Faith The Series

FIC: Faith: The Series S1 Ep 9 (9/?)

“G-M-, Mr. Giles,” Giles looked up to see Xander closing the inner office door behind him, an unusually worried look on the normally clownish boy’s face. “Can we talk?”

Giles glanced towards the room’s other chair. “By all means,” he replied, hiding his own nervousness. “Sit.”

“Um thanks.” The boy sat down. Long seconds passed by before the young man spoke. “I’ve tried to speak to Faith about what happened but she won’t talk to me. I was wondering if you’d have a word?”

“I think you should give Faith all the space she needs.”

“But I was possessed -.”

“Let me make this very clear to you Mr. Harris,” Giles interrupted, his tone hard. “The very fact you were possessed is the only reason I haven’t added you to Sunnydale’s Missing Person’s List!” The teen paled. “Xander,” he softened his tone. “I know it’s hard for you, but if you truly care about Faith you’ll give her time to recover, understand?”

Xander nodded. “Yes sir.”

“Good boy,” he nodded approvingly. “I know you have a good heart and wouldn’t normally hurt Faith, but given her past it’ll take her time to recover from her ordeal. But she’s a resilient soul and soon, soon you’ll be best of friends again. Now,” he swallowed. “Shall we go see what that bloody Miss. Calendar’s doing to my library?”

* * *

Faith tensed as Xander and G exited the inner office. With her hearing she’d been able to pick up every word that the duo had exchanged. She knew it wasn’t X’s fault what had happened between them, but every time she saw him, her stomach would clench and she’d imagine the flicker of the hyena in his eyes. “Oh wicked!” she shouted, probably way too loud for a library, “Helping in the library, my absolute favourite thing in the whole world!”

She had to resist the temptation to shake her head as she carried some books down to where Red, Jonathan, and some of the other computer science students were scanning books into the library’s computer system. It was practically a geek’s paradise. But at least, she hid a grin as she glanced at her Watcher’s fuming face, the idea of having his castle invaded by technology was pissing her Watcher off. Which was always fun.

And, this time she couldn’t resist a slight giggle, she’d seen the way he looked at JC, his eyes filled half with frustration and half with lust. Maybe her favourite librarian needed some dating tips. Reaching the table, she passed the books over to Willow. “There you go Red.” Engrossed in her work, the red-head just grunted. “You’re welcome.”
“Uh, uh,” the Englishman seemed even more bewildered than normal. “Just how long is this skimming going to take?”

Jenny smirked, Faith had to admit the brunette was a hottie. Maybe she’d be good for her guardian, loosen him up a bit. But maybe, she hid a worried scowl, the computer teacher would want her out of the way. “Scanning, Rupert not skimming.”

“Which of course makes all the difference,” the librarian shot back.

“I know our ways are strange to you,” the computer teacher replied. “But soon you
will join us in the 20th century. With three whole years to spare!”

Giles glared at her and Cordy’s chortles before turning back to the computer teacher with a superior look on his face that Faith was sure was unique to Limeys. “Ms. Calendar, I'm sure your computer science class is fascinating, but I happen to believe that one can survive in modern society without being a slave to the idiot box.”

“The idiot box is TV,” Faith hid a grin at the teacher’s bristling, way to get a date G, piss her off. “This is the good box!”

G looked taken aback by the tech’s fervour. “I still prefer a good book.”

“The printed page is obsolete.” Suddenly one of the students stood up. “Information isn't bound up anymore. It's an entity. The only reality is virtual. If you're not jacked in, you're not alive.” The boy grabbed his books and stormed out.

“Zero on the social skills,” Faith muttered to Cordy. “You think he dates much?”

“Or at all?” her best friend whispered back.

Ms. Calendar shook her head. “Thank you Fritz for making us all sound like crazy people. Fritz comes on a little strong, but he does have a point. You know, for the last two years more e-mail was sent than regular mail. More digitized information went across phone lines than conversation.”

Giles sniffed. “Those are facts that I regard with genuine horror.”

“She so wants him,” Cordy commented.

