The Future Is What We Make

A/N (~ ~) indicates internal communication (# # ) indicates different language

Chapter 5

Over the next several weeks, the Sunnydalers slowly merged with the Hyperion group. There remained a distance, however, between Buffy and the former ex-Sunnydalers that would often erupt into many tense confrontations between those loyal to Buffy and those more accepting of the new Hyperion members.

With Buffy agitating an already stressful situation, Angel knew he had to make a painful decision with regards to Buffy. Watching her degenerate into someone he didn’t even know was painful to him, no matter what the Oracles said, he couldn’t stand to see her hurting without trying to help. But on the other hand, she was spiraling out of control and her decisions were becoming increasingly costly to herself, and to anyone that she took out on the field and trained.

Watching how well Xander’s people operated and fought, Angel reluctantly made the decision to replace her. The meeting was brief and achingly painful for both of them. He never wanted to go through something like that again, he thought, resting in his chair, his head pounding. For her sake he hoped that she was able to resolve the conflict in her soul, because he sure as hell couldn’t.

After his meeting with Buffy, he thought long and hard over who he could find that could possibly take over her position. He had initially thought of Xander and questioned the boy discretely on the subject of taking over or at least taking a more active role.

“No offense, Dead…I mean Angel,” Xander said with a smile, “But right now, I can’t see myself taking on more responsibility. I’ve already got enough on my plate right now with the kids and all.”

He looked thoughtful for a moment, “If your looking for someone, I think either Graham or Forrest would jump at the offer, Riley would be better at the job but he won’t do it though.”

Angel tried to picture the three solemn face young men, “You think Graham or Forrest would be interested,” he mused.

“Well, while I can’t guarantee it, I’m relatively sure that Forrest at least would probably flash his teeth in a bit of a smile,” Xander said with a snicker. Forrest’s deadpan expression was a running joke back in Sunnydale, often being referred to as Tuvok or simply 'The Vulcan'.

Angel looked at Xander, “But you think Riley would be better though, but not interested? Why?”

Xander looked torn, before saying, “Look it’s kinda personal, so if you are serious about the offer, you'll have to ask him and if he wants to tell you, it's his choice.”

Angel looked at him, admiring the honesty and loyalty Xander displayed, realizing that what Xander's people gave to him, he gave back to them with his loyalty, faith and trust. Wondering why was it so important to him that he gain Xander's faith as well as his trust..

"Fair enough," he said quietly, watching the relieved smile spread on Xander's face, ile ile that did strange things to him inside.

Angel went in search of Riley and found the ex-soldier in the kitchen washing dishes. Quietly he asked to speak with the soldier privately, sighing, well aware of the interested looks on everyone's face and that within one hour the news would be all over the hotel.

Entering his office, Riley held up a hand halting Angel from speaking. His hands clasped behind him in what Angel belatedly recognized as a parade rest stance, his eyes forward.

"Before you begin, I would like to go on record in saying that I have no interest in the job," Riley said calmly, lowering his eyes to meet Angel's unflinchingly.

Angel looked rueful, "Rumor mills been at it again, huh?"

Riley smiled slightly, "That and the fact that Xan was seen in your office right after you *asked* Buffy to step down," Riley said frankly, his eyes twinkling, remembering the blank look on the Slayer's face.

Angel toyed with a pencil and said quietly, "Xander said that you would probably refuse and that it was something personal. He also said that if I really wanted to know, I would need to ask you." He raised his head, eyes intent on the blond soldier.

Riley's face seemed to freeze, becoming distant and remote before he sat. "What has Xander or anyone told you about Sunnydale," he finally said, looking down at his clenched hands.

"That things were, are bad then," Angel said mildly, his eyes watchful.

Riley gave a short bark of cold laughter that made Angel shiver. He met Riley's eyes and almost drew back in alarm at the hellish look lurking deep within the tormented gaze before Riley blinked and the look was gone.

"Bad?! Bad is like comparing a candle to a roaring fire, both produce light and heat, but the intensity...," he shook his head before continuing.

"In Sunnydale, I was part of a grand covert operation called the Initiative sponsored by the good ole U.S. Government. Our job was to capture hostiles, contain them, study them and most of the time, kill them. These hostiles were demons and other non-humanoid creatures," Riley looked Angel in the eyes, knowing what the reaction would be.

"You what?!" Angel was aware that his gameface was on but he didn't give a tinker's damn! This...this mortal just said his job was to capture and kill demons...he was a fuckin' demon. He growled low in his throat watching the man, trying to tamp down his rage.

"Continue," he ordered harshly, curiously enough he didn't smell fear on the man.

Riley looked at him unafraid, he had faced death too many times for a mere vampire to terrorize him, "There were over 300 men and women within the Initiative. This included doctors and other non-military personnel. I had over 50 people within my unit, that I was responsible for. I believed strongly in what I was doing. Demons were the bad guys, we were the good ones, right? My belief was justified when the demons invaded the Initiative and freed all of the captive demons. I was arrogantly secure in my belief that *We* were far superior to the demons, afterall weren't we the good guys and they were just soulless evil creatures, how could we possibly loss; sure of my belief I led my unit to their deaths. The demons slaughtered just about everyone in the compound. Out of over 300 people, only five of us escaped. It took the demons 30 minutes to destroy what it took 15 years to build."

"We made it to the surface, helping our wounded. We barely made it to an abandoned house before we collapsed from our injuries. One of my men died during the night, they told me later. But I had been injured badly and was suffering from a high fever, we all were. Lying there, helpless to defend ourselves, we were fresh meat for the taking," Riley smiled bitterly.

