“Slayer.”

Buffy jolted and sat straight up, panting. She looked around to get her bearings. She must’ve drifted off in Giles’ library while researching. Not that it mattered. Each text was as useless as the last in figuring out what was written in the book Xander so comically dubbed, “Good Vibrations.”

The name was as good as any since they hadn’t a clue what else to call the damn thing.

Research started off hopeful. Like a little boy with a brand new toy, Giles spent the rest of ‘Newmas’ as well as the days after studying the pages of the tingle-inducing book. His translating efforts started with the local African dialects near where Xander had found the tome, but having no luck, Giles expanded the search to the languages used throughout Africa. When that proved fruitless, he moved into parts then the whole of Asia and Europe. With each dead end, his search spanned out further and further, soon reaching the four corners of the globe. Exhausting every human language, even those dead and long forgotten, he tried the demon languages. No roar, grunt, growl or hiss was ruled out.

Nothing. Nada. Zilch. Zero. Not a single word.

Swallowing his pride, Giles was forced to admit that they needed help. Help from a place neither felt exactly comfortable to go but went anyways. Magic. Giles contacted Ms. Harkness from the Devon Coven, and after some British pleasantries, he finally asked for her help. She responded with a cheeky, “What took you so long? It’s been over a week since we’ve felt the presence of something very old and very powerful.” She then instructed him the Coven needed a day to prepare and abruptly ended the call.

The next day, thirteen Wiccans chanted and commanded goddesses to do their will. Until dozens of pillar candles were nothing but puddles of wax and snuffed out flames. Until each Wicca was at the point of utter exhaustion.

“Sorry, Rupert,” was all Ms. Harkness said before giving a soft conciliatory smile and leaving.




It had been a month since Buffy’s arrival. One month, and neither of them were any closer to figuring out what secrets the book held. Yet each of them was more eager than ever to know.




“No, I don’t agree with you in the least.” Buffy heard Giles out in the hallway. She peeked out the door and noticed he was on the phone. Judging by his tone, he was clearly none too happy.

“I am well aware of the risks. We are far more equipped in handling our own without aide from you or your associates, I assure you.”—Giles paced as far as the telephone cord allowed—“Yes, on the next flight. I will send one of my best men. Yes, yes. Goodbye.” Giles ended the call. His hand remained on the receiver, appearing lost in thought.

“So who was that?” Buffy stepped into the hallway.

Giles turned; his expression quickly changed from irritated to uneasy. “Buffy?”

“Giles.”—Buffy shifted into her classic ‘no-nonsense’ stance—“Now we’ve done Mickey Mouse roll call, who was on the phone?”

“Well, you see. It was…”—with a heavy sigh, Giles sank into the plush telephone table seat—“Wesley. On the behalf of Angel.”

“Angel? What did Wesley want? Is everything okay?” Buffy dropped her stance and moved closer.

“Not exactly, no. Apparently, Angel and his team located a slayer. Who by all accounts, is without a Watcher and is alarmingly unwell.”

“But that doesn’t make any sense. Willow didn’t scrimp on the whole slayer package with bonus super healing mojo. Wouldn’t whatever was wrong with her before…just go away?”

“Not this.” Giles didn’t elaborate, but his expression spoke volumes.

“Then we, I have to get her. Like, now.” Buffy turned to head to her room and pack for the next flight to LA. Only Giles’ assertion made her stop.

“I don’t trust him, not in the least.” Giles stood, all hesitation gone from his voice.

“It doesn’t matter. I’m not leaving her. Who knows what those doctors did when she told them about the dreams. The meds they must’ve forced down her throat. Or worse. And now she’s really a slayer, not knowing what the hell is happening to her. She must be terrified.” Buffy turned, wiping away stray tears.

“We won’t delay a moment longer than necessary, Buffy, I promise you. However, we mustn’t rush into this. Neither Angel nor his team is to be trusted. Their allegiances have shifted, and their once-priority of fighting the good fight replaced by power and corruption. I cannot and will not risk you by throwing you to the wolves.” Giles stepped closer, offering Buffy comfort.

“I don’t understand. What has Angel done?”

“Let’s sit down and I will explain.”

Giles entered the library with Buffy in tow. While he made tea, he recounted Angel, Wesley and the rest of Angel Investigations’ unscrupulous arrangement with Angel’s once-sworn enemy, Wolfram and Hart, and their having taken over the LA branch, Angel at the helm. With painstaking details, Giles explained exactly who Wolfram and Hart was, what they were capable of, and how they made it a practice of continually manipulating both demon and man’s law to suit their own immoral and criminal intentions.

By the end, Buffy’s head was spinning.

