Chap 10

A/N: Much thanks & patience to my beta Always_jbj. Stephi & Jesse this chapter’s dedicated to you both. Thanks for keeping me encouraged to write even when I felt like curling under the covers and sleeping.

(Cleveland, Ohio)

Methos cell phone buzzed from his coat pocket, he crossed the room to retrieve it as he said to Spike, “Hopefully, this will be news.” Answering the cell, “Pierson, ya? Good. So made initial contact…how did they seem? So the contact worked getting you inside. Wonderful, well he owed me a huge favor. (Smiling) She asked what? (snickering) Right. Straightforward isn’t she!?, Too bad, old man; she’s way too young for you. Besides a certain vampire would take offense, Dawson, if you tried your rock-blues musician play on her. He’s got that whole punk rock idol look going for him old man.”

Spike arched his brow listening to Methos’ description of him to some guy who was in contact with his girls. Earlier he had felt her have the most revolting, disgusting thought ever, and he had been an author to a few in his hundred plus years. First he had clearly received the image of the Whelp doing that hideous Snoopy dance of his, which then sickeningly morphed to a naked version of him doing the exact same dance. No bloody way in hell! He felt he needed a shower, just at the thought of being so closely connected with anything Xanderish, especially whilst naked. Fuck!

Tuning back into the conversation Methos was having with this ‘Dawson’ person, he focused intently on the relieved vibes he picked up from Methos. Clearly whatever Dawson was telling him was good news. This meant that Buffy and his Nibblet were at least physically unharmed. However, he was royally ticked off that he had to learn about his girls from others, instead of just relying on the Claim.

Since he had been hit with that first real feeling of connection with Buffy on the plane, he had been testing out their link through the claim. True, it had been well over a year since they had claimed each other. It was weak. Hell, he hadn’t even known until then that it still worked! Like a muscle that had atrophied from lack of use, the power of their claim just needed to be exercised. So he began trying to just feel her, reach her in some way. And what does he get for his troubles…an image of Xander’s Snoopy dance and then him performing the same dance naked! Bugger!

“Thank you, Joe. Talk to you in say two hours. Alright.” Clicking off the phone, Methos shared a tiny smile that Spike supposed he’d used to woo his women throughout the centuries. “That was Joe Dawson, the only Watcher that I trusted for a solid decade before throwing in with you lot.”

“And he’s the one you were hinting at earlier, the one who told you about Giles and whatnot?” Spike asked.

“Yes. Joe is, well you’ll be meeting him, so you’ll see…he’s quite unique…not the typical Watcher by any definition.”

“Well Ripper didn’t turn out to be Travers’ pride and joy either, come to think of it neither did Wesley.” Spike countered, unsure what Methos was trying to imply. Although he really didn’t understand why he rose to defend Rupert like he had. He was still right cheesed off at Giles for slamming the phone down on Peaches when they were trying to save Fred. Habit? Must be being in this damn replica house.

“Quite. I only meant, in our little circle, Joe was never to have revealed himself to his charge, which was Duncan. He did. He also plays a mean blues guitar, and owns his own club. You’d really enjoy it.” Methos seemingly glided from his chair to the door to the study. “The others will have started to wonder about us by now.”

Tilting his head, Spike had picked up angry snippets from both Connor and Gunn just a few moments earlier. Sensing Illyria and Connor approaching the door quickly, he cautioned, “I’d open the door now if I were you, Adam.”

Methos quickly heeded his warning, throwing open the door and jumping out of its way, right as Connor ran shoulder first into the room almost tripping on the rug. Illyria stood stoically at the entrance to the study examining in turn Connor, Methos, and then Spike.

Laughing, “Brilliant technique, Connor! I give it a 7.5 on execution, but full marks on comedy effect. Blue? Something we can do for ya?”

Spike swore for a brief moment Illyria’s skin suit flickered a deeper blue as if warning him of her anger. Shifting her icy gaze at Methos, Blue said, “Connor seemed agitated that this Immortal kept you separated from him. I too felt this alien sensation you refer to as concern. It makes my skin crawl like little ants marching. I did like it. These new humans are strange. The one you call ‘Rogue’ keeps exchanging mouth fluids with her companion. ” Cocking her head to the side, “You say you are Adam. You are not. I have seen you fill fields with the blood of innocents and ride the mount of Death.”

Spike saw Methos pale and start to back away from Blue towards his sword. Connor had risen to his feet, confused but ready to battle. Fuck, things were going to get all bollixed up quickly if he didn’t stop it now.

