“Oh my god, stop banging,” Janice moaned as she trudged to the door.
“Janice?” Dawn’s voice came from outside. “Are you okay?”
Janice opened the door, looking and feeling tired.
“Oh,” Dawn said, seeing Janice. “Saturday afternoon. I should’ve guessed you’d be hung over, college girl.” Dawn smiled playfully.
“Dawn!” Janice pulled Dawn inside and hugged her. “I wasn’t drunk last night,” Janice said, as she released her friend. “I was just up late.”
“And I see why,” Dawn said, raising her eyebrow as she noticed the boy sleeping on the floor. “I thought you said Craig was treating you like an ass hole?”
“That’s not Craig. It’s Connor.”
“Oh. Sorry. I thought he was named Craig.”
“I was dating Craig. But he was an ass hole. I met Connor last night.”
“Last night?” Dawn’s jaw dropped. “Wow. College girls really do move fast. I mean, sleeping with a guy you met last night isn’t safe, even if you were safe.” Dawn’s eyes went wider and she looked at Janice with her you-can-talk-to-me face. “You were safe, right?”
Janice laughed. “Perfectly safe. We practiced the only form of contraceptive that’s 100% successful. We just talked.”
“Oh,” Dawn sighed with relief.
“Please. I wouldn’t sleep with Craig when we’d been dating for a month and a half. You think I’d give it up to a guy I met last night? Craig was being an asshole and got kind of physical. Connor stopped him and walked me home. So how about that? Cute, strong, and chivalrous.”
“Even if he seemed that way, bringing a guy you just met back to your room is dangerous.”
“You do realize you’ve turned into your sister, right?” Janice mocked.
Dawn rolled her eyes, then hugged Janice. “I’ve missed you so much.”
“Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”
“It was unexpected. I was in Las Vegas, which sucks because I’m too young to drink or gamble. I got a call from Giles to meet him in San Francisco. But he won’t be there for a couple hours, so I figured I’d do a little detour.”
“Let me get dressed and we can get breakfast.”
“Or lunch,” Dawn teased. She poked Connor with her foot. “You want to come too?”
“He’s asleep,” Janice whispered.
“He’s faking. He’s been awake since you shrieked Dawn.”
Connor opened his eyes and looked at Dawn suspiciously.
Janice leaned toward Dawn and whispered, “You think he heard me call him cute?”
Connor blushed and looked away, grinning shyly.
“Yeah,” Dawn said. “I think he might have.”
*
“Dawn,” Giles said, hugging the girl. “It’s good to see you.”
“I’m in Rome, you’re in London, and we meet in California. What are the odds?”
“How was your friend Janice?” Giles asked.
“Okay,” Dawn said. “She’s apparently taken to inviting guys she just met to spend the night. Platonically, of course.”
“That still seems rather risky.”
“That’s what I told her. But in the five minutes I spent in the room with him, he seemed like an okay guy. Jan and I went to lunch together and talked about our lives. She told me about taking the SATs. I told her about closing the Hellmouth. We both agreed that closing the Hellmouth was a lot less painful.”
“Nonsense. Buffy took the SATs and did fine. If she could do it, you certainly could.”
“The same could be said for closing the Hellmouth,” Dawn smiled.
“Quite true,” Giles laughed.
“So, about this business you needed to discuss.”
“A new vampire. I was considering bringing him up before the full council, but wanted your input first.”
“Sounds bad.”
“Quite. He’s at least slightly stronger than most vampires. He’s also much, much faster than any vampire I’ve personally seen.” Giles held out a still photograph.
“Oh my god,” Dawn gasped. “That’s the guy I saw in Janice’s room!”
*
It was just after dusk.
Janice jumped onto the bed when Diane smashed the door in. “What the hell!?!” she shouted.
“Janice!” Dawn said, running to her friend. “You’re okay.”
“For now,” Janice said. “But when my parents hear my door was smashed in by a nut-”
“We’ll reimburse you of course,” Giles said, entering the room. “Dawn, it is evening. Perhaps you should check Janice for bite marks before you hug her.”
