The Wind Beyond the Walls of the Mind
Chapter 16 - concluded
"Run like Hell!"
by Gaius Petronius
DISCLAIMER: Buffy the Vampire Slayer and all the characters that appear on the show are the exclusive property of Joss Whedon, the WB, Fox and Mutant Enemy, Inc. This story can be read on its own or as a sequel to H. P. Lovecraft's "The Haunter of the Dark" from which the Ancient Ones, the Shining Trapezohedron and the character of Robert Blake are derived.
The Wind Beyond the Walls of the Mind is set roughly in mid-season four shortly following the death of Doyle but before the creation of Adam and the death of Maggie Walsh.
Content Note: This part is rated PG-13 for a little raunchy language.
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Riley hated this wing of the Initiative more than any place in the massive underground complex. The block was lined with detention cells under glaring overhead lights that were painful to the eyes if you lingered under them long enough. The corridor ran in a straight line down the center between the cells which lined either side. Each cell was occupied with either two demons or two vampires. Every few minutes, one of the "hostiles" threw itself in desperation against the force field sealing off the cells. The result was always the same, a loud snap of electricity and a howl of pain.
The place smelled, sometimes so strongly of antiseptic cleaner that it made Riley lightheaded, other times with a stench that the cleaner was meant to cover up. Some of the captives paced nervously back and forth, others raged and screamed as they jumped within the confines of their imprisonment. A few were curled up, silent, in the corners of their cages only emitting a half hearted growl at the passing of one of their captors.
At the far end of the detention block, Riley Finn stood before the last cell. His arms were folded across his chest, and he watched with unspeaking intensity a demon crouched on the floor of the cell just within the confines of the force field.
The demon, covered in scruffy brown hair and sporting a set of small horns and a long hooked nose, growled quietly back at Riley. The demon's large, green eyes remained fixed on him, and the two glowered at each other, their eyes locked as if both realized words were a total failure at this juncture leaving only thought and emotion as the last possible means of communication.
Neither moved for a long time. Somewhere down the detention block, a snap of electricity from an activated force field and a vampire's scream of pain rang out. Oblivious, Riley and the demon still stared at one another.
Suddenly, as if she were a ghost materializing out of the blinding light all around them, Professor Maggie Walsh loomed up behind Riley. He sensed her presence immediately and spun around at attention. The demon scrambled away from the front of the cell and cowered against a back wall.
"Agent Finn," she announced sternly, "Some disturbing reports have come to my attention."
Riley didn't reply. The moment had arrived.
"It seems you have been directly countermanding my orders with the patrols under your command. Is this true?" she demanded.
"Yes, Ma'am."
"Your explanation!?"
Riley took a deep breath.
"I've received new information regarding the entity and its capabilities," he said with military precision, "It's not from this universe . . . and there's not just one of them."
Professor Walsh, her fury building, began pacing back and forth in front of Riley. She instantly recognized his challenge which she was always trying to suppress.
"And this new information you obtained from what source?" she asked sternly.
"Well, . . . from Buffy," Riley sensed the weakness in his own voice and was angry with himself.
"From . . . Buffy!" Walsh answered dripping sarcasm.
"Ma'am . . . permission to speak freely," Riley requested, realizing the Professor had, with a few words, shifted him totally on the defensive. He couldn't stop now. All their lives depended on him.
Walsh turned to Riley and eyed him with surprise as if she were shocked he should make such a request.
"Permission . . . granted," she said slowly.
"Professor, we both have seen those infra red readouts," Riley gave it one last shot in an attempt to reason with Professor Walsh, "So have Graham, Forrest and a lot of the other men. All the alpha particle packs together don't have the power to neutralize that thing for capture. You know it and I know it. And if there's more of them coming along with it . . ."
Professor Walsh didn't reply. For a moment, Riley imagined the look on her face betrayed uncertainty, the possibility that she might actually understand his reasoning.
"So," he continued, "I authorized the shift into Code Red Defensive Mode."
Walsh's eyes widened with anger. She spun on her heels about to reprimand Riley, but he cut her off. It was now or never, and he realized he had underestimated her need for unquestioned authority.
"If this entity is truly intelligent as we think it is," he said urgently, "We must presume it also knows of the Initiative! And if, as Buffy says, its objective is to lead an invasion of this world by beings similar to itself, then logically, it will strike at the strongest points of defense first!"
