Hellmouth Heroes

A/N: The song lyrics are of my own invention, so no copyright notices.

FIC: Hellmouth’s Heroes (6/?)

“You know mates,” Spike drawled as he glanced around the room, revelling in his followers’ rapt attention. “That Slayer’s been a splinter in all our arses for far too bloody long.” He smiled at the muttered agreements. “Well, I say bugger to that! I’m sending for the Order Of Taraka!” Clapping followed his announcement. “That’ll put paid to her pretty little hide!”

“All that blood!” Drusilla giggled. “Such pretty colours.”

”They all bleed the same colour love,” Spike pointed out.

”Such pretty colours.”

* * *

“Careers Day! I don’t see why Wes and G are makin’ me go to this crap. I already know my destiny!”

“Lap dancer? I’ve been saving dollar bills-, OWWW!” Xander tried to release the grip Faith had on his ear but to no avail. “Sorry, I meant stripper!”

”And I meant Slayer.” Faith gave his ear a final agonising twist before releasing her steel grip. “Jesus, Harris,” Faith glared at him, “sometimes.”

“Yeah,” Xander kicked himself at the hurt in his friend’s soft eyes. Faith was so wild and carefree he sometimes forgot about the east coast native’s hinted at dark past. He didn’t know anything concrete, but he should watch his mouth. “Sorry.”

“It’s ‘kay,” Faith bumped him with a hip as they saw the others in the distance. “Now Cor, on the other hand, you thinking what I’m thinkin’?”

“Hooters girl?” Xander guessed.

Faith chortled. “I was going with Playboy centrefold, but that works too.” Faith’s chortles grew louder. “Jesus! Look at Johnno going red, he must have been listening in.”

“What do you think Jonathan’s career is going to be?” Xander asked. “Gigolo to the starlets?”

“Nah,” Faith winked at Xander, “I’m thinking of keeping himself for myself.” Faith slumped against him, tears of laughter rolling down her face when Jonathan tripped over and fell to the ground, the others running over to help him up. “Ohhhh too funny!”

“You’re evil,” Xander reproved with a grin.

”It’s a skill,” the Slayer reported.

”You two!” Their amusement died at Snyder’s bark. “You just walked past our flag without saluting. Hit the ground and give me twenty! Now!”

“I swear, ever since Halloween……” Faith shook her head as the principal stalked away. “He’s been even worse than before.”

* * *

“You realise whichever clinically insane woman you had under you has got up and left?” Gunn queried as the others pulled up level with them.

“Ha!” Cordy giggled. “I bet she didn’t notice either.”

“We forgot to salute the flag,” Xander shot the black man a glare as he rose, “and you know what Snyder’s like after being possessed by Captain America.”

Faith grinned at Jonathan. “Why did you fall over before J.L.? I thought Wolverine was meant to be graceful an’ all?”

“Aye, um, well-.”

“Hey,” Faith glanced at her watch. “We better hustle, otherwise we’re gonna be late.”

“Wouldn’t that be a shame?” Cordelia sniffed. “I just know what I’m going to be.” Xander snorted, memories of his conversation with Faith still fresh in his mind. “What?”

He forced his face to sober at Cordy’s suspicious gaze. “Nothing Cor,” he lied.

The entrance hall inside was filled with stalls from all of the major industries and trades, in addition to the forces’, and those from the professions – doctoring, accounting, lawyering, and teaching. Although Xander couldn’t comprehend any child who’d been through Snyder ever wanting to teach.

“I wish a park ranger had come.”

Faith’s brow furrowed and the east coast brunette glanced towards him, mouth opening. “Freddy went as Ka-Zar, lord of the jungle for Halloween,” Xander explained in a whisper. “Ever since he’s been mad about wildlife.”

“Ah,” Faith nodded sagely. The beauty’s dark eyes widened. “Hey there’s a guy from the prison service. I figure I’d make a good -.”

”Inmate?” Oz shook his head. “You have enough trouble at school, can’t see you in another institution.”

“I can, only it would have to have ‘mental’ in its title,” Xander cracked.

”Funny fuckers,” Faith shot them both a glare in turn. “I meant as a guard, laying the smackdown.”

Xander shuddered as the leather-clad temptress started towards the guard. “Remind me never to get pulled over. I don’t want to be doing thirty days in county if she’s the guard.”

