire?  If it's mercy you're looking for.  Don't."  Steve
tells him.

     "Well, we have this little option for you.  Our lives for the lives of the children of the
Sunnydale orphanage."  Spike tells the assembled Immortals.

     "Would you please clarify your last statement?"  McCallister asks.

     "Simple, we are holding the children hostage at the orphanage.  We will release
them, alive and unharmed, if you let us go."  Spike explains.

     "I find it hard to believe that you would keep your word on anything."  Steve tells
him.

     "I can be quite honorable, when I have to be."  Spike replies smiling.

     Casey steps forward and says, "Listen here puppy, most of those here are far too old
to fall for that kind of scam."

     Spike takes exception at being called a puppy.  "Listen here mortal, I've been a
vampire for over a hundred and fifty years.  While you've probably not seen more than
forty years."  Spike replies.

     "Pup, I've walked the earth for two thousand years.  Compared to me, you're still a
wet behind the ears child."  Casey tells him.

     "You are delusional man."  Spike replies.

     Before Casey can reply, Drusila speaks up.  "Spike, darling, that nasty man is not
lying.  He is speaking the truth.  I can sense it.  None of these people are mortal.  They are
something else.  Even the Slayer."

     "What are you?  You're no vampire."  Spike asks, worried.

     Casey grins.  "I'm the Roman Legionnaire who stabbed Christ when he was
crucified.  He cursed me to stay around until his second coming."

     Spike is scared, this is something that he wasn't expecting. < The man who actually
killed Christ?  What the hell have we gotten ourselves into? > He thinks to himself.  He
looks to Angelus, who is getting up, his wound is healed, but he is a little unsteady on his
feet.

     Steve makes a decision, he raises his sword and yells, "Everyone of them, but the
three stooges."  The Immortals know what to do.  They kill every vampire, but Spike,
Drusila and Angelus.  Within about 30 seconds, they are standing alone, against the wall,
surrounded again by steel and wooden blades.

     Spike can't believe what has just happened.  The shear brutality of the Immortal's
action is not lost on Spike.  It's something that he could respect.  "Bloody hell, you people
are truly ruthless, aren't you.  But, I can respect that."  Spike replies with a smile, "Well
listen to this.  One of my vamps has a suicide bomb with him.  The bomb is armed with a
deadman's switch.  If you make like the Light Brigade, he will blow up the orphanage,
children and all."

     "Alright then, here's what's going to happen."  Steve tells him.  "Xander, did you
hear everything?" 

     "Yeah, I did."  Xander replies grimly.

     "Take Casey and his group, as well as Robert, Kyra and Cara and get to that
orphanage.  Make sure that vampire leaves the children alive and whole."  Xander's group
leaves immediately, not wasting a minute.  Steve notices Cordelia going with him. < I hope
he knows what he has in that girl. > Steve muses as he turns back to Spike.  "I take it you
can communicate with your boy at the orphanage?"  Spike nods and pulls out a cell phone.
"Alright here is my deal.  You three will walk out of here, on my personal word of honor,
when that vampire leaves the orphanage.  You'll have a one hour grace period, then I start
hunting you.  Do we have a deal?"

     "You've got a deal man.  Just let me say this, next time we meet, I will kill you and
suck you dry."  Spike tells Steve.

     "The feeling is mutual, pup."

     Everyone waits in silence for close to ten minutes.  Xander finally calls back on the
radio. "Steve, this is Xander we are at the orphanage.  We have the vampires in sight, there
are four of them and they have the children and social workers in the main living area. 
One of them has a plastique vest with a deadman's switch.  The bomb guy is standing in the
middle of the children."  Xander reports.

     "Alright Spike, make your call."  Steve tells him.

     Spike opens his cell phone and dials a pre-programed number.  The vampire at the
other end picks up its phone.  "Spike is that you?"  It asks.  

     "Yes, it's me, you dolt.  Who else would be calling?"  Spike replies.  "You are to
leave the orphanage immediately.  Do not, I repeat, DO NOT harm any of the hostages."

     "But Spike, we're hungry."  The vampire complains.