“She’s warm and I can feel a heartbeat,” Dawn said. “Where’s Connor?” she asked Janice. It was only then that Dawn noticed Janice had been crying.
“He just disappeared,” Janice said. “He left while we were at lunch. No note or anything.”
“You made out okay,” Diane said.
“What?” Janice asked.
“He’s a vampire,” Dawn explained. “And he’s been invited in. We have to get you out of here. We’ll leave someone to watch the room.”
“And fix the door?” Janice asked.
“And fix the door,” Dawn affirmed.
“I think Xander’s in L.A.,” Giles said, removing his phone.
*
Giles was helping Janice into the SUV he drove. Bulletproof windows, run flat tires, and an assortment of other safety precautions put it on par with the president’s limo.
Dawn was walking with Diane, when suddenly, the slayer froze and turned.
“What is it?” Dawn asked.
“We’re being watched,” Diane answered. She turned and looked at a row of trees. She slowly walked toward it. Dawn shuddered as she saw the angelic face of Janice’s sleepover guest step from behind a tree and walk toward the car.
Janice looked back and made eye contact with Connor. She looked frightened. He looked confused. Diane changed her trajectory and moved between Connor and the car. She had a confrontational air about her. Connor, though confused, subtly assumed a fighting posture.
“Got a problem?” Diane asked.
“No,” Connor answered in a confused tone.
“Yeah you do,” Diane said. Diane threw a hard punch, but Connor expected it. He grabbed her arm and wrenched it, as if trying to throw her to the ground. Diane pulled her arm away. Connor’s eyes went wide and she could see he was surprised by her strength.
“Not used to the slayers strength, are ya?” Diane mocked.
Giles grabbed his weapons bag from the SUV and ran toward the scuffle.
Diane shot a hard kick at Connor’s head. Connor threw his arms up and blocked the kick. He pushed his arms off Diane’s foot and jumped back. When her foot came down, Diane became confused.
“Slayer?” Connor said.
Diane looked at him feeling almost sympathy for what she believed to be a vampire foe. His eyes had such an intense sadness as he said the word. Diane had encountered so many responses to her being a slayer; excitement, fear, incredulity. Never had she seen sadness.
“Then Faith . . .” Connor said, his voice and thoughts drifting off. Diane’s confusion deepened as she saw a tear trickle from his eye. Connor turned and bolted, running faster than Diane had ever seen anything in a human shape move.
Giles reached the scene in time to put an arm on Diane’s shoulder. “Don’t follow,” he said, breathing heavily. “It could be a trap.”
“Right,” Diane said.
*
Dawn was driving the SUV toward San Francisco. Giles sat shotgun, but he was looking in the back seat where Janice sat next to Diane.
“Why don’t we just stay in a hotel?” Janice asked. “I really don’t have time to go all the way to Marin.”
“Hotels are public accommodations, not a domicile” Giles explained. “Vampires can enter at will. We have a friend in Marin with a house this Connor can’t enter unless invited.”
“But now that you’ve saved me, won’t he just go eat someone else? I mean, I’m not staying in my room, but I don’t have to leave town, do I?”
“This vampire knew Angel,” Giles said. “He may have similar tendencies.”
“Meaning?” Janice asked.
“He might see you as a conquest,” Dawn explained. “If that’s the case, he’ll stalk you and kill you. He doesn’t just want to feed. He wants you in particular.”
Giles gave Dawn a stern look. He would have preferred Dawn state it more delicately. But the Watcher-in-Training had spent her entire (imaginary) youth around people sugar-coating horrible situations for her benefit. She hated the fact they treated her like a child. And she knew Janice felt the same way.
“Don’t forget rape,” Diane pitched in. “He’d probably rape her, too.”
Okay. So there were some details Dawn would have left out for Janice’s benefit.
“Oh,” Janice said, taking in the information while fighting off a feeling of completely paralyzing shock and fear. “But wait! Why didn’t he just do all that last night?”
“The fact that he didn’t is what leads me to believe he shares Angelus’ modus operandi,” Giles explained. “He didn’t attack you last night because of a desire not just to kill you, but to seduce you.”
