Part Nine

BEYOND SUNNYDALE
February 27, 1999, mid-morning

Cordelia tasted blood in her mouth. She panicked for a second before she realized she was the reason her lip was bleeding. She had spent two hours biting down on it to keep from screaming as the creature repeatedly raped and beat Jessica. He seemed to enjoy inflicting pain on her more than he did with Amanda. He didn't hit the child as much as he did the older girl, and he usually stopped after a half hour of tormenting her tiny body. Jessica's cries of anguish still echoed in Cordelia's head. They were so loud, so vivid, so real. It made Cordelia increasingly anxious at what would happen when the beast decided it was her turn. She grimaced at the thought. She wasn't sure how long he would leave her alone. He could turn on her at any moment.

"Jessica hasn't come back," Amanda's voice broke her from her reverie.

"Huh?" Cordelia hadn't been actively listening to the girl. But the child's eyes were wide with fear.

"She's gone. Like the others," Amanda murmured. Cordelia realized she was right. Jessica wasn't chained up like they were.

"What happened to the others?" Cordelia asked insistently. Amanda attempted to shrug her narrow shoulders.

"I don't know. But they never came back," she said flatly. Cordelia's heart sank. She felt her body go numb.

"We may never leave this place," she swallowed hard. Amanda nodded solemnly.

"Having a nice chat, are we?" Madchen emerged from the shadows of the trees. Jessica was no with him.

"Where's Jessica?" Amanda asked boldly. Cordelia gasped. The look in the creature's eyes suggested he did not like being questioned. Sure enough, he crept towards Amanda and kicked her sharply in the stomach. She groaned and doubled over.

"You know better than to ask," he hissed angrily. He gave Cordelia a sly smile. He motioned at her. "She knew not to ask. She's a good girl." He ran his rough tongue up her bare arm. Cordelia felt sick, but she tried not to react. "Jessica is in a safe place," he added, rubbing his stomach contentedly. Cordelia's eyes widened in disgust and horror. Oh, God, she felt her pulse begin to race and her heart began to pound. Get me out of this hell, she begged silently.

"You eat them?" Amanda cried shrilly. She made her second mistake. Cordelia moaned inwardly. She was just a child, and she didn't know any better. She couldn't keep her fear in. Madchen let out a roar and leapt towards the cowering little girl.

"What else is a big bad wolf to do? Didn't your mommy ever tell you bedtime stories, child?" he laughed and sunk his teeth into her arm. Amanda yelped at the contact between his fangs and her skin. He withdrew them slowly, savoring the taste of her young flesh. "A taste of things to come, pun intended," he cackled.

"Ohhhhh!" Amanda stared in disbelief and horror at her arm. Two circles of blood appeared and began to drip rhythmically to the ground. Amanda fainted at the sight of her own blood flowing so freely. Cordelia looked away sharply, feeling a kink in her neck as she did. She, too, began to feel light-headed. It was a combination of her hunger and the stale oxygen in the air that was eliciting such a feeling in her. Madchen reached out with a claw and ripped the left strap of Cordelia's dress. She gasped as the one side of her dress fell down. He grinned wickedly and snagged the other strap. The dress gathered around her waist, and she shivered as the cool air hit the skin that wasn't protected by her bra. He drew a line from her breastbone to her naval with his sharp claw, the skin slowly turning a sickly red color. Cordelia winced. She hoped he hadn't noticed. "Soon," he whispered ominously in her ear, tickling her with his foul breath. He edged away from her and kicked Amanda brutally one last time. She barely moved in response. He laughed and disappeared into the dark mess of trees at the far end of wherever they were. Cordelia broke down once he was gone. She shut her eyes, desperate to get away from this nightmare. Xander, she cried to herself.

"Xander!" she called weakly, her voice barely bouncing off the walls. She was consumed by her sobs and her longing for the man she loved. She allowed Amanda's shallow, raspy breathing to lull her into a restless sleep.



SUNNYDALE HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY, Sunnydale, CA
February 27, 1999

The computer screen was finally still. Willow's breath caught in her throat as she studied the monitor intently. Xander hovered over her shoulder anxiously. Buffy, Giles and Oz sat silent across the table. Xander watched Willow's expression as she read the completed translation. Her face changed the more she read.

"Will?" he asked nervously. She glanced at him with troubled eyes.

"Oh, Xander," she whispered, shaking her head. She looked away, not able to see his terrified face staring back at her. Buffy's heart began to race. This can't be good, she thought.

"What?" His voice was full of panic. "What?" he cried, more insistently.

"This thing…Dieb Madchen Hellrot…his mode of operation is not pleasant," she began hesitantly.