     "You can eat later.  Now go."  Spike orders.  As Spike closes up his cell phone.  He
starts towards the door.  Steve's sword goes to his neck.  He doesn't go any further.  "Ah, I
think that I'll just stay right here, until you tell me to go."  Angelus just glares at Buffy. 
Drusila is softly humming.

     Steve reaches for his radio, "Xander, have the vampires left the orphanage?

     "Yes they have.  We are moving in to check on the kids right now."  Xander replies.

     "Have Casey take out the four vampires, as soon as they're clear of the orphanage."  

     Spike can't believe what he has just heard.  "Man you are one ruthless Son of a
Bitch.  You're almost as ruthless as a vampire.  I like that in a man."  Spike tells Steve with
a smile.

     Steve just gives him an evil grin.  "Don't worry Spike, the only thing keeping you
three undead is those children.  Anything happens to them and you all die."

     "Oh, I don't doubt it for a minute, mate."  Spike replies.

     Just then Xander radios in.  "Steve, Casey just blew up all four vampires.  No one is
hurt.  The children and the social workers  are safe.  Repeat, the children and social
workers are safe."

     "I read you Xander.  Tell Casey and rest we'll meet back at my place."  Steve tells
him.  He turns to Spike.  "I gave you my word, you can leave.  You have one hour, better
make it good vampire.  Because I'm coming after your head."

     "Right mate, I'll be seeing you."  Spike cheerfully replies, as he, Angelus and Drusila 
head out of the gym.

     As they reach the exit, Drusila pulls back.  "Spike darling, the exit is spell warded
against vampires.  If we touch it or try to cross it, we'll be destroyed."

     Spike angrily turns to Steve.  "You Bastard, you Son of a Bitch.  Let us out of
here!!"  Spike yells out.

     Steve smiles an evil grin.  The same grin is shared by everyone in the gym, but the
vampires.  "I said I'd let you go.  I never said that I would remove the wards on the doors. 
You now have fifty eight minutes and counting."  Steve tells them.

     Spike grabs Angelus and smacks him across the face.  "Get out of it Angelus, we
have to get out of here.  Is there another way out of this place?"

     Angelus shakes his head, clearing his foggy mind.  "Yeah, a sewer opening, no one
knows about, in the equipment storage room.  It's under the basketball cage.  Let's go." 
They make their way to the equipment room and enter the sewer.

     Steve turns to his friends, "They have fifty minutes left."  Steve tells them.  They
understand that I had to let them go.  Innocent children couldn't be sacrificed.  If we had
let the children die, then there would have been no difference between them and the
vampires.  There would always be another day to catch those three.

                       Part 31 - Aftermath
         (Vampire Massacres Don't Come With Maid Service)

     Steve, Buffy, Giles and Frank survey the damage done to the gym.  It is a little
extensive.  Parts of the floor have be charred, some of the walls have smoke damage.  And
there are large piles of vampire dust all over it.  Steve turns to Giles, looking at the dust on
the floor.  "Giles, can this much vampire dust be harmful to humans?"

     "Mr. St. Wolf, I don't think that there has been this much vampire dust in one spot
ever.  I just don't know."

     "Okay," Steve reaches for his cell phone and dials an old acquaintance. 

     The phone is picked up after three rings at the other end.  "Garibaldi here."  The
voice on the other end says.

      "Jack, Steve St. Wolf here.  I need a favor.  Do you still own a lead paint abatement
company?"

     "Steve how are you?  And yes, I still own Garibaldi Abatement.  What's up?"  Jack
asks.

     "Listen Jack, you remember those things that killed your daughter, Gina?"

     "You mean the vampires that no one believed me about, but you and my wife, Rita? 
Yeah, I still have nightmares about it.  Why do you ask?"  Jack replies.

     Steve goes into what happened at the gym.  And his concern about the large amount
of dust being hazardous to anyone.  After Steve finishes his conversation, Jack is silent for a
moment.  Then Steve hears sobs on the phone.  Jack quickly gets control of himself.

