The Scooby’s moved quickly though the industrial sites. Miss. Calendar and Willow had managed to clear up the document enough to get a complete address and they all felt it needed checking out. Xander was particularly anxious to see if what ever it was still had his body and if there still was a chance for coming back to life. They arrived at the giant steel building moments later.
“This looks like the place.” Angel commented looking at the printout
“It definitely does look like some kind of meat factory.” Giles replied
“It’s the type of meat they’re storing that worries me.” Buffy continued, “we better get inside.”
Angel walked up and checked the door. He pushed against I hard but it didn’t budge. Stepping back he scanned the outside of any other entrances.
“This place seems pretty solid. Maybe theirs a skylight or a ventilation shaft we can get into from the roof.” He said seriously
“I don’t recommend that,” Giles replied, “there is a ventilation system on the roof but unless you are planning to cryogenically frozen I think an alternate rout needs to be found.”
Buffy walked up to the door and kicked it hard. It made a loud thud but didn’t budge. She frowned in frustration.
“There must be some way inside.”
“Ah . . . guys,” Xander said lightly, “Can walk through walls and turn invisible here.”
“No Xander,” Willow replied anxiously, “we don’t know what’s in there! It could be something really bad that might make you deader.”
“Deader? That’s not even a word Will. Don’t worry I’ll be fine.”
“Hurry okay?” Buffy continued, “really not in the mood to be caught by any big bads tonight.”
Xander nodded. He stood up straight and vaporized into nothing. The group stood outside the door anxiously
“Do you really think he’s gonna be safe Giles?” Buffy asked
“Hard to say actually, not much research had been done of spirits.”
“He’ll be good,” Angel replied, “I could see it in his eyes. Plus he’s got that whole walking through walls thing down.”
Buffy looked at the vampire curiously.
“Are you jealous?” Buffy asked in an amused tone.
Angle gave a sideways glance back to Buffy.
“What? No, Well a little I, ah, Hey! When did this become about me all of a sudden?”
Buffy smirked. Giles looked at the door seriously
“I, for one, hope that Xander is up to the task,” he said, “We have no idea what’s behind that door and I have a grave feeling that if we don’t find out soon we could all . . .”
“BOO!”
The group jumped in fright. Xander reappeared in front of them. He was laughing as hard as he could. Annoyed Buffy folded her arms and glared at the ghost.
“Xander!” she snapped
“I’m sorry buff,” he replied during fits of laughter, “I couldn’t resist. You should have seen your faces!”
“And this is the guy we’re relying on for our recon.” Angel comments.
Xander calmed down. He sighed happily.
“Okay, okay. I’m really going this time.” He said
Xander turned and walked towards the door. He glided straight through it as if it wasn’t there. On the other side he phased himself again and walked out into the huge space. He stopped and his jaw dropped at the sight. In the middle of the factory were rows and rows of hospital trolleys each one had a body covered with a sheet. Xander really didn’t want to count them but there looked to be about fifty or so in this one factory. He walked slowly through the forest of bodies trying to get a sense of what was going on. They all couldn’t have been from the same Demon and if they were why leave them here? It would be like putting up a neon sign saying ‘police come here’ with an arrow pointing to the building.
From the office he heard the sound of talking. Xander moved back from the center of the room and waited to see what was happening. From out of the office, a tall man in a pressed cream suit and immaculately combed silver hair and beard walked out. He was followed by a small group of demons of different sizes and types.
“Ladies and gentlemen, if you’d be so kind as to follow me, I will show you to our show room floor.” He said in a southern accent.
The group moved to the far wall and looked over the sea of bodies in excitement. The man in the cream suit stood enigmatically in front of them like a ringmaster about to start his circus show.
“What you see before you is the cream of the Sunnydale crop my friend. Each of these children were hand picked and harvested and represent the finest quality vestals money can buy.”
One of the demons sniffed at the sheets. He looked to the man in disgust.
“They’re all dead,” he yelled.
The cream suit man didn’t miss a beat. He smiled at the demon and pulled back the sheet of the closest body.
“To the untrained eye that appears to be so but I can assure you kind sir that they are so very much alive,” he replied confidently, “These bodies are in a transient state, that’s a point between alive and dead, A technique that was taught to my grand pappy buys the finest necromancer in all of central Africa. Each of them is guaranteed soul free and ready for inhabiting at your leisure.”
The demons huddled around the display model. From Xanders vantage point he could see that it was a blond girl, about his age, he think he might have had a few classes with her last year.
“This one a beaut aint she? A genuine all-American cheerleader I heard she won some fancy title in that sport too. This is definitely one for the lovely ladies in the crowd.”
The cream suit man winked to a couple of female Demons in the crowd. They smile back at them.
“Can we look them over?” another demon asked
“Of course, in fact I insist, it’s always been my policy to make sure the customer’s happy with whatever life they want to take over or my name isn’t Leyland Morris, necromancer to the rich and deadly.”
Another of the larger demons picks up the girl on the table and examines her closely.
“Uh, uh, be careful they’re my friend you break it you bought it.”
The demon put the girl carefully back down on the table. One of the female demons catches Leyland’s attention. She motions him to the center of the room for a private conversation. Xander moved slowly into a better position to hear more clearly.
“I hear this town has a slayer.” the demon commented
Leyland smiled at his potential customer.
“Don’t you worry ma’am the doors on this place are seven inches of steel there is no way that little lady can come in.”
“No that’s not what I meant. I was wondering if it was possible to get the slayer for me.”
Leyland thought about the proposal.
“That might be a might tricky,” he replied, “This girl’s slipperier then a rattlesnake.”
“I’m willing to pay you extra.”
The largest smile crossed his face.
“Well now aint that kind of you. I’ll see what I can rustle up but first I need . . . “
Leyland stopped. He looked around the room as if he sensed something. After a few moments he eyes fell on where Xander was standing. This worried the ghost immensely although he was still invisible this guy knew exactly where he was.
“I’m sorry we’ll have to talk about this another time.” Leyland continued, “now if you’d like to give me a call in the next few days I’ll see what I can arrange.”
Xander began to back of as quickly as possible. He rushed back out side and reappeared. Buffy looked at him in concern.
“Xander? Are you all right? You look like you’ve seen a . . . something bad.”
Xander looked at the group in fear.
“So, what was in there?” Angel asked
He looked over to the Vampire.
“I don’t think you’d believe me even if I told you."
Back inside, Leyland moved back into his office. He moved behind his desk and sat down angrily. From outside a Parob walked into the office looked at his master.
“Something the matter my master?”
Leyland looked up at his Minion in severe anger.
“You’re darn right there’s something the matter! We had a ghost in the showroom! Who was on spirit watch tonight?”
“Me master.” The demon replied
“And do we think we did a good job?”
“No master.”
“And that’s what I think to.”
Leyland pressed a button on his desk. The collar the demon was wearing shocked him with 20,000 volts of electricity. After about a minute he stopped.
“Your job is simple sparky. I want you to go out and find me the ghost who decided to crash my shindig you understand?”
“Yes my master.” the Parob replied painfully
“Good. I will not have anything ruin by business especially the spooks. Not when I can control the dead.”
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