Rating: PG-13
Summary: A new evil's in town and it could be anyone
Disclaimer: All characters and aspects of the fictional environment are property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, Fox, et al. There is no intent, or remote possibility, of anyone profiting from this.
Distribution: If you'd like it ask and I'll let you take it.
Feedback: Please
Note: In this story Spike is chipped and Willow and Tara are just Wiccan pals.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
~Part: 1~
At 12:23 AM PDT, Michael Phillips yawned as he turned down Rte 43 South of Sunnydale California. He'd been driving for the delivery company for five years without an accident. In 17 minutes, this record would change. In 18 minutes, he would be dead.
At 12:55 AM PDT, James Wilson spotted a truck pitched into the drainage ditch in the North bound lane of Rte 43. He is an electrician on his way to a construction site in Sunnydale to get a jump start on the day's work. A Good Samaritan, he will stop to help. In 7 minutes he'll find the body of Michael Phillips, in 8 minutes he'll wish he were dead.
~~~*~~~
Later that morning, Giles and Willow were hard at work in the back room of the Magic Box.
"Willow please, have you found the spell yet?" Giles demanded.
Willow didn't answer; she was staring at a page in the musty book in front of her on the table.
They'd been working feverishly for the last two hours, copying spells from the most ancient and powerful books in Giles' library and gathering charms, powders and potions from the shelves at the Magic Box.
"Willow, are you listening?" an irritated Giles said as he continued to mix ingredients in a large black onyx mortar.
Willow blinked and looked up, "are you sure about this Giles? This is a very powerful and dangerous binding spell. Why do we need …"
He took his glasses off and gave her an apologetic look, "I'm sorry Willow I just haven't had the time to fill you I completely on this. I just had the notification this morning. You'll have to trust me on this; we have to be prepared to perform the most powerful binding spells. Shortly we'll have to use them on a very dangerous creature. It should be weak and relatively powerless when it arrives, but it's not something to take a chance with."
Willow nodded and began to transcribe the spell.
Giles rose and crossed to the doorway into the front of the store.
"Anya, has the package arrived?"
The blond looked up from the price list she was updating, "not yet, "she glanced at the clock, "let me check the delivery web site again."
Anya turned to the computer on the back counter that a very reluctant Giles had finally bought.
"Oh oh, Giles I think there might be a problem. When I put in the tracking number, there's a message to call the company."
Giles hovered while Anya made the call. After a short conversation, she hung up the phone.
"The truck with our package had an accident; the adjuster's bringing it over. He should be here in an hour or so."
All at once Giles skin felt clammy. His legs felt wobbly and if he hadn't held onto the counter he might have fallen.
"Giles, "Anya said sharply, "what is it? You're as pale as a ghost."
"Willow, "she called out, "come here, hurry!"
Anya helped him to a chair. Willow watched in wonder as Giles all but fell into it.
He seemed to have some difficulty speaking.
He made a couple of false starts then began to speak, "There's something I should have told you. The package I've been expecting is the reason for the spells and charms we've been working on. A friend called me last night, he had something, he'd captured something that was quite dangerous and he needed help. I told him to ship it to me here."
"Wait a minute, "Anya said with a puzzled look, "why send something dangerous, some supernatural something I'd guess, by UPS?"
"Yeah, "Willow chimed in, "if this thing needs the spells I've seen to bind it, it's not parcel post material."
"Now it's not that bad, the thing is drained of energy and it's in a container sealed with a powerful spell, so there shouldn't be any danger."
"Unless, "Anya added, "the package is damaged somehow, oh like in an accident, for example."
Giles lowered his head, "yes, that's correct, but let's check out the package before we panic."
"Giles, didn't you forget something?" Willow asked, "what's in the damn box?"
Giles glanced at Anya uncomfortably, "ah, it's a Ru'lin."
Anya's eyes widened in surprise, "guys, it's time to panic."
~~~*~~~
James Wilson pulled his car onto the shoulder and picked up his cell phone.
"911 my name is Jim Wilson, there's an accident about 10 miles South of town on rte. 43. It's a delivery truck; I can see the driver from here, he's not moving, and I'm going to go over now."
He pocketed the phone and hurried to the disabled truck. He clambered up the side of the truck and looked in. The driver was slumped behind the wheel. He had a gaping wound in the side of his neck. He saw blood on the edge of a small wooden box.
Maybe he lost control and the packages flew around inside the truck when he hit the ditch, he thought.
He shook his head and poised to go in through the window, he looked first to avoid landing in the blood that had spilled from the driver. He was puzzled when he didn't see any. He shrugged and lowered him self into the truck.