"And a family living in the house saw us and took care of us throughout the next several days. Cleaning our wounds, bathing us, forcing water and food down our throats, they kept us alive. All I was aware of was warm gentle hands, holding me, stroking my head when the nightmares got too bad, singing softly to me. And slowly we recoved and guess who had been taking care of us...a family of demons!" Riley paused looking away before meeting Angel's eyes squarely.

"Here I was in the business of capturing, extracting information, and killing demons and they...they knew who we were, what we were but they still helped us, protected us," Riley said hoarsely, still meeting Angel's now unreadable expression.

"But Jefferson, he didn't see things that way. He only saw Black and White. For him, there was no Gray. We heard some screaming one day and ran into a room to see Jefferson trying to kill the old female. When I pulled him off of her, he protested that she was evil and needed to die. Since we didn't have any place to contain them any longer, he decided to simply kill her and then move on to the rest of the family."

"I tried to reason with him, Graham and Forrest did too but I could see by the look in his eyes that as soon as over backs were turned he would try again." Riley paused again, his eyes never straying from Angel's.

"So I killed him," he said baldly watching the slight look of shock flicker across the vampire's face.

"Those creatures, those people had risked themselves for us and this is how we tried to repay them, to show them that not all humans were murdering beasts?! I had changed within the week I lay recovering as did Graham and Forrest but Jefferson, he had held on to his beliefs. And I killed him for something that I had once believed in just as strongly as he. He was a member of my unit, my best friend...I had even dated his sister! I should have seen that he hadn't changed like us, I should have....," Riley took a deep shuddering breath, lifting his hands helplessly, " I u I used these hands to snap his neck."

"And I swore that I would never lead more than five men at a time or 30 in case of an emergency. You see, I don't quite...trust myself anymore, despite Xander's faith in me," he smiled a little ruefully, shaking his head, "If I listened to him, I could probably fly."

Angel sat in silence, what these people went through constantly staggered him. He met Riley's unflinchingly eyes, "For what it's worth, I agree with Xander, you would make a fine leader," he told the man quietly.

Riley inclined his head, "And for what it's worth, I thank you," he said evenly, "But it doesn't mean a damn thing if I don't have the confidence in myself."

Angel looked at him and knew the man was right. In order to inspire confidence in your men, you needed to have confidence in yourself.


On a separate front, Cordy slowly began reconnecting with her former friends. Working hard to reestablish the bonds that she had once shared with Xander, with Willow and Oz. And especially with Harmony, who was proving to be the most difficult to get close to again.

No longer were she and Harmony the vapid bitches from high school. They had really lost sight of each other when she had joined up with the Scoobies, choosing instead to actually make a difference in the world around her rather just make a difference in the fashionable elite in high school.

But Harm had also changed in way that she almost didn’t want to know. Sometimes, she would get a glimpse of a hellish look in Harm’s eyes that would scared the piss out of her.

But she kept on trying with everyone. Never giving up, no matter how many times they rejected her. They were never obvious about their rejection but she got the message and saw the barely concealed scorn. The distance in their attitude was because they felt she could not possibly relate to the kind of life they led in Sunnydale.

She knew she had finally succeed the day when Willow asked her to watch Benny for an hour.

And trusting Willow’s judgment, the former Sunnydalers finally, grudgingly accepted Cordy into their midst.

Finally conceding defeat in trying to get Xander and his people thrown out of the hotel, Buffy snuck out of the Hyperion early to met up with Gavin to get the permanent soul anchoring spell for Angel. Wearing a long jacket with the hood over her head, she walked trying not to attract undue attention to Gavin’s shop which like many in L.A. stayed open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week catering also to their demon clientele.

Quietly she entered the shop, pretending to examine several items until she saw Gavin was free.

“Psst, Gavin!” she whispered stepping up to the counter, “Gavin, it's me Buffy, remember,” she said quieted, her eyes darting around the shop before looking up inot Gavin’s asiatic face.

“Buffy Summers,” he whispered also learning towards her, “What are you doing here? Something I can help you with? And why are we whispering?”

And in her state of excitement, dread and worry, she didn’t notice the cold mockery in his eyes or the slight hardness around his mouth.

“Uhm, you remember that you said you knew someone that could help me with making a soul permanent,” she asked hesitantly, feeling reassured at the slight smile on Gavin’s face. She lowered her hood, the better to talk to him.

“Oh, oh yes,” Gavin nodded, “Let me tell them that I’m taking a breakfast and I can take you to him,” he made this last part a question. His orders were to let her come to him and not to push for fear of spooking the Slayer. She was crucial to their plans of getting into the Hyperion.

“Yo…you can do it now?” Buffy’s face was alight with happiness. Who knows, maybe by the time Angel wakes up, she’ll be back presenting his permanent soul solution. And if she got real lucky, maybe things would get back to normal before THEY arrived.

“Why yes, of course I can. You do remember how muhis his cost don’t you,” he warned, hesitating.

“Yes,” Buffy beamed at him, “I’ve been saving up for months now to afford this,” she ended happily.

Gavin lifted a brow, “Very well let me get my jacket and we’ll be on our way.”

He retreated into a darken hallway and Buffy could faintly hear voices before Gavin came back out with another man who gave her a brief dismissive look that made her blink.

Rude much? What the hell was his problem, she wondered absently as n esn escorted her out the door.