"Go on Willow. This is our only way to find Cordelia," Giles urged.

"Well, his name does mean 'thief of girls in red'. He assumes the character of the elderly grandmother from "Little Red Riding Hood" in order to seek his victims, who are young girls, usually alone, wearing red," she continued.

"And," Oz prodded, twisting his hands.

"He's actually a hybrid," Willow noted.

"Which means? In case you forgot, Will, I'm not a master at the art of science terms," Xander snapped. Buffy frowned. He was really on edge. Willow ignored the comment.

"He is half man, half wolf, but he can change into either completely if needed. He attacks his victims in wolf mode," she paused and swallowed, trying to find the best way to say what needed to be said. "Uh, and he assaults his victims in human form."

"Assaults?" Xander's face was blank. He thought for a moment. Oh God, he realized. Oh God, Cordelia. "Oh no. Willow, no," he repeated frantically. She looked around at her friends.

"Rapes," she whispered hoarsely. Xander sank into a chair.

"Cordelia," he moaned softly, burying his face in his hands. Buffy rose and walked towards the computer.

"How do we find her?" she asked Willow. Willow's eyes returned to the screen.

"It won't be easy. This says he needs to operate and live in a forest environment, like the ones in Bavaria and Germany during the olden days."

"There are no real forests in Sunnydale. Not like that," Oz frowned. Willow nodded.

"I know. There must be a portal somewhere, something that allows him to disappear from our world into his," Willow explained.

"Cordelia could be…" Xander began.

"Anywhere," Giles finished, sighing. "We need to determine where all the girls vanished from. If we can find someplace that all the disappearances have in common, perhaps his portal is nearby." Buffy rummaged through the newspaper articles.

"Well Cordelia was taken from the Bronze," she said, scanning the articles. "This Amanda girl disappeared after school."

"Which doesn't necessarily mean she disappeared by the school," Giles pointed out.

"True…Samantha Cullen vanished outside the grocery store. The milk she bought was found on the sidewalk," Buffy shuddered. "Caitlin Phillips, after field hockey practice at the middle school."

"Lindsey Fairchild was coming home from her piano lesson. Her teacher lives on Walnut Street. And the last one before Cordelia, Ashley Warner, disappeared after leaving the arcade around 5 pm," Oz finished.

"Nothing obvious. They could have been taken from anywhere. No one saw them disappear," Willow lamented. "And Xander was knocked out before he could see where the woman took Cordelia."

"The grocery, the arcade and the Bronze are all fairly close to each other, on the same road. And perhaps the other girls took that road on their way to wherever each was going," Giles suggested.

"There are a lot of dark alleys and places to lurk along that road," Willow agreed, envisioning the area in her head.

"Let's go!" Xander didn't waste any time. He raced towards the double doors, Willow, Oz, Buffy and Giles close behind.

Part Ten

BEYOND SUNNYDALE
February 27, 1999

Cordelia was aware that it hadn't even been twenty-four hours since she had been brought to this awful place. But it already felt like an eternity. Her arms ached from being chained above her head. The cuts on her face, breasts, and stomach burned. The feeling in her stomach was a mix of hunger and nausea. She could feel the stale air drying up her skin, but for once, her complexion and appearance was the furthest thing from her mind. The only thing Cordelia could think of was escaping this hell.

"Amanda?" she called quietly. The child's eyes fluttered open.

"Yeah?"

"We're going to get out of here," Cordelia told her with false confidence.

"You still think your boyfriend will save you?" Amanda asked. The hope was gone out of her voice.

"Us. He will save us," she affirmed. "And my friend Buffy is pretty brave. I know she is looking for us," she added. Cordelia felt an attachment to this little girl, felt almost responsible for this innocent child who couldn't protect herself.

"My friend has a dog named Buffy," Amanda said thoughtfully. "My bestest friend in the whole world. I miss her." Tears spilled down her pale cheeks.

"You'll see her again. And you can tell all your friends how brave you were," Cordelia smiled.

"You're my friend, right Cordelia?" she asked, the tears on her face glistening. Cordelia smiled again.

"Of course," she replied. Amanda returned the smile and closed her eyes. Cordelia thought of the girl's family. They were probably desperate to get Amanda back. Her mind wandered to her parents. Did they even notice she was gone? She pictured them going about their daily business, oblivious to the fact their daughter was being held captive by a psychotic man-wolf. It had been about an hour since the thing left her and Amanda alone. She was just beginning to will the creature to stay away for awhile more when her hopes were dashed. He crept from behind a tree and stalked towards her. He paused next to Amanda's sleeping form. The child had settled into a light sleep, but she awoke with a cry sensing the monster before her.