The driver was definitely dead; he was cold as ice and also oddly shrunken. He took a moment to look around the truck. There were packages all over the place. He noticed a small wooden crate with the end broken open. Sticking part way out was a cracked green vase. He bent down to get a closer look. He reached out to touch it when he heard a rustling sound behind him. Then he felt a sharp pain in his neck, then blackness.
~Part: 2~
“Anya, what is this thing?” Willow asked.
“Let me put it this way, I was a vengeance demon. Woman gets dissed yada yada, Anyanka makes her boyfriend’s thing fall off. Now that was a very popular idea at first, but lots of girls seemed to have second thoughts. You know could I put it back on, make it bigger, you know stuff like…”
“Anya, please, “Willow said impatiently.
“Ok, ok, see Ru’lin’s are in the vengeance business too, only at a different level. If I was a Honda a Ru’lin is a Lexus. To tell the truth, it’s more like a Hyndai to a Rolls. They’re a Hallmark demon.”
Both Willow and Giles looked puzzled.
“You know, “Anya said, “when you care to send the very best.”
After a pained silence, Giles spoke, “now there’s no reason to get so upset, the shipment may have not been damaged at all. We should wait until we know for sure.”
Anya bridled, “you know what these things can do, you know ..”
She was interrupted by the bell on the front door. Two men came in, one in a suit carrying a leather satchel and the second in the familiar delivery company uniform carrying a small crate.
“Mister Giles?” the man in the suit asked.
He was the adjuster and had personally brought the package so that they could both assess any damage. He had come personally given the fact the item had been identified as an antique and been insured for over $500.
The second man laid the crate on the counter and using the tools from the leather satchel pried off the top.
They all pushed closer.
“I’m terribly sorry, “the adjustor said holding up the two halves of a lidded green vase.
Giles shot Anya a meaningful glance, “yes thank you, I ah… could you tell me what happened? I hope no one was hurt.”
The man’s face saddened, “one of our best drivers lost his life. He had a perfect safety record; we don’t know exactly what happened. Apparently, he just ran off the road.”
“No one else was involved?” Anya asked.
He shook his head, “no, the volume was low on that run, we didn’t assign him a helper, and there was no other vehicle involved. I guess it could have been worse, but ….”
“With all the latest medical devices and emergency response equipment, it’s always a surprise when someone isn’t saved,” Giles added.
“In this case, it was an hour before the EMT’s got there, but it was much too late. They said he probably died within two or three minutes of the crash,” the man explained.
For some reason, this last bit of information seemed to raise Giles’ spirits and after a few more minutes of discussion over claim forms and procedures, Giles, Anya and Willow were alone.
“What was that all about?” Willow asked.
Giles sighed with relief, “even thought the creature did escape its container, there’s very little danger …”
“Yeah, ‘Anya interrupted, “in a deserted area after this much time, it’s probably dead by now or so weak that it couldn’t cause any trouble. Somewhere, someone dodged a real bullet, that’s one vengeance spell that’ll go unanswered.”
Willow picked up the vase, “how could something that fit into this be any kind of danger to anybody?”
“That’s the beauty of how it works, “Anya explained, “it can use ….”
“Giles, “Willow interrupted, “look at this.”
They turned toward her. She was holding up the lid from the crate, showing the inside surface.
Roughly lettered in rusty brown strokes was, ‘R I P P E R’.
~~~*~~~
Jim Wilson didn’t remember seeing the accident or making the 911 call. If anyone had asked him, he’d said he drove directly to Sunnydale that morning. It had taken him a few minutes longer than usual, but traffic was funny that early some days.
He drove past his original destination; he didn’t know why he was so anxious to get there this morning. There was another site that he had to visit; maybe he could pick up some work there too. He even had the name of the assistant foreman, Harris, Alexander Harris.
~~~*~~~
Giles was stunned, “I don’t understand, there shouldn’t have been….”
“Someone else was there, the Ru’ Lin didn’t do that alone, “Anya said.
“Will you two tell me what the hell is going on? “Willow said dropping the lid back onto the counter.
Anya started, “I was about to tell you anyway. The Ru’ Lin is so effective because it can possess the body of a human or another demon. It can take over someone close to the victim and then ….”
“But wouldn’t some kinda zombie freak be obvious?” Willow asked.
“No it’s not like that. It takes possession and then sits back; it can let the host go about its business or even plant ideas and information in the host’s mind. You couldn’t tell the person was possessed until it was too late.”
“So that’s why you asked if anyone else was involved in the accident, you wanted to see if there was a host available?” Willow offered.
Anya nodded.
Willow flipped over the lid so that the letters showed, “then what’s all this about?”
“Someone wrote that, probably in blood, and then nailed the box shut again,” Anya said.
