Three Handed Game: Part 4
by Theodore J Miller
The next morning, Buffy was late for school. As soon as she could, she went to the library, and before Giles could say anything, she began talking. "Sorry I'm late, but things got rather complicated last night, and I'm still catching up. And I know you're probably upset about last night, because things became more public than they should have, but there were a lot of things Cordelia and I had to make excuses for, like disappearing caterers, and drugged food, and there was a vampire caterer that could have come back, so we had to have everyone be cautious and not trust him, but we didn't tell anyone about vampires, we just told them it was ordinary criminals."

"Buffy..." Giles began, but Buffy interrupted him.

"And we played down our role, well I did anyway, I said we just stumbled in on them and they panicked at being discovered, though Cordelia made it sound like she was Xena on steroids, but as long as everyone is thinking about Cordelia, they won't be thinking about me, so my secret identity as the Slayer is safe, right?"

"Yes, but..."

"Okay, so I didn't kill this one really old vampire, who I particularly wanted to kill, because they can't replace him, but we, that is, Angel and I, we killed the other two vampires, and they didn't capture anybody to turn into vampires, so I've got things under control, and we won't have to make any deals with any vampires, right?"

Buffy finally paused for breath, giving Giles a chance to speak. "I'm afraid that's not the case, Buffy. Considerably more happened last night than just that attack on Cordelia's house. Willow, if you can show Buffy what you found?"

Sitting at the computer, Willow spoke up. "I checked some information on-line, and there was a group of prisoners being transported last night. They never arrived; the prison van they were in was found abandoned, the prisoners were gone, and the guards who were transporting them, they were, their b-bodies were found."

"Maybe it wasn't vampires," Buffy replied. "It could just be ordinary, not-dead, not-bloodsucking criminals who freed the prisoners, right? That does happen, doesn't it? Not everything nasty that happens around here is caused by vampires and demons and mummies and..."

"Just 90% of it," Xander interjected as he came in the library door.

"This one does look like vampires," Willow said. "The reports on the guards, the wounds and blood loss, they do pretty clearly imply a vampire attack, if you know what to look for."

"And since it's unlikely the vampires would go after a guarded prison van just to get ordinary victims, the missing prisoners were probably taken for conversion into vampires," Giles added.

"Oh, things just get better and better," Xander complained. "We've got a bunch of guys who were ALREADY murderous psychopathic criminals, and now they're being changed into vampires, so they'll be even WORSE?!"

"Actually, they're not murderers," Willow said. "This was a low-security group of relatively non-violent prisoners. One's a burglar and safecracker, one's a professional arsonist who always made sure his target buildings were empty, one's a blackmailer who set people up and filmed them in compromising situations, things like that."

"That's not necessarily an improvement," Giles said. "They'll be homicidal enough when they're changed into vampires, and their criminal skills might give them additional options beyond the standard vampire methods."

"And that's not all that happened last night," Willow added. "There were several crimes and accidents where people were killed, and they're the same type of people as Cordelia had at her house; prominent, successful, like that. City Councilman Peter Sanchez and his wife were in a car accident, and there's Walter Benedict, he's the president of the Sunnydale bank, he was killed in a mugging, ..."

"And of course they can't just be ordinary car accidents and muggings, right?" Buffy asked wearily.

"They all had very specific neck injuries, enough to destroy any vampire-bite evidence," Willow answered. "And there was blood, it was on their mouths, which could mean..."

"That they drank, or were forced to drink, the vampire's blood," Buffy finished. "So they'll all be rising as vampires, too."

"It looks like both sides are recruiting new vampires," Giles said. "We can't let this continue. We have to stop it, and to do that..."

"We have to make a deal with one side," Buffy said. "I know. But look, maybe if we all go to the cemetery or the morgue or wherever, we can get all the new vampires as they, you know, pop up. Wouldn't that be enough?"

"No, it won't," Angel answered as he showed up. "Simon is obsessed with destroying Spike, and he's going to convert as many people into vampires as it takes. It would be difficult and dangerous to destroy all the vampires in the current batch, and even if we succeeded, Simon would just make more. We either have to stop Simon, as soon as possible, which means making a deal with Spike. Or we have to help Simon get Spike, so Simon doesn't NEED to make those vampires."

"All right, already. We'll do it," Buffy said. "We'll make a deal with one of the devils."

"So I guess we've got something to decide here," Xander said. "WHICH devil do we make a deal with, to destroy the other?" And the five of them looked at each other.

"That's the key question," Giles said; "which side do we deal with?"

