“I need a room,” Connor said. “Just for tonight.” He was in a low rent motel on the outskirts of New York City.
“How long?” the greasy man behind the supposedly bulletproof glass asked.
“I told you,” Connor said. “Tonight.”
“The whole night?” the man asked.
“Yeah.”
The man leaned forward so he could see out the lobby door. Dawn and Faith sat in the car. “Yeah,” the man laughed. “Guess if I had two hot pieces of snatch like those, I’d need the whole night, too. And at you’re age, you can probably pull that off.”
“Yeah,” Connor said, staring at the man with barely disguised disgust. “So how much?”
“Thirty-two dollars. Sixteen if you have one of ‘em come in here and take care of me.”
“No thanks,” Connor said, tossing the cash on the counter. “I don’t like sharing.”
“Room seven,” the man said, handing Connor the key. “Check out’s eleven. I think. Been a long time since someone got one for the whole night.”
“Thanks.”
Connor walked out of the lobby and held up seven fingers. Dawn started the car and followed Connor to room seven.
“I still think we should go back for the weapons,” Faith protested as they entered the hotel room.
“I just had a nine hour flight and a four hour drive,” Dawn said. “I’m not looking to go back.”
“What about Spike?” Faith argued. “Someone’s gotta be there when he . . .”
“Let’s just see if we can find out what the cops have on what happened,” Connor said as he turned on the television. “Faith’s a fugitive. Last thing we need is her getting spotted at the site of a shootout.”
“God, I need a shower,” Dawn said.
“I’ll say,” Connor mumbled.
“What?” Dawn said annoyed.
“Sorry,” Connor said, glancing away from the TV. “I have a sensitive nose. Four hours in a car with someone who just got off an international flight was not my idea of . . . shit.”
“. . . cannot be confirmed, sources within Boston PD say that escaped felon Faith Lehane . . .”
“Why do they always have to use that photo?” Faith moaned. “I could carry Dawn’s luggage in those bags I have under my eyes.”
“Good,” Connor said. “Then maybe no one will recognize you. Faith, do you realize what this means? They’re flashing your picture on New York stations.” Connor turned and grabbed his jacket. “We have to get out of here.”
“What?”
“Faith, if the cops find us here, we’re going to be trapped. We have to get you somewhere with more escape routes. Like Mexico.”
“Mexico? Dude, we are not leaving Boston. Boston is my town.”
“Faith,” Dawn said calmly. “No one wants to stay here, take a shower, and crash more than I do . . .”
“That’s not true,” Connor interrupted. “I want you to take a shower more than you do.”
“ . . . But Cotter’s right . . .”
“Connor!”
“Whatever,” Dawn said disinterestedly. “You’re right. We need to split.”
“Look, let’s get a hold of the council first,” Faith said. “I mean, who were those vamps with the high powered rifles? Not your typical suckers and I doubt they were there trying to pick you off just by chance. Dawn, someone went to a lot of trouble to try to kill you.”
Dawn whipped her cell phone out. “I’ll call from the car.”
“Good,” Connor said, grabbing the keys. “Sit in the back. And keep the windows down.”
**
“Knew you wouldn’t last all night,” the desk clerk said as he picked up a newspaper.
“Just going out for some groceries,” Connor said, climbing in. “Besides, it’s almost dawn.” Connor closed the door, started the car, and pulled out of the parking lot.
“And get a hold of Spike,” Dawn said into the cell phone. “We’re not in Boston anymore. We’ll tell him where to meet us once we get settled.”
“Cop behind you, Connor,” Faith said calmly looking in the side view mirror. “Just take it nice and slow.”
“The Massachusetts plates are a bit of a tip off, don’t you think?” Connor said, his eyes glancing between the road and the rearview mirror.
“Lots of people from MA come down to NY. And the car’s not registered to me. Just don’t give him a reason to pull us over.”
“Enough with the initials,” Connor said. The cop was gaining. He was definitely speeding up.
“Buffy wants to do an extraction,” Dawn said, covering the mouthpiece on the cell phone.
“Tell her the only extraction I’m participating in is the one where we yank the pole out of her ass,” Faith snapped.
“Faith,” Dawn whined. “We need to . . .”
“Sirens,” Connor interrupted as the cop car’s lights started flashing.
“Punch it,” Faith yelled.