"Come with me," he hissed, roughly unchaining her arms. Amanda tried to resist, planting her feet on the ground. But she was no match for the beast. He picked her up like a rag doll and began to walk away. Cordelia was frozen in fear, Amanda's words echoing in her ears. 'There were others, but they never came back.' The image of the creature rubbing his stomach after Jessica failed to return. A wave of nausea hit Cordelia.

"No! Oh, God, no!" she screamed. The creature snarled and turned, giving Cordelia an icy stare. He dropped Amanda to the dirt. She scrambled against the wall in terror. Madchen stopped before Cordelia.

"What did you say?" he growled in anger. Cordelia was too scared to answer. "That's what I thought you said," he sneered. He drew back his fist and punched Cordelia hard on the jaw. She moaned as the pain registered. He laughed and grabbed a strand of her hair. He slammed her head against the wall. Cordelia grew dizzy with the sensation. Her world went black for a second. When she opened her eyes again, all she saw was Madchen's retreating form coupled with Amanda's horrified shrieks.

"Amanda," she whispered sadly. Her body shook with sobs as she realized the fate that lay ahead for the little girl. Her crying was the only sound audible.

Cordelia was alone.

Part Eleven

BEHIND THE BRONZE, Sunnydale, CA
February 27, 1999

"I'm not seeing anything but a trash compactor," Buffy noted, staring ahead into the deserted alley between the Bronze and the arcade. Willow clutched the translation she had printed out before they left the library. She frowned.

"Did you guys know that it's been argued that the story of Little Red Riding Hood actually suggests sexual abuse?" she wondered, astonished.

"I thought it was a warning to children not to talk to strangers," Oz said.

"This text contains a lot about the history and myths behind the story. Lots of theories claim that the setting and the color red meant rape," she shuddered. "Here I thought it was a nice children's story."

"Those theories are speculation," Giles piped up. "But they could very well be the basis for this creature's actions."

"Could we have less talk and more searching?" Xander said tersely. "Cordelia needs us. God only knows what that thing could be doing to her."

"I agree," Giles nodded.

"How do you find a portal?" Buffy asked.

"It's not easy. It could be anywhere, if it is here at all," he added.

"But it could be here," Willow said hopefully. "It seems to be central to all the disappearances."

"Quite possible," Giles replied.

"So how do we find it?" Xander asked, impatiently. Oz walked to the back of the alley and began pressing against the brick wall that was there.

"Oz? What are you doing?" Willow called. He turned, not removing his hands from the wall.

"I saw this in a movie once," he called back.

"Are you sure it wasn't an episode of 'Scooby Doo'?" Buffy shot back with a grin. Willow followed Oz to the back of the alley and began imitating his actions.

"It's worth a try," Willow replied, staring at Xander. Buffy touched Xander's arm gently.

"Are you okay?" she asked softly. She could see the tears forming in his eyes. He shook his head.

"She must be so scared. Cordy pretends to be tough, but I know her better than she knows herself. God, Buffy, what if something happens to her? What if he…" Xander trailed off, unable to say the words. He looked Buffy right in the eyes. "Cordelia and I, we haven't…I mean, we fool around a lot, but we've never…"

"You haven't slept together yet," Buffy whispered back. Xander nodded slowly.

"You know I've never…well, Buff, you know I'm a virgin," he began. "But Cordelia is too." Buffy's eyes widened. "And I wanted her
first time to be special. Special and with me. The thought of that monster taking that from her, from me…it tears me up inside."
Tears were rolling down his face as he said the words. Buffy put her arms around him.

"Xander," she sighed, feeling his pain. "I don't know what to say."

"There's nothing to say," he responded flatly. "I want her back. I need her Buffy," he asserted. "I don't know what I'll do if…" Buffy stopped him. She pressed a finger firmly against his lips.

"Don't talk that way. We will find Cordelia," she stated.

"Xander!" Willow cried. "Oz found something!" Xander and Buffy spun around. Oz's arm had vanished up to his elbow. It appeared to disappear into the wall. He withdrew it, then plunged it back in again.

"Pretty cool, huh?" Oz grinned.

"I think we've got a lead!" Buffy squeezed Xander's hand. Giles put his hand up.

"I don't think all of us should go through the portal. Someone should stay here in case something goes wrong," he offered.

"I agree," Willow nodded. "Xander should go. That's a given."

"And Buffy," Oz said. "I think they should go. We can stay here."

"Giles? Stay or go?" Buffy asked. Giles paused a moment.

