Chapter Seven: Making a Run for It
Giles looked up at the flashing red lights and covered his ears as the loud siren blared. "It seems we’ve alerted them to our presence."
"Good going, Rupes," Spike grumbled, holding his own ears.
"What do we do now?" Xander yelled over the sirens.
Giles looked over at the two witches. "Are you ready?"
Willow and Tara shared a look full of insecurity. Tara grasped Willow’s hand, smiling supportively at the redhead. The look that passed between them didn’t go unnoticed, but no one commented as Willow turned back to the group. "We’re going to need a couple of minutes before the barrier is in place," she told them. The spell was unlike any of them had ever seen before. Willow and Tara were attempting to put up a moving barrier to shield them against attack while they searched for their missing friend.
Xander and Spike quickly pushed the only table in the room against the door. Barely moments later, they heard soldiers on the other side. "Anytime you wanna start’s okay with me!" Xander called out while pushing against the table with Spike. "A little help here."
Faith and Anya rushed to their aide throwing all their weight against the table.
Willow took out the supplies and books she needed to perform the spell and glanced up at Tara once more before reciting the chant. "Are you sure you’re ready for this?" Tara questioned quietly so no one else would hear. "I-I mean most of the magic’s going to go through you, I’ll j-just be helping."
Willow smiled at her reassuringly. "I can do anything as long as you’re there to keep me grounded," she told the blonde who blushed in return. Willow grasped Tara’s hand as they began to recite the necessary words.
***
They all felt it at once, the air around them became hazy, and they knew that the spell had worked.
"Well done, Willow," Giles complimented the young woman, looking at her in admiration.
"Yeah, nice job, Red," Spike said before looking at Giles. "We gonna test it out or what?" He was more than ready for a spot of violence.
"Quiet you prat! She must concentrate on the barrier to keep it up."
Tara felt Willow squeeze her hand. "She’s ready."
Giles made sure everyone had their weapons in case the spell faltered in any way before allowing the table to be removed. With a nod at Faith and Xander the door was thrust opened, revealing a large group of stunned soldiers.
"Look who decided to come out and play," Forrest taunted. He lifted his gun in the air, pointing directly at Spike.
"Hold your fire," Riley commanded him while looking at the Scoobies. "You’re all under arrest for breaking into a military establishment. Drop your weapons."
Faith did as he said, wanting to test out the barrier and knowing she would be the only one able to fight off the soldiers. She held her hands up in mock surrender, waiting for someone to move towards her.
"Cuff her."
Faith smirked when the soldier walked into the invisible barrier. The other men looked on, shocked. "Think of it as a new and improved chastity belt," she told them haughtily.
"What the?" Forrest cried in outrage. "These freaks are using magic!" Ignoring Riley’s previous order, he fired his gun. To his surprise and frustration the bullet stopped in midair and fell to the ground.
"This way!" Giles shouted leading the group down the corridor. They all began running as the sound of guns being fired filled their ears.
They had an impressive lead on the soldiers when Tara felt something change. "She’s getting weak!" she called out to Giles. "I-I don’t know how much longer she can hold out," she warned him.
Giles cursed under his breath. He had anticipated something like that happening and thanks to Willow’s computer knew exactly where to go next. He started running a little faster, hoping they’d make it there before the young witch lost power.
"Uh, Giles, the air isn’t as desert miragey as it was before," Xander alerted him.
"Willow!" Tara cried out as the redhead nearly collapsed against her. Everyone stopped in their tracks, looking back at the couple.
"I’m fine," Willow assured them, looking drained, as she stood straight again. "We have to keep going. We need to get to Buffy."
The sounds of the soldiers were coming closer, the whole group slowed now by the exhausted witches. "Willow!" Tara cried out again as Willow was struck by an opening door. The soldier that had opened the door looked at them in surprise, obviously not expecting to find them as he had. He turned his gun on Willow and Tara, not noticing the others running at him from behind until it was too late.
Faith spun the soldier around and before he could react, punched him in the jaw. Xander was by her side, wanting revenge for his unconscious friend.