Connor slammed his foot on the gas and the car jetted forward. “Gotta go, Buffy,” Dawn shouted into the phone. “Car chase. I’ll call you back.”
“We need to get to the docks,” Faith shouted. “He’ll be calling for back up and we can’t let them pin us from both sides.
“Right,” Connor said as he turned a hard right, away from the rising sun.
“I said toward the docks, Connor!” Faith yelled.
“Yeah,” Connor shouted back. “The sun’s coming up behind us, which means the docks are in front of us.”
“We’re on the east coast, Connor!” Dawn yelled from the back seat.
Wheels screeched as Connor spun the car, pulling a wide U-turn in the middle of the street. He gunned the gas, jetting past the cop who turned onto the street to chase them and who was now driving the wrong direction.
The car shot through the intersection and toward the docks. The cop had spun around on them and was now in pursuit. Connor had the pedal pressed flat against the floor, the engine roaring its protest that it could not maintain this speed much longer. The cop was gaining. The car shot over a set of railroad tracks just before a train shot by behind them. Connor sighed.
“See?” Connor grinned. “I totally planned that.”
***
“We were prepared for the slayer, but not the other,” Yuri said in a thick Eastern European accent.
A witch in a black robe, her face concealed by the long hood, sat on a comfortable leather couch, arms folded. “Who was he?”
“I cannot be sure, but from his movements, I suspect he was the vampire Angel. He was smaller than I expected.”
“Andre said that this assignment would not be difficult for you. He said you could acquire the package with minimum difficulty.”
“We were unprepared,” Yuri said apologetically.
“And now the police are looking for them and you’re stuck indoors until dusk.”
“We are monitoring police channels. If they . . .”
Pyotr entered the room hastily. “The car was spotted in New York. Vladimir says to load up and have Evanna drive us down.”
Yuri smiled to the witch. “Dusk. And then we will have the package.”
“We’ll see.”
****
The water looked almost pink as the sun came up over the ocean. “Sometimes I pity them,” Connor sighed softly. “To live forever, but in that forever never get to see this again. Not worth it.”
“You’re such a girl,” Faith teased.
“Oh, please, Faith,” Dawn smiled. “Let him keep trying to seduce me. It’s actually sexy in a really, really sad and funny kind of way,”
“Who says he’s trying to seduce you?” Faith said, feigning offense.
“You know what?” Connor grinned. “Both you guys can go to hell. Now who wants McDonald’s?”
“I’ve been living in Europe for a year and a half,” Dawn said. “I can’t eat that crap.”
“Great. Now who’s the girl?” Connor asked.
Faith put her arm on Connor’s shoulder. “Connor? Sweetie? Calling someone a girl isn’t really an insult when the person is, you know, actually a girl. But I could use an Egg McMuffin. Dawn, you hold down the fort.”
“I don’t think putting in a public appearance is a good idea, right now,” Connor said. “Stay on the boat. I’ll go get the food.”
“Then let Dawn get the food,” Faith said. “I need to talk to you.”
Connor looked at Faith nervously. “Yeah, okay.” He handed Dawn a $20 bill. “Steak, Egg, and Cheese bagel meal.”
Scowling, Dawn took the money. “Still get hungry and horny after slaying, huh, Faith?”
Connor’s eyebrows rose. “If there’s something you need me to do for the good of the team . . .”
“Down boy,” Faith laughed. “I just need to talk. Dawn, just go get the food.”
Dawn turned and walked toward the door. “Wear a condom,” she said as she left.
Faith peered out the door, to see that Dawn was out of earshot. “Any clue what I want to talk about?”
“My gorgeous looks and god-like physique?” Connor joked.
“Actually, yeah,” Faith said. “You’re pretty fast. Looked like you were moving even faster than I could. And jumping through that window, not quite sure where you came from. There wasn’t a fire escape outside.”
Connor shrugged. “Milk. It does a body good.”
“How long you been able to move like that?”
“I don’t know. Sometimes I think my whole life. Other times, about a year. Either way, it’s not something I want to talk about.”
Faith got in Connor’s face. “Too bad, junior, cuz we’re gonna talk about it.”
Connor held his ground, glaring into Faith’s eyes. “Talk to Angel about it. He knows more than I do anyway. And he doesn’t want me talking about it either.”
Faith backed away. “I’ll give him a call,” she said, eying him suspiciously. “But he was right. You can handle yourself in a fight.”