“I'll bet it is.” The computer teacher smirked at the librarian before turning to the working geeks. “Alright, guys, let's wrap it up for today.”

“I've just got a few more.” Willow volunteered. “I'll hang for a bit.”

Ms. C. beamed. “Cool! Thanks.”

Once JC and her army of geeks had left, Giles shook his head and started up the steps. “I'm, just going to stay and clean up a little.”

“Cor!” Faith glanced up to see her best friend’s boyfriend enter. “We off?”

“Sure,” Cordelia grinned at her. “Cya later.”

“Bye,” Faith glanced at a book on the table and winced at the horned demon on the front. “Man,” she commented. “He’s one ugly fucker.” Seeing Xander heading towards her, she hurriedly dropped the book on top of Will’s to-be-scanned pile before rushing off in search of G in the stacks.

* * *

“G,” Faith swallowed as she glanced left and right as they strode through the hushed graveyard. She hated talking about relationship stuff. She knew full well no guy would ever want one with her, she was the sort of girl you screwed but never told your ma about, boasted to your pa about maybe, but that was as far as things went.

“Ms. C. is pretty hot, uh?”

“Ms C.?” After a second Giles’ confused expression cleared to be replaced by a smirk. “Ah, Ms. Calender, yes I suppose that irritating woman is.”

“You gonna ask her out?”

“What?” her Watcher turned to look at her, his expression bewildered. And walked straight on into a tree, knocking him flat onto his English ass.

“G!” Faith pulled her Watcher to his feet. “You five by five?”

“Yes Faith, I’ve yet again survived being your Watcher. This time,” the Englishman added in a mutter as he straightened his glasses. “Why would you think such a thing?”

Faith shrugged. This conversation was a really bad idea, but she had started it. “You’re a guy, she hasn’t quite reached the wrinkly stage,” her Watcher chuckled. “I figured you might want a little action,” G reddened and looked down at his feet. “You ain’t got laid since I met you! Two years!”

“Please,” Giles shuddered. “Let’s not go any deeper into this conversation. My social life is none of your concern.”

“But what if,” Faith swallowed. “What if you start dating someone and they don’t want me around?” If she’d been lucky her Ma’s boyfriends had just told her to fuck off, some had emphasised the point with a backhander to the face or a kick to the ribs.

“Oh Faith,” the Watcher placed his hands on her shoulders. “Look at me.” Her guardian lifted her chin up. “I sincerely doubt that Miss. Calendar would consider an old fuddy-duddy like me serious dating material. And if she or any woman did, I wouldn’t countenance a relationship with anyone who didn’t realise and appreciate what an amazing young woman you are. Understand?”

Faith took a second to translate that into American. “I understand G,” after smiling at her Watcher, they continued walking in silence for a while. “Say G, if you like Miss. C., all you need to do is walk up, grab her around the waist and plant one right on her -.”

“Yes, well thank you for that advice Faith. Unfortunately I am not Tarzan and Miss. Calendar is not Jane.”

”No arguments there G!”

* * *

“Willow, hey, wait up!” Jonathan called as he saw his hoped-for-love across the school corridor.

Realising his fellow geek hadn’t heard him he rushed over and put his hand on her shoulder. The red-head shrieked and jumped in the air before spinning around to face him. “Oh Jonathan. I didn't even see you.”

“Or hear me,” he reproved. “What was up last night? I tried your line, like, a million times.”

“Oh, I was talking.”

“Talking to...?” Jonathan did not like the dreamy look in his crush’s eyes as she opened her locker. “We were meant to talk about the science project.”

“Well, I sort of met someone.”

Jonathan’s heart dropped. “Who? When?”

“Last week after we did the scanning project in the library,“ Willow closed her locker.

“Oh yeah?” Jonathan scowled. “What's he called?”

“Malcolm.”

“Does he go to school here?” Jonathan demanded. If he did, he’d beat him up! Scratch that, he’d tell Faith this Malcolm had said something about her, and get her to beat him up.

“No,” Willow replied. “But last night, oh! We talked all night, it was amazing. He's so smart and we agree about everything!”