     "Steve, don't worry about the cost.  I'll pay for everything in memory of Gina.  My
cousin Frankie will be coming as well to make any repairs that need doing to that gym. 
Thank you for calling me.  I'll have a crew out there tomorrow morning, around ten
o'clock.  Tell your friends thank you from me and God bless."

     "Thanks Jack, give Rita and Carla my regards and good night."

     "Good night, Steve, I'll see you in the morning." Jack tells Steve as he hangs up his
phone.

     Steve turns to his friends, and explains.  "Jack Garibaldi was attacked by vampires
about a year ago.  He lost his oldest daughter Gina in the attack.  He wanted to me to say
thank you for doing this."  Steve explains.   Everyone feels a lump in their throats.  People
like Jack were worth fighting for, and everyone of them knew it.

                Garibaldi Residence - East Oakland

     Jack puts down the phone and starts to openly cry.  His wife Rita, hears him from
the living room.

     "Jack, what's wrong, honey?"  His wife asks.

     "Remember Mr. St. Wolf?"  Rita nods, thinking back to the leader of the
mercenaries who had rescued their daughter Carla and a group of her friends, from a
group of White Slavers in Libya.  Jack explains what had just occurred in Sunnydale and
the request that Steve had made.  Rita sits back and crosses herself and offers a quick
prayer of thanks to God.  She then reaches for the phone and calls her cousin Frankie and
explains the situation.  He will be there in the early afternoon with a crew to do the repair
work.  Gina was his god daughter and he felt the pain of her death as much as his cousin
and her husband.

     Rita then calls Father O'Brien.  She tells him about what happened in Sunnydale
and what her husband was planning on doing in the morning.  He immediately asks to join
in the cleanup.  He would let Father Ricci handle the Sunday Masses.  He would meet Jack
by his office at 7:00 am.

     Jack then calls his chief supervisor, a man named Albert Mendoza.  He tells
Mendoza that the request is from Steve St. Wolf.  After Mendoza finishes talking to his
boss, he pulls out his phone book and calls the men he needs.  Some of the men balk at
having to work on Sunday, but when told who had asked for the help, they immediately
plan on going.

                            The Sewers

     Angelus, Spike and Drusila are running for their undead lives in the sewers.  They
can't believe that Buffy and her allies had managed to destroy most of Sunnydale's
vampires in one trap.  But the worst part was who had helped Buffy.  How the hell did she
find the guy who had actually killed Christ?  Let alone get him to help her.  It must be her
new boyfriend, that Wanderer guy.  That bastard must have set up this trap and gotten the
extra muscle.  And who the hell still uses swords these days? 

     They make their way to the garage that houses Spike's car.  He checks his watch. 
They still had twenty minutes left of their grace period and four hours of darkness. 
Angelus is sulking in the back seat.

     "Cheer up Angelus old man," Spike tells him.  "We got away.  And now we're
getting out of town, while the getting's good.  We'll be back.  Bigger, stronger and ready
next time."

     Angelus just growls.  He can't stand it being beaten by that little girl.  He should
have killed her when he had the chance.  But no, he had to play games.  Now he was
running from her and her friends, and he doesn't like it one bit.

     Spike checks his get-a-way funds and turns to Angelus, "How does Chicago or New
York sound to you?"  He asks.

     "Just get us out of town Spike, before Buffy and her friends find us."  Angelus
replies as their car leaves Sunnydale.  "I want to start rebuilding our numbers as soon as
possible.  And then, I want to come back and destroy the Slayer."

                        Sunnydale H.S. Gym

     Steve checks his watch, the grace period is up.  He turns to Buffy, "Buffy, can you
locate those three?"

     "No Steve, I felt them pulling away really fast.  I think they grabbed a car and
vamoosed out of town."

     Steve takes a deep breathe and lets it out in a sigh.  "Okay everybody that's it for
tonight.  Let's get back to my place and then you'll go to the motel to get some rest."  Steve
looks to Aaron, still standing on the track.  "Aaron, can you give this place a heavy blessing
before we leave?"  

     "But of course.  Give me a moment to prepare."  Aaron tells Steve.  Then he begins
the blessing.  Those Immortals who are Catholics, kneel, holding their swords in front of
them, point down on the ground.

