Who is Who ((COMPLETED))

Title: Who is Who, Chapter 2
Author: MadRog
Email: madrog@ev1.net


Chapter 2, Imposters

At about 11:30 PM, Giles saw Spike leave the Internet Café and followed him to a local demon bar. Giles was surprised to see Spike don a cap effectively covering his distinctive hair before entering the establishment. About 20 minutes later, he saw Spike leave and again followed.

Spike paused to light a cigarette, then suddenly turned. “Don’t they teach you gits how to follow a chap with out being detected?”

“Err, maybe I am a little rusty. I use to be good at this, but I have been away from the Hellmouth for awhile. Uh, maybe…maybe we could join up, and I could be of some help.”

“First a Watcher defending a blood sucking demon to the council, and now a Watcher offering the said vampire his help. Be still my beating, or unbeating, hear Spi Spike flicked his ashes and continued down the lane. “Come on.”

Gaining confidence, Giles asked, “Did you find out anything that could be useful?”

“Yea, some bloke who wishes he were me had been in that dive about a week ago. Made much with the bragging about being the new Big Bad in town. They had heard he had moved on with his two mates to the pub a couple of streets over. So get the lead out, old man.”

“Look who’s calling whom old,” Giles replied indignantly.

*****

In the second pub, Giles watched with interest as the master vampire turned on his charm. He thought the barmaid was going to climb into Spike’s lap when the vampire flashed his seductive smile for the third time. Another interested female overhead the conversation and came up to offer her own tidbits. Spike put an arm loosely around this new arrival, encouraging the contact the girl provided against his side as well as the flow of information which came bubbling out. Giles even began to admire the vamp’s style of investigation as the two women watched entranced as Spike slowly licked the ale’s foam off his upper lip.

The two women fought over whom could give him the most information. “Yes, the three vamps had been in the night before…They were lousy tippers, and yes, the blond one said he was William the Bloody… But no, he did not seem near as tough or good looking as the legends would have you believe.”

Outside, with a sly smile Spike pocketed the two newly acquired phone numbers and lit up another cigarette.

“Was that a demonstration of a vampire’s thrall?” Giles just had to ask.

For the first time since meeting up with Spike again in London, the vamp turned his confident grin on the Watcher. “No mate, that was all me. No demon mojo required.”
******

The next evening, Giles had just returned to his flat after a long day of politely but firmly arguing with the council. Having decided to take his mind off his current problems for a bit with a little light reading and a brandy, he settled into his favorite chair picking up a well worn book, Feral Demon Demands: Mind Over Mucus.

Not surprisingly, peace was not to be had as the phone started ringing almost immediately. Before he could even get out a proper ‘hello’, he could hear a very excited vampire’s voice. “Good news, mate. I’ve found the sodding shams.”

Giles was already gathering supplies to leave as he talked. “I can be right there – Where are you?”

“A dive at 713 Lee Lane – but not waiting. I’ll let you know how it goes.”

Having now recapturing Giles’ full attention, “No!! We need evidence, proof it was not you who did the killings.” He scrambled around the flat. “Wait there. I’ll leave right now and be there in 10 minutes.”

Spike slammed the phone down impatiently wishing he owned a watch. ‘Knew it should have been mayhem first, call second.” Pacing at the side of the building, “Right, then. 10 minutes. Then I go in.’

After the end of his second cigarette, ‘Bugger the time. Waiting – not my strong suit anyway,” and heads the the door.

Giles’ voice stops him, “You weren’t going in with out me, were your?” Giles jumped out of his car and headed towards the trunk.

“Course not, Watcher…Oh, right then. I give, but I didn’t want them slipping away.”

“Patience is a virtue,” which only earned him an eye roll, “and in this case an advantage.” Giles set down the two duffel bags he pulled out of his trunk opening each with Spike impatiently looking over his shoulder.

“Bloody hell, who’s army are you expecting? It’s only three fledgling gits.”

Giles started to take out an axe, wooden stake, and then a cross. Laughing, Spike put a stake in his pocket and headed for the door.