“Lucky me,” Janice dead-panned. “Of all the girls on campus he could seduce and murder, he picked me. I feel so special.”
“What prompted him to run off like that?” Giles asked Diane. “You didn’t seem to hit him very hard.”
“I didn’t. I didn’t even connect. I just said I was a slayer and he bolted.”
“That’s quite odd. Vampires with far less formidable abilities than his have only shown more bravado when confronted with a slayer.”
“Maybe he got those abilities by surviving a long time,” Dawn offered. “And maybe he survived so long because he ducks out of fights with slayers when he comes across them.”
“He attacked a sporting goods store in broad daylight,” Giles argued. “He hardly seems the cautious type.”
“It wasn’t that,” Diane said. Dawn and Giles had been going rapid fire with their comments. They were Diane’s superiors and she didn’t want to interrupt them. “He mentioned Faith.”
“Faith in what?” Giles said. “Could he be from some obscure religious sect?”
“No,” Diane shook her head. “I think he meant Faith. I said I was a slayer and he . . . he actually got teary eyed and said, ‘then Faith.’ His voice trailed off, he looked sad, and then he ran off.”
“He understands the slayer line of succession,” Giles said, admiration clear in his voice. “He believes that if you’ve been called, Faith must be dead.”
“Faith was with Angel in L.A. not long before this vamp attacked the sporting goods store,” Dawn said. “Perhaps he ran into her there.”
“Then why would he be sad?” Diane asked.
Giles began wiping his glasses as he always did when nervous. “Faith . . . Diane, Faith, for a time, a brief time, all things considered-”
“Faith was evil,” Dawn said. “She was evil when she first went to L.A. That’s what you were getting at, right Giles?”
“She was confused,” Giles clarified. “And she worked for evil. More specifically, she worked as a contractor for Wolfram & Hart. Perhaps in her capacity as an assassin for them, she came to meet this Connor.”
“And she had sex with him,” Dawn said, voicing a suspicion Giles shared, but had preferred to leave unspoken. Dawn had much less confused feelings about Faith. Giles, after much soul searching, considered Faith’s turn to the dark side as much his own failure as it was Faith’s. Perhaps more.
“Well, er . . . yes,” Giles conceded. “There are few other explanations as to why a vampire would express sorrow at the death of a human, particularly a slayer.”
“I guess I can understand why Faith never brought that up during her debriefing,” Dawn grinned. “No pun intended.”
“Actually, that’s the aspect of this that troubles me,” Giles said. “Faith has never been shy about mentioning her romantic exploits.”
“Romantic?” Dawn said, objecting to the PG-rated term.
“I don’t imagine she’d intentionally conceal this,” Giles continued, ignoring Dawn’s dig at Faith. “Yet, it seems important enough that she should have mentioned it.”
“I’ll call Faith when we get to the hotel,” Dawn said.
“Fine,” Diane said. “But the more I hear about this vamp, the less I like beating a retreat while he’s on the prowl. I want to hop out of the car, go back, and find him.”
“I want to wait for back up,” Giles said. “You’re extremely talented Diane, but you’re the least experienced slayer in the field right now.”
“That’s why I have the most experienced watcher, right?” Diane interrupted. “As a team, you and I are as good as any crew out there.”
“That’s not a bad idea,” Dawn said. “I’m sure Janice would feel better knowing this vamp’s just as hunted as she is.”
“I’d think she’d feel more protected with a slayer as a bodyguard,” Giles countered.
“Leave me out of it,” Janice said. She had to speak up for her voice to carry over the sound of an approaching helicopter. “I know vampires exist. Doesn’t mean I know the strategy about finding them and fighting them and . . .” Janice shrugged, not sure how to continue.
“Usually killing them comes next,” Diane offered. “Ideally, anyway.”
“We don’t split up,” Giles insisted. “Not until we get reinforce-”
Giles couldn’t finish his sentence before the armored car t-boned their SUV. Despite its military-grade features, the SUV was pushed sideways and slammed into a barrier.