“Oh I don’t know.” Everyone turned towards a reddening Jonathan. “Oops, did I say that aloud?”

* * *

Faith was perhaps a foot from the desk when the guard, a tough-looking broad in her early forties, rose to greet her. “Hey,” Faith said. The woman stuck her hand out. After a half-second Faith reached to grasp it.

”Faith! Hit the deck!”

Faith reacted instinctively at Jonathan’s shout, flinging herself to the right just as a spike shot out of the woman’s sleeve and flew right at where she’d been stood. Her eyes widened as someone, she couldn’t see who, grabbed the object and flung it back at the woman. The spike caught the would-be killer under the chin and in the throat, lifted her from her feet, and flung her into the wall behind, blood showering everywhere.

“Jesus!” Faith leapt up as her friends ran up to her. “Thanks guys! But how did-.” Her voice trailed off at Xander’s shaking head. “What?”

“It wasn’t one of us.” Jonathan said a second before Xander could.

* * *

“This is very grave,” Giles said as he paced the floor.

”Darn tootin’ it’s grave,” Faith lifted her feet to put them onto the library table only to drop them at her Watcher’s glare.

“No,” Giles shook his head. “You don’t understand. If what I saw in your memory is -.” The Watcher’s gaze snapped to the door as it swung open, and Wesley strode in.

“Bad news I’m afraid,” the younger Englishman scowled. “I managed to get a glimpse of the demon’s body and what Faith saw was correct. It was an Order assassin.”

“A what?” Xander asked.

“The Order of Taraka,” Wood said. “An order of assassins dating back to the times of King Solomon some three thousand years ago. Once hired they keep going, no matter happens.”

“Then,” Xander rose from his seat. “We’ve got a problem.”

“No witty remarks for us Xander?”

Xander shook his head. “I don’t think it’s appropriate, Giles.” The young man stuffed his hands in his pockets, brow furrowing in thought. Faith’s bud looked towards the older of the two Englishmen. “How do we find out who hired the Order?” Xander stared at Giles. “Can you mind-read the town?”

“Close to a hundred thousand people live in Sunnydale,” Giles replied. “Can you imagine how long that would take? I’m not even sure I can read demon minds yet. And I’m not comfortable with so casually invading people’s privacy.”

“I’m not real comfortable with being dead either,” Faith dryly reminded.

Wood shook his head. “It wouldn’t make a difference anyway. The Order are always paid up front. Even if we deal with the Order’s hirer, they’ll keep on coming. It’s a matter of saving face.”

“Okay then.” Xander pursed his lips together. “Then we make the price of Faith too high.”

“If there’s one thing I ain’t it’s cheap,” Faith chirped.

”In that midriff top, you’re the very definition dear,” Cordy snarked.

”Before you two start,” Giles sighed. “Xander, your plan?”

”We find the assassins and kill them,” Xander replied.

”They’ll merely send more,” Wesley objected.

”You’re super-powered, people.” Xander smiled. “Not me though. But one thing Frank Castle knows its war by terror. And that’s what we’re going to give them.”

Faith got goose-pimples at Giles’ sudden smile. Damn, her Watcher could be a scary fucker when he wanted to be. “What do you have in mind?”

“First, we need that assassin’s ring.” Xander replied. “Then we need to send a message.”

* * *

“When Satan comes a callin’.
There’s no point a stallin’.
When he wants to-.”

The jukebox crackled off as the bar’s door crashed open, a trio strode in, and something flung by one of its members smashed into it, tearing through its garish front. “When you get that out of the jukebox you’ll find it’s a ring, a Tarakan ring.” A shocked mutter ran through the crowded demon bar. The shaven-headed black kid smiled at the reaction. “Someone made the mistake of sending its owner after the Slayer. Now she’s bad-tempered.”

“She’s annoying,” a blue-haired youth added.

“Has a rather smart mouth,” added a youngish Englishman.

“But she’s one of us,” the black kid continued. “Spread the word, anyone who comes for her, comes for all of us. And that’s a really bad idea.”

With that the trio backed out.

* * *

“You threw the ring through the jukebox?”

Gunn shrugged at Wes’ comment as they strode through the blustery street, the wet wind hitting them. “I’m still getting used to my strength,” he admitted.

“I think they got the message,” Oz commented.

“Now we have to back it up,” Gunn replied, tone grim. “We’re at the bus station.”