     As Aaron finishes, Willow steps forward and offers a Talmudic prayer for the safety
of the living.  Aaron smiles and gives her a nod as he tells her.  "It's always a good idea to
cover all your bases."

     After the prayers, everybody leaves the gym.

                        St. Wolf Residence

     Pop! Goes the champagne bottle.  Steve had broken open a couple of bottles of 1984
Don Perigon Champagne when they came back to the house to celebrate their victory. 
Everyone has a glass for the toast.

     "To Victory."  Steve lifts his glass.  Everyone takes a drink.

     Giles is next, "To a battle that will go done in Watcher history."  Joe Dawson adds,
"and in the watcher chronicles."

     Robert McCallister is last, "To friends old and new, new beginnings and to hope for
the future."

     Everyone drinks to that.

     After the toasts are done Steve asks if any one feels up to a barbeque tomorrow to
really celebrate.  Everyone agrees.  So, Steve sends everybody to the motel.  Frank, the
motel guy, is waiting for them with enough rooms for everybody.  Mulder, Scully, Aaron,
Robert and Frank stay at the house with him.  As everyone goes, Buffy and Steve stand by
the door to wish everyone a good night.  All of the Immortals congratulate Buffy on a battle
well fought and won.  Buffy's friends are the last to go.  

     Steve takes Buffy on the side and tells her, "Buffy, I want you and your friends to
help with the barbeque.  This way you stay away from the school tomorrow.  I don't want
you or your friends to be associated with what happened there.  I'll see you all here at 9:00
am."

     "I understand, Steve.  We won't show up, but is it alright to call and check up with
you?"

     "Yes it is, you have my cell phone number, use it."

     As Buffy and her friends leave.  Steve has a feeling that the quiet wouldn't last too
long in this town.  He turns to his house guests.  Friends, old and new, and bids them a good
night.

      Epilogue I - Sunnydale H.S. Gym - 9:00 am The Next Day
     (Your Momma Doesn't Slay Here, So Clean Up Your Messes)

     Everyone wakes up early the next morning.  Steve calls Giles up and he confirms
that everyone will meet by the school in about twenty minutes.  Originally Steve thought of
taking only Frank and Aaron, but Mulder, Scully and Robert decide to go as well.  Buffy
and her friends come by then and Steve gives her his credit card and she goes with Willow,
Oz and Xander to get the barbeque stuff.  Jenny, Cordelia and Amy stay behind to get
everything started.

     Jack Garibaldi and his crew is already waiting by the school.  Frank and Steve
recognize most of the men present.  They were the fathers, brothers and uncles of some of
the girls they had rescued in Libya.  Security on this work site would be tight, and none of
these men would talk.  Aaron notices the priest and goes to talk to him.

     Steve reaches Jack and shakes his hand and introduces him to Mulder, Scully
Robert and Giles.  He is glad to see Frank and Steve again.  He calls over his supervisor,
Albert Mendoza, and Steve explains what the dust was.  Albert upon hearing what the dust
was, calls over an older man.  He introduces Steve's group to Enrico Vasquez, a mystic,
from Albert's home village in Mexico.

     Steve explains to Albert and Enrico what happened the previous night.  And after
Enrico gets over the shock of what the dust is, Albert orders his men to done the self
contained breathing equipment and Haz-Mat Suits.  Enrico's knowledge of folklore is
extensive and agrees with Albert's precautions for his men and with Steve's plan to dispose
of the dust in smaller amounts, rather than disposing of it as a single load.  

     The idea is simple.  They would use the HEPA filter equipped vacuum cleaners, fill
them up completely and dispose of them whole in drums.  The Haz-Mat Suits would be
disposed of, as well.  The drums would be labeled a different hazardous material and so
each would go to a different dump.

     "Jack that's going to be expensive as hell.  At least let me pay you for half the cost of
this clean up, and the other expenses."  Steve tells him.

     "Don't worry about the cost, Steve.  I'm doing this for my little girl, Gina.  Those
things took her away from my family.  This is my way of paying them back."