"I'll go," he decided. "But first, shouldn't we read find out how to defeat Madchen? There may be just one way. We wouldn't want to overlook anything," he rationalized.

"Okay, good point," Buffy agreed, looking to Willow. She was already deep in the text.

"Come on, Will, a little faster, please," Xander pleaded. Willow looked up.

"Of course! It's so obvious now. An ax," she said, matter-of-factly.

"Little Red Riding Hood was saved by a woodsman with an ax!" Giles exclaimed.

"Madchen must be killed with an ax," Willow repeated.

"Well let's get ourselves an ax. Time's ticking," Xander reminded them, turning and running from the alley.

"Shouldn't I stay here to mark where the portal is?" Oz called.

"Yes, good thinking, Oz," Giles replied.

"I'll stay with Oz," Willow decided.

"We'll be back!" Xander shouted over his shoulder.

"Where do we get an ax?" Buffy called as they turned around the corner.

"My house," Xander replied. "When you have parents like mine, there are all sorts of weapons at your disposal." Giles and Buffy stared at Xander. He shrugged sheepishly. "They fight a lot."

"Just stop right there, Xand. Let's just get the damn ax," Buffy sighed.



BEYOND SUNNYDALE
February 27, 1999

Cordelia twisted her wrist, the metal cuffs rubbing against her skin creating a burning sensation. Just one more scar to add to the list, she thought bitterly. She craned her neck around to see her watch. An hour had passed. No Amanda. She knew what was probably happening to the girl, if it hadn't already happened, but Cordelia held out slim hopes that Amanda would return to fill the empty shackles next to her. A gentle breeze had filled wherever it is Cordelia was, and it chilled her exposed flesh. She closed her eyes and tried to let her mind wander.

"At last, we are alone," the low, sinister voice stunned her from her thoughts. Madchen grinned as he approached her. "Aren't you going to ask me where Amanda is?"

"No," Cordelia whispered, shaking her aching head.

"Smart girl," he replied, running his paw along the length of her arm. "Amanda wanted you to have this." He held up a delicate charm bracelet. "I was going to say no and let her die with it on, but I changed my mind. It will look so pretty on you," he murmured slowly. Cordelia cringed as he touched her wrist. He unfastened the clasp and secured it around Cordelia's narrow wrist. It was a bit snug, as Amanda was a tiny girl, but it fit. Cordelia felt her eyes well with tears for the child. She glanced at the bracelet through blurred vision. It was all that remained of Amanda. The creature snarled and grabbed Cordelia's chin roughly. "Don't you say 'thank you' when someone gives you a gift?"

"Thank you," she lied, choking on the words. She had no gratitude for the beast. She said a silent thank you to Amanda. She was sure the girl was now watching over her, gone but finally safe from harm.

"I've wanted you since the moment I first saw you," he whispered in her ear. Cordelia unconsciously drew back as best she could given her position. He sensed her apprehension and slapped her across the face. "Tell me you want me too," he hissed, his voice seeping with venom. Cordelia couldn't be strong anymore. Amanda was gone. Her hope was gone. Xander was nowhere in sight.

"I can't," she replied in a whisper. Madchen roared and slashed at her, catching the lace of her bra in his claw. He pulled and it ripped down the center, hanging on by just a few threads.

"If I were that man you were with last night, you would want me," he grunted. He placed a cold paw over her left breast. She closed her eyes. This wasn't happening. It cannot happen this way, she cried to herself, the tears coming again. Not this way. "Open your eyes," he demanded. She peered at him and gasped. Xander stood before her. "Do you want me now?" Madchen's voice asked from Xander's mouth. Look away, Cordelia instructed herself. It's not really him. She couldn't allow herself to give in to his handsome face, the face she had been desperate to see since the creature stole her from him.

"No," she confessed. She clenched her eyes shut again. She inhaled sharply as she felt his wet tongue run across her the jagged cuts on her breast. She took another deep breath and kicked out her feet with all her strength.

"No!" she screamed, her voice cracking in fear. She shook as she watched the anger rise in 'Xander's' eyes. They glowed a vicious yellow, rather than Xander's usual gentle brown.

"You're going to wish you hadn't done that," he threatened, moving towards her menacingly. Cordelia could not look at him. She and Xander had fought before, but he never acted the way the creature was acting in his body. He balled his fist and slammed it against Cordelia's cheekbone. She screamed in pain.

"Please don't hurt me," she moaned softly. Madchen laughed. It was nothing like Xander's gentle laugh.

"Isn't this how you imagined your first time?" he whispered. Cordelia closed her eyes.

She couldn't watch.

On to Part 12