* * *

Sunnydale Docks

“Oh this weather is murder for my hair, can’t you do anything about the rain, Alana?”

Alana rolled her eyes at Cordy’s moaning. She liked the rich girl far more than she thought she would, the cheerleader had unsuspected depths but that didn’t stop her being a world-class complainer. “I told you,” she patiently replied. “My powers don’t extend to that. Besides, the rain’s good for our cover.”

“It might make us hard to be seen, but it also makes it hard to see-,” the cheerleader squinted. “Wait, someone’s getting off that fishing boat.”

Alana peered through the downpour. Sure enough, a stooped, cloaked figure was climbing off a just berthed fishing boat, its crew giving the passenger a wide berth. “Let’s see if they’ve got a ring.”

Cordelia nodded before striding out. “I thought you said the club was down here!” the tall brunette trilled as they headed towards the potential demon.

Alana hid a grin, her friend certainly wasn’t an actress. “Look you said you wanted a change!”

“Yeah, but here!” Cordelia shook her head as they passed the figure. “You see it?”

Alana nodded. The creature was tall and spindly, with a sharp-featured face and a mouth that glinted. More importantly was the ring glinting on one of its skeletal fingers. “Excuse me sir,” the beast began to turn towards her, eyes gleaming coldly. “Can you give me directions to-.”

“Oh forget this,” Cordelia stepped past her and uppercutted the monster in the jaw. The demon’s head snapped back, its cowl dropping down, revealing that the bottom of its face, its jaw and teeth were entirely metal. “Owww!”

Her friend fell back, holding her hand. The demon growled and leapt at Cordelia, mouth opening. “No!” Alana yelled, hand shooting out to send a lightning bolt flying at the demon.

Her lightning bolt smashed into the demon’s mouth. “Ahhhhh!” Fire and smoke flew from the demon’s mouth as it fell to the ground, body shuddering.

“Lucky I weakened it for you,” Cordelia grinned at her before sobering. “Let’s get out of here.”

“Wait!” Alana dropped into a crouch and pulled the ring off the corpse’s finger. “Now, let’s go.”

* * *

Sunnydale Bus Station

Gunn yawned as the last bus of the day arrived and its passengers disembarked. He glanced down when his companion stiffened beside him. “What’s up?”

“There’s an assassin here,” Jonathan said.

Gunn glanced over the stream of passengers. They were an unimpressive lot, he couldn’t see any that he’d consider an assassin. “Which one?”

”The little old lady.” Gunn glanced at Jonathan. The diminutive teen shrugged. “Hey don’t doubt Wolverine’s eyes. She’s wearing a Tarakan ring.”

“Fine.” Head shaking, waited until the other passengers had dispersed. Gunn started towards the old woman, a bird-like, snowy-haired woman in a flowery dress. “Hello ma’-.” Gunn gasped as the woman’s tongue shot out of her mouth and crashed into his chest with a knifelike impact. The woman stared at him in surprise before leaping at him, left hand slashing at Gunn’s chest.

Her nails sliced through his denim jacket but bounced off his chest. The ‘woman’ stared at her hand in stupored surprise. And then Gunn brought his fist down on the top of the demon’s head.

The creature collapsed against the bus’ side, hissed, and leapt back at him again. Gunn leaned back, the creature’s nails slicing air rather than his eyes, then straightened, and punched the demon straight in the throat. The demon purpled and fell against the bus side again. Before the beast had chance to recover Gunn stepped towards it, grabbed its head and twisted.

Its neck broke with an almighty snap. Gunn released the creature’s limp corpse, allowing it to slide to the ground, and turned towards Jonathan. “Thanks for the help.”

“I spotted it didn’t I?” Jonathan pointed out. “Don’t forget its ring.”

* * *

Faith crouched in the shadows, watching everyone who entered the Sunnydale motel. It bugged her, having to rely on others, she was the Slayer, she should be able to handle this on her own. “See that big man, he’s got two heartbeats.”

Faith glanced at her companion. “Well that ain’t normal.”

Oz smiled slightly. “Thought I’d point it out.”

“Yeah,” Faith sighed as she looked towards the man climbing out of a car. The guy had the height of a basketball player and a build of a footballer combined into one ferocious package. “I suppose I should go deal with him,” she sighed.

