The Slayer Wars: Absolute Truth Ch. 6-10

Chapter Six

The next day, Buffy was leading a training session with a group of new Slayers.

“Whenever you’re fighting, not only must you concentrate on the fight in front of you, but you also must know every detail about your surroundings. Know the land, know your weapons and know your enemy’s. Know what you’ve got and know what you need. Above all else, know what’s real. By now you know that magic can be a big help to you – but it can also be your worst enemy. Magic can create the illusion of power and superiority, but in the end, it’s still just an illusion. Your enemies can use this against you, just as you can use it against them. You must uncover the truth in every situation – what’s real, what’s not. What’s helpful and what’s gonna get you killed. It sounds cliche, but always fight for the truth. That’s what will help you stay alive.”

Just then, a young girl entered the room and gave Buffy a note. Buffy, more news just in regarding rogue Slayers. Come immediately. Giles. Buffy dismissed her class and went straight to Giles’ office. He wasn’t seated at his desk as she expected, however: Giles was intently watching his television.

“Giles, what’s going on? What’s wrong?” Buffy asked anxiously.

“Watch,” he replied, nodding to the tv. Pictures flooded the screen of rioting, looting, and violence – all being done by teenaged girls. Buffy watched frozen in shock as the girls brazenly walked the streets of this unnamed city, daring anyone to get in their way. “We are the future!” one cried out. “We are Slayers and we rule!”

“Giles...” Buffy began. “What are we going to do?”

“It gets worse, Buffy,” Giles continued in a dark voice. “Reports are coming in that these girls,” he pointed to the screen, “and others have increased their attacks and the violence has escalated.” He paused. “They’ve begun killing people.”

The severity of his words sunk in, and Buffy struggled to wrap her mind around the consequences. “Giles, we have to do something.”

“But what, Buffy?” Giles returned gently. “You said yourself that you wouldn’t fight those girls. What else is there to do with these young Slayers who refuse to follow moral and human law?”

“I said I wouldn’t kill them, Giles. I have no problem with fighting them.”

“Yes, but if you fight them, you’ll win, then let them go. Then it’s only a matter of time before you have to fight them again... and you will have to keep fighting them until one of you is dead.”

“Killing isn’t the answer, Giles,” Buffy responded sternly. “There has to be another way.”

“Buffy, think about it. Human law enforcement cannot deal with people with Slayer strength – you and Faith have proved that numerous times. Therefore, something beyond human has to take charge of these girls.”

Buffy paced in frustration. “I get that, Giles. That’s why I can’t do it.” She paused and spoke more quietly. “I consider these girls my responsibility. And they’re like me... or what I used to be. I want to show them the true nature of a Slayer–not give them a deathmatch.”

Giles stood and approached Buffy. “Yes, but do you know what the true nature of a Slayer is?” Buffy looked up at him. “Buffy, you’ve grown so much... as a woman and as a Slayer. No Watcher or father could be prouder. But we’re all still in a period of transition. We’re still trying to find our place in this new world - one less very active hell mouth to worry about and hundreds of young, new Slayers who are just coming to grips with their powers – and we essentially created both. None of us really understands our role in this new chapter of the fight between good and evil.”

“Been reading Star Wars novels again, huh?” Buffy quipped.

Giles adjusted his glasses and continued. “What I’m saying is I understand you empathize with the new Slayers - both good and bad. But you are still learning what a Slayer is all about, and I don’t think you can make objective decisions about the fates of other Slayers.”

Buffy blinked. “But you can? Who made you the Slayer god?”

“No one, but I am a Watcher, and a damned good one, I might add. Not only do I have my own experiences with two Slayers lives under my guard, but I also have countless resources of other Watchers’ stories and insight into the Slayer psyche. I believe these rogue Slayers are a threat and should be dealt with severely.”

“Why are you so hell-bent on killing these girls?” Buffy pressed. “Why go Charles Manson all of a sudden?”

“Because this has happened before!” Giles blurted out.

Buffy stared at him. “What? When?”

Giles sighed. “I didn’t want to tell you before. I thought it might be a bit premature and I didn’t want to scare anyone unnecessarily.”

“Giles...” Buffy warned.