They walked in silence for a few minutes before Gavin directed their steps down a slightly darken alley, she could see the busy traffic at the other end. But for the first time, she stared feeling a little uneasy with what she was doing. Alone and without telling anyone where she had gone.

Swallowing heavily, she asked nervously, “Are you sure this is the right way?” She glanced anxiously around, stepping over moldering heaps of refuse, wrinkling her nose in disgust at the smell. Jumping every time she heard something rustling behind her only to see a rat darting into the shadows. Gradually becoming less spooked by the vermin hiding in the shadows.

Gavin looked down at her in feign surprise, “Of course,” he said easily. Pointing to a shop at the other end, “See that place? The one with the green and gold sign…that’s his shop.”

She pd fod forward, stepping carefully over a discarded black cable her eyes intent on the direction he was pointing, jumping as she felt something bite her neck. Smacking at her neck with a surprise Ow! she pulled her hand away expecting to see a squashed bug, shivering at the spot of blood on her palm…her eyes went blank and she stood frozen. In her mind she was continuing to talk calmly with Gavin as they made it through the alley and into shop.

Gavin looked at the blank face of the Slayer, frowning he waved a hand in her face. Taking a deep breath, he slapped her hard across her face exhaling in relief when she didn’t rip his head off.

He looked up as a moldering heap began moving and shifting before a demon stood erect, a disagreeable expression on his face. The crazy things he did for Wolfram and Hart, was the irritable thought. He would be everlastingly thankful when his contract finally ran out.

“It looks as if she’s out of it,” Gavin said calmly enough despite his racing heart.

“Of course she’s out, you stupid human,” the demon snapped, “I am, afterall the best in the business.”

He was tempted to snatch this human also, you never knew when you would have extras over for dinner one night, his tongue flickered out. His people much preferred eating their prey live. But unfortunately their rather small teeth meant that it would often take days or weeks to consume their prey. And all that screaming and yelling from dinner would frequently get on their nerves, making digesting dinner difficult to say the least. After thousands of years, his people had evolved to a point where they produced a toxin, putting their dinners into a highly susceptible state, a happy place while they were being eaten alive.

Gavin shuddered as he saw T'kla's deadly tongue, swallowing hard at the sight. It was hollowed and pointed at the tip housing the small store of mind bending hallucinogen, remembering just how the Danzor demons consumed their prey.

It was a win-win situation, dinner stayed happy and contented, and they got to eat without all that annoying screaming.

Everyone was a little relieved that Buffy hadn’t been around for the last couple of days; a little nervous, of course, wondering what she was going to do when she got back. But this time, they all knew that she may be permanently out of the hotel, because Angel was roaring mad at her; and no one wanted to be in Bufry’s shoes when she finally returned.

Buffy would be lucky if the only thing Angel did was kill her.

Three days later, Xander, Willow and Oz decided to take Cordy out for her 21st birthday to escape the tension they could sense building in the hotel. Being around an extremely pissed off Master Vampire made for a very jumpy bunch of people. And, nobody wanted to be around Angel when he finally blew.

Angel even had Spike sneaking around the hotel trying to avoid Angel. The only person that he didn’t dare snarl at was Joce, so everyone quickly tried to make sure that Joce was around them at all times. Xander had to finally step in quickly when he noticed the bribery that was beginning to happen and that Spike coaching her on what to demand.

After a very enjoyable dinner, they walked back to the hotel. They had plenty of time to get back before it got dark and needless to say they were all armed, no human went out these days without some serious form of protection. Axe, sword and knives discretely concealed in their clothing.

“You guys seem to be settling in okay,” Cordy remarked with a slow smile.

Oz merely smiled in acknowledgment as he glanced around, always on the alert.

“Yeah, it seems to be a bit calmer and easier to get along without Buffy around,” Willow remarked with little change in her voice.

“Yeah,” Cordy nodded, “I know what you mean. Sometimes she can come across as an UberBitch.”

Xander bumped her shoulder gently with his, “Trying to take your title, huh?” he teased, smirking under the immediate protest from Cordy.

“Yeah, like that'll happen!” She thought about that for a minute, then, “Xander Harris! I am not a bitch,” she exclaimed, then looked loftily around, “I’m just misunderstood.”

Her smile grew under their laughing ‘Nooooo!’

Her smile grew sly as she remarked, “I see that you seem to be getting along much better with Angel,” she snickered at the uncomfortable look that crossed Xander’s face.

Xander hesitated before saying, “Well, I hafta admit that maybe, just maybe,” he stressed, “That I was wrong about him. He’s trying to do good, just like everybody else. No matter what the Dark Powers throw at him.”

There was a tinge of reluctant admiration and something else in his voice that caused Willow to look at him sharply before she looked away.

They walked quietly for a few minutes before Xander broke the silence.

“So Cordy, how does it feel to be legal,” Xander teased.

“Ya know, I thought I would feel…something but the only thing different I can feel is how short my hair is,” Cordy grumbled. “I still can’t believe I let you talk me into short hair,” she glared at Willow who walked along unperturbed.

“Long hair is dangerous in a fight. An enemy can easily grab it and control you with it,” Willow said placidly. Full belly and good friends made for a calm Willow, she said out loud, and grandly she ignored their laughter.

"Your hairs still long," Cordy grumbled as she pointed that out.

They passed by an old abandoned building, surrounded by a rusted gate.

Oz began growling.

Willow and Xander instantly snapped into defensive mode, looking around with wary eyes. They couldn't see the enemy but they trusted Oz’s ability to sense danger.