"Well, who's the most dangerous one, the one we most want to get rid of?" Xander asked. "Spike's already killed two Slayers, while Simon's forces are gonna be what, a bunch of vampire bank presidents and politicians? MAJOR threat there. Maybe we should deal with Spike now, and Buffy can take care of Simon's guys later on."

"Actually, Simon's recruits could be dangerous, Xander," Willow suggested. "I mean, they'll know everything that happens in town, where all the money is, have access to everything. Maybe that's what we want to stop; it could be worse than just tough vampires that try to bite people."

"Buffy," Giles asked, "what do you think?"

"Don't ask me," Buffy retorted; "I don't like either of them."

"None of us LIKE either of them," Angel answered her. "Maybe more than any of you, I know what they're like. Simon is a ruthless servant of evil who doesn't care how many people he kills, while Spike is a psychopath who enjoys torture and killing. I've seen them, I've been around them..." He paused. "I WAS one of them, and I still have that in me. But as long as this war goes on, they're just going to change more and more people into vampires. To save those people from becoming what I became, we've got to deal with one of them."

"Why not both of them, while we're at it?" Buffy asked sarcastically. "As long as we're making nice to them, let's go all the way."

"I know you're joking, Buffy, but we may want to do that, to try approaching both of them," Giles said.

"Sheesh," Buffy said, "remind me to tape my mouth shut."

"We don't know whether either of the vampire factions will actually work with us. It makes sense to contact both of them, to negotiate with both, in order to make sure we do end up with one that will make a deal," Giles explained.

"Oh, I see," Xander commented. "It's like asking two girls out to a dance, in order to increase the chance that one will actually end up going with you."

"Um, what do you do if BOTH girls want to go with you?" Willow asked.

"Well, then I guess they could fight each other for me," Xander answered. "If they're the type of girls who do that fighting stuff, like, um, well, you know, and, um, ..." He glanced at Buffy then trailed off, a faraway look in his eyes.

"You're imagining me fighting another girl for you, aren't you?" Buffy asked him.

"NO, not at all," Xander said emphatically. "Well, maybe a little. Fine, sue me because I appreciate strong, aggressive women who aren't afraid to go after what they want."

"Which, in this case, would be you, right?" Buffy asked.

"Do you think we could move the topic of conversation away from Xander's fantasies, and back to the question of negotiating with vampires?" Giles interrupted.

"No big difference, they're both really perverse, disturbing concepts," Buffy quipped.

"Sort of like you being with dead-boy here, right?" Xander retorted.

"Hey, guys..." Willow started to say.

"I would appreciate it if you would NOT say things like that," Angel said heavily.

"Guys..."

"Why, are you gonna bite me, Mr. Angel of Death?" Xander asked.

"GUYS..."

"If Alexander the Not-So-Great doesn't lay off..." Angel began.

"KNOCK IT OFF!" This shout from Willow surprised everyone, including her. "Um, guys, the war, the vampires, negotiating, maybe we could talk about that."

"Right," Giles said. "Now, as I was saying, we can make approaches to both sides, see which one is actually willing to make a deal with us."

"And if they both are?" Buffy asked.

"We take the best offer, of course," Xander interjected.

"That would be the one which isn't quite as sucky as the other one, right?" Buffy asked.

"Basically, yes," Giles answered her. "Willow, you said you could contact this Josh Fornell?"

"I've got an e-mail alias for him, and he's still using it," Willow answered.

"His parents are killed, he's turned into a vampire, but he still doesn't miss a chance to get on-line," Xander said. "Dedicated, huh?"

"Or dangerously addicted, perhaps," Giles countered.

"He's a VAMPIRE," Buffy said. "Excessive use of the Internet is NOT his biggest problem."

"Point taken," Giles said. "Anyway, Willow, if you can send him a message, saying that we'd like to discuss the possibility of a temporary alliance with Spike to eliminate Simon's group of vampires, we can see what kind of response we get. Now, as for contacting Simon..."

"I can do that," Angel offered. "I know a spot in the tunnels where I can speak to Simon's vampires as they pass, without being immediately accessible to them. I can suggest a meeting with you to discuss a deal."

"We want to work something out as soon as possible, before any more vampires are created and any more innocent victims suffer," Giles said to both Angel and Willow. "If we have to meet in person, try to set up somewhere that we'll have protection in case the vampires try to attack us: a tunnel location such as Angel mentioned, an area where the vampires will be in shade while we'll be in sunlight, at the doorway of a house they won't be able to enter without invitation, something of that general nature."

"Got it," both Angel and Willow said, then Angel left and Willow began typing the e-mail to Josh.