“Great,” Jonathan said through gritted teeth. “What's he look like?”

“I don't know!”

“You’ve been struck blind?” he suggested as they walked into computer lab. Maybe that was it, why she didn’t realise how he felt.

“No silly,” Willow giggled as she sat down. “We met on-line.”

“So you don’t know what he looks like?”

“He’s 18, and lives eighty miles from here.”

* * *

“But guys,” Jonathan whined. “One of you has to talk to Faith about this. This guy could be an ax murderer or something. You need to talk to her.”

“Well I’m not doing it,” Xander shook his head. “G-Man made it quite clear if I went anywhere near Faith he’d turn me into an organ donor.”

“Well I think it’s dumb,” Jesse shook his head. “Count me out.”

Jonathan gulped. “You mean I have to do it?” But every time Faith looked at him he felt an over-whelming urge to run and hide. He straightened. “I’ll do it.” He could do this to protect Willow.


“Faith! Can we talk?”

Faith glanced over her shoulder, surprised to see Jonathan hurrying towards her. The geek rarely spoke to her, and never on an one-and-one sitch. “Sure Jon,” she nodded to the space across from her. “Pull up a seat.”

“Thanks,” the half-pint dropped into the seat and stared at her.

Finally she grew tired of the inspection. “Look Jon, I know I’m hot and all,” she rasped. “But you mind not staring a hole in me?”

“Uh, sorry.” Jonathan reddened and looked down. “It’s Willow.”

“Oh,” Faith nodded sagely. You’d have to be blind not to know that the male geek had a bad case of the Romeos for Willow. “Look you wanna her, go up to her. Say something like, shit I don’t know,” the lines that worked on her would probably freak Red out. She grinned as she had an idea. “Say I think you’re wicked smart, but instead of doing our assignment in the library, why don’t we mix business with pleasure and go to the Bronze?”

”Uh thanks,” Jonathan looked bemused. “But-.”

“’Course just for reference,” she interrupted with a sweet smile. “You hurt Red and they’ll be finding your body parts all around town.”

The boy sat opposite paled and began to shake. “It wasn’t that I came about. Will’s got a boyfriend.”

“Fuck,” Faith groaned. “Do I look like Doctor Ruth? Look J, there’s plenty of girls out there for you,” she took a second to examine her companion. “Okay, maybe not plenty,” she amended. “Some. Anyhow point is-.”

“An internet one.”

“Uh?” Faith stared at the nerd in confusion. “How the fuck does that work? I’ll slip my disc into your floppy drive?”

Jonathan turned crimson. “No, thing is she’s been talking to this guy for the last week, skipping training and classes, she’s seriously obsessed. He says he’s 18, but with the internet he could be anybody, a child-killer, axe murderer.”

“Whoa,” Faith chuckled uneasily. There was a little of the green eyed monster there but she knew first-hand how many sickos there were out there. “You can just lie over the internet like that?” Jonathan nodded. Faith bit her bottom lip for a few seconds. This last week, Red had been skipping training and research which was wicked weird for her. “I’ll go see her, make sure she thinks about this k?”

* * *

“Yo Red,” Faith strode into the computer lab.

”Faith, this is a classroom!”

“Oh sorry JC,” seeing the teacher’s raised eyebrow, she amended what she’d been about to say. “Ms. Calender, G was looking some books on the internet, he kinda wondered if you’d go help him search?” she lied smoothly.

”Really?” Jenny beamed.

Faith hid a smirk. Oh yeah, the teacher had it bad. She waited until the teach had gone before sauntering over to the typing red-head. Sitting down, she put her boots up on the desk. “Jon’s been telling me about this Malcolm,” her eyes narrowed as the video camera followed her. “What’s the juice?”

“He’s the best,” Willow looked so dreamy it sickened her. Hadn’t the girl heard of ‘get some, get gone?’ “So smart, and sweet. We agree about everything!”

“Uh, uh.” Definite weirdo material. “But how much do you know about him?”

The red-head’s eyes flashed. “You’re just like Jonathan! Jealous I have someone,” Faith opened her mouth to protest. “Well tough, me and Malcolm were meant to be!”

