Hellmouth Heroes

FIC: Hellmouth Heroes (10/?)

“A bloody dinner with Snyder and the Mayor,” Giles shook his head. “I’ll have to bring my pillow.”

”Oh hush,” Jenny scolded with a soft laugh. “It’s a great honour to be asked to dinner by the Mayor. And it’ll be a change to go out with some adults rather than those kids.”

”I’d take those flaming kids over Snyder any day,” Giles retorted. “At least they can manage interesting conversations.”

“Can I quote you on that to Xander?” Jenny teased.

Giles shuddered. “Don’t you bloody dare!”

* * *

They were the last to arrive at the restaurant, their companions already sitting at a table on the mezzanine. The eatery was discreetly lit, the smells of fine cuisine mixing in the air with sound of the clientele’s hushed conversation.

“Well it’s about time,” Snyder rushed down the mezzanine’s four steps to meet them, the school principal practically bristling with indignation. “The mayor and his deputy are here, as are the police and fire chiefs, and the hospital administrator, but you have to be late!”

Giles turned his withering gaze on his boss. “Just be-,” words failed him as something indefinable, yet unmistakably powerful brushed against his mind.

“Are you alright?” By the time his head cleared Jenny was holding him up by his arm, a concerned look on his gypsy princess’ face.

“Huh,” Snyder hissed. “You better not be drunk, Rupert Giles! I’m warning you!”

“I’m fine,” Giles ignored his boss in favour of smiling reassuringly at Jenny. “Now, where were we?”

* * *

“Last night,” Giles stared around his library, the members of his team sat with him. “I had occasion to have a lunch with Snyder and the-.”

“Bummer,” Faith sympathised. “I’ve spent enough hours in detention with the troll, but having to eat food with his ugly face as company.” The Slayer shuddered and made an unbecoming face herself. “Gross!”

“If you’d allow me to finish,” Giles shot the brunette beauty an exasperated look. “While I was at this meal, I sensed an alien presence at the table with us.”

”Gotta be Snyder!” the Slayer once again interrupted. “Is he part troll? Can I kill him?” the curvy Bostonian pouted, bottom lip sticking out. “Please, Mr. Watcher Man. Can I make chop chop with my axe?”

”Faith,” he scowled. “Stop the bloody act. It wasn’t Snyder, it’s never happened before in his presence. It has to be one of the other people at the meal. In fact I think it was the Mayor, the aura was around everyone at the table, but he was the only one whose mind I couldn’t read.”

“I say we need to research!” Willow exclaimed before looking around at the other teens’ groans, a guileless look on her face. “What? What did I say?”

“A fine idea,” Giles put in before any of other the teens could protest. “Ms. Rosenberg, why don’t you see what you can find out about the Mayor on the comp-.” He looked at Xander as the youth rose. “Where are you going?”

“Town records,” the youth replied. “See if there’s anything there.” Xander looked towards Alana. “Wanna com-.”

”Oh no,” he shook his head. “I’m splitting you two up, you’ll never get any work done.”

”Okay,” Xander sighed. “I guess I’ll have to make do with you.” Xander looked towards Faith.

”Make do?” Faith scowled. “No one makes do with me. I ain’t no-one’s second-”

”Wanna stay here?” Xander challenged.

”Comin’!” the Slayer hurriedly changed her mind.

”Back in ninety minutes,” Giles instructed.

“Sure,” Xander waved as he hurried out of the door.

Giles shook his head as he looked towards the remaining group. “Wesley, why don’t you and Tara look for any references to demons that can take human form? The rest of you, see what you can find about the Mayor.”

An hour later and Willow shook her head. “There’s nothing here,” Willow sighed. “He does all his business in town except for quarterly payments to a law firm in LA called Wolfram & Hart.”

”Oh good lord,” Giles felt like he’d been punched in the gut. From the looks on Wood and Wes’ faces, they also recognised the nefarious law firm.

“What’s up Giles?” Gunn demanded.

Wesley answered before he had chance. “Wolfram & Hart are an international and inter-dimensional law firm dating back to the dawn of time. According to the Council they were originally just another group of demons, but they gradually gained power and influence, eventually leaving this dimension altogether. From this point onward they became known on Earth as the Senior Partners to their employees, and enacted their will through various puppet organizations. As a law firm, Wolfram & Hart typically defends unscrupulous and detestable clients, including mobsters, drugs lords, arms dealers, corrupt politicians and businessmen, and a number of demonic individuals and groups. While the majority of their clients are rich or powerful, the firm is also known to work some cases pro bono, especially when it has a secondary interest in the client.”
”Wow,” Willow said, eyes wide open. “These aren’t nice people.”
“No, they are not, nor would I suggest the Mayor is,” Giles said.