“Bluebell. Everything’s aces, luv. Adam and I have an understanding, and yeah, I know who he really is now. No need to get all ‘Old One’ over me, though I do appreciate it. Could cause a bloke to get all sentimental. Now Con, you haven’t known me long, I realize that, but use that noggin of yours boy. Don’t be all like your da. Barging in here, not knowing the full situation. Could have gotten yourself killed, and that would have been just brilliant now wouldn’t it?” he said trying to look scolding but couldn’t quite pull off the look. Hell, who the fuck did he think he was he kidding? He’d gone into to situations knowing a damned sight less.

He added, “Now Illyria, please close the door. Adam, my nephew and this Old One can be let in on your secret. If you don’t want the others out there to know, that’s fine with me, but if you’re going with us, then I insist that these two know. Gunn, I’ll worry about later. He’s going to need to stay here. He won’t like it, but he won’t have a say.”

Spike could tell Methos didn’t like it, but he didn’t give a shit. Behind the closed doors of that study, Methos retold Connor and Illyria his own tale.

**** 10 minutes later ****

Emerging from the study, the four of them reentered the den area. Gunn and Rona had snuggled on the couch. Dana was sitting on the floor doodling on a pad of paper. Xander was in a green comfy chair talking to Gunn. Faith and Wood had pulled in extra seating from other rooms it seemed just to accommodate the extra people.

Connor took a seat beside Gunn on the couch. For some strange reason now that Methos had confirmed his identity, Blue appeared to exhibit actual fascination, an emotion he would never have thought to see expressed by the usually impassive goddess. Perhaps it was Methos being the next oldest person in the room, or perhaps he saw a spark of Fred’s old scientist instinct. Spike watched as she followed Methos if not physically at least with her eyes as he purposefully found a chair opposite her.

Spike simply leaned against the wall, as was his habit of late. “So, Xander, you’ve been all promoted to big Watcher now. That little Slayer of yours was a right surprise in LA. So were Roni and Rogue.” Pinky smiled brightly at him. Chit still gave him the shivers. “Ta for them helping out and all, but unless you’re going to help us on our way to Rome, I’m not clear on why we’re here.”

Xander slow smiled in response, “And now I remember how much I hated you. Well, Mr. Formerly Evil Dead, I’ll accept your thanks, cause hey I know how much you hate saying it to me. But how I feel about you and how you feel about me isn’t important right now. Buffy and Dawn, they’re the important ones. Now, I’ve got some information about this Immortal and more about Buffy & Dawn’s kidnapping.”

“Right then. Go on, tell me who I need to thrash.” Spike said slowly.

“Okay. First off, the Immortal was up to his Gucci shirts in this. Adam has a contact who hacked into the Immortal’s bank records. Guido received a sizable wire transfer from the Lobo Corporation about three hours before Dawn was grabbed at school and Buffy was taken from her apartment. The sleaze actually took part in Buffy’s…” Xander began.

Before Spike could say anything, Adam piped up. “For those of you who don’t know, the Immortal has a name. Kristophe. He makes like he’s the only one of us running around, but to the rest of my kind he is a joke. He shies away from others of our kind, which is why he is still running around at the moment. Also the Lobo Corporation if you haven’t guessed is a shell company for Wolfram & Hart. Lobo, of course, means wolf. The arrogance of this firm astounds me. They haven’t really even tried covering their tracks. My informant traced back other transactions between Lobo and Kristophe. He’s secretly been receiving payments for some time; especially in the last six months, ever since Buffy came into his sphere of influence.”

“That bastard! He accepted euros to court my Slayer?” Spike began pacing the floor, his anger coming off of him in waves. “First he made me a cuckold with my Dark Princess, and now this indignation! Who the bleeding hell does he think he is?”

“Easy there Uncle, we will all make this Kristophe pay for his audacity.” Connor’s hands on his shoulders stopped his pacing. When he looked into his nephew’s eyes, Spike saw fire and anger there. His nephew actually cared that his ‘uncle’ had been made furious. In such a small amount of time, this boy had decided to love him unconditionally, and his undead heart swelled with that realization.

“Ta, Con. That we will.” Spike smiled and ruffled Con’s hair.

“Watch the hair!” Connor fussed, trying to tamp it back down into place.

“Oh no! Not another one! First we suffered through the Master of Hair Gel, then the Bleached Wonder, and now here’s the Miracle Son who must have that ‘I’m misunderstood and complicated scamp hair,’” cracked Xander. Just like old times, Xander had come to the rescue by delivering the perfect remark to break the tension in the room. Slowly the Slayerettes began to giggle, the laugh that Charlie boy had tried to suppress bubbled forth, Methos was smiling even though he hadn’t known Peaches, and even Wood cracked a smile in his stoic façade.

