The Plan

By Michele

It was a good plan. And most importantly, it actually worked.

Considering how things normally went for me in Sunnyhell, no one was more surprised than I was when it worked. Of course the rest of them didn't know there *was* a plan, but still…

The sound of the Slayer crying is really starting to get on my nerves and the witch keeps dabbing me with some foul smelling antiseptic that burns like holy water. It's not like I'm really in danger of getting an infection but since I'm supposed to be the hero of the hour, I let her do what she feels she has to.

I've racked up a lot of Scooby points with this little stunt. Scooby points are very important to me right now since I'm no longer suicidal and I've found something to entertain me until I'm back to my usual self. The revenge part feels pretty good, too. But I have to be very, very careful and stay in the good graces of my 'saviours'.

They don't know it yet, and if I do it right they won't guess until it's too late, but this stupid little group of humans signed their own death warrants when they took me in. Their soft hearts have allowed me to do something I could never have done before. I can study them now, learn their strengths and weakness', their plans, their secrets… their schedules. Tonight was the beginning of the end for all of them.

It all started when I met up with an old mate of mine that was passing through town. He had no idea of what had been done to me and I didn't tell him. We passed the time pleasantly enough and went our separate ways. It was then I realized that I wasn't as alone and cut off as I'd assumed.

The world is a big place and as technologically advanced as the human world has become, the same does not always hold true for vampires and some of the other 'things that go bump in the night'. There are plenty of vamps, demons, witches, warlocks and … other things out there that owe me favours and don't know I'd been defanged. To them I'm still Spike, the Big Bad, William the Bloody. Someone to be feared, someone they don't dare double-cross or turn down.

I had untapped resources.

I had access to people that would do what I couldn't do, no questions asked.

I was like a wet dream come true.

The Watcher is looking at me over the Slayers head. She's on his lap, crying against his shoulder like a child. He keeps patting her on the back, murmuring nonsense. I don't think she hears it though. But I guess he doesn't know what else to do. I clench my jaw and return his gaze. Nothing makes people more suspicious than being unable to look them in the eye. It's tough, though, because that noise the Slayer is making is really working my last nerve.

I don't think the Watcher suspects me of anything really, he just seems to be having trouble working out why I'd save his pet when I've been insisting for months now that I'm evil and want them all dead. He'll probably come to the idiotic decision that I'm not really as bad as I claim to be or that I've done an Angel and decided to use my powers for good instead of evil or that since I'm being housed and fed by them that I'm grateful. Whatever. It will just make it that much more fun when, in the last moments of his life, he realizes how wrong he is. Well… fun for me, anyway.

The twit and the demon are in one of the chairs. The twit is holding on to the demon like she's a lifeline and looks like he's about ready to cry himself. The demon just looks impatient and bored. Typical. No surprise there.

I wince and pull away when the witch starts in on one of the nastier gashes on my arm. She winces in sympathy, apologizes, and gentles her touch. She's going to be the hardest for me to kill. I don't mean that she fights better or anything, I just hate her less than the others. But I do hate her and she still has to go.

The Slayer seems to have calmed down a bit and I know that means the questions are going to start. I'm not really that concerned, though. I've taken care of all the loose ends… or if you want to get technical, the loose borrowed minions.

It was absurdly simple to call up an East Coast based Master and ask to borrow some muscle. He had plenty and he did owe me. There wasn't a problem with me dusting them; he knew they weren't coming back. He actually sent some pretty decent fighters, which was lucky for me… not so lucky for soldier boy, though.

That's right; Riley Finn is dead. And I 'saved' the Slayer from the same fate by charging in and staking the two vamps that remained after she'd killed the other three that had drained her boy-toy.

I watched from behind some trees for awhile, waiting for the right moment before getting rid of the incriminating evidence in the form of the borrowed minions and earning the aforementioned Scooby points in the process. Can't have one of them offering to exchange their un-life for some juicy information, now can we?

I was rather surprised that once they saw they were not going to win, none of them uttered a word about who hired them or who told them where to find the Slayer and her G.I. Joe. They went about their assignment in a very professional manner. I was impressed. The two remaining vamps didn't show any signs of recognition when I charged in and relieved the exhausted, heartbroken Slayer from the duty of staking them.

And it wasn't easy to kill them, either. That's why I have gashes and cuts all over me. That the Slayer took out three of them was impressive. They were smart, tough, and damn good fighters. How come I can never find good help like that? All mine turn out with IQ's barely above vegetable. Must be the piss-poor crop that I had to pick from in this town. You'd think since it was on the Hellmouth that Sunnydale would have better vamp candidates… Oh well, I don't have to worry about that for now, do I?

Riley had to be first; there was no way around it. Once I found out who he was, he replaced the Slayer at the top of my 'to kill' list. Keeping an appropriately sombre expression on my face, I look around the room.Who will be next? The twit? The vengeance demon? The witch? The Watcher is going to be right before the Slayer and the Slayer is going to be the last of this little group to go. A few more of the soldier boys, maybe? And yes, I will be taking care of the rest of the soldier boys and the so-called scientists and every other piece of shit human that participated in my humiliation. It just might take awhile. So, who next?

The demon next, I think. She's been around a long time and she's the only one I really worry about figuring it out. If she ever looks up from the twits crotch long enough, that is. Well, her and the Poof, but he doesn't seem to pay much attention to this lot anymore.

I know I have to wait awhile and not get too impatient. And not just because it would look suspicious. I don't know how long I'm going to have to go about with this thing in my head and I don't want to run out of entertainment or cut off the blood cow too soon.

The witch is finally finished with her fussing and offers to bring me some blood. See what I mean about how it's going to be hardest to kill her? I play pitiful and accept her offer. The Slayer finally looks ready to start round one of the questions.

She'll probably ask me if I recognized the vamps that attacked her and her honey while they were out patrolling. Then next, she'll wonder about how the vamps knew it would only be the two of them tonight instead of the usual five or six soldiers and the Slayer.

"Spike? Did you recognize the vamps that… that... attacked us?"

See what I mean? She's an unpredictable fighter, but I've finally figured out the way she thinks.

"No, I didn't recognize them. I'm sorry, Slayer. I'll ask around and see if there's been anyone new in town."

Yeah, right.

"Do you think it was just luck that they attacked tonight when… when…"

She can't even bring herself to say his name. This has affected her more than I'd hoped.

The witch brings back my mug-o-blood and hands it to me. I remember just in time to give her a grateful smile. What schmucks.

"He won't come back will he?"

That soft question surprises me. Surely she knows how vampires are made. The minions drained him and broke his neck. Oh well, maybe she didn't see what really happened to him, what with the shock and all the fighting for her life that was going on.

"No. He won't be coming back." I can't resist adding, "But if that was going to be the case, I would have taken care of it for you."

From the silence in the room, I think maybe I pushed the 'I'm one of the white hats' act too far, but after a minute the Slayer sniffs and nods.

"Thanks, Spike."

Oh, this is just going to be too much fun.

 

~Fin~