“Red,” Faith was taken aback by the hacker’s rage, she’d never seen her friend so uptight. “I wasn’t-.”

”Miss Giles!” she looked and groaned to see a thunderous looking JC in the doorway. “What do you think you were playing at?”

“Me Miss?” she tried for an innocent expression.

* * *

Faith glanced through the computer lab window. Relieved that JC appeared to have left, she hurried in. “Hey there Dave.”

The boy jumped when she put a hand on his shoulder before spinning to face her. “Oh, what do you want?”

“I wanted to ask you something if you have a minute.” Faith put on her most seductive smile, the one that had had guys eating out of her hand since she was 12.

Dave just looked impatient. “What is it?”

Slightly nonplussed by the failure of her secret weapon, it took Faith a couple of seconds to get back on track. “You’re a computer genius, and I sort of have
a technical problem. If I wanted to find out something about someone, if someone e-mailed me, could I trace it?”

“Well, you could pull up somebody's profile based on their user name.”

“Yeah but they write the profile themselves, right? And so they could say anything they wanted.” Leastways that’s what Johnno had said.

“True.” Dave nodded.

“Well, is there a way to find out exactly where an email came from? I mean, the actual location of the computer?” she pressed.

Dave pursed his lips. “That's a challenge.”

“Not for a smart guy like you,” she fluttered her eyelashes, this time the nerd drooled slightly. Grinning slightly, she moved in for the kill. “'Cause, you see, Willow's got this boyfriend, Malcolm, and to tell you the truth, I think...”

“Leave Willow alone.”

Faith blinked at the geek’s snarl. “What do you mean?”

“That's none of your business.”

Ah, Faith got it. “Dave, are you Malcolm?”

“Of course not.”

Faith gaped as the guy turned away from her and began typing. A dude ignoring her? It was against all known laws of nature. “Dave, what's going on?”

“Look, I'll talk to you later, okay? I've got work to do.”
* * *

“No, no, no,” Mayor Wilkins shook his head in dismay as he tapped furiously at his keyboard. “Mr. Finch! Get in here now!”

After a few seconds his deputy hurried in, looking more flustered than normal. “Yes sir?”

“I can’t get the town accounts up!” he glared at the computer.

”I know sir,” his deputy swallowed. “The entire system’s down!”

* * *

“I'm telling you,” Faith insisted as she pursued him through the stacks. “Something is going on. It's not just Willow. Dave, Fritz, they're all wicked jumpy.”

Sighing with the realisation that his charge wasn’t going to let it drop, Giles turned to face the Slayer. “Those boys aren't exactly poster boys for normality as it is.”

“True,” Faith nodded. “But something icky’s going on, I can smell it, trust me.”

“I do! I really don't know how to advise you. Things involved with a computer fill me with a childlike terror. Now, if it were a nice ogre or some such I'd be more in my element. Well, I suppose you could tail Dave, see if he's up to something.”

“Do I look like Colombo?” Faith demanded before holding up a hand. “No, don’t answer that.”

* * *

Fritz looked up as his screen filled up with a picture of Faith lurking outside their base of operations. “She’s getting too close, what do I do?”

“Kill her,” the computer speakers intoned.

Fritz smiled. His first murder.

* * *

“Whatever Dave is into, it's large,” Faith finished her report to the others, minus Red, in the library.

“And what was the name of this place?” Giles enquired.

“It said CRD. But, I couldn't get close enough to see what it was.”

“Calax Research and Development.” Cordelia interrupted. “It's a computer research lab. Sunnydale’s third largest employer till it closed down last year.” Her friend bristled at the others’ looks. “What, I can't have information sometimes?”

“Not normally,” Xander muttered.

“Well,” her bud glared at Xander, “my father had a 10% stake in the place.”

“But it closed?” Faith pressed. Cordelia nodded. “Looked pretty busy to me. I don't have a clue what they were doing. And what do they need Dave for?”

“It’s obvious,” Jesse looked around. “Something about computers, right? I mean, he is off-the-chart smart.”