Before Xander could open his mouth, a powdery dust fell around Willow.

The effect on her was immediate.

Her scream of pain, of agony shattered the silence as she dropped writhing to the ground.

Within a few short seconds, they were under attack.

Oz, Xander and Cordy centered around the downed Willow, trying to protect her as they fought off the attack.

Oz shifted into his wolf form, snarling savagely as he fought , protecting his mate.

Xander was equally fierce as he defended his friends.

One attacker managed to slip past them, snagging the Willow’s writhing form and threw her body on a rusted iron spike.

Her scream of agony froze them all, attackers and defenders alike. An icy chill seem to sund tnd the embattled trio and all three snarled as they attacked, almost with little regard to themselves. And her attacker paid with his life as Cordy cut his head off.

Oz battled on, ripping brutally at demonic flesh. Deep within the wolf’s mind, Oz knew that he would not survive this fight, he had already taken too many wounds and had lost too much blood, but he was determined to go down fighting.

With a howl, he managed to clear a path to Willow, swiftly followed by Cordy and Xander.


Back at the hotel Doyle screamed, falling to the floor in agony. This vision was almost blinding in it's intensity.

"Danger!" he said through gritted teeth, "Help them!" His body writhed on the floor, moaning in agony.

"Who," Wesley shouted, trying to hold on to the man's writhing body.

"Cordy, Xander and Willow...attacked....hurry...," Doyled gasped, blood trickling down his nose, "Carter Street...hurry damn you....HURRY!" he screamed, clutching at his head.

Angel was already heading out the door with a dozen warriors trailing behind him, running for Carter Street.

As they raced closer, a howl of fury shook the air.

Rage.

Pain.

Grief.

Xander and Cordy fought a losing battle against the demons before they were finally overwhelmed by the sheer brute strength of the demons.

#"Which one we take,"# asked one looking from Xander to Cordy.

$"Witch say long, dark hair,"# another said puzzled.

#"All short hair,"# grunted a third.

Their ears twisted, catching the sound of running feet, scenting the air they growled: Vampire rage coming!

*"Take! Take!" * grunted the fourth, pacing nervously back and forth.

They grabbed Xander and ran off with him, leaving behind a critically wounded Cordy, Willow and Oz for Angel to find.

"Oh fuck," whispered one of the men coming into view.

Harsh silence spread as they took in the grisly scene.
dy bdy bleeding from a multitude of wounds, Willow impaled on a iron fence and Oz...

...impaled on a spear embedded in the wall, his body constantly shifting, flowing from half human to wolf, whining as he feebly tried to get free. At the sight of Angel, a low mournful howl came from his muzzle and he met Angel's eyes, begging pleading, but snapping in animalistic reaction as Angel came closer, pulling him free.

Slow, harsh pants escaped him as Angel moved him closer to Willow and with a low whine and a weak lick at her face, he died.

Angel stood up slowly, "Take him, Cordy and Willow back to the hotel, the rest of you with me. Xander's still missing,” he said harshly, his eyes a solid gold.

“Dear God,” Wesley breathed as they brought Willow and Cordy in. He almost lost his dinner at the sight of the gaping bloody hole in Willow's abdomen. He was uneasily aware of Xander’s people ghosting into the lobby as finally Oz’s body was brought in by the grim looking men.

Spike took in the grim scene, snatching back a screaming Mikey and Joce as they tried to run to Willow. His face was set in stone, only a muscle jumping in his jaw revealing his true emotions as the children pressed closer to him.

“Where’s Angel,” Wesley shakily asked, hardly daring to ask the question that was being silently screamed behind him. He could feel the deadly silence forming behind him, like the hushed stillnessore ore a tornado.

The men returning with the injured women and the dead Oz could also feel the cold silence spreading throughout the hotel as they said quietly, “Looking for Xander.”

And the silence behind Wesley grew harder, colder, spiraling inward to the core. He had an awful feeling that when it erupted the damage was going to be devasting. Two people slipped quietly past him to gently cradle Willow and Oz and ascend upstairs while another glided past Wesley and carefully picked up Cordy’s unconscious body.

“Wait! Where aou tou taking her,” Wesley called out in panic, whirling around. And almost wished he hadn’t as he met the implacable remoteness in their eyes.

“Our Lady will wish to speak with her when she recovers,” Harmony said mildly, no emotion existed in her eyes as she turned away, pacing beside Larry who carried Willow’s limp body as another carried Cordy’s unconscious form.

Spike picked the shivering children up in his arms and went upstairs also but to his room, trying to do his best to distract them as they sat quivering on his bed.

He blinked as Joce looked up at him with fear on her face, "Something bad comin'."

Mikey nodded his head solemnly, "Yeah, big bad comin'," he stuck his thumb in his mouth and this time Joce didn't try to pull it away.

Spike tried to laugh their words off, "Oi, I'm the Big Bad! 'N, I'm already 'ere."

Joce looked at him with dark eyes, trembling, "It's badder 'n you. Can't you feel it?"

As Spike met their eyes, he shivered. Yeah, he could feel it too.


Wesley had, unfortunately, gotten a good look at the jagged hole in Willow’s body and the fact that she had obviously lost a great deal of blood , he shook his head sadly. They needed to face the hard truth that she was dying.

“Mrs. Osbourne has taken a grievous wound that is typically fatal, I’m afraid,” Wesley spoke quietly with regret. “I fear that with the loss of blood, it does not brood well for her.”