     Albert and Enrico come back from where the crew is donning their equipment. 
Albert tells Steve.  "Senor Garibaldi, Enrico and I have informed the men what the dust is. 
None of the men wish any payment for their work today.  Those 'things' have been preying
on our people for generations, and all of us have lost family to them."  He then turns to
Frank and Steve.  "Senors, when I last met you, I thanked you for bringing back my
daughters to me.  And I, and many of those men over there have prayed for your safety
after that.  Today, I and these men thank you again for this noble deed."

     Needless to say Steve and everyone of his friends have lumps in their respective
throats.

     The cleanup takes about three hours to complete.  Aaron and Father O'Brien have
blessed each barrel as it is brought out and sealed it with holy seals.  The barrel is then put
into hazardous disposal unit which in turn is sealed and welded shut.  After the crew leaves
the work site, they inspect it and approve of the work done.

     As the crew files out the door, each one gives their thanks.  Giles is speechless.  He
had never thought that normal people would appreciate the work that he did.  But, as each
man shakes his hand and gives thanks, he feels a little prouder.  The last man to leave is
Albert.  Steve reaches into his back pocket and gives him an envelope and tells him.  "This
is for the men and their families."

     He looks into the envelope and sees a large number of hundred dollar bills.  He
hands the envelope back to Steve.  "We can't take this.  The work done here today was
God's work."

     Father O'Brien steps forward, "Albert, take the money and share it with your
friends.  Take your families out tonight and lift a glass to the men and women who fought
here last night and to the memory of those who were lost."

     Albert nods his head.  "Si, Father, it will be done as you say.  Gracias Senor, I and
my men thank you again."  And walks away.  The crew picks up all of the remaining
equipment and stores it in the truck taking the six barrels of dust for disposal.

     Jack's cousin Frankie arrives just then with his crew.   Jack introduces him.  After
handshakes all the way around, he goes into gym to access the damage.  He comes out a
little while later and gives his assessment.

     "You guys did a number in there, but most of it is superficial.  The floor will have to
be sanded down and re-varnished in spots.  Certain spots, that have bubbled up will have to
be replaced, but that's all do-able.  The walls will have to be cleaned and repainted.  The
entire job will take about four hours. " Frankie explains.

     "Go ahead," Steve tells him.  "Whatever it costs, just get the gym ready for
tomorrow."

     "Don't worry about cost, it's on me and Jack.  Gina was my god daughter, I owe you
for putting paid to those things."

     Buffy calls Steve at one o'clock to see how the work is progressing.  He gives her a
quick run down and she's surprised at how quickly things are getting done.

     "Buffy how are the preparations going for the party?" 

     "Oh, everything is going fine.  Everybody is here already, and helping.  Xander and
Casey are cooking on the grill out back.  And Kyra, Katherine, Nick and Cara baking in the
kitchen.  Everything should be ready by the time you get back here."

     "Good, we'll see you in about two to three hours."  Steve replies and hang up.

     Two and half hours later, the work is completed and as Frankie and his crew
prepare to leave, Steve hands him another envelope.  He looks inside and offers it back. 
Steve tells him.  "Look, split this among your crew, as a bonus, for a job well done.  They
did excellent work."

     Frankie just grins, and hands the envelope to his supervisor and tells him,
"Carmine, split this among the men, and take a share for yourself.  It's your bonus, for a
job well done."  

     Carmine looks into the envelope and his weathered face splits into a grin.  "Thanks
boss."  He turns to Steve.  "And thank you, sir, for the bonus."   Carmine then heads back
to the crew, who have just finished putting away their tools and equipment and starts to
count out equal shares, giving each man their share before taking his.  The crew, from what
Steve sees, likes the bonus.

      Jack turns to Steve, "So Steve, what are your plans now?"

     "Simple Jack, I'm having a party at my house, want to come.  Frankie and Father
O'Brien are invited as well."

     "Sorry Steve, I've got an early meeting in the morning.  I'll have to take a rain
check."  Frankie explains.