“It was during World War II,” he began. “No one really noticed it because they were focusing on the demonic energy of the Axis Powers. The Slayer at that time was a young German girl under the influence of the Nazi party. She came to believe that natural selection applied to her as a Slayer and she made arrangements to empower several potentials just as we did. She didn’t have the scythe, obviously, nor Willow’s enormous power, so she could only share her power with just a few close friends for short periods of time. But they began their own ‘cleansing rites,’ as they called it, killing weak, defenseless victims instead of helping them.

After a while, they got tired of simple violence and murder and they were inspired by Hitler, wanting to rule the entire world. So, this handful of 4 or 5 girls – potential Slayers just like our girls – made a conscious choice to get their power from the most hideous place imagineable: The First. They were going to open the Hell mouth in Berlin unless they were granted absolute immunity and power by the Watchers’ Council. Of course, the Council would never agree to it, and the girls prepared to open the Hell mouth and let the world be destroyed. The Watchers’ Council exhausted every avenue to end the conflict, but nothing got the girls’ attention... they had chosen the First’s power and were too far gone. Then all of a sudden, the threat was gone. But there was no doubt they would have done it.”

Buffy sat enthralled by the story. “So what happened?”

“No one knows for sure. The Watchers’ Council has some rather shady acquaintances on whom they call from time to time to do their dirty work. Common thought is that they hired someone or something to, shall we say, ‘tie up loose ends,’ and, for obvious reasons, didn’t keep records of it.”

“But if they were under the influence of the The First, then they didn’t deserve to die,” Buffy said. “Their actions weren’t their own.”

“Buffy, those girls chose to get power from The First, knowing full well what it was. And according to all reports, they were stronger than Caleb was.” Buffy’s eyes shot open. “The fact that they chose The First somehow intensified their power. Had the Council not done what it did, the world most certainly would have been destroyed.”

Buffy stood still, processing all that Giles had said. Slayers trying to end the world? How did I go from fighting vampires and demons to saving the world from human beings? How do I explain everything I’ve done for the past seven years when the worst monsters are humans... Slayers... me?

“Buffy?” Giles asked quietly.

She began slowly but firmly. “Giles, I never wanted to be the Slayer. And even once I accepted it, I was afraid that being a Slayer was just a PG way of saying I was a killer. These new rogue Slayers, and the ones back during the war, are the part of me that I was afraid of. What they’re doing is wrong and they will pay for it. But they’re still part of me and I will find another way to deal with them besides killing them, no matter how bad it gets. I am not a killer.”

“If it comes to that, I hope you’re prepared to deal with the consequences,” Giles responded sternly.

They stood at odds for a moment, looking firmly into one another’s face. Just then, something on the television caught Buffy’s eye. She strained her eyes to get a better look, then gasped. “Giles look!” Buffy pointed to a girl at the edge of the screen. Looting stores and fighting fiercely with policemen, Kennedy was in the thick of the violence.



***

Chapter Seven

Buffy left the library with a heavy heart. I will not kill those girls... I am not a killer, she thought. I just need to find another way to reach them. I wish I knew what really happened with the German girls, she thought, and why they stopped.. Maybe that would give me some insight into these young Slayers’ twisted minds. Lost in thought, Buffy bumped into something tall and... cursing.

“Damn, B, watch where you’re going!” Faith moaned, annoyed.

Buffy had almost forgot Faith had come to the mansion only the night before. She looked blankly at the disheveled brunette.

“Who’s a girl gotta do to get some coffee around here?” Faith asked.

The kitchen was deserted when the two slayers entered. Buffy started scooping coffee grounds into the coffee maker. “It’ll just be a minute,” she said. When she finished, she faced Faith, who was absently biting her nails. She never bites her nails, Buffy thought suspiciously. Used to say it made people look weak and indecisive... what’s going on with her? Buffy eyed the other slayer intently, but tried to speak casually. “How are you feeling? You know, after last night?”

Faith groaned. “Man, I’ve got a headache the size of Texas. Feel like some thrasher band’s pounding in my head.” She sat down carefully at the table and held her head in her hands.

“So how did you end up here?” Buffy asked slowly. “At Giles’... in England? Last we heard you were in Italy.”

Faith exhaled and shook her head. “Should’ve known the interrogation would start so soon. Let a girl get over her hangover, why don’t ya?”

“Fine,” Buffy snapped. “How was Italy?” Run into any other homicidal young Slayers?

Faith’s voice took on a cold tone. “Fine. Didn’t stay long.”