“Our Lady will live,” Andrew said quietly, looking up the stairs where Larry and the others had disappeared, and when he turned to face Wesley his eyes were a solid bl


“And the ones that took Xan will die,” he said this simply with little emotion.

Riley glided down the stairs to face Forrest, both with frozen unreadable expressions on their faces, before Forrest inclined his head and stepped back.

Riley turned around, “I want five magic s was warding the hotel, two more to attend our Lady; Tek, Maddog, Tyrone, Ace and Charlie I want you to go with one of Angel’s men back to help search for Xan.”

One of the demons who was unfortunately, not known for his intelligence sneered, “Hey, we don’t take orders from you.”

Andrew blinked and the demon screamed as he was slammed brutally against the wall, his limbs restrained by invisible bonds. Then one arm was freed as Wesley and Angel’s men watched mutely as it was broken with a sickening crack.

“Will there be any other comments,” Riley asked in the frozen silence, looking around, “Magic users, I want you on defensive…fighters, I want on offensive. If an enemy gets in, you damn well had better make sure that your ass is dead because if not,” his smile was ruthless and freezing cold, “Well, let’s just say the Lady has been teaching me a few things.”

He looked around, “People you have your orders, now move.”

And not once, Wesley realized, did Riley raise his voice. As he glanced around at the way the former Sunnydalers moved, it wasn’t necessary. They each knew what they had to do and moved with single grim purpose.

He watched closely and began noticing something strange, while it didn’t appear as if they were ‘scurrying’ he had rribrrible feeling that something had them all terrified.

Wesley stepped hastily away from a swiftly moving figure, trying to get to Riley. Riley had a map of the city spread over a table, speaking briefly to the men gathered around the table. Studying the map as someone indicated a point on the map, either nodding or shaking his head.

“Riley, may I have a word with you,” Wesley said after a moment of silently trying to gain the man's attention.

Riley glanced up, “Wesley, whatever you have to say, spit it out,” he said impatiently. “We’ve got too much to do right now,” he turned his head, “Hey Mark, Linda, don’t forget to tell your people that every container needs be filled with clean drinking water.”

They silently acknowledged the order and darted up the stairs.

Wesley hesitated briefly, “You sound as if you’re preparing for a seige,” he remarked quietly.

“A seige? No. But if Xan is not back by the time our Lady is recovered then this city’s going to fall on some serious hard times until she finds him,” Riley said with a look of cold amusement in his eyes and a couple of the ex-Sunnydalers echoed his icy amusement.

Wesley was startled, “What do you mean by that? No one has that kind of power,” he frowned.

“That may be true, but combined with the rest of her group of magic users, Willow can draw enough power to level downtown L.A.,” Riley said flatly. “And if that happens, then we need to be prepared for every contingency.” Riley looked back down at the map, his attention flickering to where Xander had been taken.

Wesley couldn’t leave well enough alone, “I thought you had refused to command,” he said quietly watching Riley ntlyntly. His heart jumped in his throat as Riley paused and slowly raised his head, he began to tremble at the arctic chill that the man was throwing off.

“As I told Angel, only in an emergency will I take command and you can’t get more urgent than now. Willow, without Xander or Oz to balance her is like a primal force of nature. She will destroy everything in her path looking for Xander."


….Xander slowly came to without moving, keeping his body loose and relaxed faking unconsciousness, despite the pain screaming through his head and body. It would have been much kinder to have killed him, he thought ruefully, maybe that’s why they took him alive.

“It’s the wrong fuckin’ person you morons,” he heard someone screaming. Then she began to rant on the doubtful ancestry of who ever she was screaming at. Xander listened at first, hoping to get a clue as to who and where he was, then he began to listen in sincere admiration as the woman continued to curse for a full ten minutes without repeating herself. He made notes of a few choice phrases for future reference to use on Spike, just in case he got out of here alive.

“He’s awake,” he heard someone announce coolly and for half a second he wondered who they were talking about. Idiot! he mentally gave himself a smack and silently sneered at the tattletaler.

He heard someone stomping closer, then his head was jerked to the side and he opened his eyes to see Amy gazing down at him.

“But on the other hand,” she purred, her eyes lighting up with malice, “We may still have a little fun with him if nothing else.”

Xander rolled his eyes, “Oh, for God’s sake, can’t you do better than that cheesy line?” he snapped. “You’re supposed to be evil, act like it!”

Amy drew back with a hiss, anger coloring her cheeks. “I am evil,” she yelled furiously pacing away, “I’m the most eviliest creature you’ve ever seen.” Her eyes turned pitch black in her rage expecting to see fear in his eyes, taken aback by his look of boredom.

Xander yawned, “Been there, seen that and I got the T-shirt,” he said calmly.

Amy’s eyes narrowed in icy fury, and she gestured. The chains holding Xander arms and legs began to tighten, stretching his body painfully.

“Reminds me,” he gasped, “Of the some of….the…. bedroom,” he groaned his neck arching, “Games my wife…..and I used ….to play,” he gasped. “Didn’t figure….you for a….. Peeping Tom, Amy.”

Despite his pain, he managed a smirk at the look of rage on her face as he forcefully ignored the pain blooming in his wrists and ankles. Thankfully the chains stopped. Then lightening writhed around his body and he twisted, jerking convulsively in pain, as scream was ripped from his throat.

The hulking demons guarding the door exchanged pleased grimaces, this was more like it! They loved working with Mistress Amy, she managed to pull the most delightful screams from the humans.

They eyed the Slayer standing behind the Danzor demon and licked their lips, she was going to be next.