     Jack and Father O'Brien also back off.   They want to make sure nothing happens to
the drums containing the vampire dust.  But they do request that Steve extend their thanks
to the rest of the group.

                     Epilogue 2 - Party Time

     As Steve parks his car, he can hear the party going already in the large backyard
behind the house.  Everyone is there.  Casey and Xander were handling the barbeque. 
Everyone was just sitting around enjoying themselves and the food.  The day was sunny
and warm, just made for this party.  Buffy was moving around, acting as the hostess,
making sure there was plenty of food and drink to go around.

     As Steve makes his way through the crowd, Buffy comes around and gives him a hug
and a kiss.  As she's hanging from Steve's neck, she tells him, "Steve, I haven't felt this
happy in two years.  Thanks for everything."  Then she kisses him again.

     As Steve gazes into her eyes, he suddenly feels a little self conscience.  Everybody is
staring at them.  Robert and Aaron are just standing there grinning from ear to ear. < If
they break into the wedding march, I will do them bodily harm. >

     The rest of the party is going great, people are mingling and enjoying themselves. 
The atmosphere is relaxed and the pressure from the last couple of days is gone.   Steve
notices Giles, Jenny and Joe Dawson approaching him.

     "Buffy, Steve," Giles begins.  "Mr. Dawson has just offered Jenny and me the job of
being your watchers."

     "You mean for Buffy, don't you?"  Steve asks.

     "No, for the both of you.  If you should ever split up, Jenny and I would become
Buffy's exclusive watchers."  Giles tells Steve.

     Steve turns to Joe.  "Joe, is this your way of getting even with me for the last three
watchers you assigned to me?"

     "You bet, your ass, it is."  Joe gives Steve an evil grin, knowing that he finally has
him.

     "Joe if I didn't like your music so much, I'd be tempted to tell you what I thought of
that idea."

     "Speaking of music," Duncan begins, handing Joe his guitar, "here's your guitar
Joe, how's about a little blues to celebrate the occasion?" 

     Joe begins to sing a slow, bluesy toon just right for slow dancing.

     Steve turns to Buffy and they begin to slow dance to the music.  Everyone who has a
partner begins to dance.  Those who don't just stand there listing to the music.

     Steve looks down into Buffy's eyes and drinks them in.  She tilts her head to the side
and we kiss.  The party goes on for hours, but they hardly notice the time.  Before long,
Steve's bidding goodbye to all his guests and quite a few neighbors who came when they
heard Joe's singing.

     As Buffy leaves with her friends, she pulls Steve to the side.  "Steve, I'm glad I met
you, but we have to take this slowly.  I've just lost Angel, and I don't want to be hurt again,
so soon."  She tells him.

     Steve smiles as he takes her into his arms. "Buffy, we're Immortal, we have all the
time in the world.  Take all that you need."

     As she turns to go, Steve asks one final question, "Buffy, before you leave, have you
decided whether or not you want me to teach you?"

     She walks back to him and whispers in his ear, "Of course I want you to teach me. 
How else am I going to get to know you better."

     Steve smiles as she leaves.  Frank walks up to him. "That's some girl Steve.  Think
you can handle her?"

     "Oh, I think I can.  But let's see what the future holds." Steve replies with a smile. 

     As Frank and Steve start to clean up the mess.  Mulder, Scully, Aaron and Robert
join in.  Steve turns to them. "You don't have to do this.  Frank and I are more than
capable of cleaning up here."

     Aaron turns to Steve and says, "Steve, none here are strangers to work.  And as the
saying goes, 'Many hands make work short'."

     The back yard is cleaned in a few minutes, and all of the garbage is put out for pick
up the next morning.  

     Steve turns to Mulder and Scully, "You know Mulder, I want to be there when you
tell that little pissant principal off tomorrow."

     Mulder smiles an evil grin, "Yeah, that's going to be real fun."

               Epilogue 3 - The Principal's Office
                        (Snyder Gets His)

     Mulder and Scully, accompanied by Frank and Steve walk calmly into Snyder's
office.  As they walk up to Snyder's secretary, Mulder asks.  "Is Snyder in?"