“We still don't know an enormous amount. Whatever is going on there may be legitimate,” Giles threw in his customary note of caution.

Cordelia shook her head. “No, if CRD opened, my dad would have been involved.”

“Yes, well, ahem, I think we're still at a stand still.” Giles shook his head. “Short of breaking into the place, I don't see...”

“A break-in,” Faith beamed. “I haven’t done one in years!” She glanced at Jonathan, Jesse and Cordelia before reluctantly including Xander. “Wanna come with?”

“Now hold on!” God, she loved it when G got that panicked look in his eyes. “I do not suggest that you illegally enter the,” Giles’ eyes widened still further, “data into the file so the book will be listed by title as well as by author.”

Faith squinted. “What the hell are you-.”

“I just came by to check your new data base, make sure your cross reference table isn't glitching. 'Cause I'm guessing you haven't gone anywhere near it.”

Faith glanced up to see the computer teacher had entered behind them. “I'm still sorting through the chaos you left behind you,” the Englishman retorted.

Ms. Calendar looked at them. “You're here again? Kids really dig the library, don't cha?”

“It’s the librarian,” Faith glanced at her suddenly paling guardian. “He’s a real hottie, kinda magnetic. Us girls can’t stay away, and these guys just tag along.”

”Oh good lord,” she heard Giles mutter. “I’m ruined. Disgrace and jail beckon.”

* * *

“You're a snob!”

Giles stared at the beautiful teacher patrolling his library as if it was her own. “I am no such thing.”

Ms. Calendar snorted. “Oh, you are so. You think that knowledge should be kept in these carefully guarded repositories where only a handful of white guys can get at it.”
Giles scowled at the woman. If only she was a vampire, what was Faith thinking, the two of them together? Absurd! “Nonsense! I simply don't adhere to a knee-jerk assumption that because something is new, it's better.”

“This isn't a fad, Rupert! We are creating a new society here.”

“A society in which human interaction is all but obsolete?” Giles shook his head. “In which people can be completely manipulated by technology, no thank you.”

The infernal woman sniffed. ”Well, I think you'll be very happy here with your musty, old books.”

“These musty old books have a great deal more to say than in any of your... fabulous web pages.”

“Hmm.” The computer teacher began to leaf through one of his books. “This one doesn't have a whole lot to say. Anything at all, it’s empty.”

Giles stared at the book. “How odd,” his breath caught as he saw the horned demon on the cover. Oh no. Standing, he took the book off the puzzled teacher. “Well, it's been so nice talking to you, goodbye.” He hurried to the inner office. “Bugger, bugger, bugger!”

* * *

“Faith! Faith!”

She glanced behind her to see Dave running up to her. “How're you doing?”

“Okay. Uh, look, I'm sorry about yesterday.”

Faith shrugged. “Five by five. Don't sweat it.”

“Willow was looking for you. Her and Malclom had a fight.”

Faith hid a grin, wicked that made things easier. “Do you know where she is?”

Dave nodded nervously. “She said she'd be in the girls' locker room.”

“Wicked,” Faith started to run towards the changing rooms. “Thanks!”

* * *

Faith looked left and right, the dressing room appeared empty. Her eyes narrowed at a flickering shadow just around the corner. Too big to be her friend, probably one of the Gunther sisters, the two girls voted most likely to pee standing up. Which was unkind although true. “Yo, who’s there?” Getting no answer, she hurried around the corner of the lockers. Still nothing. “Red?” She turned at the sound of the shower, she hadn’t heard that before. “Yo Red?” Something was up. Taking a breath, she stepped into the shower, no one there. Shaking her head, she stepped towards the dripping tap.

“Faith! Get out!”

Faith turned at the voice, irritated, lucky for Dave she wasn’t naked. “Yo Dave -, oh crap!” Her eyes widened as she noticed the sparking wires. “Fuck!” She leapt to the other side of the shower, just out of the water as the area electrifies.

* * *

“Faith, you’re sure you’re alright?”

Faith smirked at her Watcher, embarrassed yet at the same time comforted by his concern. “I’m cool G. I just... I don't understand what would make Dave do a thing like that.”