Long enought to steal a sports car and kill its owner? Buffy pressed on. “How is Wood?”

“He was fine. He didn’t stay longer either,” Faith answered mysteriously.

“So, where is he?” Buffy asked. Is he even alive?

“Don’t know,” Faith replied simply. “Never was one to think that far ahead.”

By now, the coffee had brewed and Buffy poured the steaming hot liquid into a mug. “Black?”

“Yeah, give it to me straight,” Faith replied.

Buffy roughly clanked the mug of coffee down in front of Faith. “No, you give it to me straight.” She stared down at her. “Where have you been and why are you here? Where’s Wood?” Did you kill him?

“He’s dead, alright!?” Faith shouted back. Buffy froze and Faith blinked at her own words. She softened. “He’s dead.”

Buffy couldn’t believe it. “What?” she said slowly.

Faith ran a hand through her messy brown hair. “He’s dead. He died. Couple weeks ago.”

Buffy sat down at the table next to Faith. “What happened?”

Faith pulled her hair tight at the base of her neck, inhaled deeply, then spoke. “We were on our way to meet with a new Slayer. Nothing new... same ole routine we’d been doing since we’ve been on the road. Find a Slayer, recruit her, either send her here or train her at home. We’d heard about a girl in Italy, so we jumped on the next plane to get there. We found out where she was and we were on our way to bring her the good news that she wasn’t a freak but a super-hot chick with superpowers, when we were basically ambushed by some girl in a sports car.” Faith’s eyes focused on a spot on the table and she didn’t blink for several seconds.

“She was mad-crazy, with this kinda twitchy look in her eye. Said she was looking for trouble and hoped she found it. Wood,” Faith swallowed, still staring intently at the table, “Wood tried to convince her that we wouldn’t give her trouble if she didn’t give us any. That we weren’t looking for her. But she insisted that we were looking for her and we couldn’t make her follow the rules. Well, Wood tried to tell her that things would be ok and we were there to help – guess he couldn’t help his principal training and all – but I could tell she just wanted to fight. Been there, done that myself... knew what it looked like. Hell, I was getting antsy myself – hate talkin’ when fighting will get the point across. So I called her out. All of sudden there were like 5 other girls all around us, with that same twitchy look, ready to claw our eyes out.”

“Let me guess,” Buffy interrupted, “all young girls but really strong... like Slayer-strong?”

Faith looked up. “Yeah, how did you know?”

“Seems there’s an epidemic of spawn of Slayer going around.”

“I’ve fought demons and vampires and who knows what else but I’ve never fought anyone as strong as them.” She stopped suddenly and looked right at Buffy. “Except when I fought you...”

“Which time?” Buffy tried to joke.

Faith smiled half-heartedly, then returned to her story. “The girls attacked us and it was fierce. It was like fighting myself... their reaction time and strength were incredible!” She stopped again and looked off, as if she were reliving the fight. She spoke again, this time more softly. “Wood held his off for a while, but he got worn out fast. The boy had stamina, but in the end he couldn’t keep up with three Slayers at once.” She paused and looked up at Buffy, with unshed tears threatening to spill out at any moment. “They killed him, Buffy. Slaughtered him. Dragged his body down the street like he was their prize kill.” Faith looked away, sniffed deeply to repress her tears, and continued. “Once they were done with him, I knew I couldn’t take all six of them. They were high on the kill and ready for a new challenge. I barely made it out myself. I couldn’t even go back for him.”

Buffy reached out and touched Faith’s arm. “Faith, I am so sorry about Wood. I know you cared about him.”

“It’s weird, ya know?” Faith said, shaking it off. “I tried telling myself that I didn’t need him that much... didn’t need anyone that much. It sounds retarded, but he was kinda like my compass.”

“That thing you use in math class?” Buffy asked, confused.

“No, blondie, the map thing with the arrows,” Faith rolled her eyes. “I was lost for so long, not knowing what was up or down, right or wrong. I figured a lot of things out for myself, but he came along and helped me find direction in my life. He had a lot of insight into what being a Slayer was all about.”

Buffy smirked. “What’s so funny?” Faith asked defensively.

“That Wood and Spike had something in common after all – Slayer insight,” Buffy replied, smiling ruefully. “They’d both rather be dead than have anything in common.” Both Slayers shared a sad chuckle. “It’s too bad, too,” Buffy continued, “because that’s what we need more than anything. Slayer insight.”

