Relentless Revenge ((COMPLETE))

Chapter 4: The Chase

"What the bloody hell do you mean she's not here?" Spike growled at the Scoobies. It took all of his restraint to not vamp out right there in the middle of the Bronze. A few minutes ago after finishing a cigarette in the alley, he had come back in the club intending to find Buffy and see what he could salvage out of this night. He couldn't find her anywhere, and to make matters worse, he couldn’t even feel her anywhere close by. Spike sent the Scoobies scrambling, searching all the far corners, but no one could find her. Glaring at them as the returned to the table, "Didn't anyone see the Slayer when she came back in??"

Willow spoke up, "No, we weren't watching out for her. We thought she was still outside with you."

"Well, she bloody well isn't, is she?"

Xander was worried and frustrated also, "Bleach Boy, this isn't helping. If the demons have kidnapper her, we need a plan."

The only thing keeping Spike calm was the fear growing in the Nibblet’s face. He had to be strong for her, not postal.

In a small voice, Dawn suggested, "Maybe she just went out to patrol."

Willow rolled with that idea, "Could be, Dawnie. Why don't you and Xander go check the cemeteries?" She grabbed Spike's forearm, "Spike and I will check out the house and a few other places." Spike started to object until he felt Willow squeeze his arm tighter in a silent plea not to argue. Willow quickly continued, "Let's meet back up at the Magic Box in an hour."

"Sounds like a plan for the Xan-Man." Trying to keep the mood as light as possible for Dawn’s sake, Xander stood up and started to guide Dawn to the door. "We've got our marching orders. Come on, Captain Dawnie."

When Harris and Nibblet were out of earshot, Spike whipped around to Willow, "Well, Red, what gives?"

She leaned a little closer as if to share a secret, "I didn't want to alarm Xander or Dawn, but Spike, I am really worried. This just doesn't feel right. I just know that we've got to get to her fast.” Willow bit her lip and hesitated before continuing, “I've got an idea that entails magic. But before you even start, neither you nor I will be using any. What we do need a locator spell which means …”

“…We need a practicing witch,” Spike finished for her, already pulling Willow towards the exit.

*****

Spike and Willow’s first stop was the best source of information in Sunnydale, Willy’s Bar. After a quick demonstration from Spike that the chip no longer worked, Willy was more than willing to give over any and everything he knew. “Oh, you said you wanted a witch?” Willy tried to cringe from the no longer neutered master vampire’s yellow glare which turned out to be extremely hard considering his feet were not even touching the ground. “I just didn’t understand…I thought you said pitch. Put me down, and I’ll be glad to help, Spike. Any particular kind of witch?”

Still maintaining his grip, Spike set Willy back on his feet, “Certainly not a sick bastard like Rack.” Spike instantly regretted that reference as Willow quickly studied her shoes with glistening eyes. “What I mean is that ee need white, not black magic.”

Willy couldn’t talk fast enough, “There’s this new warlock in town that came by trying to set up a clientele. Powerful magicks but too wimpy for the local hard core demons. No evil spells, only goody-goody stuff. His house is over on Elmwood Street.”

Already half way to the door, Willow heard tampiampire mumble in disgust, “Oh great, a wussy warlock.”

*****

Thankful that the address was cloy, Wy, Willow and Spike mostly jogged to the old, small house. Willow stopped to catch her breath on the front walk, motioning Spike to go ahead and knock. Well, more of a bang in Spike’s case.

When the door opened, Spike was struck by how accurate Willy’s description he been of the warlock. Holding the door open was a small, young man dressed in a cape, pointed hat, and even holding a soddin’ wand of some sort. Spike wanted to laugh until he felt Willow’s sudden anger rolling off her in waves behind him. Her words brought Spike’s game face to the forefront. “Jonathan? He helped Warren.” Spike growled and started to advance on the wide eyed Harry Potter wanna-be.

Willow’s hand on his arm stopped Spike’s lunge, “Jonathan, I’m tempted to let Spike make you his midnight snack, even provide the salt for flavory goodness, *if* I thought for a second you had helped Warren in Tara’s death.”

Willow released Spike’s arm letting the vampire stalk slowly towards the terrified man.

Jonathan could only stutter, “He can’t hurt humans…can’t hurt me…I know about the chip…” He nearly wet himself when Spike growled, baring his fangs.

Willow’s laugh held no amusement, “News flash – that chip doesn’t work anymore. Jonathan, as I was saying, the only reason I do not let Spike rip out your throat is that Xander said you felt bad about Tara’s death and ended up helping him against Andrew.”

Spike stood over Jonathan, glaring down with golden eyes, waiting, judging the human. Then licking his lips with obvious delight, Spike drawled, "Red, how about later?"

"Maybe, let's see what he can do to help us first." Willow started to search through Jonathan's supplies.