“I think perhaps I do.” Faith watched curiously as her Watcher lifted up a book. “Do you recognise this?”

“G, is this going to be a lecture on me and studying?” Faith shook her head. “’Cause really not the time!”

Giles shook his head. “No, although your grades could use work.” Faith pouted, he had to get a dig in. “In the dark ages the souls of demons were sometimes trapped in certain volumes. They remained locked within the book, harmless, unless the pages were read aloud. Unless I'm mistaken, this is Moloch, the Corrupter. A very deadly and seductive demon. He draws people to him with promises of love, power, and knowledge. Preys on impressionable minds.”

“Like Dave's,” Jesse commented, a worried look on his face. “Xander’s gone to look for him.”

“He’s dead,” an ashen-faced Xander walked through the door at that moment.

“You fucking killed him?” Faith’s eyes blazed as she leapt off the desk she’d been sat on, this guy took doglike devotion to scary levels. Forgetting her own nervousness around Xander she strode up to him. “Are you crazy?”

“I didn’t do it, he hung himself!” Xander backed off from her. “They were cutting him down from the computer lab ceiling when I got there!”

“I rather think,” Faith glanced at her Watcher. “Either Moloch compelled him to hang himself or one of other Moloch’s minions did it for him.”

“Oh crap,” Faith swore. “And Moloch’s inside that book?”

“Not anymore.” Giles opened the book to reveal the empty pages.

“You released Moloch?” Cordy screeched in a pitch that was only reachable by her. “I thought you were meant to keep us safe from them, not unlock their cell doors!”

“Way to go!” Faith scowled.

Giles raised his hands. “I didn't read it! That dreadful Calendar woman found it and it was already blank.”

“Okay, so a powerful demon with horns is walking around Sunnydale, and nobody's noticed? Even for Sunnydale…” Xander’s voice trailed off as he looked at the computer. “He’s been scanned into the computer hasn’t he?”

“Oh crap,” Faith squeaked. Realising that everyone was looking at her, she did something extremely rare for her and blushed. “I sort of put him in the to-be-scanned pile.”

“Oh that’s great!” commented Cordelia. “We’re dealing with the Abbot & Costello of demon-hunting!”

Faith chose to ignore her friend. “What are we gonna do?”

“I’ll try and delete him,” Jonathan stepped forward, his expression nervous. The nerd sat in front of the computer and began typing. After a second, Faith and the others moved to stand over him. Jonathan dragged the file icon to the trash bin. There was a collective gasp when Moloch's demonic face appeared on the monitor.

“Stay away from Willow!” the demon snarled. “It is none of your business!”

After a second, Faith gulped. “Willow sure goes for the homely ones uh? Maybe you got a chance after all Jonathan.”

Giles groaned. “This is very bad.”

“Are we overreacting? He's in a computer! What can he do?” Xander questioned.

“Gee Xand, I don't know. How about mess up all the medical equipment in the world?” Faith asked.

“Randomize traffic signals,” Giles added.

“Access launch codes for our nuclear missiles,” Jesse added.

“Cause the stock markets to crash,” Jonathan threw in.

“Mess up the appointments at ‘Golden Scissors’,” everyone turned to look at Cordy. “What? You think looking this good comes easily?”

“Worrying about it keeps me up at nights.” Faith sniggered at her Watcher’s mutter.

“Okay, he's a threat, I'm on board with that now. But what can we do about it?” Xander asked.

“I think the first thing we do is find Willow.” Giles decided. “She's probably talking to him right now.”

Faith looked around. “Okay, I'm gonna check the computer lab, and you guys call her home.”

* * *

“She’s not there,” Faith hurried back into the library. “Jonathan, have you thought of anyway to get Moloch out of the net, one of those virus things maybe?”

Giles interrupted. “I have records of the ceremonies, but, but that's for a creature of the flesh. Th-this could be something completely different.”

“What about Ms. Calendar?” Cordelia put in. “Maybe she can help you.”

Giles stared at the cheerleader. “Well, even if she could, how am I going to convince her that there's a demon on the Internet?”