Why couldn’t there be any one-legged, armless assassins, Faith mused as she stalked across the puddled parking lot, eyes narrowing as she noticed the brass ring on her target’s hand. Stepping behind the oblivious man as he bent towards the back door, she grabbed the back of his tree-trunk neck and shoved his head through the closed window.

“Ahhhhh!” Glass shattered as the creature’s head flew through the window, blood splattering the luggage left on the back seat. Faith went to kick the man’s legs from under him only for her foot to bounce off the demon’s limbs.

“Shit!” Faith groaned as the monster turned to her, blood masking its face. She ducked under a straight right before gliding into a spinning thrust kick to the monster’s chest.

“Graaa!” the creature flew through the air to crash into the motel’s wall with enough force to crack it. The monster pulled himself upright and started towards her, swatting Oz out of the air when he attempted a dropkick, the rock guitarist rolling up into a crouch.

Faith charged to meet the monster only to be grabbed around the throat. The moment the creature began to squeeze, Faith looped her arms around one of the beast’s legs, lifted it off the ground, and dropped backwards. The beast hit the ground headfirst, skull shattering like an egg as its brains splattered across the tarmac.

Faith leapt up, tossing her head back. “Well he’s toast. Grab his ring.”

* * *

Gunn leapt behind the bus, hitting the ground on his shoulder before rolling up to his feet. Flames scorched the ground where he’d been stood, Gunn grimaced as he risked a look at the advancing demon. The monster was maybe five feet tall with thick shoulders and spindly limbs, its jaw open impossibly wide and forked tongue dancing over his glinting fangs.

Jonathan suddenly dropped off the roof of a bus to the thing’s left, catching it with a double-footed dropkick to the side of its head. The beast crashed into the bus behind it. Flame erupted from its mouth but Jonathan was already leaping to the side, catching the beast with a kick to the belly, before diving under the bus.

Gunn took his chance, charging the distracted demon. The moment the beast began to turn towards him, he leapt towards it, catching the thing with a clothesline to the throat. The monster hit the ground with a thud, Gunn straddling it. Before the demon could react, he grabbed its head and twisted its head off its shoulders.

He looked over his shoulder at the sound of approaching footsteps as he pulled the assassin’s ring off its finger. “Nice interference, Jon.”

* * *

Giles gazed at the rings stacked on the centre of the library table. “Including the demon that Faith killed at careers day we’ve killed eight demons in the last three days.” He looked up at Xander. “Are you sure this war by terror will wo-.”

The door swung open and a short, scholarly man with thinning grey hair and watery eyes strode in. “Hello,” the man’s voice had a nasal quality. “I understand you are Faith Lehane’s Watcher?”

“What’s it to you?” Xander demanded suspiciously.

“I represent the Tarakan Order,” the man flinched at Xander’s growl. “I’m here to inform you our Order has cancelled the contract on Ms. Lehane and returned the money to the principal. The town of Sunnydale has been declared off-limits to our agents for the foreseeable future.”

“Convince us,” Xander challenged. “Give us a reason not to kill you.”

“W…what w…would s…suffice?” the scholar’s Adam’s Apple bobbled.

“The name of the contractor,” Wesley said, his clipped tone carried with it an undercurrent of menace. The man’s mouth opened. “And please, no protests. This isn’t a negotiation.”

The Taraka employee’s gaze jumped from each of them in turn. “William the Bloody.”

* * *

“You took a risk, Scott,” Larry reproved. “I thought we were supposed to be under the radar?”

Scott shrugged. “I couldn’t let her get a second shot off at Faith could I? Besides, we know Faith’s different and everything, but who would send assassins after her? That’s the important question.”

Larry’s mouth opened. “What’s done is done,” Lance interrupted. “Scott wasn’t noticed, that’s the important point here.”

* * *

“Good boy.” Oz made to pat his cousin on the head, only to yank his head back when Jody tried to bite him, the four year old’s teeth no match for his enhanced reflexes. Oz smiled down at his cousin. “Nice try, but don’t do that again. Biting’s wrong.”

* * *

“They’ve returned my money!” Spike slammed his fist into the table, cracking it down the middle. “Those spineless buggers have backed out!” He spun to Dalton. “Have you got the parts?”

The bespectacled vampire reared back at his anger, “Y…yes.”

“Then start putting them together,” Spike snarled. It was time to put the back-up plan into operation.