In Spike's lair later that morning, Josh Fornell logged on to his computer. It announced that he had mail, but he ignored it, muttering, "Bloody spammers never give up. You don't get off those mailing lists till you're dead." He paused as he realized something. "No, scratch that; I AM dead, and it didn't get me off their damn mailing lists. Well, forget it, let's go see what's cooking at my alma mater." He connected to the high school computer system. "Now, what don't they want anyone peeking at, maybe some nice confidential files on a couple of girls I could put the bite on."

As Josh tried to hack in, he encountered a security program. "Something new from Calendar? I'll soon get through... What the hell is this, some sort of religious...," he said, puzzled. Then he yelled, pulled his hands from the keyboard, and covered his eyes; it was suddenly painful to touch the keys or look at the monitor. "She put an anti-vampire boobytrap in the system! I'll... argh!" He tried to get through it, but was driven away again, and finally broke the connection to the school. "That's it; when I get my hands on her, I'm gonna skip the computer hacking and go straight to hacking HER."

Josh paused. "Guess I might as well check that e-mail. But if it's another stupid pyramid scam, I'm gonna track some people down and do a little experiment. If each of them mails his LIVER to someone, will he get ten thousand livers back in a month?" His eyes widened when he read the e-mail message. "Spike!" he called out. "You're not gonna BELIEVE what just came in."

Josh took a printout of the message to the room where Spike and Drusilla were, and handed it to Spike. "What?! Do you know what this SAYS?!" Spike asked in an astonished tone.

"That IS why I brought it to you," Josh answered testily.

"Spike, love," Drusilla said, "what's on the paper?"

"You won't believe this, Princess," Spike said. "That Slayer wants to make a deal, a temporary alliance to defeat Simon. Me, working WITH a Slayer?! That's just ... sick."

"I thought you liked sick," Drusilla asked.

"Yes, but this, this is just... come to think of it, you're right," Spike replied. "I killed the Anointed One, and I spit on any stupid traditions which get in the way of my fun. If I want to work WITH a Slayer, I can. Might even be fun to work with her; before I kill her, of course."

"You are still going to kill her, then, aren't you?" Drusilla asked. "I want you to kill her for me. Kill her dead."

"Of course, love. That goes without saying. But it might add a nice kinky twist to kill her AFTER we've worked together, been comrades-in-arms, so to speak. You know, I've missed that. When I first became a vampire, there were all these people from before, people who loved me and trusted me, and they had this really neat betrayed look when I turned on them and ripped out their throats. Sure, all the torture and killing since then has been great, but sometimes you want that emotional subtext."

"So, what should I do about this?" Josh asked.

"What the hell, I'll do it. Go send them an e-mail, kid, tell them I'm willing to meet with the Slayer to discuss this alliance they want. Oh, and tell them no Watcher and no Angelus, just the Slayer and those teenage friends of hers. Teenagers are so emotional and idealistic; gives me more to work with. I'll toy with the Slayer, make her think she can trust me, work with me, AND get her to help take care of Simon and those annoying old fossils of his. Then, once that's all been taken care of, POW, I turn on her. Imagine the look of betrayal in those little girl eyes, like a cute puppy that's just been kicked. Oooh, I can hardly wait." He looked at Josh. "Well, kid, get to it."

"In a moment, Spike, but first, there's that computer teacher, Ms. Calendar. When will I get a chance to go take care of her?"

"When I TELL you that you can go take care of her, that's when," Spike answered. "I've got things going here, and I do NOT want them messed up. She's one of the Slayer's friends; just how am I supposed to toy with the Slayer if you go off and start butchering her friends? However, I think we can settle on a fair compromise." Spike grabbed Josh, and flung him hard against the nearest wall. "See, I compromised by not killing you immediately. How could I be fairer than that? Now, get back to your computer and stick to what I tell you to do, or I'll be looking for a new computer hacker, and you'll be looking for a new head. Got it?"

"Yes, Spike," Josh said sullenly as he got up and went back to the computer, muttering under his breath (or lack thereof), "Bloody Spike gets all the fun, gets to kill whoever he wants, but if I just want to go mutilate one little computer teacher, it's 'Not now, Josh', 'Go back to your computer, Josh', 'I'll rip your head off, Josh'. Might as well be back in school. Well, stuff it, Mr. I'm-So-Wonderfully-Evil Spike; as soon as I get the chance, Calendar gets introduced to the new, improved Josh Fornell, fangs, demon face, and all."