“Sounds like a pretty wicked idea to me,” Faith glanced across at Xander and Jesse.
Her skin crawled at the thought of what she was about to say. “You two, with me. I figure Red’s at whatever’s going down at CRD.”

* * *

“Hi. I got your message. What's so urgent?”

“Um, thank you for coming.” Giles looked up at the computer teacher stood in the doorway of his office. “Uh, I need your help.” He laughed nervously. “But before that, um, I need you to believe something that, um, you may not want to. Uh, there's, something's got into the i-i-inside... There's a demon in the Internet.”

“I know.”

Giles blinked at the teacher’s coolness. His expression casual, he eased his desk drawer open and placed his hand on the cosh inside. “You already know? How exactly is that?”

“Come on, there've been portents for days. I mean, power surges, online shutdowns... You should see the bones I've been casting. I knew this would happen sooner or later. I mean, it's probably a, a mischief demon like Kelkor, or...”

“It's Moloch.” Giles interrupted.

“The Corrupter? Oh, boy.” Miss Calendar paled. “I should have remembered, I just don't...”

“You don't seem exactly surprised by...“ Giles commented. “Who are you? Are you a witch?”

“I have some power but not that much. Techno pagan' is the term.”

Giles released his grip on the cosh and closed the drawer. “Well, you can definitely help me. Jonathan has been trying but the poor boy doesn’t have the necessary occult experience or contacts.” He led the teacher out into the main area. “I have the binding rituals at hand, but I'm completely out of my league.”

“I can help! I think... I hope, I mean, well,” the teacher smiled at Jonathan as he hurried out of the way before sitting down at the PC. “this is my first real... Do you know how he got in?”

Giles grimaced. “He was scanned in.”

“And you want him back in the book?” Jenny queried.

”That would be preferable to the current chaos yes.”

* * *

Willow’s eyes shot open, for a second she stared around her shadowy surroundings, trying to remember what had happened. The last thing she could remember was Fritz drugging her with something. Her heart missed a beat when she looked over to see Fritz and a technician standing by an array of space-age equipment. “Welcome my love. I can't tell you how good it is to see you...” Willow gasped and her blood drained from her face as she looked up at the robot standing over her. “With my own two eyes.”

“Malcolm,” Willow croaked. Fritz and the technician grabbed her by her arms, she tried to pull loose but was helpless to resist them pulling her close to the resurrected demon.

“This world is so new, so exciting,” the demon turned machine intoned. “I can see all of it. Everything flows through me. I know the secrets of your kings. But nothing compares to having form again. To be able to walk,” suddenly the demon grabbed Fritz and casually broke his neck before dropping the corpse to the ground. “To kill.”

* * *

Jenny lit her last candle before nodding her approval at Jonathan as he lit the last of his. She turned to the nervously watching Englishman. “The first thing we have to do is form the circle of Kayless. Right?”

“Form a circle?” the librarian wrinkled his nose. “We’re rather more of a triangle.”

She shook her head and laughed. “You're not getting it, Rupert. We have to form the circle inside.” She sat back down at the computer. “I'm putting out a flash. I just hope enough of my group responds.”

“Won't Moloch just shut you down?” Jonathan queried.

“I'm hoping he won't figure out what we're doing until it's too late.”

“Hoping and betting, that's what we've got!” exclaimed Giles.

“You wanna throw in praying? Be my guest.” She looked down to where Jonathan had dropped to his knees and sighed. “That was sarcasm Jonathan, get up.”

* * *

“I don't understand. What do you want from me?” Willow managed to squeak.

“I want to give you the world,” the metal demon smiled.

“Why?”

“You created me. I brought these humans together to build me a body. But you gave me life. Took me out of the book that held me. I want to repay you.”

“By lying to me?” Suddenly Ira Rosenberg’s little girl was good and pissed. “By pretending to be a person? Pretending you loved me?”

“I do!”

* * *

“Hi handsome,” John looked up at the husky voice. His mouth dropped open at the sultry brunette swaying her way across the office towards his workstation. “Can you help a lost girl?”