“Meaning there must be a host; but why write ripper?” Willow asked.
Giles cleared his throat, “ah, part of the Ru’ Lin’s pattern is to let the victim know he’s being hunted.”
“A big plus in customer satisfaction, you know the sweaty palms and the thought that anyone, friend, family or stranger might be the one to slip the blade in between your ribs,” Anya explained with inappropriate glee.
“Thank you Anya, for that clear and graphic explanation,” Giles snapped.
“What can we do?” Willow asked.
Giles thought for a moment, “Ok, if we can identify the original host, get some idea of what happened at the accident scene, we might be able to find him first.”
“I can go to the morgue and see what I can pick up, “Willow offered.
Giles nodded, “Anya, you stay here and coordinate things. Get everyone here this evening, I’ll leave instructions.”
“Leave instructions? “ Anya said.
Giles rose and headed for his private office, “as soon as I grab a few things I’m going to find a safe hiding place, somewhere secret from everyone. I’ll contact you here later.”
In ten minutes, Anya was alone in the shop. She’d called Buffy and Tara and left a message for Xander, they’d all be here at six. She looked up as the door opened.
Not our usual customer, she thought, taking in the man who’d just entered. Looks like one of Xander’s construction buddies, gee I hope nothings wrong.
~Part: 3~
Willow went hesitantly through the swinging doors marked ‘Medical Examiner’ hoping the visitors badge she’d begged form the indifferent clerk at the front desk would be enough to get the information she needed.
Clutching a clip board with forms from an old psychology survey, she approached a slim African-American woman dressed in a white coat who was in the middle of a very loud phone conversation.
“I don’t care what the donut jockey at the scene said, I asked you to find out for yourself.”
She paused, drumming her fingers impatiently on the table in front of her, as the person on the other end replied.
“Ok, and while your at it, get the right insurance data, that clerk is nuts if that’s what she said.”
She paused again listening for a moment and ended with an insincere sounding thank you.
“Lame ass cops, who do they think they’re dealing with, “she muttered as she turned and spied Willow.
“And who the hell are you? No let me guess, Delivery Company?”
Willow shook her head.
“Insurance company, right?”
She gave another head shake.
“Wait, you’re not another one of those lame ass cops are you?, “ she asked surveying her with a critical eye.
“No, can’t be that, no donuts on those hips.”
“Ok Ms. Talkative, who are you and why are you wasting my time?”
Willow had considered her approach on the way over and had decided that sympathy was her only hope.
“My, ah, name is Willow and I’m from the State Labor Department, Doctor.”
The woman gave her a hostile look, “and what does the Labor Department want with me?”
Willow rushed out her story, “about that accident with the delivery truck, I’m supposed to get some information.”
“Why?” was the lone response.
“Uh, I don’t know really, I’m just a temp clerk and ..”
“Why the hell, “ the woman started angrily, “ is some temp clerk down here bothering me when she doesn’t even know what she wants?”
Willow looked frightened, it didn’t take much acting, “I guess because all of the guys were busy and I’m the only girl and they told me to come down here and ..”
“The guys were too busy! Too busy belching and scratching their balls I bet, “the woman said.
She gave Willow a sympathetic smile, “a bunch of yahoos whose only criteria for advancement is that they can pee standing up, am I right?”
Willow nodded.
The woman put out her hand, “Roberta Washington, Assistant Medical Examiner, you can call me Bert.”
After a few minutes of conversation, Willow asked her about the accident.
“Poor guy died of bad luck as much as anything else. He went off the road and hit a couple of trees. He survived the crash, but some of the packages came loose. One of them hit him in the head, probably hard enough to knock him out but not enough to kill him. The real bad luck was the second box. This one must have had an exposed nail or splinter or something. It hit him right in one of the major arteries in his neck, an inch in either direction and he wakes up with a hell of a headache and not much else. As it was, he bled out in the truck. Probably within ten minutes of the crash.”
“Any idea what caused him to go off the road?”
“That one was easy, lack of sleep. He got tired and drifted off for a moment, that’s all it took.”
Willow looked puzzled, “how could you know that, I though he was alone?”
Bert smiled and reached for a brown envelope on the table next to her.
“You gotta keep your eyes open. Pathology can only take you so far, “she said holding out a small white box she’d removed from the envelope.
“Stay Up, “Willow read from the label.
“At first I figured out it was a Viagra rip off, “she said with a grin, “but it’s an over the counter stimulant, mainly caffeine. He had two undigested tablets in his stomach. He was tired and took them a little too late.”
Willow decided to be a little bolder, “what was all that on the phone when I came in was it about this case?”