Over in the lair of the Ancients, Reginald arrived with a message for Simon. "Sir, something quite unusual has occurred. I was approached by Angelus, the apostate, with a proposal for us. He wants us to temporarily join forces with the Slayer and her associates, in order to eliminate our common enemy Spike."

"Absurd!" Abraham blurted out. "This Slayer killed the Master. She's the worst enemy our kind has. How can we possibly deal with her?"

"There is a wisdom in getting one's enemies to fight each other," Reginald countered. "If we can make use of the Slayer, have her eliminate Spike, perhaps we should consider it."

"Are you going to trust someone whose only purpose is to destroy us?" Abraham answered him. "You, Reginald, you've just faced her in battle. She destroyed two of our kind and drove you off. How can you now turn around and want to work WITH her?"

"It is because I've faced her that I think we should take this proposition seriously," Reginald answered. "She is strong and dangerous. She is a threat to us, she interferes with our war against Spike, she destroys our forces and may destroy the newly-risen ones. To neutralize that threat; even more, to turn that threat to our advantage; that is why we should work with her."

"But the Slayer, the Watcher, their associates; they're all implacable enemies of all vampires," Abraham said.

"ENOUGH," Simon said. "This is my decision to make, and I say we should meet with them."

"But, Simon..." Abraham began.

"Consider that if THEY are willing to work with US," Simon interrupted him, "they are not as inflexibly opposed to us as we've assumed. This is an opportunity for not merely a temporary alliance, but a permanent change. It's a chance to present our views, to make them understand that they should not oppose us, that they should willingly join with us. If we can do that, if we can bring our most enduring enemies to our side, we'll do more for our kind, and for the Great Ones we serve, than any mere victory in battle would do."

"But what if they ARE inflexibly opposed to us?" Abraham asked.

"Then I'll do whatever must be done to ensure our victory," Simon answered. "Reginald, make the arrangements with Angelus. I will meet with whoever they send, and we shall see what transpires."

After exchanging e-mails with Josh, Willow went over to Giles and the others. "Guys," she said, "I've set up the meeting with Spike for after school. There's, um, there's just one thing; he doesn't want Giles or Angel there, just Buffy and, um, other teenagers."

"So that means you and I go with Buffy to the meeting?" Xander asked.

"Unless someone thinks we should bring Cordelia along as well," Buffy said.

"I really don't think so," Xander said, giving an exaggerated shiver. "Being with Spike AND Cordelia at the same time? I don't think my nervous system could handle the stress."

"I don't know about this," Giles commented worriedly. "Why does Spike want just the three of you to negotiate with him?"

"Oh, NOW you're not sure about this," Buffy replied. "When I was saying negotiating with vampires is a sucky idea, everyone else was all 'we've got to do it to end the war'. Look, you said Spike's bunch were the teenagers of the vampire world, right? You know, not big on tradition, the 'vamps just want to have fun' type. So who better to connect with them than us?"

"Are you sure you'll be all right?" Giles asked.

"Hey, I've been handling myself around vampires since before you were, um, not quite as old as you are now," Buffy answered. "And I'll have Willow there in case smartness is needed, and Xander for, um, ..."

"Charisma, bravery, my mastery of the subtle art of diplomacy, not to mention my sheer rugged manliness?" Xander suggested. "And this whole negotiating thing was my idea in the first place, remember?"

"Remind me to thank you for that later," Buffy said sarcastically.

"Um, don't bother, I've still got the emotional scars from your 'thank you for saving my life' dance," Xander replied.

Giles was still looking dubious, so Buffy said to him, "Hey, Giles, don't feel left out. Angel is still setting up things with the other vampire bunch; you and Angel can meet with Simon, the stuffy traditional bloodsucking fanatic vampire, while Willow, Xander, and I are at our meeting with Spike, the happy-go-lucky fun-loving psychopath vampire. And then we'll compare notes and see which one of them gets wiped out right away, and which one we wipe out a little later."

"Still, you should be careful, take precautions, look out in case it's a trap," Giles said.

"No, really? I was just going to walk right in without a care in the world," Buffy answered. "After all, this is Spike we're talking about. Didn't they call him 'William the Bloody' because he has a heart overflowing with love? I mean, it's not like he's ever tried to, you know, KILL me or anything."

"Okay," Giles said, "I get it. You'll be careful."

"And we'd also better be getting to class," Buffy said. She started to leave, followed by Willow and Xander, then she added, "Oh, Giles, if I don't see you before again before you go, have as much fun negotiating with your vampire leader as I'll have with mine," and then they left.

Giles shook his head, then commented, "If sarcasm could kill vampires, she'd never need a stake again."


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