“B, what’s going on with these girls?” Faith asked. “Were these homicidal bitchlets really Slayers?”

“That’s the story,” Buffy sighed regretfully. “Supposedly, when we transfered my power from the scythe to all the potentials, some of the girls decided they didn’t want to fight for good. They wanted to fight for whatever the hell they wanted instead.”

“So we saddle up, right?” Faith asked, ready for action. “Man, am I ready for some payback.”

“It’s not that simple, Faith,” Buffy cautioned. “Even if we do fight these girls, we’re just gonna keep fighting them again and again and again. We need to find a more permanent solution.”

“Ok, so a deathmatch it is, then,” Faith replied simply. “Let’s go.”

“Faith, we cannot kill those girls,” Buffy declared.

“And Buffy the High and Mighty comes charging in on her high horse,” Faith remarked sarcastically. “B, I’ve got some major rage that needs releasing pretty soon. These girls started the deathmatch with me when they killed Robin. They have absolutely no problem with taking lives – I saw it in their pre-teen little faces. I say, a death for a death.”

“Look,” Buffy began forcefully. “Neither one of us wins the award for Slayer of the Year. We’ve both done things that we’re not proud of and things that we wish no one knew about. We don’t have the right to take lives, especially those of young Slayers who are just as much a part of us as we are of them.”

Faith paused. “I really hate to say this, but I guess you’re right.” She shot Buffy a begrudging look. “ I mean, I’m still tryin’ to figure out what it means to be a Slayer and I’ve been going at it for five years.”

Buffy arched an eyebrow at Faith. See?

“So how do we figure this out?” Faith asked. “I mean, if we’re the oldest Slayers in the history of the world, and we still don’t know what to do, who does?”

“We need an expert on Slayers,” Buffy concluded. “Someone who’s spent lots of time with lots of different Slayers. Studied them, got inside their head, figured out how they tick.”

The two Slayers paused in thought. Buffy met Faith’s questioning glance.

“We need Spike.”



Chapter Eight

Tensions remained high throughout the mansion. All the Scoobies had been told about Wood’s death, as well as Kennedy’s recent defection. Willow holed up in her room with the comfort of Dawn and Xander, Giles locked himself in his office, researching both the current events and the history of the German Slayers who almost ended the world, Faith worked out, and Buffy plunged herself into almost constant meditation. With the news of Wood’s death - a staunch ally and close friend – in addition to the complexity of fighting these new enemies and the stress within the Scooby gang, Buffy found that mediation was the only way she could find peace and clarity.

One night, as Buffy was meditating in her room, the sound of shattering glass and girls screaming penetrated her trance. She raced to where the girls were, and saw the window had been shattered.

“What happened?” Buffy demanded.

“We were just sitting here watching tv,” one girl answered, “and something crashed through the window.”

By then, the rest of the gang had arrived. “Oh great!” Xander exclaimed. “Back to window duty. It must be the apocalypse.”

“What came through the window?” Buffy asked.

They all looked around. “There.” Faith pointed to the center of the room – a large rock with paper wrapped around it.

“How quaint,” Buffy said. “An old-fashioned rock through the window.”

Giles rolled his eyes as she handed him the note. “ ‘We know who you are and what you’re doing. You can’t stop us and we’ll kill anyone who tries. We’re Slayers and we will get what we want.’ Rubbish,” Giles mutterred and crushed the paper in his hand.

Faith broke the silence. “That thing came through the window?”

“Yeah,” Buffy replied.

“That means those girls were here... on our turf.”

Buffy frowned. “You’re right. Wil, if these girls were so close to the house, why didn’t the howler alarm go off?”

“Don’t know,” Willow answered. “The only people who know how to disarm it are me and Giles–“ she stopped abruptly. “And Kennedy.”

“Does she even know how to do that?” Dawn asked.

“I guess she learned a thing or two,” Willow said regretfully.

“Wil, we need to beef up that spell,” Buffy stated.

“That was the beefy version,” Willow said. “I thought it was fool-proof.”

“Kennedy’s no fool,” Giles said darkly. “And it appears she may be a bigger threat than any of those other girls. She knows us, she knows this house... if she has genuinely bought into the rogue Slayers’ agenda, none of us are safe.”