“Damn cops, can’t do anything right. I said he bled out right, well he really bled out. It was so bad that I had trouble getting enough for tox screening. So I asked the cops to send me anything that was covered with blood from the truck for back up. There had to be a lot of blood in the truck. They call back, no blood in the truck. Now I got a stiff looks like he was pumped out with a sump pump and they say no blood in the truck. They’re too damn lazy to go down to the garage and check is what it is.
Another thing, I asked them to check with the company, to get his medical records. This guy had to be a hemophiliac or have some kind of rare blood disease. The way he emptied out, had to be clotting problem, blood thinners, something. They say, clean bill of health his last company physical, blood work all clean. Bull, this guy couldn’t have been clean two months ago. Another screw up by Sunnydale’s finest.”
She paused with a sigh, “is that enough for you, temp clerk Willow? Think the ‘boys’ will be satisfied?”
Willow smiled, “sounds good to me.”
She stood and they shook hands, “too bad he never had a chance, “Willow added.
“Not a one, even if the creep who called it in and then booked had stayed to help, it wouldn’t have made any difference.”
“Someone called it in?” Willow asked.
“Yeah, “Bert said walking to the table and picking up a yellow folder.
“It says here the call came in probably twenty or thirty minutes after the accident, based on the company schedule. When the EMT’s got there though, he was long gone. Says here that he said he was going over to the truck to see if he could help. That’s the last he said. Guess he took one look, lost his breakfast and hightailed it, so much for Good Samaritans.”
“Do you have his name there?”
“James Wilson, “Bert read out followed by a cell phone number.
After a few more goodbyes, Willow was back in the corridor. She immediately wrote down the name and number.
~~~*~~~
“Who was that?” Dawn asked.
“Who was what?” her sister replied.
Dawn gave a pained look, “the guy in the flannel shirt and construction boots you spent the last fifteen minutes with outside.”
“Oh, that guy. Yeah, he’s the roof guy. Remember the leaks we had last rain storm?”
Dawn pulled on her jacket, “I remember, I also remember what our bank balance was last month when I wanted to buy a sweater. What is he gonna take it out in trade?”
“You brat, “Buffy said blushing, “I was just asking him about repairs, not a whole roof.”
“Anyway, “she said wiggling her rear, “I bet I could get a whole roof.”
Dawn started out the door, “yeah, for a bird house maybe.”
Her sister chased her out the door and didn’t catch up until they were half way to the Magic Box.
~~~*~~~
The Ru’ Lin watched through the eyes of its host as they all assembled. It watched with what passed for amusement as they talked and joked together. Why not? It was one of them now.
~Part: 4~
Willow looked around. Anya, Xander, Buffy and Dawn were here, time to start, she thought.
She hesitated as the door opened again and Spike slid in. He gave her a nod, folded his arms and leaned against the back wall.
Her thoughts instantly went back to that night in her dorm room. He'd come for Buffy and found her. He was spoiling for a fight having just escaped from the Initiative. When he tried to bite her, he found out about his chip. Her feelings had gone immediately from fear to sympathy. She'd tried to comfort him and he in turn had assured her that it wasn't her fault. He swore he'd do her in a minute without the chip.
She colored remembering how many nights she'd fallen asleep thinking of that night and what might have happened if he hadn't been after blood, but ….."
With an effort, Willow pulled herself back to the present. She looked around the room again and her eyes caught Spike's. He looked as if he knew exactly what she had been thinking.
"Ok," she said trying to look anywhere but at him, "let me tell you what's going on."
She brought them up to the point where Giles asked her to call this meeting, when Xander interrupted.
"Where is the G-man Will, can't come to his own party?"
Before she could answer, the phone on the desk rang, everyone but Willow jumped at the unexpected sound. She turned and punched the speaker button.
It was Giles, "hopefully Willow has explained why I can't be there in person, not very pleasant being a wanted man and all."
He continued, "earlier today, Willow obtained the details of the smash up. It appears that the driver was in fact killed by the demon. It was in a much weakened state and needed desperately to feed. The condition of the body shows…"
"Exactly what does it eat?" Buffy asked.
"Well, "Giles replied, "it absorbs the life force of it's hosts through.."
"Blood, "Spike said from the back of the room, "it eats blood."
Giles went on, "not to put too fine a point on it, Spike's right. It typically absorbs it slowly from its host, sort of like a fast moving anemia. When starved though, it can drain and consume an entire blood supply quite rapidly."
"So now the host is dead, so what's the big deal?" Dawn asked.
Buffy gave her sister a 'children should be seen and not heard look'.
"That's a good point Dawn, 'Giles said.
Dawn gave her sister a smug look.