“Ha! You still have a long way to go,” he gasped out, even managing a small laugh.

He saw a flash of movement and turned his head, gazing at three of the most incredibly beautiful creatures he had ever seen watching him with cool curiosity before his body was wracked with pain again.

He was shifted in his chains, his body spread in a human X and his torture began. She tortured him for hours as he kept gasping out snide comments about her lack of evil, calling her names like Mini-Evil, lil’l Evil Babe, The Tiny Tot of Evil and so on, dribbling blood from her continuous blasts at him, as long as he kept her off-balance she didn’t have enough control to really kill him…Willow had taught him well. He knew that Willow would find him very soon.

A hoarse scream ripped from his throat and he writhed in the chains as icy fire crackled over his body.

And he continued to taunt her, stroking her rage ever higher at her failure to break him.

Breathing raggedly, she stared with incredulous eyes as Xander wearily raised his head, his face, one eye bloodshot, the other swollen shut. She could practically hear the guards behind her, laughing at her, sneering at her.

“Tha’…bes’….’u….guh,” he slurred from bloody lips, a twisted smirk on his bruised and swollen face despite hanging limply from the chains.

“Enough,” Xander heard one of the demons say to Amy, “You cannot break him.”

He heard Amy snarl, “I can and I will break him!”

“No, you will not, all you will succeed in doing will be to kill him,” he heard someone else say as he tried to lift his head and passed out from the pain.

“You cannot break him using magic,”stated one demon coolly, calmly watching Amy’s face. “I suspect that he has been extensively train in that regard.”

Amy’s eyes glittered with hate, “I will break him, he will be crawling on his knees before me,” she hissed at them, spittle flying from her lips.

“You will think of a way to break him,” she ordered them harshly, forgetting in her rage exactly what she was dealing with.

Coldly, all three demons turned to her, regarding her with deadly, imperious eyes and she quailed before them.

"C'mon guys," she said, backing away even though they made no move towards her, other than simply look at her.

"Ya know I was just kidding, right?" she smiled nervously then straightened herself determinedly remembering that Holland Manners himself had given her their bonds. They had to do whatever she told them to do, she eyed them uneasily, at least she hoped that was how it worked. Mr. Manners wasn’t quite clear on that part.

She abruptly brightened, maybe he was testing her…to see just how committed she was. Her eyes hardened and her mouth twisted nastily, well she hadughtught of the best way to break him.

“Rape him,” she told the three demons coldly.

F’lon raised a brow, “Your pardon,” he said silkily, his eyes narrowing into cold slits, “What did you just tell us to do?”

“I said RAPE him!” Amy shouted, trying to impress her will on them.

Xander groggily came to at her scream, blearily blinking at the double images.

“No,” F’lon replied icily, regarding her with disgust.

Amy flushed, “I hold your bonds,” she hissed, her eyes glowing with fury, “You *will* do what I say!”

Jennes stepped up to F’lon’s side, “We refuse,” he said mildly, his eyes contemptuous as he gazed down at her.

Xander silently cheered, go Dudes go! Whatever it was that they were refusing to do was pissing Amy off big time….and in his view that was a good thing.

“We will not rape the boy,” Lourdey stated quietly and Amy shivered under his cold hooded gaze.

‘Boy’? Xander wondered horrified, Amy wanted them to rape a kid?! Mikey’s terrified face flashed in his mind…My God, what a freakin’ sicko she is. That’s it dudes, you stand up to that bitch, kick her ass he silently urged them on.

Amy mouth tightened then relaxed in a half-smile, so they wanted to play who’s the toughest, eh? She backed away from them, there was a flicker and in her hands she held their bonds.

The three demons immediately tensed, their eyes focused on the bonds in her hands.

“Now, let me see,” she said with mock thought, “Prince F’lon you apparently have about 3 days left on your bond, Judicator Lourdey you have 15 days left to serve while Prince Jennes has a mere 10 days left. Which one of you want to be the first Slowned in 14,000 years toak tak their oath bonds, to be named the first oath breaker in over 14,000 years…hmmm will it be you, Prince F’lon next in line for your father’s throne or how about you Prince Jennes, or could it possibly be Judicator Lourdey the next in line to the Judicator Seat?”

Their eyes flickered, turning to solid blue as their forms shifted, revealing the demon beneath their humanlike guise. She caught her breath, even after all this time she still was stunned at their aching beauty and she still wanted them. She would have gladly tossed Tara to the side for one night with any one of them except for the fact that she knew she would never leave the bed alive.

Her smile widened in malicious amusement, “Well, what’s it gonna be, boys?”

Xander had listened in mute horror, damn that bitch! He seethed with helpless fury wishing that he was free so he could give her a right hard punch, find the kid and get the hell out of here.

He peered blearily, what the hell was Buffy doing here and being all friendly with that demon? That Goddamn bitch set him up! He wanted to howl his rage and he strained against his chains, struggling to get free. Paying little attention to the demons reluctant agreement.

Meanwhile, Buffy stood talking to the little old shopkeeper, he was so incredibly nice and courteous, gently touching her to show her some of the items on display. She tried to hide her impatience from the old dude he just seemed so pathetically eager somehow for company. No matter what little whore Willow and dumbass Xander thought she wasn’t NOT a bitch, she sneered to herself. Besides the day she couldn’t take down some little old man, she smirked, was the day she hung up her Slayer belt.

