Xander, Giles, Buffy, Willow and I were Xander's basement.
Xander was working at the taser rifles that had malfunctioned on Buffy and me. "So, here it is. The latest in state-of-the-art combat technology. I gotta say, it doesn't look that complicated."
"So, can you repair them?" I asked.
"Sure," Xander answered. "Just as soon as I get my master's degree in advanced starship technology."
Xander let them fall to the table.
"Well, why don't we experiment?" Willow asked. "Press some buttons, see what happens."
"Well, I'd like to veto that," Giles told us.
Xander raised his hand. "Second. They're called blasters, Will. A word tends to discourage experimentation. Now, if they were called the orgasminators, I'd be the first to try your basic button-press approach."
"Just tell me," Buffy told him. "Can you repair them or not?"
"I'm working on it, I'm working on it," Xander told us. "If I blow a hole in my mom's azalea patch, the neighbors will not be pleased."
I sat down, putting a hand to my head.
"You all right?" Giles asked, sitting down next to me. "You've been patrolling around the clock for three days straight. Perhaps you could use some--"
"What, some rest?" I asked. "There's a demonoid killing machine out there, Giles. It doesn't only work the night shift."
"Gathering your strength might not be a bad idea," Giles told me.
Buffy and Willow gave me a look, knowing more than the boys did.
I looked at Xander. "Just get the blasters working. Please. That's all the strength I need."
"Are you sure?" Willow asked.
"Why?" I asked. "Because ray guns aren't in the Slayer handbook? Well, you haven't seen this Adam thing. He's the Terminator without the bashful charm. He's deadly, and the last time we met, he kicked my ass, and Buffy's."
Buffy and Willow sat down.
I looked at Buffy. "No word about Riley?"
"They keep telling me that he's fine," Buffy told us. "That's all they'll say."
"Maybe they're telling the truth," Willow told us.
"Maybe," Buffy told us. "I don't even know what the Initiative's version of 'fine' is. I mean, they could be forcing him back onto medication or torturing him for all I know."
"From what we've seen, I doubt they'll be trying to hurt him," Giles told us.
"The only thing I know for certain is that my boyfriend is locked away and I'm not helping," Buffy told us.
Lots of sparks came from one of the blasters.
Xander recoiled.
"Maybe Giles has a point," Willow told us. "I mean, Riley is their top gun guy. Doesn't make sense they's hurt him."
"All I know is that the Initiative has all those brain-washy, behavior modification guys," Buffy told us.
"So?" I asked.
"So, what happens when they start not liking his behavior?" Buffy asked.
We didn't answer.
~~~~
After dark, Buffy, Willow, Xander and I walked through the woods.
"Spread out?" Willow asked.
"Not too far," Buffy told us.
"So not a problem," Xander told us.
We split into two groups, me with Willow, Buffy with Xander, walking along.
We came across two trees, both groups on either side, looking up at a demon's horribly mutilated body tied to the trees. Its chest was surgically cut open. It had been skinned. It was smoking.
~~~~
We went back to the basement.
"I've never seen anything like that," Buffy told us.
"And I can go a long healthy stretch without seeing anything like that again," Xander told us.
"It had to be Adam who killed it, but why?" Willow asked.
"He's studying biology," I answered. "Human, demon... whatever he can get his hand on and tear apart. Learning what makes things work."
"I really don't want to be around for the final exam," Xander told us.
"It's not coming to that," Buffy told us. "The Initiative created this thing, and they can't stop it. But we will."
"Question," Xander told us. "Will hiding in a cabin with stockpiled chocolate goods be any part of this plan?"
"No," I answered.
Xander sat down next to Willow. "Told you."
Willow gave Xander a look, looking at Buffy and me. "What's first?"
"Riley," Buffy answered. "I'm not leaving him down there with the people that created this thing. I don't care how many guns they have, I'm going in." I sat down in a chair across from Willow and Xander. "Okay, Will, I need you to hack into the security mainframe and buy me a ten minute shutdown of operation systems."
"That could be..." Willow trailed off.
"Tricky," Buffy finished. "Not impossible. If you can't do it online, then use magic. Xander, any gear you've been saving for a rainy day, I want you to give to me."
"Uh, give to us," I corrected. "You're not going in there alone."
Buffy nodded.
"You want stealthy stuff?" Xander asked.
"No," I answered. "We tried sneaking in. This time, we're gonna use force. I figure we'll go in through the elevator shaft, use the cable as towlines. Then blast open the facility doors and find the infirmary."
We heard Riley's voice behind us. "Am I really worth all that?"