"Where indeed is the creature since the driver, who was alone by the way, is most assuredly dead?"
"Uh oh, "Xander said, "demon firemen or EMT's?"
"Not likely, "Anya said, "it's pretty obvious when it moves from host to host and it's sort of weak while it settles in. It's not a group thing; it always looks for a one on one situation."
"Quite true, "Giles added, "but there was a single visitor before the emergency crews arrived. A James Wilson made the 911 call; he told the operator that he was going to see if he could help. That's the last anyone heard of Mr. Wilson. He was gone when the first unit arrived."
"So he could be…" Buffy started.
"Wait a minute, "Xander interrupted, "that name sounds familiar, Jim Wilson, I just can't remember."
"I did a little checking, "Willow said, "he has his own electrical contracting business in Preston and "
"Electrician, that's it, "Xander said, "Jim Wilson bid on work at our site. I think he might have even been around today."
Everyone stared at Xander and Anya slid her chair away a few inches.
"Hey, what's going on?" Xander asked.
"Have a one on one meeting with Mr. Wilson?" Buffy asked.
"Feel a little crowded in there?" Spike called out.
"Wait a minute, "Anya said shifting her body away, "that is not what I meant by a threesome."
Xander reddened and put his head in his hands.
"Wait, "Willow said, "we don't know that the demon's been passed on, this Jim Wilson could be miles away."
"Unfortunately, "Giles said, "according to the Sunnydale Police secure site which you were kind enough to set up for me, Mr. Wilson was found about an hour ago. He was delirious and disoriented. He appeared to have lost a great deal of blood, but had no visible wounds. He's in the ICU at Sunnydale general."
"Where was he found?" Willow asked.
Giles hesitated for a moment, "it was on Spring just off First."
The room fell silent.
"That's only a few blocks from our house, "Dawn said.
"Me too, "Willow added.
"Not very far from my site either, "Xander offered.
They all turned to Anya.
"Ok, ok, it's not a million miles from the shop either, satisfied?"
"So it could be any of us," Buffy said slowly.
"Or none of us, "Willow countered.
"No," Buffy continued, "it's after Giles; this whole 'capture and shipment thing' could have been a scam to get the demon close to him. It knows Giles and it knows that we're the closest people to him."
"Oh even better, "Anya added with a smile, "it knows how much sweeter the revenge would be if one of us did it. You know, the friendly hand that slips the knife between the ribs, the look in the eyes when they realize the fatal blow is coming from.."
"Thank you so very much for that blindingly horrid picture, 'Giles said dryly.
Anya smiled at the phone, "welcome."
"Wait a minute, "Buffy said, "shouldn't we be able to tell if one of us is ah possessed, I guess that's the right word? Wouldn't we walk funny or talk funny or not know everyday stuff, wouldn't it be obvious?"
"Not at all,' Anya answered, the Ru' Lin can sit back and look through your eyes and hear with your ears and taste with your tongue and feel …"
"Ok, "Xander said, "enough of the wonderful world of the senses we get the idea, back on topic."
Anya gave him a nasty look, but continued," the demon can sit back and sense what the host senses without the host being aware of it. When it wants the host to do something, it just kinda takes the controls and does it. It can even make the host forget whatever it was it made them do. So when the demon is lying low, the host has no idea they're possessed and act perfectly normal."
"What about?" Xander said nodding toward Spike who gave him an arrogant smile in return.
"Oh yes, demons can be possessed too."
A sense of urgency began to tug at the Ru' Lin, these beings were learning enough to become a hindrance. It would have to move faster, perhaps take a few chances to perform its task. Difficulties had existed before in its long life of vengeance, but failure, never.
"What can we do?" Buffy asked.
"The first thing, "Willow replied, "is to keep Giles safe. No one knows where he is so no one can tip off the Ru' Lin."
"But how can we fight it, "Buffy persisted.
"Fight it, hell," Xander added, "we don't know where or who it is, but I have my suspicions, "he said staring at Spike.
"Bugger off," Spike responded.
The demon tuned out the discussion and slowly surveyed the group. The target will need to make physical contact with one of them eventually. It had to determine which it would be. It expanded it's consciousness to absorb the host's thoughts and memories of each of the members of the group. After a few moments, it knew.
They talked for another half hour with the only result that Giles agreed to contact the friend who sent the package. It might lead to some clue to the identity of the vengeance seeker and maybe they could find a way to disrupt the spell from that end.
Willow punched the phone speaker off, "ok guys, I'll keep you up to date and let you know if Giles or I come up with anything."
"Will, you know it might be a good idea to keep together as a group until this thing is over. I mean, who knows what might happen if one of us gets caught alone, 'Xander said with a meaningful look over his shoulder.