”What if Wilkins is unaware of just who Wolfram & Hart is?” Cordelia objected. “Lord knows, money’s money. I’m sure Wolfram & Hart don’t care if their new client is crooked or not. Wilkins might not have a clue.”

Giles paused and grimaced. The cheerleader’s point however mercenary was well-made. The Mayor could well be oblivious to Wolfram & Hart’s true origins.

“Guess who was Mayor a century ago?”

Giles looked towards the library doors, forehead creasing in irritation as he glared at the returning Slayer and Xander. “I hardly see how that is germane to the current conversation, Xander,” he tartly replied.

“Germane?” Xander looked puzzled. “I don’t have a disease or anything do I?”

“If only you knew,” Faith sniffed before looking towards Giles, “Wilkins was Mayor a hundred years ago!”

“You said I could tell them!” Xander gasped.

”Yeah, I lied.” Faith passed around a photocopy. “It says it’s Mayor Richard Wilkins I, but look at him, he’s exactly alike.”

”He is a direct descendant,” Giles stared doubtfully at the grainy photograph.

”’Kay there’s more then.” Faith passed him another sheet dated 1936. “Richard Wilkins II, Sunnydale’s second Mayor. And he’s another freakin’ clone.”

“Compelling evidence, and yet we have to be sure,” Giles sighed

“How can we be?” Wesley queried.

”Ah yes,” Giles looked towards Jenny. “I was thinking our very own Invisible Woman could check out the Mayor.”

Jenny gulped. “Oh jeepers.”

“Jeepers?” Faith smirked. “That’d be a yes then.”

* * *

“Ah, Mr. Finch, you’re sure that’s all my appointments for this week?”

”Yes sir.”

Richard Wilkins smiled beatifically. “And I finish today with scouts. Such a fine example of today’s youth, I could just eat them up.” He looked around the room. “Don’t you agree, Mr. Trick?”

“Delicious, sir.” Mr. Trick smiled sourly, not at all taken in by his employer’s apparently amiable attitude, his only comfort being the deputy mayor was as wary of him as he was of the mayor. It was good to know he scared at least one person around here.

“Oh yes, but remember, good table manners are essential!”

“Yes sir.” Trick’s smile became even more forced. This sorcerer with his homey ways and oh shucks manners was the most exasperating man he’d ever met. He’d snap the Mayor’s neck in a second except for the freezing glare in his eyes when he looked at him, however much Wilkins smiled, his eyes never changed.

He’d been fleeing the city after Kaktosis’ shocking demise, and then a limousine had suddenly been barring his path, its passenger climbing out and simply telling him to get in. He could have attacked the man, but his demon deep within recoiled in fear at the very thought. Instead he’d dutifully obeyed, and since that point a month ago served as the man’s bodyguard.

His brow furrowed as he noticed something, the scent of a woman’s perfume. Bemused he glanced over his shoulder, teeth baring slightly at the deputy mayor’s flinch. Well, he supposed he was girly enough to use feminine products. “Mr. Trick?”

He turned back at his boss’ voice. “Yes sir?” he nodded respectfully.

“One doesn’t like repeating himself.” Irritation flickered in the politician’s eyes, giving a chilling insight into the true creature behind his folksy manner. “Never mind though,” the room’s light reflected off the Mayor’s gleaming grin. “I have a package I need you to take delivery of a package for me at the start of next week. A Box Of Garvock.”

“Garvock?” Trick raised an eyebrow. “But that’s-.”

“Immensely rare and expensive,” his boss interrupted. “Yes, I hardly need reminding of that. It took considerable effort from Wolfram & Hart to find one for me. Which is why I’ll be sending you for it.” The Mayor smiled beatifically. “Such a job needs my best man on it!”

“Yes sir,” Trick nodded dutifully.

* * *

Giles rose when the library door swung open, heart lifting in relief when a pale-faced Jenny hurried in. He should never have sent her, he’d spent the entire day with his guts churning, snapping at his poor unfortunate assistant and scaring away any American teen brave enough to break with the herd and try to actually read. ”Dear, how did it-.”

“He’s a demon,” Jenny put in. “Or at least he has demons working for him, a black vampire by the name of Mr. Trick.” Jenny sunk into a chair. “Oh I need something to drink.”

“I’ll make you a tea,” Wesley volunteered.

“Oh I need something stronger,” Jenny snapped. “Get me some of that whiskey Rupert keeps in his filing cabinet.”