“Sure,” John stuttered. Standing, he began to walk across the office to meet her.
Suddenly his head exploded in pain and he fell to the ground.

Faith nodded approvingly. Damn, Xander could punch hard, the guy hadn’t even had time to grunt before he hit the floor. “Good work, now-.”

”Guys!” Faith glanced towards Jesse staring at the security guard’s monitor. “I’ve found Will!”

They hurried over. “Who’s that with her?” Xander asked.

“Shit Xand,” Faith snorted. “Twinkies really aren’t brain food are they? Gotta be Moloch, they’ve built him a body!”

* * *

Willow watched as the machinedemon hybrid strode the floor before her. “Don't you see? I can give you everything! I can control the world!”

“I don’t want anything from you!” Willow cried. “Let me leave?”

“But I love you!” the demon protested.

“Don't say that! That's a joke! You don't love anything!”

“You are mine!” the beast thundered.

“I'm not yours! I'm never gonna be yours! Never!” she screamed.

Moloch shook his head. “Pity.”

* * *

“Almost there.” Jenny smiled nervously at her companions before focussing on the Englishman. “We're up. You read, I type. Ready?”

Giles nodded. By the power of the divine, by the essence of the word, I command you. By the power of the circle of Kayless, I command you..”

* * *

“I can’t get in!” Faith screamed as she kicked at the door. “This fucker’s solid steel!”

“He’s closing on Willow!” Jesse reported from his position by the monitor. “I think he’s gonna kill her!”

“No!” Faith leapt into the air, her sixth side kick finally sending the door crashing open. Even as she entered Moloch threw his arms up and screamed. Seeing an opportunity, she leapt into another side kick, this one crashing into the demon’s metal chest, just staggering the demon. “Ow! Freakin’ Robbie the Robot!”

* * *

Jenny jumped backwards as the screen sparked. “He's out of the 'Net. He's bound.”

Giles picked up the book and sighed. “He’s not in the book.”

Jenny looked up. “He's not in the book. Well, where is he?”

“Wherever the others are?” suggested Jonathan.

* * *

“Let’s get the fuck out of Dodge!” Faith screamed. Screw killing this bastard, she’ll come back with a nuke later.

”Sounds like a pl-, oww!”

Faith glanced back over her shoulder. Moloch had burst through the wall behind her and backhanded Xander to the floor. “Oh fuck!” Rushing back, she jumped between the demon and her unconscious companion. The demon threw a punch, she blocked it on her arm, but the force was still enough to throw her into the wall. Her head ringing, she stared up at the raging demon.

“I was omnipotent. I was everything! Now I'm trapped in this shell!” The demon grabbed her by her hair.

“Malcolm!” Moloch turned to face Willow. Who promptly hit him with a fire extinguisher. Faith blinked, somehow she thought the red-head had seen ‘Fatal Attraction’ waaaaaaaay too many times. “Remember me, your girlfriend?!” The red head continued to hit the demon with her makeshift weapon. Red tried a shot to the face only to be shoved to the ground.

“This body's all I have left. But it's enough to crush you!”

“Oh yeah!” Faith grinned as she pulled herself to the feet. “Take your best shot asshole.” After a second the huge demon turned to face her and threw a punch. She instantly swayed to the right. The demon’s fist thudded past her and into the junction box she’d been concealing. “Run!” she screamed as the demon was enveloped by electricity.

* * *

Hearing her office door open, Jenny looked up to see Willow and Amy standing there, nervous expressions on their face. “Hello girls,” she smiled. “I wouldn’t expect you two to be needing any extra help?”

“N..no,” Willow stuttered. “I..it’s not about school work.” The red-head’s voice trailed off. Jenny raised an eyebrow. Willow turned to Amy. “You ask her!”

Amy sighed. “Faith told Willow that you’re a practitioner of the arts, both Willow and I would like to learn.”

Jenny paused in thought. On the one hand it would cut into her time for her assignment. On the other, it would give her a reason to be nearer the Slayer and her group. And both girls had considerable potential… Finally she beamed. “I’d love too.”