"Why you sweet talker, I didn't know you cared," Spike said from the back of the room.
"Hold on you two that's about enough, "Buffy said angrily, "I'm gonna have the ass of the next one who.."
She saw the look on Spike's face, "don't say it, "she warned.
The vampire put up his hands in mock surrender.
"I think Xander has a point, "Anya added, "we should stay together."
"Got enough room at your place?" Willow asked Buffy.
She nodded and Dawn's eyes lit up.
"Hold on, "her sister said, "this isn't going to be some kind of super slumber party."
"I've got first call on undies in the freezer, "Anya said springing up from her chair.
Willow sighed, "ok sort it out, I have a couple of things to get from the back room."
As she left, Xander and Spike continued their sparring and Buffy tried to talk some sense into Dawn while keeping one eye on them.
A few minutes later, Willow looked up from Giles' desk, "men, are you as tired of their act as I am? Maybe they should just get a tape measure and settle it once and for all. "she said with a grin."
The host said nothing, the Ru' Lin was in complete control now. It had decided to act now before they were all thrown together in what it knew from the host's memory was the cramped quarters of the Summers' house.
Willow sensed some thing was wrong, but it was too late. The host's eyes flashed red and a hand shot out.
"No!" Spike shouted knocking Willow aside, his momentum carrying him and the other figure onto the floor.
"What the hell?" Buffy said as she came through the door. She helped a shaken Willow to her feet.
"What happened to them?" she asked gesturing to the sprawled figures of Spike and Anya.
Willow hurriedly filled her in as Dawn and Xander appeared.
Spike began to stir, but the now shrunken and pale Anya remained still.
"Oh God, what happened to her? Did he..do something to her?" Xander said dropping to his knees and cradling Anya's head in his arms.
He looked up fearfully, "she's cold she's so cold."
Willow put a hand to the girl's throat, "her pulse is slow but it's strong and she's breathing Ok."
"Dawn, call 911 have them send an ambulance," the red head instructed.
By this time, Spike had made his way shakily to his feet, "what happened? I remember coming in here looking for red and the next thing I remember is waking up with a terrific headache."
He looked uncomprehendingly at Xander and Anya and then at Dawn's barely controlled hysteria on the phone. He turned to Buffy and Willow for an explanation.
His eyes opened wide as the slayers fist headed for his chin, then there was darkness.
~Part: 5~
"That's about it," Willow said as she finished telling Giles of the Anya / Ru' Lin's attempt to possess her and Spike's timely intervention.
"You're sure you're Ok?" he asked.
"Yes, I was just a little shaken up."
"And Anya how is she?"
"Xander's at the hospital; with her. They said her blood test wasn't as bad as they thought it would be. The doctors are still stumped about the cause of the problem, but they said she would be Ok in a day or two."
"Hmm, "Giles said, "that's odd; let me think for a moment."
Willow held the receiver as her thoughts went back to Spike. Why did he take that chance, why was he there in the first place and what will happen to him now?
"Willow, are you still there?"
She acknowledged him.
"I think we have a unique opportunity to finish off this thing once and for all. You see the demon has got itself into a real fix. It can't harm me or anyone else because of Spike's chip, but it can't transfer out of him now that we know where it is."
"But, "Willow said, "what's going to happen to Spike? We just can't let it suck him dry and.."
"Ah, but that's the thing, Spike's already dead. Based on the fact that it didn't seem to 'suck', as you say, much of the life out of Anya, I don't think it feeds on demons very well. If we let Spike go without nourishment, I think the Ru' Lin will simply die."
"But what about Spike?" she asked.
"Oh I think he'll be uncomfortable and maybe have a few bad moments as the demon realizes what's happening, but I think he'll survive."
"Isn't there anything else we could try?"
"I'm afraid it's either this or the historic method of disposal, death of the host."
"I guess we'll go with plan A then, "Willow said trying to lighten the mood.
"I am sorry, "Giles said, "but there's every reason for hope."
Willow said her goodbyes and hung up the phone. Then she filled in the rest of the gang on Giles' plan.
She unlocked the training room door and slipped in. He was sitting on the stack of mats they'd arranged for him. His wrists were manacled to lengths of chain set into the wall. They were long enough for him to stand, sit and move a distance of about five feet from the wall. A lone folding chair sat a few feet further than that away facing him.
"Hi, "she said sitting in the chair, "I wanted to thank you for what you did."
He shook his head, "tell the Slayer to pull her punches a bit next time. I thought my bleeding head was coming off."
"Sorry about that too; I was wondering why you were there, did you suspect Anya?"
"No, but I tried to think like the demon, it had to decide who was the most likely one to have actual contact with Giles. It was you."
