"Got it!" Spike exclaimed.
"I'm awake," Buffy replied, startled out of her sleep. She blinked wearily then seemed to remember where they were. "What did you say?" she yawned, rubbing her eyes.
"I've found it!" He frantically gestured at the giant book in front of him. The book was so old the pages were yellow and it looked like if you touched them they would turn to dust. She looked at the book for a second, her mind trying to figure out what he was talking about, then back to him.
"What?"
He sighed. "I found a reference to this new Master. Remember? I told you about him."
She blinked a few more times. It was starting to come back to her in bits.
"What does it say?"
"And from the light will come an age of reckoning. From the eldest. from whom many lines of greatness flow, there will come the test. All those who are worthy shall be ascended to the highest level to rule at the side of the eldest. Then, under them will come an age of darkness lasting into eternity."
Now fully awake, Buffy took a second to think this over. Even wide-awake Buffy couldn't make any sense of it.
"It means there's going to be a really old vampire and this thing called 'the Reckoning', when some vamps will be made mega-demons who'll bring about hell on earth for all eternity." Spike said, seeming to sense her confusion.
"How do we stop it?" That was what she was good at, stopping things. She left the research to the scoobies, she killed stuff.
"I don't know, we could kill this master guy but he doesn't strike me as someone easily killed. Maybe there's an answer in one of these books."
She groaned at the thought of doing any more reading which made him laugh. Slowly he sighed and got up from his chair. Maybe he had been pushing it a bit. It was just that his encounter with the Master had scared him shitless. He had been so strong. And he got the idea he would want to fight Buffy, most of the masters who came to town did. He just didn't want to see her get hurt.
"Come on," he said. "I'll walk you home. We can look again tomorrow. I'll come to the shop later, make sure your there."
She smiled thankfully at him and took her coat which he had handed her. They went out of the back door together and of into the night.
~*~*~*~
Teri sighed as she pressed print for the last time. It had been a long night and she had spent more time slaving in front of this computer over it then she had over the last year. Or at least it felt like that.
She worked at the high hill medical research centre. High hill was a little known centre located in the Nevada desert. Here at High Hill they researched cures for cancer and aids. They also researched germ warfare. That was why no-one knew about it. Officially there were a cancer/AIDS research lab, of the record, they were developing biological weapons.
She looked over the code the computer had printed out for her. It was part of the genetic make-up of a cancer cell. She was working in a very small division trying to develop Cancer into a weapon.
Only a few people knew about her work. The team was very small and they worked alone. They didn't dare tell anyone outside the group or not only the person who they told but they themselves would die. It was one of the most low-profile cases in the lab.
When she was little she had wanted to be a nurse. She used to play with doctor sets and practice bandaging her brothers arms. As she got older and saw her grades she realised she could aim higher. She got through medical school with no problems, but why stop there. Why be a doctor when she could save millions of lives through research.
The way she saw it she was still saving lives. She was saving millions of innocent American citizens. If one day war broke out she would save millions. It didn't bother her the millions she would kill.
The door swished open. She looked up curiously. Normally she was the only one there this late at night. She felt they were close to something, and when she was close to something she just couldn't stop working.
She looked over to where Norma had just entered the lab. She smiled happily. Norma was one of her closest friends. She had been like a mother to her since she had come here and had been the one to get her on this project.
She hadn't seen the older woman in a few days and had been worrying. As a rule they didn't know about each others home lives. Just as the people at home didn't know about there work. When Norma had disappeared she had been desperate to contact her but just couldn't.
"How are you!" she exclaimed. Norma grinned and pulled her into a hug.
"I'm feeling much better. In fact I've never felt this good in my life," Norma told her, a smile creeping over her face.
"I'm so glad, let me show you what we've found!" She rushed over to the computer and started explaining to Norma. She was so absorbed in the work she didn't notice Norma wasn't listening.
"That's all very nice," Norma interrupted, leaning over and turning of the computer. "But there's something I have to show you. Come on."
Teri paused for a moment but then followed the older woman. She led her out of the lab and through the centre. Then out of a back door and out of the complex. Teri was beginning to worry now. She had never been here before. She could only just see the centre behind them.