The group looked worriedly at one another.

“Giles, we need a plan,” Buffy stated. “We’re pretty much sitting ducks here. We need to do something.”

Giles paused in thought. “You’re right, Buffy,” he said at last. “We do need to do something. But as you have reminded us lately, you are the Slayer in charge here and the course of action rests squarely on your shoulders. Your inaction has brought the violence to our very doorstep. You need to make a decision about what you are prepared to do to deal with the current situation.”

Buffy stared in stunned silence. “Now,” Giles continued, “in an effort to help you make that decision, I believe there may be some information that may help us, but I must go away for several days to get it.”

“But–“ Buffy interrupted.

“You don’t need me here,” Giles said firmly. “You already know my feelings on the subject. There’s no need in us going around and around about it.”

“Why are you doing this?” Buffy asked, trying to hold back her tears. “Why are you leaving us... again?” I still don’t know what to do! I need you to help me figure out what to do.

Giles crossed the room and put his hands on Buffy’s shoulders. “This is a decision that you need to make yourself... I can’t force you to share my opinion. Besides,” he added, “I have been contemplating leaving for the past few days and now is as good a time as any, especially if things are only going to get worse. I’ve had some information come to light that I need to investigate immediately and I must do it in person.” He stopped and addressed the others. “I’ll be leaving before dawn in the morning and I should return in about a week or so.” He turned back to Buffy. “You’ll be in charge while I’m gone. I hope you make the right decisions.”

The group all returned to their quarters in stunned silence, the threatening rock and message nearly forgotten. Buffy walked back to her room like a zombie, mumbling instructions to Willow to enhance the mansion’s protection spell however possible. The burden of isolation and responsibility fell heavy on Buffy’s spirit, and she felt like she was back in Sunnydale, fighting Glory or The First all over again.

Your inaction has brought the violence onto our very doorstep. Buffy replayed Giles’ words and saw her friends’ and students’ accusing glances. Whether the looks were real or not, Buffy felt that her friends blamed her for tonight’s violent interruption. I never expected those girls to be so brazen that they would attack us, Buffy thought incredulously. I guess I took my place in history for granted... that they wouldn’t dare attack me... the Slayer.

She stopped and sank onto her bed. I didn’t know what to do, so I’ve waited, trying to figure it out. Turns out, waiting was wrong. Then, the one thing I thought was safe, isn’t. Wrong again. How do I know what the truth is anymore? How can I be sure of anything, when no one is sure of me?



Chapter Nine

The next day passed slowly, but without incident. On the outside, Buffy went through the motions – teaching class and tending to school matters in Giles’ absence. On the inside, however, she was wracked with anxiety and guilt.

As night neared, a sense of nervousness settled on the house. Buffy, unable to sleep, sat on the front steps of the mansion for a long time, watching and sensing the house and its surroundings. After a while, she got stiff and decided to make the rounds of the perimeter of the house. She tried to walk stealthily, searching for anything or anyone suspicious without making a sound. But every few steps she snapped a twig or crunched a leaf beneath her shoe. Frustrated and tired, she scolded herself for not being a better Slayer... on the hunt or in the house. Suddenly, a limb rustled nearby and Buffy was jarred from her self-doubting thoughts. She froze and turned, realizing that she was almost one hundred yards from the house. She turned back towards the sound of the noise and strained her eyes to get a closer look.

Suddenly, an explosion came from the back side of the mansion. Buffy snapped back and and raced towards the house. She had closed only half the distance when she saw a black-clad group of five young women dragging a struggling Willow from the house.

“Willow!” Buffy screamed and increased her speed.

As she got closer, she saw Faith come barreling out of the house and take two girls down with her. The one clutching Willow turned away and began moving faster. Buffy reached the group and viciously began attacking the two other girls. As she fought, she saw Willow being dragged into the darkness. A brown-haired head turned back and winked before disappearing into the night... Kennedy.

Buffy increased the ferocity of her attacks, desperately trying to get to Willow. But I don’t have any weapons! Buffy realized. These girls are young and high on a danger rush... how am I going to subdue them? One split second of thinking was too long and one of the young girls landed a fierce blow to Buffy’s temple. She hit the ground hard.

“Buffy!” Faith called across the yard. In the moment she took to call to Buffy, she too was sent flailing to the ground by one of her attackers. Seeing both Slayers felled, the four black-clad girls sped off into the dark.