Buffy turned to face him instantly in relief. "Riley!" She embraced him tightly, making him flinch in pain. "Oh, God. I'm sorry. Did I hurt you?"
"No, a giant skewer through the rib cage hurt me," Riley answered. "That was just a reminder."
I stood. "How did you get out?"
"I walked," Riley answered.
"They didn't try to stop you?" Willow asked.
"Oh, they did," Riley answered. "Repeatedly. But then I told them they couldn't keep me without a major ass-kicking, one way or another. So, here I am."
"That's... great, Riley, and you know..." Xander trailed off, standing, walking closer. "There's no polite way to ask you this, but, uh... did they put a chip in your brain?"
"Beg your pardon?" Riley asked.
"Forget it," Buffy told him. "We're just happy to have you back."
Xander backed away.
"Yeah, we were pretty worried about you there for awhile, mister," Willow told him.
Xander sat down next to Willow again.
"Me, too," Riley told us. "Hey, look, I know my behavior was pretty out there."
"Forget it," I told him. "Tell you what. You two crazy kids help me take down an unstoppable killer cyber-demon hybrid thingy, and, uh, we'll call it all even."
"Taking down Adam's going to be tough," Riley told us. "There's no way to predict what he'll throw at us."
"You're here," Buffy told him. "Whatever comes, we can handle."
~~~~
Buffy, Willow, Xander, Giles, Riley and I were talking in Giles' apartment.
"The puzzle, it seems to me, is why Adam has stayed dormant as long as he has," Giles told us.
"When he's not making performance art out of other demons, that is," Willow told us.
"He's probably working off an autonomic power source," Riley told us. "And because he's straight out of the box, he needs to charge up a while."
"Okay, what's he charging up for?" Buffy asked.
"Based on the clues, I'll go with killing spree," Xander told us.
"And that's a best-case scenario," Riley told us, grabbing one of the blasters from the table. "I suppose a little firepower would be a good idea right now."
Riley clicked a button on the blaster, turning the lights on.
Xander was surprised, standing. "Hey. How did you do that?" He took the blaster from Riley. "Is there, like, an on-off button somewhere in here?"
"Blasters are easy," Riley told us. "Adam won't be."
Buffy sat next to Riley, wrapping an arm around his neck, kissing him.
"Since Professor Walsh designed it, any chance she left instructions lying around somewhere?" Willow asked.
"Well, if she did, they're going to be in the Initiative," I told them.
"Which we can't get into without mounting a major offensive," Giles told us, sitting down.
"Speak for yourself," Riley told us. "I'm just saying."
"I must admit, a man on the inside would be--" Giles started.
"A really good idea," I finished.
Buffy looked at Riley. "Are you sure you want to be double agent guy?"
"Well, I'm not exactly sure what you'd call me, but, I will share information," Riley told us. "It's the least I can do."
"Riley's right," Xander told us. "It is the least he can do."
The phone started to ring.
Giles stood, walking toward the phone, answering. "Hello? Yes, she is." He looked at Buffy. "Um, it's for you."
Buffy stood in confusion, walking toward Giles, taking the phone from him, putting the phone to her ear. "Hello? Speaking. What sort of emergency?" She took a minute to let something set in, in shock. "Um... no, I haven't. Thank you. I'll let you know."
Buffy hung up, putting the phone down.
"What is it?" I asked.
"It's Faith," Buffy answered. "She's awake." I took this in, looking down, not knowing how to react. "She beat someone up, took her clothing, and disappeared out of the hospital." Willow, Xander and Giles reacted silently. "No one knows where she is."
"I'd say this qualifies for a worst timing ever award," Xander told us.
"What do we do?" Willow asked.
"Well, we have to find her," Giles told us.
"But what about Adam?" I asked.
"I'd hate to see the pursuit of a homicidal lunatic get in the way of pursuing a homicidal lunatic," Xander told us.
"Well, Faith's not exactly low-profile girl," I told them. "I'll patrol and wait for her to make a move."
"Then what?" Giles asked.
"Oh, I have an idea," Willow told us. "Beat the crap out of her."
"Good plan," Xander told us.
"Good on paper, but we still have a decision to make," Buffy told us. "Do we hand her over to the cops? They wouldn't know what to do with a Slayer, even if they knew we existed."
"What about the Council?" Willow asked.
"Been there, tried that," Xander told us. "Not unlike smothering a forest fire with Napalm, as I recall."
"Well, the Initiative, they do have, uh, containment facilities," I told them.
"One word," Xander told us. "Evil."
"There's no way around it," Buffy told us. "Faith is back, and whether we like it or not... she's our responsibility."