Willow, Xander and Oz thought shdn’tdn’t know what they were all doing in the bedroom together for hours. She snorted, well I guess Willow finally got what she's been wanting for so long, two men lusting after her. The little whore must have some skills to keep both men tied to her side, Buffy smirked.

She cocked her head to the side, there it was again! What the hell was that noise, she wondered.

She interrupted the old man, "I'm sorry, but what's that noise that I keep hearing, it sounds like somebody screaming?!" She jerked around at the sound blinking as the shop walls shimmered, hesitantly she took a step and she gasped, drew back slightly, staring in open mouth amazement at the five huge demons that suddenly appeared and my God! was that Xander in chains? She started at a slight pinprick of pain at her neck

She swayed and roughly shook her head, "I'm sorry, I forgot what was I saying," she turned politely back to the little shopkeeper, blinking as his eyes seem to flash red. Must be his glasses, she thought uneasily, looking away and pretending an interest in the store shelves, feeling suddenly uneasy.

"You were talking about my bird screaming," T'kla said cordially, inwardly cursing. He needed more time to get the location of the warding spell on the hotel, the girl was proving to be surprisingly resistant to his probing questions. By all rights she should be eagerly blabbing everything she knew or suspected about the ward's origins.


The Oracles watched the torturous scene in their scrying pool.

~"Is there nothing we can do to help Alexander LaVelle Harris," the female said quietly.~

~"Perhaps," the male said softly, his eyes intent on Buffy. "She managed to shake off the drug far more quickly than they anticipated and is resistant to revealing the warding spell. We cannot interfere directly, but maybe we can...," he gestured and an image of a silver sword shimmered in the water before it wavered and disappeared, now appearing mounted on the wall behind Buffy.~

~"Will that work," the female said doubtfully, watching as Buffy continued chatting happily with the demon.~

~"I do not know, we have done all wn...n...now we must wait for events to play out," the male spoke gravely as he continue to gaze into the pool.~

#"I have an idea," Lourdey said in their own language, gazing at the smirking Amy.#

#"Well, hurry up, we don't have much time," Taryn said harshly, as he paced back and forth.#

#"What do you think of this idea," Lourdey said and rapidly explained his idea to the others and, a slow smile spreading on all three faces as they turned to the suddenly uneasy Amy.

"What did you just say," she said distrustfully, her eyes glinting suspiciously. All four ignored the rattling of the chains as Xander struggled fruitlessly.

"Nothing that concerns you," Taryn said with icy coldness. "We agree to rape him, however we will do it *our* way without your interference, is that clear?!"

His eyes dared her to argue and she knew that bond or no he would more than likely cut her down.

"Fine! But as long as you rape him, I won't interfere," she said with a nervous look at them, her chin lifting in bravado courage, "But you better rape him but good! I want to hear screams and begging from him by the time you're through, you got that?"

"You plan to watch," Jennes lifted a silvery blond brow in contemptuous amusement at her, knowing why she planned to stay.

"Then you will stand over there," Lourdey pointed to a spot 10 feet away.

Amy flushed at the look in all three of their eyes, gritting her teeth in fury...Damn them anyhow. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously as she thought then her hand darted into her pocket and withdrew a handful of silvery powder that she threw over them. She didn't give a damn if this broke the treaty, she wanted Xander laying before her bleeding, and begging her to stop them. She would figure out an explanation later.

Screaming hoarsely as their senses went wild, they fell to the floor, distantly aware that that Amy had stepped closer to them.

Snarling savagely Taryn tried to grab her, his hands lengthening into razor claws.

"You...broke... treaty," he hissed through clenched teeth, "You....will....Die!"

Amy chuckled nastily, "Oh no, pretty boy. Dumkin root is not magic it's a natural ingent.ent. Isn't it funny how when it's in its powdered form it does miraculous things to Jaztar demons. Why," her eyes rounded in mock surprise, "It makes them so much easier to get along with doncha' think? Docile one might even say. They follow orders quickly and without a lot of wasted arguing. And as for breaking the treaty well here's a thought for you...'Oh, my goodness poor Prince Taryn, Prince Jennes and Judicator Lourdey died in an explosion that took out my lab', tsk, tsk, tsk," she shook her head in mock sorrow.

"Do you think me that stupid that I wouldn't think you would try to wiggle out of my order," she demanded harshly, "You will rape him. NOW!" Her voice rose to a scream of fury on that last order.

Taryn exchanged glances with the others as they heard the chains clinking behind them and the chained human slowly lowered to the floor. Jerkily, they turned and staggered towards him, desperately fighting against their bodies.

Xander collapsed to the floor, his hours of imprisonment and torture leaving him weak. But still he struggled to free himself, to find the child and get them hopefully to safety. 'Cause nobody was getting raped, not on his watch!

He didn't notice the three demons lurching towards him until he felt a touch on his back and he jerked away, looking up at them in sudden fear....realizing exactly who was going get raped. He didn't know whether to laugh or cry in despair...here he was trying to prevent the rape of a child and it was him that was going to be raped.

He shook slightly as the three demons dropped heavily to their knees, surrounding him. Terror flashed through him before he rigidly controlled himself.

"We can not resist her commands," Taryn muttered through clenched teeth, his hand rising jerkily and awkwardly touching Xander's face. "We would kill you if we could to spare you, but alas we can not even kill ourselves." He moaned his distress against Xander's sweat soaked chest.

"Yes," Lourdey quietly hissed, his eyes lit with an incandescent fury as he nuzzled into the sweaty neck, licking at a slight bruise on the human's neck. "Send your mind to that other place, where there is no pain."