"Agent Finn!" her voice commanded silence. Still Riley wouldn't stop. He couldn't stop.
"Professor! Please just listen!"
Walsh's eyes blazed with fury as Riley argued his case.
"I've pulled all the patrols, they're a waste of time. I've called up all available personnel who are now reinforcing the perimeter electron force fields. Back up generators have been given a full shake down. The squads are broken down into two groups, half to defend the Command Center itself and half to act as two and three man lightning strike groups, able to move quickly and secretly to counteract the advance of these things. Their objective will be to keep a flow of information coming to the Command Center . . . and look for and exploit any weaknesses. Those read outs prove we're going to be massively outgunned on this, so we have to keep our forces scattered and moving fast . . . or it could be all over in a matter of minutes!"
Professor Walsh paused ominously before she replied.
"You've taken a liking to command," she answered calmly, her voice colder than he had ever heard, " I see you have also initiated the Fabius Plan."
"Yes, Ma'am."
"You would authorize the impending evacuation of this facility and arm the auto destruct on your own initiative!?" she suddenly screamed, letting all the pent up fury at Riley's challenge to her authority blaze out.
"No, Ma'am," he answered as coldly as she had moments before. The response caught Maggie Walsh completely off guard.
"And just what do you mean by . . .?!"
"I received the go ahead from the Committee in Washington," he interrupted her, "'Aurelius' himself sent the authorization."
Now Walsh began to sputter with anger. Struggling, she regained her composure, but as she spoke, her words dripped like blood on the honed edge of a sharp blade.
"Agent Finn . . ." she commanded, "For defiance of my direct orders, you will remove yourself immediately from this detention center!"
Riley stood firm and returned Professor Walsh's icy glare.
"You will report to Sgt. Harrington in Isolation Block 3 where you will be confined until further notice!"
Still Riley didn't move.
"Now, Mister!" she shouted as she realized he was ignoring her direct orders.
"I'm sorry, Ma'am. It's over," he said, again mustering all his cool military training. "The Committee has relieved you of command over this facility. The Project is on indefinite hold."
"Agent Finn!"
Suddenly, two armed Initiative soldiers stepped up behind Professor Walsh. As if awaiting orders for their next move, they trained their eyes on Riley. Professor Walsh was immediately aware of their presence and what it meant.
"So, . . ." she snarled, "You've engineered a coup d'etat. Very skillfully done. I guess it's my own fault. I made you what you are."
"Please escort Professor Walsh to her office," Riley said to the soldiers as he ignored her remarks.
Realizing she had lost this round, Walsh turned to leave with a soldier at either side of her. Before she walked a few feet away from the detention cell, she suddenly stopped and looked back at Riley. Her voice was now cold and emotionless.
"You're wrong, you know," she said, and her tone made Riley shudder inside.
"Ma'am?" he asked.
"About them, the hostiles. . . ." she said, nodding at the cell, "There's nothing human in them."
Riley didn't respond but only stared at Professor Walsh.
". . . no soul . . ." she said in a chilling tone. For a second, Riley imagined it wasn't even Maggie Walsh's voice, but the hissing whisper of the creatures that Buffy had warned him about.
Professor Walsh turned away from Riley as the two soldiers escorted her out of the detention block. Down the hallway, there was another crackle of an activated force field and a howl of pain.
Riley suddenly realized that Hunter was standing by his side.
"So," Hunter asked as gently as possible, "It's all done?"
"Yes," Riley answered numbly, "Hunter?"
"Sir?"
"Begin the controlled release of the hostiles. One every hour. Starting with this one," Riley pointed to the demon in the cell in front of him.
"North tunnel, sir?" Hunter asked for confirmation of the plan he had helped Riley put together.
"Yes. And keep it on schedule," Riley answered, his voice devoid of any enthusiasm, "When those things break through tomorrow night every drop of power is going into the defense grids. The detention block will be deactivated. We're not going to need any . . . 'distractions.'"
Hunter nodded. Realizing immediately there was nothing more to be said, he walked away from Riley and out of the detention block. After he had left, Riley turned to the demon in the cell before him who had witnessed the entire encounter.
"You know what's coming," he said quietly to the demon.
The demon glared at Riley and growled softly.
"You'll be free in a few minutes . . . " Riley said with a whispered intensity, "And when you are . . . run like Hell!"
The demon was silent, unmoving and stared back.
* * * * * * * * * *
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