The Initiative
Written by Douglas Petrie ~ Directed by James A. Contner
Riley and a couple of friends, Forest and Graham, watch Buffy as she manages to make a mess of the soda machine and yogurt machine. They comment on what a catch she is, and how interested they all are, but Riley is reluctant. Spike wakes up from unconsciousness to discover he's in a facility where they are keeping various types of creatures captive behind electrically charged barriers. Giles and Xander discover the commando guys are human and that their help will not be needed, again. Buffy arrives and while Giles tells her to patrol, she says she's going to party with Willow and hopefully cheer her up.
A packet of blood drops down from the ceiling into Spike's cell but before he drinks it, another vampire from the cell beside him warns him it's drugged. We see it's Tom, who was captured in "The Freshman", and he tells Spike that the people starve the vampires and then feed them drugged blood before doing tests. In class, Willow asks Riley about Daniel Osborne--Oz--but he tells her he dropped out. After Willow tries to tell him that Oz will return, Professor Walsh informs her that he won't be back to her class.
Forest asks Parker what Buffy was like, and Riley ends up hitting Parker after he brags about Buffy and talks vulgarly about her. Riley then discovers that he likes Buffy. Pretending that he drank the packet of blood, Spike lies on the floor and when the people come to get him, he attacks. He escapes, also setting Tom free to show the way out and then while Tom gets captured, Spike escapes. Riley visits Willow to find out more about Buffy, but the emotionally distressed Willow isn't much help. As he's leaving, and after he's somewhat convinced her that he might be okay for Buffy, she tells him about some of Buffy's likes and interests.
Spike returns to Harmony, and pretends to be back for good. At the party that night, Willow sneaks away to inform Riley about Buffy and what he can expect to happen that night. He makes a complete fool out of himself though. Xander and Giles patrol that night and after splitting up, Xander runs into Harmony. The two fight, very badly, and then mutually agree to stop. She's burning some of Spike's things and lets Xander know that Spike is back in town. Xander interrupts Riley's second attempt to talk to Buffy to inform her of Spike's return.
Riley and friends break away from the party and after passing through several electronic checkpoints, go downstairs into an underground facility--the place where they were holding Spike. Professor Walsh is heading the operation and after informing them that Hostile 17, a.k.a. Spike has escaped, the guys suit up and get ready to go after him. Riley gives orders to three teams that he sends out all over Sunnydale to find Spike. Buffy's plan is to go alone and kill Spike.
Spike finds Buffy's dorm through the school computer system. Riley's team spot Buffy sitting on a bench. Riley says she won't be their bait and goes out to get rid of her. Both unaware of the other's secret identity, they try to get rid of the other. Willow accidentally invites Spike into her dorm room. He tries to bit her but finds that when he tries, there's an intense pain in his head. Willow hits him with a lamp and runs out just as Riley and friends cut the power and then work their way up to the dorm room. They capture Spike and while they consider whether to take Willow or not, Spike breaks free.
Buffy arrives and fights Riley and his friends while Spike manages to escape through a window. Unable to make out the identity of their attacker, Riley orders them to retreat. Professor Walsh is not happy with what happened or with Riley's report on the event. It is revealed that Spike cannot harm a living thing without feeling pain in his head thanks to an implant they placed there. Riley catches up with Buffy and they talk. Buffy tells him he's a little peculiar, which he says he can live with.
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Last Updated: 5-19-00