“And we’re fighting,” Diane said matter-of-factly as she opened her door and jumped out. Janice was confused, but okay. Giles and Dawn had been stunned by the impact of the airbags. Still, they’d have been dead if they‘d hit the dashboard.
A team of commandos jumped out of the armored car and another dropped form a helicopter above. Dawn, coming to her senses, cursed herself for not spotting the ambush. After all, the armor car was obscured, but the helicopter hovering above the highway was pretty obvious.
Dawn unbuckled her seat belt. Giles made a fruitless grab for her shoulder. “No,” he yelled. “Everyone stay in the car. Dawn, try to get us out of here!”
“Is that the primary?” a commando asked as he approached Diane.
“No,” another answered. “Diane Nelson. Slayer.”
“Affirmative,” the first commando answered. He aimed his pistol at her head and fired. The bullet tore through her skull, exited the back, and smashed through the window of the SUV. Blood and brain matter splattered against the side of the car. It oozed down the window in front of Janice. She covered her mouth and tried not to scream or vomit.
Another commando took aim at Dawn.
“Incendio,” Dawn shouted, waving her hand. A flash temporarily blinded the commandos in front of her. Despite their lack of vision, they began firing indiscriminately. Bullets smacked against the bulletproof siding of the van.
Giles dove from the passenger seat, across the driver’s seat, and out the driver’s side door. He tackled Dawn to the ground, keeping her safe from the line of fire.
The rear passenger side door was ripped open and a commando grabbed Janice. She shrieked loudly. Giles turned and saw the commando’s feet under the car. He tried to raise his right arm, but the movement caused excruciating pain. A bullet was lodged in his shoulder. Giles threw his left arm toward the legs and shouted, “Levis
The feet wobbled. Giles smiled as the commando’s legs left the ground. That was until he realized what was happening. The commando who grabbed Janice was hanging from a wire connected to the helicopter. The spell had worked and destabilized the commando’s feet. But his arms were still securely around Janice and the wire was retracting, pulling him back into the chopper.
“Primary acquired,” someone in the chopper radioed. “Fall back. All units fall back.”
The commando’s jumped into the armored car and sped off. But the damage was done. Janice was captured. Giles was injured. Diane was dead.
*
“Giles!” Kennedy said, running to the watcher and hugging him. “Sorry,” she quickly backed away. “You must be in pain.”
“Nonsense,” Giles smiled as he staggered from the SUV. “Dawn was quite liberal in her use of morphine.”
Dawn, her face still streaked with tears, got out of the driver’s side of the badly damaged vehicle.
“It’s okay,” Kennedy said, grabbing Dawn and kissing her forehead. “You’re safe now.”
“Where’s Willow?” Dawn asked.
“She’s getting my cousin,” Kennedy said. “He’s a doctor. He’s on his way home with some supplies.”
“Home?” Giles asked.
“This is my aunt and uncle’s house,” Kennedy said. “But I figured if there was action in the Bay Area, it’d be a good time for a family visit.”
“And Mary?” Dawn asked. “The slayer you’re training.”
“She’s just inside. Why?”
“Get her. Have your aunt and uncle watch over Giles. Leave Willow a note to contact Faith about Connor and help Giles get to work IDing the commandos that hit us.”
“Where are we going?” Kennedy asked.
“Berkeley. A witch and two slayers should be able to find and kill one vampire, no matter how tough he is.”
Giles was about to protest, but Dawn cut him off. “You said you wanted reinforcements. Here they are. Other than Buffy and Faith, Kennedy’s the best slayer we have. Other than you, Willow’s the best watcher.”
“Willow and I aren’t sure Mary’s ready for field action yet,” Kennedy said.
“She’s had more training than Merrick gave Buffy before Buffy was thrown into the field,” Dawn said coldly. “She’ll learn tonight. We find this vampire tonight. And we kill him. Tonight.”
“I’m high on morphine,” Giles said, staggering toward the door. “Who am I to argue?”
*
The rave was their first and last stop. Dawn took the high ground and looked over the crowd for any sign of Connor. Kennedy and Mary took opposite ends of the club and made their way through the crowd.