"Yeah," Willow agreed. "Too bad. That was the funnest coma ever."
"We have no idea where she is," I told them. "We don't know what she's thinking, what she's feeling."
"Who she's doing," Xander told us.
"She could be terrified," I told them. "Maybe she doesn't even remember. Or maybe she does and she's sorry and she's alone, hiding somewhere."
"Perhaps there's some form of, h, rehabilitation we just haven't thought about," Giles told us.
"And if not, ass-kicking makes a solid Plan B," Willow told us.
"I'm not gonna rule it out," I told them.
"First thing," Buffy told us. "We need to find her. Then we can take it from there."
Riley was confused. "Who's Faith?"
~~~~
I was walking alone down an abandoned street, out in the open, hoping that if Faith was anywhere nearby, that she would see me and make a move.
Nothing was happening so far that night.
There was a rustling sound from the other side of the tall fence at the corner.
I walked closer slowly, stepping closer cautiously, preparing to defend myself.
A blaster appeared around the corner, aiming at me, the trigger being pulled.
I grabbed the blaster, aiming it away down the street toward a trash can, making the taser light hit the trash can and singe it, throwing it through the air before falling to the ground, pulling the blaster to pull the shooter out into view, looking away in slight exasperation, looking at Graham, pushing the blaster into his chest. "God, don't do that."
Graham lowered his gun. "Sorry."
I looked at Graham in confusion. "What are you doing here?"
"My job," Graham answered.
"What, hunting Adam?" I asked. "Alone?"
"Spread out," Graham answered. "What are you doing here?"
"Looking for something," I answered. Graham waited for more. "A rogue Slayer."
"Another Slayer?" Graham asked.
"Yeah," I answered. "Her name's Faith. But she's not as fluffy and cuddly as Buffy and I are. She's killed people, she's worked with demons, and she just woke up from a coma, so she's probably gonna be pissed."
"And why is that?" Graham asked.
"Because while trying to stop her from killing anyone else and trying to save our friend, we... we killed her," I answered. "They were able to bring her back, but she wasn't able to wake up. So she's been in a coma."
"Until now," Graham told me.
I nodded. "Until now. It's because of what we did to her why I'm a Slayer now. When a Slayer dies, the next one's called. Originally, there was only supposed to be one at a time."
"So how are there three now?" Graham asked.
"Buffy drowned," I answered. "We were able to bring her back. Slayer number two rolled around, and she was killed by a vampire. Then Faith was called. I just told you what happened with her. That's how I was called."
"Why are you telling me this?" Graham asked.
I shook my head, looking away. "Maybe because I'm trying to tell you that Adam's not the only thing you gotta worry about now. Faith is dangerous. So watch yourself."
I started to walk past.
"So, you drop a bomb like that and, now you're gonna take off?" Graham asked.
I turned to face him, shaking my head, arms raised in an aimless shrug. "I can't, Graham. I just... I--I can't."
"Can't what?" Graham asked.
"Can't any of it," I answered. "Can't talk, can't patrol together, can't be here, can't deal with the guilt, can't move on. Okay, there is too much risk. Adam, Faith... There is too much..." I sighed. "It's just doomed."
I walked out, leaving him in confusion.
~~~~
The next day, Buffy and I were walking across campus.
"So, while you were out looking for Faith, I was actually explaining who she was to Riley last night," Buffy told me.
"What did you tell him?" I asked.
Buffy shrugged slightly. "The truth. That she's our wacky identical cousin from England, and whenever she visits, hijinks ensue."
I nodded. "It's good you guys have such an honest relationship."
"No, I told him the story," Buffy told me. "I vagued-up a few bits, but no flat-out lies."
"That's fair," I told her. "How'd you handle the Angel-y parts?"
"I told him the truth," Buffy answered. "Any luck with the Faith hunt last night?"
"Couldn't find her," I answered. "But I did bump into Graham while he was hunting Adam." Buffy raised her eyebrows at me. "Don't give me that look. I shut him down. Don't know exactly where to place that in the luck continuum."
"Well, you're not alone in this," Buffy told me. "I mean, I know what it's like to deal with a complicated relationship with a commando, and I'll bet every cop in Sunnydale is out there looking for Faith right now."
We walked down some steps toward a bulletin board.
"Pressure's definitely high," I told her.
"I'll tell you... if I were her, I'd get out of Dodge post-hasty," Buffy told me.
Faith was standing in front of the bulletin board, turning to face us. "You're not me."
Buffy and I looked at her in surprise.