"Gee, I would have thought Buffy or even Anya, because of the Magic box."
He shook his head, "no, we demons are pretty crafty; we can recognize power when we see it. If Giles was going to beat this, it wouldn't be with Buffy's fists and feet. It would be with your intelligence and power."
Uncomfortable with his praise, she changed the subject, "how does it feel?"
"Oh, you mean my little visitor? Hardly know he's there really. Bit of a head ache when it jumped, but then the Slayer fixed that by giving me a bigger one, "he added with a grin.
She couldn't help but smile herself, "how do you feel now?"
"A little peckish, if you must know. A nice warm mug of the red stuff wouldn't half hurt."
"Well, she said dropping her eyes, "about that, I've got something to tell you."
She recounted her conversation with Giles and added that the others agreed.
"Bloody hell, feed a cold and starve a demon is it now?" he said angrily.
"He sodding thinks I'll survive? We'll see about that, "he said pulling on the chains.
"Spike, it's the only thing we can do, the only other way is to …" she couldn't say it.
He sat down on the mats, "stake me then poof, two for the price of one?"
She nodded.
He grinned crookedly, "I suppose slow starvation is preferable to the alternative."
The Ru' Lin absorbed this new information. It began to search its long history for a similar situation. It blocked off all but the simplest sensory contact with the host, its single minded sense of mission was exceeded only by its sense of self preservation. Perhaps there was a solution that could satisfy both needs.
Willow sat with him for hours. As he weakened, she spent more time, trying to keep his spirits up.
He lay on the mats and stared at the ceiling, "I actually can feel it retreating, getting smaller. Kinda like a race, see who punks out first, "he tried to grin, but hadn't the strength.
"I'm sure it'll be soon, "she said trying to comfort him.
"I think so too luv, just a matter of time."
Spike struggled to speak, but it wouldn't let him. He heard his own voice describe the steady weakening of the demon; while at the same time, he felt it gathering all its energy. He strained to make a sign, something to tell her that the demon was gathering its strength for one last effort, that it wasn't him, but the demon speaking. It was no use; it had complete control as it sat waiting for that one final chance.
~Part: 6~
Spike needed to think, to find a way to spoil the demon's plans. Since he'd been taken over completely, his consciousness was barely functioning. That thing that was William / Spike was hanging on through sheer determination.
The extension of the demon's control had several side effects, one was that being so closely linked he was able to sense the demon's plans. Unfortunately, the second was that the demon would be able to sense his. The demon felt his resistance and the scrabbling of his mind; but appreciating his weakness, it showed only minimal concern.
Spike reviewed the demon's plan again. It was a simple one. After draining nearly all of Spike's life force, it would force him into a coma state. Then it would gradually restore his energy in small doses. This would mimic what would have occurred if the demon had actually perished.
When the time came to release him, it would use its control to force Spike to kill all but one of them. Then it would transfer and stake the only witness.
Killing the target would be simple after that. Spike would be dead along with the demon, there would be evidence that could be planted to convince them of that. Then when Giles least expected it, the witch would kill him.
The demon had decided that the witch would be his tool, after what Spike had done to disrupt the mission, the demon wanted the vampire's last image to be his beloved witch pushing the stake through his heart. He wanted his last thought to be her torment when she was made to kill the Watcher.
Spike needed a plan, but how to shield it from his new master?
If the demon had been capable of being annoyed, it would have been by the constant stream of images that now cascaded through the vampire's consciousness. They were memories with no special order or plan, but always returning to the witch. In place of annoyance, the demon merely dismissed it as a symptom of weakness and shifted its attention to the show it was carefully orchestrating.
"No it must be me, "the red head told the pained vampire.
"I'm always just a sister to them, not someone they'd ever want to bite."
The images whirled through the vampire's mind as the scene repeated. A psychic flinch always accompanied the memory of the first stab of pain from the chip.
Willow was making her daily call to Giles, "it's just like you said he's getting a little stronger each day. When can we give him some blood, he's still awfully weak?"
The voice on the other end remained businesslike, "perhaps tomorrow, if things keep on as they are, ring me tomorrow morning."
Willow hung up the phone and remained slumped in the kitchen chair.
She didn't know if she could take much more of this. She'd been watching him and reporting to Giles daily for the last week. She'd been doing it all herself even sleeping on a cot in the training room. When they'd volunteered to help, she told the others that Giles said a single observer was best. It wasn't true, but she just couldn't leave him.
"Maybe tomorrow, "she said, "Giles wants me to call him in the morning."
Spike managed to sit up after a few false starts.
"That's great, "she said encouragingly, "see you'll be your old self in no time."