Faith threw a quick punch, nailing Connor in the stomach and knocking him back. “But you still have to learn how to duck a sucker punch.”
*****
“Spike!” Dawn practically screamed into her cell phone. The other customers in line at McDonald’s gave her a variety of reproachful looks. “Where are you?!”
“Where am I? I’m not the one who skipped town, luv. Just got into the big apple. Riley said to give you a call then. Bloody poof.”
“Riley?”
“Yeah,” Spike said, lighting a cigarette. “Buffy figured he’d be the guy to put in charge, seeing as we’re dealing with military-style hardware.”
“Great,” Vladimir whispered as he listened on the headphones. “Just what we need. Some Rambo looking to sniff us out.” He sat at a control panel in the back of an 18-wheeler rolling west on I-90.
“Shh,” Pyotr said. “She’s going to give him directions.”
“Should we tip off local police?” Yuri asked from behind them. “Have them detain her?”
“I’d drink a gallon of holy water before turning to Americans for help,” Vladimir hissed.
“We’re on a boat at Pier 82,” Dawn said. “The Sassy Lass.”
“God damn Mic boat,” Spike laughed. “Alright, luv. I’m on my way.”
“So are we,” smiled Vladimir.
******
“Food’s here,” Dawn smiled as she entered with too bags. “And Spike’s on his way.”
Connor and Faith were sitting on opposite sides of the cargo hold, facing away from each other.
“Aw, poor Connor,” Dawn said with mock empathy. “Told you she’d use you and drop you.”
Connor turned and glared at Dawn. Dawn dropped Faith’s bag next to the slayer and walked to Connor. Sitting next to him, she handed him his food. “I never said thanks. For earlier. Saving my life. People save me so often, I’ve kind of gotten lax about thanking them.”
Connor smiled and let out a small laugh despite himself. “It’s what I do.”
Dawn jumped as her cell phone rang. “Hello?”
“I’m across the way luv. Where on the boat are ya?”
*******
“I don’t want to leave here,” Faith whispered. “It’s so warm.”
“Sorry sparkplug,” he said gently, stroking her hair. “But there’s so much more for you out there.”
Faith looked off toward the woods. “It’s so dark out there.”
“Of course it is,” he laughed. “You’re here, aren’t you? You are the sun, Faith. Wherever you go, you will bring the light with you. If you’re here, it couldn’t be anything but dark there. But it’s time to go back.”
Faith’s eyes shot open. The rhythmic rocking was being provided by the boat, not a man on a picnic blanket.
“I think I’m going to be sick,” Dawn said, leaning forward. Twelve hours on a boat hadn’t agreed with her. The sun was down, and Dawn craved the cool night breeze.
“Quit your whining,” Faith said. “I told you not to drink so much soda.”
“Easy, luv,” Spike said, looking at Faith. “No picking on the bit when she’s got a tummy ache.”
Suddenly, Connor’s head spun and looked at Spike.
“What?” Spike said to the boy’s strange look. He stared a beat, and then said, “Oh.”
“What is it?” Faith asked.
“Sirens,” Spike said. “Lots of ‘em.”
“I don’t hear anything,” Faith said.
“Someone must have seen us,” Connor said, pulling Dawn up.
Spike and Faith dropped off the boat like it was stepping off a stair. Dawn jumped down into Spike’s arms. Connor dropped onto the dock after her.
“They’re coming from the North and South,” Connor said.
“West it is,” Spike said, setting Dawn on her feet. “Where’s your car?”
“Chop shop,” Dawn said.
Connor and Faith stared at her with a mixture of anger and surprise.
“You said get rid of it!” Dawn protested,
“Guess I know how they found us, huh?” Faith said, looking at Connor.
“Nothing like an escape by bus,” Spike said. “Follow me.”
Spike ran hard for one of the warehouses lining the docks. He stormed inside, slamming the large, garage-like door behind him. “We got to go up,” he said, pointing to the ceiling. “Less cops on the rooftops.”
They ran up the stairs, following Spike up the scaffolding and out a window. Faith climbed out first. Then Spike helped Dawn out and Spike pulled her up onto the rooftop. Spike turned, then shouted “Duck!” His voice was echoed but Connor’s scream of “Get Down!”