"Hurry!" Jennes said through gritted teeth as the urge to flip the young human over and rape him surged through his body, feeling the shudders wracking the tortured frame.
ndernder's mind was in a whirl, "Go soere ere in my mind," he whispered back harshly, then his eyes widened feeling the lessening of pain in his body. His eyes flashed to the demon in front of him, licking at his chest, watching as his wounds healed under the demon's tongue.

"We saw how you accepted her pain before, *you* were not in your body feeling the pain. You must go there, NOW!" Taryn laved softly at the youngling's earlobe before biting, ripping at the fleshy morsel feeling hot blood fill his mouth as he injected a numbing agent into the young human.

Xander arched his body with a low moan at the pain in his ear, his eyes leaping up to be held by Jennes torturous gaze, reading the pain, the shame in the demon's eyes before he nodded and let himself go.

//Xander rushed through room after room, throwing up thick heavy walls behind him as he finally reached Soldier and Hyena. And together they frantically began constructing the thickest walls they could manage. First Hyena's wall of vicious teeth, next Soldier put his military knowledge to use in forming a deep, wide ditch. Then it was Xander's turn as he reached into his memory, creating a wall of thorns, with each thorn 10 inches long.//

//They retreated three times, building their walls thicker, more massive with each retreat. They could sense the Red Beast howling just outside the thick walls, hammering to get in, he shared a grim look with Soldier as Hyena stood on his other side.//

//They stood, three grim warriors, shoulder to shoulder, or in the case of Hyena, shoulder to knee, ready to defend the Core from the Red Beast raging outside.//

As they felt the limpness of the body in their arms, the three demons quickly flipped him over. Feeling the involuntary jerking movements of the body beneath them as they each in turn thrust harshly into an even more bloodier body. Hoarse, low cries wcontcontinuously jerked out of the young human.

//Xander listened with a cold remote look in his eyes as he heard the first outer walls breeched. The pain in the Red Beast's screams as it felt the bite of Hyena's wall brought a flicker of a smile to his and Soldier's face and a rippling sound of mockery from Hyena.//

Amy looked on in furious disbelief. She was extremely tempted to storm over there and pull them apart and just kill Xander herself, but one cold look from Taryn halted her as he slid into Xander's writhing body.

Taryn glanced at Jennes and Lourdey as he took his turn in the human's body, the witch must die! She dared to violate them this way, his eyes burned with rage, death would be far to good for her.

//They heard the thump as the Red Beast fell into Soldier's ditch, he and Soldier gave each other high fives as Hyena danced around them, yelping excitedly. If they could just hold on for a little longer they would win.//

"This wasn't part of the deal," she shouted as finally Jennes gracefully eased into Xander's bucking body, his way made smoother for the blood and semen that lined the insides of the boy's abused rectum. He moved quickly within, his body stiffening slightly as he forced the release of his seed within three strokes into the human. His head bowed in shame, just touching the human's chest before he backed away.

And gracefully, the three demons bent and licked the young human clean of their seed, healing the torn, raw flesh. Listening to the ragged breathing from the youngling as he came back and struggled for control. Taryn shifted and blocked Amy's view of Xander as he watched the young human's body shake with silent sobs.

All three were fascinated by the liquid drops falling from Xander's face and they bent their heads licking up the moisture from his face. Feeling the loosening effects of the drug the witch forced on them, they shouted in rage as lightening raced along Xander's body, forcing them away.

Xander eyes were wide and disbelieving as he met the suddenly cold, ruthless eyes of the demons before he screamed. His body arching and writhing with pain under the vicious bolt Amy sent crackling over his body.

Amy gritted her teeth, "I distinctly said that I wanted him screaming and begging!"

"And I distinctly remember loud cries coming from him," Jennes hissed out, his face tight with rage.

"Oh yeah, there was plenty of screaming," Xander hoarsely said, his mind clearing of the numbing drug Taryn pumped into him.

Taryn, seeing the instinctive flinching of the human, looked up into Xander's now wary eyes and backed away, standing up and facing Amy again.

"I want him raped," Amy hissed her eyes darkening with almost insane fury. "I want him screaming NO, I want him bleeding from his ass, I want him in fuckin' PAIN!" she screamed.

Taryn looked ar inr in disgust, "He was bleeding and screaming," he said frostily, standing erect with imperious dignity.

"But you healed him," she shouted angrily before looking around and a slow horrible grin twitched at her lips as she looked at the hulking demons guarding the entrance.

Taryn, Lourdey and Jennes exchanged quietly dismayed looks, they had to get the youngling away! They knew exactly what Amy planned to do, and they struggled harder to free themselves from the drug in their bodies. Dropping quickly to their knees and licking at the sweat on Xander's body, hissing for him run deep into himself.

Amy glanced down and yelled, "Get away from him! You three get over to that wall and stay there!" She watched in twisted satisfaction as they were forced to comply with her order.

She licked her lips at the sight of their beauty but she wasn't so far gone in lust as to fool herself of what would happen to her once the drug wore off and she was still in the same room with them. Regretfully she tore her eyes from them back to the hulking demons.

"You, you and you," Amy shouted pointing at three of the biggest demons, "Get over here!" Quickly they complied, fearing her wrath.

"You see that human in chains," she said through clenched teeth, pointing at Xander who was looking at her with hostile eyes, she smiled nastily as she said, "I want him hurt, I want to see him bleed...rape him!"

BETA'D BY: Kris and James (without them this would be simply words with no meaning)