Dawn and Xander appeared in the crater that used to be a doorway and Dawn rushed to Buffy’s side. “Buffy? You okay?” she asked as she helped her sister up.

“Yeah,” Buffy groaned, rubbing her head. “Got a hell of a headache though.”

“B, what happened back there?” Faith asked as Xander helped her up. “You went from Black Mamba to Pollyanna.”

Buffy ignored her question. “What the hell happened?”she asked Xander.

He sighed. “I heard Dawn screaming for help from Willow’s room... I ran over there and next thing I know, I’m getting bowled over by the girl scouts from hell.”

“Why were you in Willow’s room?” Buffy asked Dawn.

“We were doing a spell... to talk to Kennedy,” Dawn replied sheepishly. “It was Willow’s idea... she thought maybe she could talk her out of... all this stuff.”

“Didn’t work,” Faith said plainly.

“Ya think?” Xander snapped.

“They talked for a while, but then... nothing. Like Kennedy just cut the connection. And within thirty minutes, they were here and Kennedy was really pissed off. ”

“YA THINK?!” Xander repeated.

“Xander, that’s enough!” Buffy raised her voice. “This isn’t helping.”

“No, but sitting around going ‘what do I do, what do I do?’ didn’t help either and now Willow’s gone and who knows what’s going to happen to her!”

Buffy’s jaw snapped shut. “Are you saying this is my fault?” she said slowly.

Xander sighed. “All I’m sayin’ is if you had acted earlier and shown these girls who’s boss, I wouldn’t have a house to put back together and a best friend to find.” He turned and went back into the house.

Dawn looked at Buffy, then followed Xander into the house.

“That was harsh, B,” Faith remarked.

Buffy turned a hard glance to Faith. “Shut up, Faith.”

Buffy stamped into the house, followed by Faith. She went straight to the library and stared pulling books off the shelves. “We need to find Willow,” Buffy explained, “and the best way to do that is a locator spell.”

“What can I do?” Faith asked.

“Get Dawn and Xander in here,” Buffy directed. “I know they’re pissed but we’re gonna need their help if we’re gonna find Willow.”

“Back in five,” Faith said as she left the library.

Alone in the library, Buffy struggled to keep her emotions in check as she prepared for the spell. Tired, anxious, and with the adrenaline still flowing in her veins, she wondered how much longer she would be able to hold back.

True to her word, Faith returned quickly with a reluctant Dawn and brooding Xander in tow.

“Don’t go all Angel on me, Xander,” Buffy instructed. “We’ll duke it out later. Right now we need to find Willow.” She motioned for the three of them to join her at the table. “I’ve got a map of the surrounding area – they couldn’t have gotten too far yet.”

The four performed the locator spell, and fixed their eyes on the map for Willow’s tell-tale red light to show up. It didn’t.

“You messed it up,” Dawn condescendingly told Buffy. “Here, let me try.” Dawn repeated the spell, but again, nothing showed up on the map.

“I’ll do it,” Xander said, taking the crystal from Dawn’s hand. He recited the spell carefully, but the map remained dark.

“Something’s wrong,” Faith said after a moment. “Willow’s a powerful mega-witch. We should be able to find her in a snap.”

Dawn looked up, worried. “You don’t think she’s...”

“No, Dawnie,” Buffy assured her. “We’d all know if something happened to her.” She stopped and thought hard. “Willow said the other day that she thought Kennedy had learned a few things since she left. Do you think it’s possible she’s learned how to block Willow’s aura, to keep us from finding her?”

“Willow used to say that Kennedy was a fast learner,” Xander said. “The whole time she and Willow were together she probably was taking notes.”

“Dawn, did Kennedy say anything when she came for Willow?” Buffy asked.

“Yeah, she said something about the power being hers and she was going to use it the way she wanted.”

“So what’s the plan?” Faith asked.

Buffy frowned in thought, unsure of what to do, then glanced at the time. “Ok, it’s 2:30 in the morning. Even Faith and I can’t track them very far in the dark, and we can’t leave the school and the other girls unprotected anyway. If Kennedy wants to use Willow’s power for something, then she shouldn’t hurt her... for tonight anyway. I say we try to get a few hours’ sleep, then start early with the search and rescue. Agreed?”