Spike ran to Willow’s side, picking her up easily and motioning for Tara to run with him. "Come on!" he yelled to Giles and Anya, bringing their attention back onto where they were headed.
"Xander!" Anya shouted over her shoulder, noticing that her boyfriend had stayed behind with the brunette slayer.
Xander struck the soldier across the head with the butt of his gun before he and Faith ran to catch up with the others.
***
"In here."
They all followed Giles into the room. A lone soldier sat in front of one of the many computers in the room. He stood when he heard the intrusion. Faith quickly took care of him, one punch and he was on the floor unconscious.
All eyes were on Willow, who lay on the floor with her head in Tara’s lap. Gradually she regained consciousness, looking around the room in confusion. "What happened? Did the spell work? Are we here?" she asked, referring to the room holding Buffy.
Tara shook her head sadly. "No, sweetie. We didn’t get there yet."
With Tara’s help, Willow rose to her feet, and stood unsteadily. "Well, what are we waiting for?"
"Yes, now would be a good time to use that backup plan of Spike’s," Anya commented from Xander’s side. "I knew we’d be needing it."
Willow sighed, not having the strength to take Anya’s insensitivity personally. Instead she turned to Giles. "I think it’s our only option."
Giles shook his head. "We cannot set free all the demons," he insisted. "That would be total and utter chaos, and we’d have an outrageous number of casualties on our hands!"
"And how do we know you’re not doing this just to set some of your friends loose?" Xander questioned Spike nastily.
Giles continued, ignoring Xander. "I have another plan," he told them, especially Willow who was growing increasingly frustrated. "Willow, do you feel up to hacking onto their computer?"
Willow nodded frantically, then stopped with a wince, holding her head where a large lump was forming.
Giles turned to Xander and Spike. "You two go find Professor Walsh and have her take you to Buffy."
***
Professor Walsh hated disorder. And that’s exactly what the slayer’s friends had turned her operation into.
She rushed to get to 314, needing to know that nothing had happened to her most important project.
"Adam!" she cried seeing the monster ahead of her.
Adam turned around at the sound of a familiar voice. "Mother."
Professor Walsh smiled tightly, agitated that such a restricted area as 314 had obviously been unlocked. "You need to get back to the lab," she told him. "It’s not time for you yet."
She turned to lead him back to where he was supposed to be when she felt the sharpest pain in her back.
***
"We’re never going to find this bint," Spike complained as he and Xander ran through the hallways of the Initiative. Spike had never been as happy to be a vampire as he was at that moment. Being able to smell your opponent was a definite advantage.
"Maybe if you quit complaining and actually start looking we will." Xander gave the vampire a pointed look as they rounded the corner. "Do you really want to-" he stopped as he slipped on something and landed on his back with a thud.
"Great going-" Spike, too, stopped when he took in the sight before him. How could he not have smelt that?
Xander picked up his head to see what he had slipped on. His eyes bulged wide when he realized it wasn’t what, but who he had slipped on. "Ew!" he exclaimed, standing up quickly. "Ew, ew, ew. I am so glad these aren’t my clothes."
"I don’t suppose this is the chit we’re supposed to find, is it?" Spike searched her lab coat for any piece of identification since they couldn’t see her face. What he found was an access card that confirmed his musings.
Xander let out a dejected sigh. "What do we do now?"
Spike shrugged, feeling just as disappointed as Xander. Disappointed that they hadn’t rescued the slayer yet? No, that couldn’t be it. More like, disappointed that they weren’t leaving yet. Yeah, that had to be it. Shaking off his conflicting emotions, he turned back to Xander. "I guess we go back to Scooby headquarters and get another assignment from Thelma."
Xander snorted at the comparison between Giles and Thelma. He was about to say something when he found himself once again flat on his back.
Spike looked down first at Xander, wanting to taunt him about being a clumsy whelp. However, the man that had knocked into Xander, a doctor from the smell of him, looked appropriately scared and about to flee. Spike, vampiric speed and all, was in front of him in a heartbeat. "Where do you think you’re going?"
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