Never breaking eye contact, the vampire said, "So, mate, you're a he-witch?"

Jonathan could only nod at this point, desperately wanting to know where this was headed, if he would live to see the next day.

Spike continued to glare down at him. "Parlor tricks or real hocus-pocus?"

Jonathan choked out, "Magic. Uh, what were you looking for?"

Jonathan jumped when Willow's voice sounded just bd hid him, "A locator spell - can you do it?"

"Sure." He was relieved when the vampire took a step back.

Spike shook off his fangs and ridges but left the yellow eyes for effect, "Well, Red, will he do?” After gaining a nod from Willow, Spike barked orders at Jonathan, “Get your stuff, he-witch You're a traveling show tonight."

"Why do I have to go? Can't we do it here."

The vampire’s game face quickly returned. Spike growled and gave Jonathan a toothy smile, "Don't make Red repeat herself."

*****

On the way to the Magic Box, Spike and Willow took a quick detour by Revello Drive. While Spike raided the Slayer’s weapons chest, Willow gathered some of Buffy’s items to help with the spell. Mr. Gordo was going on a field trip. They filled in Jonathan along the way.
When they entered the newly renovated Magic Box, Spike almost ran Jonathan over when Jonathan stopped in the doorway, stunned by the changes. “Whoa, major morph.”

“Take the tour later, you git.”

Willow couldn’t help but smile with pride, “Do you like it? I have been remodeling for Giles and Anya. They want it ready for new tenants. Sorta family business style. You should see the apartment on the two floors above…”

Dropping the weapons with a loud bang, Spike interrupted, “I hate to break up this Homes and Gardens chat, but we do have a mission here. Let’s get on with the mojo, he-witch.”

Spike set up a makeshift table out of a left over piece of plywood and saw horses while Willow help Jonathan set up for the spell, bickering as they went.

Jonathan slapped at Willow’s hand, “Don’t touch that!”

“What? This old bone?”

“That’s my magic bone,” Jonathan grabbed it from Willow’s grasp.

Spike glibly answered for Willow, “Rest assured, no one here wants to touch your bone, mate.”

After more prodding and mumbling for the impatient vamp, finally Willow set out a piece of paper and pen in the center of the table and stepped back from the table, thankful that Jonathan was using a different spell that she had used to find Warren. She wassuresure she could stand that.

The spell was short, quick - but not successful. The pen moved sluggishly on the paper, drawing nothing recognizable. Spike thought it strongly resembled a toddler’s drawing.

Willow stepped up to the table, “It’s squiggly. What did you do wrong?”

“I didn’t do anything wrong. Let me try again.” Jonathan’s second attempt only receiving the same results. “All I can tell you is that Buffy must be alive and still local, but the spell was either blocked or she was too weak. She is going to need help showing us the way.”

All three were focused so intently on the paper that they all jumped when Dawn and Xander rushed in, announcing that they had found nothing in the cemeteries. While Spike explained the current situation to the newcomers, Willow and Jonathan put their heads together to come up with a new spell. After a few minutes, Willow sent Xander out to his SUV to get any maps he may have in his glove compartment.

With the maps laid down the center of the table, Jonathan stood at end as Willow stepped up to one side and instructed Xander and Dawn to stand on the other two sides. Willow quickly explained in a hushed voice that Jonathan’s spell was designed to connect the people most important to Buffy, pulling from their love, providing strength to point the way on the map.

Spike stood back trying with little success not to pace and distract anyone.

As Jonathan began chanting, a glowing ball of green light began to form between his hands, directly above Mr. Gordo’s head. Buffy’s unsuspecting, favorite stuffed pig was just for good measures.

The ball grew, and the green color separated into a swirl of blue and yellow. As Jonathan finished his chant, “Got her. She’s very weak…I think sedated…”

Spike couldn’t hold back his snarl.

Jonathan continued, “She is…moving…moved?... that we are trying to find her?…” Jonathan’s specualtion was interrupted as the blue light shot out of the ball, splitting into three beams, each connecting with one of the Scoobies in the region of their hearts.

With a small smile curving the corners of her mouth, Willow urged Jonathan on, “Now you’ve got it right. Say the last part.”

Jonathan quickly finished the spell in some ancient language, and when he was done, the yellow light shot out from the ball and burned a small hole on the city map. Just as suddens its it had begun, all the light, both blue and yellow, were abruptly gone.

Waving his hands, Spike rushed forward trying to read the map as the smoke from the burn cleared. The location indicated was on the outskirts of town at a highway interchange. “Right, let’s go. All in the Whelp-mobile.”

Jonathan grabbed the vampire’s arm as he passed by but let go when he realized Spike was glaring down at the offending touch. “I…I want to help if I can… If you will let me…”

Spike slowly looked him up and down before nodding, “Good. Rather you willing than forced ‘cause you were going to anyway until the Slayer is safe. Load up.”