Xander’s face clearly showed that he wanted to start combing the surrounding woods that very instant, but he knew Buffy was right. He silently and begrudgingly agreed.

“Ok,” Buffy said, “let’s meet back here at 6am.” Xander stood more slowly than the others to leave, and Buffy caught his eye. “We’ll find her. I promise.”

He smiled weakly, then turned to go. Buffy watched him leave with a heavy heart. Now what do I do?



Chapter Ten

Willow awoke slowly and tried to rub her eyes, but quickly realized that she had been tied to a chair. She didn’t remember much from last night – the last thing she remembered was watching Buffy and Faith fighting with the young rogue Slayers, then all had gone dark. Now, tightly tied to a stiff, wooden chair, Willow was apparently the only living thing in the center of a dark, dusty warehouse.

With no idea what the rogue Slayers or her former girlfriend might have in store for her, Willow was desperate to get free. She struggled against her bonds, but found they were tied so tightly that there was no room to give. She glanced around, hoping for anything that might help her get free, when she finally spotted a broken piece of wood from a leftover crate. Hoping the ragged edge might be able to cut her ropes away, Willow tried to levitate the slat from its place on the ground, but nothing happened. She tried again, frowning in concentration, but the piece of wood didn’t move. It was as if her thoughts simply could not free themselves from her brain. After one last frustrated attempt to move the wood, Willow heard a brief and throaty chuckle. Kennedy emerged from the shadows of the warehouse.

“How does it feel to be shut down?” she smirked as she approached.

“What have you done to me?” Willow demanded.

“Nothing that you and your prissy-ass friends haven’t done to me,” she snarled. “You knew what kind of power I could have, but you always kept me back, tied down.” Willow huffed in protest. “Doesn’t feel so good, does it?” Kennedy hissed.

Willow wiggled, frustrated, in her chair. “Poor, powerful Willow,” Kennedy needled. “So much power, but she can’t use it.” She leaned in close and winked. “I’ve put a spell on you.”

“Wh-what?”

“You really were a great teacher, Red,” Kennedy continued. “I learned a lot of things from you, but most importantly, I learned about the power of magic.”

“But you were horrible at casting spells!” Willow said incredulously.

“True,” Kennedy agreed, “but you always said I was a quick learner. And I paid attention. I also learned that while Buffy was the fighter of the group, you were the ‘big gun.’ And I knew that if we - the new sisterhood - were going to get what we wanted - we’d have to take care of you and Buffy.”

“The sisterhood?” Willow’s face wrinkled in confusion.

“Oh yeah - what you call the ‘rogue Slayers.’ I told the girls that and they laughed–said it sounded like something straight out of a comic book.”

Willow studied the altered demeanor of her former girlfriend. “What do you want from me?”

Kennedy looked surprised. “Actually, the sisterhood doesn’t want anything from you, other than to keep you out of our way.” She leaned in threateningly. “But I wouldn’t mind having a little of that black-wicca magic you got a-hold of a few years back.”

“No, you don’t,” Willow said through gritted teeth.

Kennedy studied Willow for a while, then stood back. “You’re still afraid of all that power you have inside you. You know,” she shrugged, “I just don’t understand you. I mean, here you are, quite possibly the only person in the world with enough power to stop us – which of course you don’t have now because I’ve put a magic blocker on you – but you still refuse to use your power to your advantage! I mean, what’s wrong with you? Accept your power, say thank you, then kick the gift horse in the teeth and run! Embrace the girl power, Red!”

Willow scowled at Kennedy. “Have you always been this selfish?”

Kennedy thought a moment, then shrugged. “Yeah. I tried the whole greater-good thing when I was playing at being a potential Slayer. But now that I got the real thing, I’m gonna take what’s mine and then some!” she finished proudly.

“Who is this horrible, greedy monster?” Willow utterred.

“This is me, without rules or restraint,” Kennedy answered plainly.

“You don’t deserve to be a Slayer,” Willow said in a low voice. “We should have taken your powers when we had the chance.”

“Too bad, Red,” Kennedy answered as she prepared to leave the building. “You missed your shot. And you’ll never get another one... .not as long as I’ve got you tied up in here. You’re the only one powerful enough to take our power away, and now you’re ours.” She paused in the doorway for one last remark. “Well, that is, until we decide to kill you.”