“As you wish,” Wesley replied before muttering. “Good grief we’re just overwhelmed with goodwill in here today,”

“I’m so relieved you’re alright.” When he took his girl-friend’s hands in his, Giles was alarmed to notice how much they were shaking. “Good lord.”

Jenny forced a smile at his concern. “He’s a very bad man.”

Rupert looked up as Wesley came out of his inner office, chipped mug in hand. “Wesley, write some release notes for the youngsters will you? We’ll have to have a briefing.”

His subordinate nodded. “Of course.”

* * *

“The Mayor’s definitely the demon Giles sensed,” Jenny continued once the others had arrived. “Not only is his true deputy a vampire by the name of Mr. Trick-.”

“Fuck,” Faith snarled. Everyone looked at her, Faith looking towards the Watcher who’d accompanied her from Boston. “Remember Wes, that’s Kaktosis’ childe. I thought that shit-head had bought it with his boss.”

Jenny continued to shot the Slayer uncertain looks as she talked. There was a ferocious side to the young Bostonian that she couldn’t help but find a little unnerving at times. “While there, he opened a cabinet in his office, it was filled with supernatural equipment, including magic books, shrunken heads, and various black arts spell components.” Jenny paused for a second. “The way he talked while going through it, he’s definitely either a sorcerer or occultist who knows what he’s doing.” Jenny took a deep breath before continuing. “It appears he’s a practicing necromancer whose been alive for one hundred and forty-five years-.”

”Damn,” Faith whistled. “Cordy you’ll have to get his wrinkle cream.”

“So not funny Miss Needs A Butt Lift!” the leggy cheerleader snapped.

“Girls,” Giles sighed wearily, “can you at least pretend to be listening?”

“Depends,” the Slayer grinned, “how hard do we have to pretend?”

Giles counted to ten before looking towards his paramour. “Please continue Jenny.”

Jenny nodded. “Apparently his goals don’t stop at immortality either, next year, at graduation, it appears he intends to use a Box of Gavroc,” Giles groaned at the mention of the dreaded receptacle of demonic energy, “to ascend and become an Old One.”

“What’s an Old One?” Faith asked.

Giles raised an eyebrow, at least one of the Slayer’s ears appeared to be working. “The Old Ones were a race of fantastically powerful demons who ruled this dimension, this planet, before humankind rose up and rebelled against them tens of thousands of years ago. The Old Ones were giantic beasts of numerous shapes and differing powers. They were worshipped as gods, ruled over vast territories, commanded fearsome armies, and constantly made war against each other. They also did not seem to live and die the way we mortals do, to this day they live but are imprisoned in a magical holding cell. Although no-body is quite sure of where this holding cell is.”

“So not good then,” Faith muttered.

“Not good at all,” Giles agreed before sighing. “The question is what do we do about Mayor Wilkins?”

“I’d have thought that was obvious,” everyone turned to look at a stone-faced Xander. “He’s not invulnerable is he?” The youth smiled coldly. “We kill him.”

“B…but,” Willow’s eyes widened. “H…he’s human!”

”Last time I checked, humans don’t live to be other a hundred,” Gunn commented. “’Sides, so what if he is? Black arts mage aren’t exactly choir boys. These people hurt innocents and there ain’t shit the authorities can do to stop ‘em!”

“H…his,” Jenny licked her lips as she looked around the room, “security is really intense at his offices, but when he leaves for home, he only has the vampire who drives him for security.”

Xander nodded. “In that case I’ll get to making a car-bomb.” The young man smiled coldly at their shocked looks. “Frank Castle, remember? Ms. Calendar,” Giles was struck by the contrast in the polite deference Xander showed the gypsy compared to his cold-bloodedness towards the Mayor, “if I show you how to attach it, will you sneak it into the Mayor’s underground garage and put it on his limo?”

Jenny nodded, tanned face now ashen-grey. “I suppose so.”

* * *

Xander stiffened as the sleek black limo glided out of the underground garage, its engine effortlessly silent as the car purred up the city hall driveway. Xander hastily placed his binoculars down, licked his lips, and picked up the detonator. Sweat slicked his fingers as he thumbed down the bomb’s switch, Jenny having already phoned to say she was clear and the bomb connected.

For a half second there was nothing. Then the sky blazed red and the ground shook as the car roof tore off, a fiery fountain erupting out of the car’s roof as it flipped onto its back, anyone inside incinerated instantly.

Xander took a shuddering breath. It was over with, the Mayor had been dealt with.
Grabbing his equipment, he hurried to Giles’ parked car.

”It’s dealt with?” the Watcher asked as he leant over to open Xander’s door.

”Just drive,” he tersely replied.