     The woman smiles and asks.  "Yes sir, he is.  Do you have an appointment?"

     Mulder grins as he walks past her.  "No."

     The woman reaches for the phone to warn Snyder, but is stopped by Scully flashing
her badge.  "FBI.  Snyder is expecting us."  The secretary quiets down and says nothing as
they pass her.

     Steve and Frank just grin and follow Scully inside.   Snyder's voice could be heard
coming out of his office.

     "I don't care who the hell you people are.  You can not destroy my gym and get
away with it."  Snyder angrily tells Mulder as Scully, Frank and Steve walk into the room. 
Mulder calmly sits down and Snyder can't stand it.  No one treats him like a nothing in his
own office.  "I will call your superiors and have you fired."

     Mulder grins, "What damage are you talking about, Snyder."

     A pissed offed Snyder looks at Mulder and tells him.  "You people ruined my gym.  I
stopped by on Sunday morning to see what happened, and I found a war zone.  Now, I don't
care how you do it or how much it costs, but I want my gym back."

     Mulder calmly gets up and tells Snyder.  "Let's go see this damage that you're
talking about."

     "Very well then."  Snyder testily replies.

     As the group walks over to the gym, Buffy comes around the corner, late for class. 
Snyder immediately picks up on this and yells.  "Summers, you have detention for the next
week for being lat. . .Umph."
 
     Before Snyder can finish, Scully slams him up against the wall and tells him, in a
low, threatening voice.  "Don't you DARE to take out your bad temper on her.  If you have
a problem with us, then you take it up with us.  Not your students, not your subordinates,
US.  Or aren't you man enough?"

     Snyder looks away from Scully's piercing glare and sputters.  Any type of reply is
lost as Snyder attempts to regain his composure, but before he can regain it or reply, Scully
dumps him on the ground.  He gets up from where Scully dumps him and straightens up his
suit.  He glares at Scully and starts to say something, but Mulder, Steve and Frank
immediately back her up.  Snyder does the only thing he can do.  He shuts up.  Snyder,
knowing that he is outclassed, leads them to the gym.  As he enters, he quietly feels a sense
of power over these four people.   But as his eyes scan the room, he sputters in disbelief. 
"How?  This place was a disaster.  No one could have fixed it up in less than twenty four
hours."  Snyder cries out in anguish, his power base gone.  He turns to the foursome and
demands.  "How'd you do it?  How did you get this place repaired so quickly?"

     Mulder just grins as he tells Snyder.  "Repaired what damage?  This place looks the
same as when we were standing here on Saturday."

     "This place was practically destroyed on Sunday morning.  No one could have fixed
all this up in that short a time.  No government agency would have bothered to fix the
damage that quickly.  I demand to know who you people are?!"

     Steve easily pushes himself away from the wall and stands in front of Snyder.  "Mr.
Snyder, when you think about all of the intelligence agencies in the United States, the FBI,
CIA, NSA, as a family.  Think of us as the uncle no one wants to talk about."

     Snyder takes a deep gulp and asks.  "What do you want from me?"

     "Simply this: You never saw us, heard of us or know what we look like.  Am I
clear?"  Steve asks.

     "Crystal clear.  What does Summers and her friends to do with you?" 

     "The helped us.  What they did or helped with is none of your business.  Anything
else?"

     "No, that's enough.  I'll lay off them."   < For now. >

     "That's good to know."  Steve replies as they leave Snyder standing there, shaking in
suppressed anger.

     As they leave the High School, Mulder and Scully head to their rental and say good
bye to Steve and Frank.  As they watch Mulder and Scully leave, Steve turns to Frank,
"You know, this was kinda fun.  Think we should do it every year?"

     "What, hunt down a large number of vampires?"

     "No, scare the hell out of Snyder."  Steve replies with a laugh.

     "We should."  Frank agrees with an evil gleam in his eye.

                        The End - For Now

     Well, this is the updated story.  It took me about two months to write it.  And a
month to update it.  Comments and Criticisms are welcome.  Please send to my E-mail
address: Steve711@concentric.net.

     My next story will be a surprise.  See Ya.