~~~~
Faith smirked. "So... check you two out. Nice. The big-girls-on-campus thing's really working for you guys."
"We've been looking for you," I told her.
"I've been standing still for eight months, Z," Faith told me. "How hard you look?"
"Are you all right?" Buffy asked.
"Five by five," Faith answered. "That's the thing about a coma. You wake up all rested and rejuvenated... and ready for payback."
"So much for pleasantries, huh?" Buffy asked.
"What'd you think?" Faith asked. "I'd wake up and we'd go for tea? You killed me."
"You came back, and you'd have done the same to both of us if you had the chance," I told her.
"True," Faith agreed. "And now, thanks to you two, you're no longer a Slayerette, baby sis. You're the real deal. So let's have another go at it, see who lands on top."
"It doesn't have to be like this, you know," Buffy told her.
"Actually, I think it has to be exactly like this," Faith told us, looking around at the passing by college students.
"Faith, these are innocent people," Buffy told her.
Faith shook her head. "No such animal."
"I guess it was too much to hope that you'd use your down time to reflect and grow," Buffy told her.
"Could say the same about the you, B," Faith told her. "I mean, you're still the same old 'better than thou' Buffy. Still the one that could con Zo-Zo here into doing whatever you wanted, like she was still your little Potential sidekick. I mean, I knew it somehow. I kept having this dream. I'm not sure what it means, but in the dream, this self-righteous blonde chick gets the underdog brunette to kick the mayor while the blondie stabs me and you wanna know why?"
"You had it coming," I answered, starting to circle around Faith.
"That's one interpretation," Faith told us. "I wake up to find that these two have forgotten all about the chick they killed together. So that's my dream. That and some stuff about cigars and a tunnel. But, uh, tell me, college girls, what does it mean?"
"To me?" I asked. "Mostly... that you still mouth off about things you don't understand." We heard police sirens in the distance. I mocked a gasp, looking at Faith. "Uh-oh. I guess somebody knows you're here."
Faith punched me in the face. I spun around to try to backhand punch her in the face. Faith caught my arm, kneeing my elbow. I tried to kick Faith with an out-to-in crescent kick. Faith ducked, trying to kick me. I raised an arm to block the move. Faith tried to backhand punch me. I raised an arm to block the move, punching Faith in the face.
A police car pulled up.
Faith tried to punch me. I raised an arm to block the move. Buffy spun to kick Faith in the back with a roundhouse kick, grabbing Faith, pushing her back toward the police car.
The police car stopped.
Faith pointed at Buffy and me. "You took my life. Payback's a bitch."
"Look who's talking," I told her.
"See you around," Faith told us, turning to run.
Two officers got out of the police car. Faith pushed Officer 1 away, making him fall to the ground. She jumped up onto the hood of the police car, kicking Officer 2 in the face, making him fall to the ground, jumping down, running away, pushing students out of the way as she went.
Buffy and I chased after Faith, off the sidewalk, onto the grass of the courtyard, across the parking lot.
Faith reached a brick wall, leaping over it, falling out of view.
I reached the wall, looking over it.
Faith was no where to be seen.
I sighed, falling back, looking at Buffy, shaking my head.
Buffy sighed in exasperation.
~~~~
I went home.
My actually house.
I was sitting in the living room, on the couch, waiting anxiously.
Mom walked in after another long day at the job, looking at me in surprise. "Zoey."
I smiled a small smile, standing. "Hey. Didn't expect to see me, huh?"
Mom walked closer. "Well, it's been awhile."
I nodded in agreement. "Yeah. Yeah, it has. But, um... there's a crazy chick on the loose--crazy chick with a wicked grudge against me, no less--and I decided to come home and give you the heads up. You know, make sure that you're okay and all of that."
"Well, that's sweet of you," Mom told me. "I... guess." I smiled a small smile. "So, who is this girl?"
"Oh, uh, well, let's see," I told her. "You might not remember her by name, but I bet you can remember her by definition. Rogue Slayer. Real psycho-killer, too."
"Sounds serious," Mom told me.
"It is," I answered, holding out my hand to show her how tall Faith was. "Dark, long hair, yea tall. Name of Faith. Criminally insane."
Mom nodded barely. "Sounds vaguely familiar. Is this girl after you?"
"In a bad way," I answered. "Hence, the coming home party."
Mom smiled a small smile. "Well, I'm happy you remembered and cared enough to come home."
I chuckled. "Don't worry. If anything happens, I'll be here."
Mom nodded. "All right. I like that sound of that."
I managed a smile.
I wouldn't put it past Faith to try to come after my mom.
I wasn't leaving.