*****

The SUV arrived at the interchange that serviced three highways leaving Sunnydale. One highway led to LA, one to San Francisco, and one towards the east with a large truck stop located at the southwest corner. After Spike picked up Buffy’s scent by the semi-truck fuel pumps, everyone immediately fanned out to search.

Willow started questioning the truck drivers while Dawn and Jonathan headed inside to talk to the attendants. The manager just laughed, “Trucks come in and out non-stop, kiddoes. Even if you had a description of the truck you are looking for, no guarantee I would’ve even noticed it.”

Meanwhile, Spike and Xander searched the back of the semi-trucks. The vampire flashed fangs and snarled at anyone who dared complain while Xander followed behind making explanations that they are looking for a kidnap victim and smoothing ruffled feathers. “Hey, Dead Boy, Jr., we don’t need the police called on us.” Spike ignored him as he caught Buffy’s scent again, narrowing down the search to one of the empty fuel pumps. Empty being the operative word. Although the scent lingered, Buffy was obviously gone.

Behind the truck stop, everyone regrouped at the Expedition. Jonathan summed it up, “Now we know what she meant by ‘moving’…She must be in a truck that is moving.”

Setting up on the far side of the SUV opposite the truck stop, Jonathan performed another locator spell but again had trouble connecting with Buffy. Wanting to reassure them in anyway possible, he reminded the Scoobies and Spike that Buffy had been weak before and maybe sedated.

After several tries, Jonathan made contact and the ball of energy began to form between his hands, but this time something was different. The green light glowing was not the emerald green as before but more muted, more olive in color. “Got her. Yeah, she is sedated, barely conscious.” Jonathan was relieved as the green light separated into blue and yellow, although also muted in their color. He continued trying to interpret his impressions, “She’s feels better knowing we are trying…miss…missing?…something missing…huh?” Jonathan was abruptly cut off as the blue light again moved out of the ball, first connecting with Dawn, then Willow, and then with Xander.

Anxious for results, Spike stepped forward to get a better look at the map. “Well??” but then Spike took an involuntary step backwards as he was suddenly hit with a fourth stream of the blue light. When all four were connected, everyone watched in awe as the light changed back to a bright, electric blue.

Dawn smiled perceptively, “Now we know who was missing…” Spike returned her smile, overwhelmed by what had just happened. Had Buffy been missing him, also?

Jonathan announced, “Here we go.” Then the yellow light streaked out of the orb marking the map. All light suddenly faded as before, but they now had a destination.

As everyone began climbing into the SUV, they were stopped by Xander’s voice, “We’ve got another problem.” The mere mention of a delay infuriated Spike. Xander held up his hand, “Calm down, fang face. As much as I would like to see you become a crispy critter, the Buffster needs you right now. Why you’re today’s blue light special. But in case you havenoticoticed, Soon To Be Dust Boy, the sun’s coming up.”

Spike whirled around to stare at the coming sunrise. He had been so upset that he hadn’t even noticed the glow on the horizon. Willow was torn between hugging Xander, because she had been so relieved that he had offered Spike a type of olive branch, or comforting Spike, because she had been so touched that his concern for Buffy over shadowed his concern for his own self preservation. Willow settled for action, sending Dawn and Xander inside the truck stop to get something to block out the windows in the back of the SUV while she hustling the stunned vampire into the safety oe vee vehicle.

A few minutes later, the pair wearing suspicious grins came back and handed Spike a kiddie sun visor since, as Xander put it, the vamp was such a baby about the sun. As Spike unrolled the visor and found himself looking at the happy picture of Baby Bugs Bunny, everyone else cracked up. The tension thankfully broken and worry temporarily pushed to the background. Everyone loaded up to head out.

This time, Dawn crawled back into the third row seat with Spike and helped him cover the windows with shoe polish. When they finished, instead of returning to her seat in the second row, Dawn curled up against Spike, laying her head on his shoulder. “Spike, I’m glad you’re here.”

So simple a statement, but all the same, warming and precious to a long dead heart. Spike rested his head against the Bit’s, also calmed and comforted by her contact as she was his. “Wouldn’t have missed it for the world, luv.”

After a little while on the road, Dawn broke the heavy silence that had fallen over the passengers in the SUV. “Isn’t this the way we came last night?” No one had wanted to voice that worry, didn’t want to make Dawn any more concerned than she already was. “You know, when we brought you back from the airport…”

Stroking her hair with his hand, Spike answered her, “Yeah, the mark on the map was close to the airport, Platelet.” Spike quietly vowed, “But we’ll get her back, luv. I promise. We’ll do whatever it takes to get her back.”

TBC…