They came to a road with a jeep on it. Norma stopped and held the door open for Teri. Teri froze.
"Where are we going Norma?" she asked.
"You'll see soon enough." Norma told her, smiling mysteriously.
"No," Teri said. She'd never said no to Norma before. She looked shocked. "I want to know now or I'm not going."
"Don't you dare say no to me!" Norma yelled. Rage building in her eyes. Teri was scared. She had never seen Norma like this before. Normally she was so calm. Scared, she turned and began to walk back towards the centre.
Norma grabbed her arm in a vice like grip, stopping her. Teri gasped as her arm began to ache.
"Don't you dare walk away from me."
Teri twirled around. But instead of her old friend Teri found herself looking into the face of a monster. She gasped and fell backwards. The monster with Norma's body laughed and she pulled herself to her feet and began to run.
She was fast. She spent hours working out. Somehow Norma was faster then her though. She soon caught hold of the younger girls long hair and pulled her over. Teri screamed as she fell down.
Norma lifted her of the ground. She sobbed and fought but the older woman got one arm around her waist, pining down her arms, and one arm into her hair. She pulled her head to the side, lowered her head, and drank from her former protégé.
As Teri's body went limp in her arms Norma took out a knife and slit her wrist. She held her wrist over Teri's mouth and the sweet red liquor poured down her through.
She sighed and lifted the girl in her arms, cradling her like a baby. She had always looked as Teri like the baby girl she had never had. Now she really was her childe.
~*~*~*~
It was a busy day. Days leading up to a Sabbath were always like that in Sunnydales only reliable magick shop. There were a mass of Wiccans and pagans stocking up on red and green candles and summer herbs for the upcoming summer-solstice.
The scoobie gang had relocated to the training room for research. Normally they would sit at the table but today everything was so hectic they had come back here.
Here were old volumes spread out all over the floor, surrounding Willow and Spike. Xander had a book in his lap and Buffy was working out. It was often like this now. Giles had been so distracted lately. He was constantly tired and couldn't stay focused long enough to research. Spike and Willow had practically taken over that. It was one of the things that had made them friends, there long hours of research trying to find a way to bring Buffy back.
Xander tried to help them but he couldn't focus either and sometimes missed important things so he was reading newer books that weren't likely to have anything in. Buffy wasn't much help either. She was a fighter, not a thinker.
They were, once again, looking for references to the master. It was a pretty hard thing to research. There were many vampires out there who called themselves 'the master' and most of the entries weren't very descriptive.
It had been eating Spike up from inside since he'd seen the guy, fear. He was strong, and fast, and clever. Buffy might be strong and she certainly had brains behind her but this guy was just gave him the impression he could take Buffy out with one well placed punch.
It scared him more then he had ever been scared before. This guy was a monster and there was nothing he could do to stop him.
The door opened and Giles stumbled in, barely aware, his tie down and his hair messed. Through the door they heard Anya dismiss a customer with her normal "Come again, next time you have money," line. Xander smiled.
"I'm here," Giles declared. Buffy stopped her work out and looked over at him, a worried expression crossing her face.
"Where have you been! Do you know what time it is? It's 11:55. It's almost lunch time. What is your problem," she yelled, fuming. They all blinked, surprised at her outburst.
"It's quite simple Buffy," he told her. "I overslept."
The slayer turned around and hit the punching bag so hard it flew across the room. Everyone was silent. They just stared at her as she stood hunched over, trying to contain her rage.
"There is something you're not telling me," she told him. He looked shocked. "No-one sleeps late for 2 weeks running. And through the day your like a walking corps. What are you doing Giles. What are you doing that makes you so tired."
"Honestly Buffy, I'm not doing anything. In fact I have been going to bed earlier to try to get some rest and fall asleep practically as soon as I get to bed."
She didn't seem to be listening. She turned on her heel and marched out the back door, presumably to blow of some steam. They all turned to look at Giles. He backed slowly into the main part of the shop.
Apparently they had more to worry about then the Master.
~*~*~*~
"SHIT," Mork exclaimed at the top of his voice.