Kennedy, turn left Dawn’s voice echoed in the slayer’s head. Between the two gay guys.
“Willow taught you how to do that?” Kennedy said, clearly surprised and not really sure Dawn could hear her.
Obviously Dawn answered.
Kennedy pardoned herself to the two gentlemen kissing each other and slipped between them.
Now hook around and come back toward me.
Kennedy slowly made her way back where she started. “What do you have me doing?” Kennedy asked aloud.
I’m trying to get a guy to turn around so I can see his face.
“Where is he?” Kennedy asked, this time loud enough to illicit questioning glances from the people around her.
Six feet behind you. He’s stalking you.
Kennedy froze, fear pulsing through her.
Don’t turn around. Wait until Mary catches up and traps him.
Mary, responding to her own set of directions from Dawn, was now closing in on Connor.
“Is it him?” Kennedy asked.
Dawn was silent a moment. Then answered, It’s him. Ready?
On the floor, Kennedy nodded.
Now!
Connor reacted so quickly, it almost looked like he moved on the slayers first. He twisted his torso quickly. He threw a punch forward with his right hand and an elbow back with his left arm. The left elbow caught Mary unaware and slammed the junior slayer in the eye. Mary hit the ground as hard as Connor had hit her. Kennedy, being more experienced, blocked Connor’s punch, despite the fact she’d initially had her back to him.
Connor quickly jumped backward over Mary, putting both slayers in front of him. Mary pushed up, trying to stand, but Connor kicked her in the head while keeping his eyes locked with Kennedy. The people around the combatants shuffled to get away from the fight, while trying to stay close enough to watch it. Dawn ran from her perch toward the fight.
It sucked, but Kennedy knew there were injuries in battle. With a slayer down, she needed to surprise this guy. Kennedy quickly stepped on Mary’s back and sprung off it, drop kicking Connor.
Connor stumbled back, but caught his balance. Kennedy pressed her advantage and delivered a punch to Connor’s jaw. Connor gritted his teeth as he drew in two quick breaths and threw his own punch. His right arm arched high toward Kennedy’s head. Kennedy’s eyes drifted to the fist as Connor’s left fist shot forward quickly, jabbing her ribs.
Kennedy reached down and grabbed Connor’s left wrist before he could retract it. She pulled him toward her and readied her stake. Dawn arrived just in time to watch the shocked Kennedy release Connor. She quickly reached out and grabbed a necklace that was hidden under Connor’s shirt. She ripped it from his neck. Connor stared at her for a moment, unsure what she was doing. Then, he regained his senses and bolted from the club.
“What the hell was that?” Dawn shouted. “Why didn’t you-”
“Judgment call,” Kennedy said. “And I think it was the right one.”
“To let a vamp go?” Dawn shouted.
Kennedy helped Mary up and made for the exit with Dawn in tow.
“Answer me,” Dawn said.
Kennedy turned to Dawn and shook her head. “When we were fighting, there was something off about him. He had the speed and strength of a vamp, but something was different. When I grabbed his wrist, I understood. What was weird is that his chest was rising and falling. He was breathing. When I grabbed his wrist, it was warm. And I could feel the blood rushing through it. Then it clicked. He’s not a vampire.”
“Are you sure?” Dawn asked.
Kennedy handed Dawn the necklace she ripped from Connor’s neck. It was a cross. “I’m sure.” She didn’t look at Dawn as she spoke. Her eyes were scanning the area for Connor.
“There,” Mary said, pointing at a figure running for a fence. Kennedy smiled at her protégé. Despite taking an obscene ass whooping and getting stepped on by her own partner, the young slayer was still on the job.
Kennedy watched Connor leap the chain link fence around the old factory with a single jump. His speed be damned, Kennedy ran for the fence and got ready to jump it herself.
Kennedy froze as reality set in. Maybe she could catch Connor. But there was no way she would be able to catch the three commandos who tazered Connor, threw him into a van, and sped off.
“Shit,” Kennedy clenched her teeth. “That is completely unfair.”
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