Calling over his shoulder, Giles asked, “What’s the plan? We’ve must have a plan, and not to mention, there are certain Watcher rules of conduct that must be observed…”

Spiked just grinned… and kicked the door in. “The direct approach. That’s the plan.”
“…or we can just kick in the door. Oh, bloody hell.” The Watcher grabbed his weapons and hurried to catch up.

Never at a loss for a grand entrance, Spike sauntered in looking like a friend just paying a call. “Well, well, well. Look at what we have here. I hope you are not paying much for this flat, mates.”

The three vamps had jumped to their feet but were still trying to recover from their initial surprise.

Spike continued to tour the warehouse serving as their lair. “By the looks of it, you’re going to lose your security deposit anyhow.”

Giles made his presence known. “Maybe a good maid service would be in order.” He had stayed near the door when Spike had started his show. He knew the value of a readily available exit but was also assailed by the unmistakable stench of rotting flesh. The smell of death. These vamps may be new to their calling but were obviously enjoying themselves. Sitting all around were trophies from their kills: fingers dangled from the lamp shades, a head sat on an old steamer trunk, and a hand rested casually on the arm of the dilapidated sofa.

“So who’s your decorator, the Marquis de Sade?” He walked over to a table and picked up two railroad spikes absently turn ing them over in his hands. Spike continued his stroll about the room. “I’ve heard you three have been very naughty boys.”

Having somewhat recovered by this time, the bleach-blonde imposter stepped forward trying to take control of the situation. “Do you know who I am?”

Spike ignored him continuing to play with his toys witpertpert hands.

As Spike passed close, Giles asked in a whisper, “So do we have a plan now?

“These three blighters look like they could use lessons in fun.”

Visually puffing up, the imposter sputtered, “Fun?? We are the ones who create the fun here, mate. Don’t you know who I am?” At this point the would-be leader ran his hand through his hair and shrugging on a leather overcoat trying to bring attention to both.

Spike looked at Giles then back at the impostor and shrugged. “Ok, I’ll bite. Who might you be?”

The blonde started to gain confidence. “Look, we don’t even have to go out to eat tonight,” he bragged to his cohorts. With a dramatic flourish, he turned to again address Spike and Giles. “I’m William the Bloody, the Scourge of Europe. And you have just become my next meal.”

The three vamps, now in game face, had fanned out around Spike, leaving Giles on the fourth side. The would-be leader gave the command, “Get’em.”

The Watcher chuckled at Spike’s reply. “If you are going to pretend to be someone you’re obviously not, you could at least come up with better lines.”

Reckless with lack of experience, one of the vamps jumped Giles only to find himself shrugged off and then looking down the serious end of a crossbow.

The second minion threw an awkward punch at Spike which was easily blocked. “You’ll have to do better than that, sonny.” He picked the stumbling vamp up and easily tossed him into a nearby rickety table. Some splinters of wood impaled the vampire’s, one penetrating his heart. Only a dust pile on a pile of wood remained.

“Now THAT was just too easy. Takes all the fun out.” Spike turned back to his imposter who had been sneaking up with a railroad spike. For full effect, Spike was now in full game face, eyes shining yellow and long canines clearly visible. “ I sincerely hope you put up more of a fight,” slapping him with the back of his hand. The lesson had begun. “Do YOU KNOW who I am?” Another bitch slap rang out. “Pitiful when a fledgling can’t even recognize a superior of its own kind.”

Followed by kick to the side of the head, and the leader went down. He was quickly losing his bravado, using the wall to struggle to his knees. “You can’t be him. He is much taller and more muscular. And they said William the Bloody did not survive Africa.”

Giles chuckled to himself now enjoying the show. Looking back at the Watcher, Spike commented, “Are you just holding that one for show and tell, or are you going to dust him?”

“Oh, .., Oh, yes. Quite right,” pulling the trigger on his cross bow. His arrow hit the mark reducing the vamp to dust.