"Some of the rest won't see that as anything to celebrate, "the controlled vampire said.
The demon was pleased to see the hope and affection in the little witch's eyes; it knew that it would only increase the guilt when she was forced to kill him.
That little corner that was still Spike remained unresponsive as the thought images whirled faster and faster.
The next morning; Willow waited by the shop door. As soon as his car pulled to the curb, she was out to meet him.
She hugged him for the third time as they entered the shop.
"I know you're embarrassed, but I'm just so happy to see you, "Willow bubbled.
"Couldn't be that we're just about to release Spike, could it?" he asked half joking.
She colored, "yeah, but I'm still glad to see you."
He was carrying the same satchel that he'd left with and she pulled him back toward the training room before he could even set it down.
"Spike, "she said brightly, "it's Giles. We're going to unlock the chains. There's a whole fridge of blood just waiting for you.
He grinned with relief and held out his arms.
As she worked the keys, the demon peered over her shoulder. Perfect, the target and the witch alone, it will all be over in a few minutes.
Willow stepped back as Spike got to his feet rubbing his wrists. Giles was smiling and walking toward them.
It's time, the demon thought.
Poised for transfer to the witch, it felt the last vestiges of the vampire's strength wrench control away for just a moment. At that instant, the image of his attack on Willow flashed into both their minds and conditioned by endless repetition he attacked.
He actually made contact with her throat before the unbearable pain knocked him to the floor.
Already prepared for transfer, the extreme physical shock expelled the demon.
The thick greenish wormlike being wriggled across the floor.
It saw the target and made a desperate effort to reach him; it saw the container he was holding too late to stop.
Later, Spikes first words were to Willow, "I'm sorry, using the memory of that time in the dorm, it was the only chance, it was going to make.."
Giles motioned for him to save his energy.
"Knowing the lengths to which these creatures will go to cause pain, I concluded that it would use Spike to get to you and then you to get to me."
"But I thought it was dead,' She protested.
"I knew it wouldn't give up without one last try, I just wanted to put it in a position where I could predict what it would be."
"You mean all along you were expecting this thing to attack and you let me go along thinking we had killed it, "she said angrily.
"I'm sorry, but you had to be close to Spike and the demon and I couldn't risk some sort of slip in the way you treated him."
Glancing at Spike, she realized that he was fully engaged with the warm mug in his hands.
She leaned toward Giles and lowered her voice, "does that mean that the way he acted with me was just part of the demon's plan?"
Before he could answer, Spike spoke up, "Watcher, how about a refill, but warm it up a tad more this time?" he asked holding out the mug.
Giles took it and headed for the door.
When he was gone, Spike got to his feet and took an uncertain step toward her. Willow jumped up and took his arm leading him to the couch and seating him next to her.
He touched his ear, "vampire hearing."
She looked embarrassed.
"The demon could only use what it found already there, "he said taking her hand.
"Tell you a secret, "he continued, "the image of that night was so fresh because I think about it every day."
Later while Spike rested, Giles and Willow stood in a red triangle drawn on the storage room floor with an exotic mixture of magic powders. They chanted some words from a parchment and each threw a handful of blue powder at the green jar positioned at the top point of the triangle. There was a bright flash and then the jar was gone leaving the faint scent of rotten eggs.
"That's it, "Giles said with satisfaction, "gone to another dimension and good riddance."
Willow stooped to begin sweeping up the powders, "do you have any idea who could have sent it?"
Giles shrugged and shook his head then picked up a brush.
~~~*~~~
The rectangular green stone glowed brightly for a moment then winked out. The dark haired woman returned the now ordinary bit of dull green rock to the desk drawer.
"Too clever by half aren't you Rupert, "she said softly in an upper class British accent, "not just anyone can beat a Ru' Lin, congratulations."
"Professor Ames, is everything all right? I thought I saw your lights flashing," a young man asked popping his head through her office door.
"No Tom, "she said with a smile, "just the fluorescents getting a bit wonky I suppose."
"I'll make sure they're looked after while you're away, won't do for our top researcher to come back to a dark office."
"That's very kind of you Tom, "she said getting up from the desk and picking up a leather carryall from the floor, 'thanks for reminding me, I'm nearly late as it is."
He watched her walk down the corridor, "damn, a fine looking woman, "he said to himself, 'Oxford distinguished scholar and chief researcher in paranormal psychology in the most prestigious foundation in the UK all before thirty and the looks of a fashion model."
"There's no justice in this world, 'he said as he turned for his own office, "Oxford and Cambridge both go begging and she accepts a guest lectureship at….." he had to pull a wrinkled note form his pocket, "University of California at Sunnydale, no justice."
END?