Disclaimer: See Part One.
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Part Seven
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Buffy sat nervously in the vinyl upholstered chair. In the next room was Principal Snyder. Although she tried to see through the privacy glass, she had no idea what the man was doing.
The Slayer reviewed her options. She could stay in the waiting room until Snyder came out and suspended her. Or, she could bolt, leap out the nearest window and delay the suspension until Wednesday.
Before she had a chance to decide, Principal Snyder opened his door and walked out of his office. "Well, Ms. Summers, it seems you’re in for a bit of luck." Principal Snyder was too smug, and she knew something was up.
She also knew that she had to play along. "Really?" she asked hopefully, a faint smile playing on her lips.
Snyder beckoned her to follow, and she stood up. "I have been trying to convince the school board for a long time, trying to get them to put in a detention room." There was that smile again…"Thanks to you and your two cohorts, they agreed…and now you’ll be the first to use it."
He opened a new door in his office and motioned for her to go first. She glanced at the doorway, seeing descending steps. Shakily, she looked back to Principal Snyder. When he nodded, she began the descent. Behind her, the door shut, cutting off her light.
Slowly and unsurely, she moved downwards, step by step. At that point, she knew that something was most definitely up. Not even Principal Snyder would sink this low. It had to be a shape-shifter, or a changeling, or a gold old-fashioned long-lost evil twin…
That was when she heard the ragged breathing at the bottom of the steps. With no way out and no steps left, Buffy came to a stalemate. Either try and beat the metal door down at the top of the steps, or face whatever was making the sound.
Making the most Slayer-like choice, she took a deep breath and stumbled into a stray patch of light.
And gasped.
* * *
Giles had just spend what seemed like hours screaming his captor’s name into the blackness. The evil demon had apparently left to practice once again…and now he sensed the demon was back.
The Playful Killer…an adequate name for such a vicious demon. Giles knew that Buffy would never figure out what it was. This time, it had covered its tracks expertly. The girl was the only hint…but soon, there’d be another…
He heard a door slam in front of him, and someone taking cautious steps down the steps. He heard the intruder pause, then trip over their own two feet into the light. And gasp.
Giles drew in a breath. "Buffy!"
* * *
"Hey Willow! Listen to this!" Xander called out from his position on the floor.
Willow sighed and continued the search for a redwood stake. "What *is* it, Xander?" she replied tiredly.
"There’s more to this Tueur Enjoué guy than Buffy read." Xander knew he had Willow’s attention, and he began. "’The name of Le Tueur Enjoué translates from French into Playful Killer or Playful Slayer…" Xander paused after the last word, then continued. "Most often the torture it uses is taking on a form of authority and repeatedly harassing the victim before killing it.’"
Willow crossed the room to Xander. "There wouldn’t happen to be pictures? So we can at least see what we’re up against?" She peered over his shoulder.
"Uh…yeah, the next page." Xander turned over the page, revealing a gallery of paintings and photos of the victims, a few depictions of the demon, and a few of its false identities.
"Wow! Look at these deaths, Xander. Broken necks, drained blood…all to look like a vamp attack. But each one has their body slashed with what seems to be claws…Xander? What are you looking at?" Willow broke from her amazement.
But Xander had zeroed in on one familiar picture hidden between two larger ones. Labeled as one of the false identities, Xander regarded it in shock. Willow followed his gaze, and the two said the name as one.
"Snyder."
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