“Mr. Eye Patch, you’re so funny,” said Pinky as she held her stomach laughing way too hard. Poor bint didn’t know good humor; he’d have to fix that. Bugger, when did he start liking the psycho?

“Pinky luv, Captain Ahab has sheltered you. You poor girl, having to listen to his feeble attempts at humor.” Spike joked.

“Bite me.”

“Ummm. As tempting as that may be, you’re not my type, monkey boy.”

Methos cleared his throat, “Yes, well this banter, witty such as it is, does not get us closer to Rome now does it. Now, I’m sure that Spike and Xander can go round and round with this, but really now, wouldn’t our time be better suited to planning the rescue of the Senior Slayer and her sister?”

Spike suppressed the urge to sarcastically retort, and apparently Xander silently agreed to do the same. Xander immediately sobered his expression and continued, “We believe that the layout of all the Wolfram & Hart offices are the same. Spike, when you and Angelboy went to Rome, was that the case?”

“Yeah, Whelp it is. How did you know Peaches and I traveled to the Eternal City?”

“After the G-man sent for Dana, he kept tabs on Angel’s whereabouts. You know he never really trusted Angel after Ms. Calendar. Learning that Soul Boy was heading up Wolfram & Hart didn’t exactly give any of us warm fuzzies. However, his info wasn’t great, cause he didn’t know about you. Well then again, if he did, he didn’t tell us. But I think that the Big G was as much in the dark as the rest of us. He just reported that Angel and some associate traveled to Rome. I think whatever guy he had on Dead Boy had no clue about who you were.” Xander explained. “It wasn’t until later that I figured out just who the mysterious blonde associate was. Which I’ll go into later.”

“I think ol’ Rupes knew about me, especially after Fred.” Spike huffed. Yes, when all this finished, he would have his moment with the ‘Big G.’ Now though he had to focus on his Goldilocks and Nibblet. “Layout should be the same. Gunn, do you still have any knowledge left that the Senior Partners crammed into that skull of yours?”

To his credit, Gunn looked startled and embarrassed at the question. “Yeah. I don’t believe they can take it away after what that doc did to me. Rome branch might have resourced their bottom floor different than Los Angeles. But the Senior Partners demand conformity, that’s why all branches look the same. If we were to enter Hong Kong, Berlin, Moscow, or any other branch… the set up would all be the same.”

Spike tried to recall all that he could remember about the law firm’s lowest level. “Wasn’t the basement where Peaches locked up that tosser Pavayne?”

“Yes. Angel made a special storage unit for him. You know I believe other rooms were down there, but that place creeped me out. Even living on the sewers of LA is better than that. Oh sorry man. I’m sure they are okay. Ilona wouldn’t harm them. They’re assets in what she probably deems are ‘negotiations.’” Gunn offered.

Adam interjected, “My friend has seen first hand that Buffy and Dawn Summers are in perfect health. He’s managed to charm ‘Miss Hell in High Heels’ as my friend calls her. He making sure that nothing happens to them while they are there.”

Faith piped up, “Good. Nothing better happen to B or the pipsqueak.”

“Faith, calm down. Xander and Adam haven’t finished. Buffy is strong. Dawn’s feisty. Everything will work out,” soothed the Principal running his hands over Rogue’s arms. Spike watched their display with revulsion. Rogue could do so much better than that wanker. For now though Rogue had calmed.

“So Monkey boy, not that this little get together hasn’t been delightful, but I could have been well on my way to Rome right now had we not had to stop to listen to you blithering on.” Spike felt his irritation grow. He needed to be moving, doing something. He wanted to rescue his girls, and then yell at Buffy for being so bleeding stupid. Not that he hadn’t learned some helpful morsels about the Immortal, but he still wasn’t closer to his Slayer or his Nibblet.

For just a moment Spike noticed a shift in the ponce’s attitude. The hairs on the back of Spike’s neck started to tingle. Whenever Xander had that look, trouble only followed, at least that had been his experience in Sunnyhell. What he knew for certain was, he detested that gleam in the whelp’s eye.

“Oh, Captain Peroxide, I’m so sorry that returning the slayers here inconvenienced you on your way to probably storming into Rome’s office and getting everyone killed. Your plans always worked out so well in the past, didn’t they?” The whelp rolled his eyes to the ceiling and muttered, “Ahn give me patience.”

What Ahab said next shocked Spike to his very core. “Look Spike, you’re really going to hate what I’m about to tell you now. I believe I know how you are back from the ashes.”

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