"WHAT THE FUCK IS IT!" Kreg hollered at him. Mork hopped around like a rabid bunny clutching his foot. He punched the wall in rage then hollered and pulled his fast back, cradling it in his arms.
Kreg signed and marched over to Mork, hitting him over the head. Mork cried out in pain and swung at Kreg's head. Kreg ducked and a drunken Mork fell over and landed on his face.
"Man your slaughtered. We got to get back, were meant to be setting up man but instead your in some kiddie bar trying to get some local action! Dude you are so mentally challenged!" Kreg continued ranting at the drunken Mork, hauling him down the street. Mork was staring at the sky, waving his fingers in odd patterns and counting out loud.
"Wow man," Mork exclaimed, seeming to have forgotten about his aches and pains. "You realise there are like ... hundreds of stars up there man."
"Fuck stars dude! You'll be seeing more in a fucking minuet if you don't get of your lazy good-for-nothing-ass and walk"
Kreg let go of his friends arm and once again, Mork, Who had been trying to stand up by leaning on Kreg, landed on his face.
"Hey Guys," A strange voice came to them from the direction they had been walking in. Kreg looked up and a guy in a T-shirt reading Ozzy was stood in there path. He took a look at Mork then looked at the Ozzy guy.
"Look Dude, one Ozzy fan to another, will you help me get this pillock here home. He's had a bit to much local hospitality and unless I get him back to the Ozzfest sight outside town there is going to be some serious trouble.
"You work on Ozzfest site?" The Ozzy guy asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Sure as hell we do," Kreg exclaimed happily. "Me and Mork here are roadies! Dig that!"
"Cool!!" The guy exclaimed, rushing forward to pull Mork to his feet. He slung one of Morks arms over his shoulder and Kreg grabbed the other arm.
"What's your name?" Kreg asked the Ozzy guy as they began to haul Mork's ass to the edge of town together.
"Ned," Ozzy guy mumbled, grabbing hold of Morks leg with his free hand as he tried to kick something only he could see in front of him. As he grabbed Morks leg the drunken roadie fell backwards onto his ass. Both of the guys sighed and dragged him to his feet.
"I got to thank you again man!" Kreg said, dragging Mork to his feet. "I don't think I could get him home on my own."
"No problem," Ned replied, pulling Mork up and pushing him forward. Mork fell on his face again, but from the continued battering was coming to a bit and started to drag himself up using the wall.
"Wow!" Mork exclaimed. "Everything's spinning."
"Shut the fuck up man!" Kreg exclaimed. Trying to haul Mork onto his feet. Mork went slack and Kreg couldn't keep him up so he dropped him again.
"Help me man," Kreg shouted to Ned. He tried to haul Mork up again but it wasn't happening. He paused a second then turned around.
"Man what's up with your face?" Mork asked from his position on the ground. Ned growled and launched himself at Mork.
"Shit," Kreg yelled, quickly pulling out a cross and shoving it in the vampires back. Howling, Ned pulled back from Mork and hit Kregs hand, sending the cross flying.
Ned shoved Kreg across the floor then ran after him, growling. Kreg tried to pull himself up but Mork quickly straddeling his hips.
"Didn't know you were that kinda guy," Kreg said in a joking tone of voice, bucking his hips suggestively. Ned growled and went for his neck. As Ned lunged forward Kreg quickly rolled, reversing there positions.
Ned sat up quickly and Kreg lunged forward at the same time. There heads banged together and Ned fell back. Quickly Kreg grabbed a stake from inside his jacket and shoved it into Ned's chest. The vampire looked shocked for a minuet then turned to dust.
"Fuck," Mork exclaimed, managing to climb to his feet.
"I hate those guys!" Kreg exclaimed, turning back to Mork and starting to pull him along the street. "They have no respect for the music. I mean, if you wanted to show respect for Ozzfest would you do it by eating the roadies? NO! There just a bunch of dicks!"
"What the fuck was that, man?" Mork asked, stopping Kreg's turent of words.
"It was a fucking vampire!" Kreg yelled at him. "So you'd better start watching your fucking back 'cause those things love to hang out at music stuff and think it's great fun to eat roadies like us! So in the future just watch it!"
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