The imposter vamp took this opportunity to start sniveling and begging, trying a different tact. “I was only trying to keep up your good name…I was going to turn over everything to you. Let me work for you.”

Placing the sole of his boot square in the vamps face, the master vampire shoved the pathetic demon back against the wall. “See, it was not that I hadn’t survived. I thrived in Africa. Bloody liberating. Since you are so interested in my history, let me show you how to properly use a spike.” Spike pulled the fledgling up and use the spikes he was still carrying to stake his arms to the wall.

Walking back over to Giles, “Well, Watcher, do we need a confession?”

“No, I think this room will provide more than enough evidence.” Spike turned back to throw a wooden stake at the vamp who was now screaming hysterically. “Shut up, already.”
“Great shot.” Giles glanced appreciatively at this new pile of dust.

Giles and Spike collected the evidence and stored it in plastic bag the Watcher had wisely thought to put in his trunk. Then they went off in search of a bag of ice since neither looked forward to the smell of what they had collected.

Feeling rather chipper, Giles made a suggestion. “How about a cup of tea?...Better yet, how about a pint.” Spike felt in his pocket for his cigarettes and found the slips of paper from the previous night. Waving them casually at Giles, “I know just the place.”

An hour later found the unlikely pair, a Master Vampire and a Watcher, in a booth with a woman snuggled up to each of them, thoroughly enjoying themselves. They entertained their companions with wild tales of bravery, which of course all centered around themselves.

Just thoughts were beginning to fog up, Giles decided it was time to put a new plan on the table. “Um… Ladies, would you please excuse us for a moment?” After some dramatic pouting and flirting, the women reluctantly left, heading towards the bar.

Spike raised an eyebrow in a silent question as Giles began. “The Council has assigned me other severe cases obviously designed for my failure. Some, I think, are hoping for my demise. And I’m sure you will agree that tonight was very successful.”

At this point, Spike watched with confused curiosity as Giles nervously cleaned his glasses. “Bloody hell, here’s the point. I suggest we form a partnership, as it were.”


When Spike had stopped laughing,, he choked out, “This from the man that said he would never want my opinion. And now a bleeding partnership.”

Giles strived for a serious expression. “I am serious…and there is budget.”

“Budget?” Spike asked now interested.

“From the budget I am allotted, I could pay you a commission for each job. A nice commission,” he added boldly.

Spike thought for a moment calculating. “And I get to kill without retaliation and receive blunt from the Watcher’s Council?”

“Yes, that does sum it up nicely.” Giles began to let out his breath sensing victory at hand.

“Right, then. Deal,” Spike replied loving the irony of this new turn of events.

Giles thought for another moment longer. “I am reminded of a prophecy I once read in a Watcher’s journal. I don’t remember which journal precisely, but it was something about a vampire rising above his lot in life and helping on the side of good. I had always thought it referred to Angel.”
With a snort of disgust, Spike started to leave the table throwing back over his shoulder, “You tried this route before, mate, when I helped you out that time you became all demon-y one day. I love to go against type and all, but rest assured, His Broodiness is the only vampire dedicated to good.” With that, he headed towards the women waving from the bar.
Giles laid a tip on the table as he finished the last of his drink and watched Spike. The vamp now had an arm around each girl, enjoying himself. As the Watcher left, two thoughts crossed his mind. Spike had obviously gotten over his Buffy obsession, and that once again, what the hell was he getting into. Actually, though, he had to admit. It felt good not just standing by anymore.

What Giles didn’t know was that Spike was more than happy to extract himself from the girls as soon as the Watcher had left the pub. He had known instinctually that Giles would be watching for any signs from Spike of continued interest in the Slayer. He knew that the Watcher still thought of Buffy as his responsibility. So Spike had wanted to throw Giles off the scent. He didn’t even want to go there. It was nobody’s business knowing that the Slayer was still ever present in his thoughts or that she was the major reason he was living half way around the world from Sunnydale. It was bad enough that he so often dreamed about being back at the Hellmouth. Let alone getting a lecture from her surrogate father.


TBC

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