A bullet ripped through Dawn’s arm, and she screamed as she collapsed toward the ground. Faith spun, grabbing Dawn before she fell. But Faith held Dawn only briefly before the next shot hit the back of the slayer’s leg. Her body, no longer supported by her left leg, folded back unnaturally when the next shot tore through her ribs.
The second after Faith hit the ground, 180 pounds of weight slammed down on top of her. “Relax, luv,” Spike said as he covered her. “I’m bulletproof.” A shot slammed into Spike’s arm. He gritted his teeth. “Well, almost.”
Footsteps were coming from the roof in front of them. Spike could hear that Connor was on the rooftop with them now. The footsteps ceased. Yuri was jumping from the next building on to theirs.
“Stay down,” Spike shouted as he jumped up. He charged toward the edge of the roof and slammed his fist into Yuri’s face, knocking the Russian vampire backward before its feet touched the rooftop. Yuri fell back between the buildings, slamming into the pavement below.
“Spike?” a thick Slavic accent said.
Spike’s eyes shot up to see Vladimir standing on the roof across from him. “Vladimir? What are you . . .” Spike turned back to see Faith laying on the ground. “You’re not taking her,” he said resolutely.
“I’m sorry old friend. But I’m afraid we are.” Spike was dropped to the ground as Pyotr dropkicked him from the side.
Connor had his arms hooked under Dawn’s arms and was pulling her back into the warehouse. Sirens were now blaring around them. The red lights of a dozen police cars were illuminating the streets below.
“Don’t move her,” Faith shouted. “She’s wounded!”
“We have to get her off the roof,” Connor yelled back. He spun, dropping Dawn, and caught a fist about to nail him. A vampire named Marco had crept up behind him.
“Caught the sucker punch, Faith,” Connor said as he twisted the arm behind Marco’s back.
“Actually, not so much,” Yuri laughed as he slammed a knife into Connor’s rib cage.
Faith charged toward them, but Marco, now free of Connor, turned and shoved Faith back. She stumbled on her weak leg, struggling to keep balance at the edge of the roof. Marco shoved hard again. Faith’s leg gave out. The slayer plunged from the roof, slamming into the roof of a smaller building adjoining theirs.
Pyotr and Vladimir were on either side of Spike, kicking him hard in the ribs and stomping him to prevent his getting up. Yuri and Connor were trading punches. Dawn slowly rose to her feet, only to have Marco scoop her from the ground.
Connor feinted left, and brought his right fist around in a roundhouse, slamming Yuri in the side of the head. As Yuri stumbled back, Connor pulled his stake, lunged forward, and dusted him.
Faith slowly rose onto her unsteady leg. She limped toward the stairwell leading off this lower roof. She was almost there, when the door sprung open toward her. She was greeted by a flashlight beam in the face and the sound of a cocking pistol.
“Freeze,” a voice shouted. “Put your hands in the air and slowly lay on the ground.”
Above, the struggle on the other rooftop continued.
“Get off!” Dawn shouted, throwing punched at the vampire’s face.
Marco grasped Dawn’s arm and dug his thumb into Dawn’s bullet wound. Dawn shrieked. “Shut up, little girl,” Marco snarled.
Hearing Dawn’s scream, Connor spun and ran toward Marco. He was on top of the vampire in the blink of an eye. Gunfire erupted. Vladimir had left Spike to Pyotr and opened fire on Connor and Dawn. Connor pulled Dawn loose, and spun behind Marco, using him as a not-quite-human shield. The vampire collapsed back from the force of the gunfire, tripping Connor and pinning both him and Dawn to the ground. Connor pushed Dawn forward, and began crawling out.
Marco, laying back to back on top of Connor, pulled a large knife from his sleeve and blindly slammed it down behind him, piercing Connor’s hand and pinning it to the ground. As Connor screamed, he looked up to see Vladimir overtaking Dawn and nailing her in the back of the head with the butt of his pistol. She collapsed unconscious into his arms.
Connor yelled with agony as he pulled the knife from his hand.
On the other side of the roof, Pyotr looked down at the battered figure of Spike. “William the Bloody, indeed,” he laughed, before leaping onto the adjoining roof.
Marco stepped up to Connor and threw a bottle of water down at the back of his skull. It shattered over Connor’s head, ripping his scalp open and slamming his head down onto the ground. Marco jumped from the roof.
Vladimir stood, still holding the prone body of Dawn. “Farewell, Angel,” Vladimir smiled. He turned and dropped from the roof to the ground below.
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