“I just can’t believe that Angel…who knows what he’s capable of with Evil Incorporated and an unpredictable slayer at his disposal.”— Buffy paced steadily—“Well, we can’t worry about Team Angel. Not now. What’s the most important is getting Dana outta there.”

“I am in full agreement, Buffy. However, prudence is the key. We must in some way enter L.A. and leave with Dana, with Angel nor Wolfram and Hart none the wiser.”

Buffy paused, a big grin blooming. “Okay, I have an idea. A really bad idea, but it might just be crazy enough to work. Now, hear me out. We both know Angel isn’t going to let us come waltzing in and take her. Even before he had evil on payroll, Angel always considered L.A. and everything in it his. So what I’m suggesting is the ol’ Trojan Horse. You already told Wesley ‘your best guy’ was coming, right? What if our guy meets with Angel, does the whole song and dance, acting like we need the help of Evil, Inc., to do our job. When in actuality, we go in, take back what’s ours and bring her home.”

“This venture sounds quite risky, Buffy.”

“Yeah, well, risky is my middle name. Well, that and Anne. So it’s settled. Now we just have to figure out who it’s gonna be. He has to be pretty smart but totally unassuming. Enough to fool Angel into believing he doesn’t have to worry about this guy…”





“Just to clarify, when I meant Trojan Horse, I didn’t mean the tail end of the thing.” Buffy rolled her eyes, her sarcastic remark loud in an otherwise quiet room.

“Now, Buffy, you requested unassuming. I believe he precisely meets your requirement.” Giles leaned over slightly and lowered his voice, trying not to further disrupt the meeting in progress.

“I know, I know, but did you haveta pick him?”—eyes narrowing, Buffy glared at Giles—“Oh, now I get it. I’ve done something wrong and this is my punishment, isn’t it?”

“Evil walks amongst the shadows, committing misdeeds under the cover of darkness. I, myself, have touched darkness, but the night wasn’t my only time for evil. Yet I’ve redeemed myself, fought against the evil lure of…um…evil. As I, there are others who’ve cast aside their villainous ways.”

For dramatic effect, Andrew stopped pacing and pivoted to face the group of young Watchers. Straightening the lapels of his tweed jacket, he continued, “Yet one cannot live in the world of what ifs or doubt. One must know evil comes in all forms, from all walks of life, and wears many faces. Watchers must know thy enemy. First and foremost, we must learn of the Vampyr. Now go, my prodigies! Learn! Watch! Oh, and don’t forget to read pages 275 to 345!”

The room cleared, leaving just Buffy and Giles in the back row.

“Welcome, welcome, my mentor and fearless leader, Master Giles, and Vampyr Slayer Extraordinaire, Ms. Summers. What could have I possibly done to be bestowed such an honor of not just one, but both of your presences in my humble classroom?” Andrew headed towards them, fanboy gushing the entire time.

“Hey. Um…good class, Andrew. Very Watchery. You know, with all the tweed and the long-windedness you’ve got going on. Yeah, so that’s kinda why we’re here. The Watcher bit, not the class. Well, not exactly. Well, it’s sorta complicated…so that’s why Giles will tell you!” Buffy smiled, holding out her hands towards Giles as if he was the grand prize on a game show.

“Yes, Andrew. As Buffy so eloquently stated in her introduction, we are here to discuss a complex situation that requires the utmost discretion. One filled with possible perils and espionage. Are you prepared for such a daunting task?”

Buffy listened as Giles played off Andrew’s desire to prove himself and become a full-fledge Watcher, all the while glorifying fighting evil. By the time he was done, Andrew appeared battle-ready. Or as battle-ready for someone like Andrew. Yet his readiness hadn’t prepared them for Andrew lowering to one knee and bowing his head.

“I swear on my honor as a Watcher-in-training, I am ready to lay my life down for the side of good, and infiltrate Wolfram and Hart’s evil stronghold and free our captive slayer. ‘There is no emotion, there is peace. There is no ignorance, there is knowledge. There is no passion, there is serenity. There is no death, there is the Force.’”

Buffy and Giles exchanged looks. Andrew stopped talking but hadn’t moved. Not knowing what else to do, mimicking a king knighting a squire, Giles tapped Andrew’s right then left shoulder. Andrew stood, face alighted with excitement.

“Now go, young Watcher. You must prepare for the challenging task at hand.” Giles nodded to Andrew, who quickly left the room.

“That was…yeah, I don’t even know.” Buffy shook her head.

“Yes, nor do I. Well, except this was improvisation at its finest. Bully for me.”

“Just as long as he believed you, then it works for me.” Buffy and Giles headed toward the door until Buffy stopped mid-stride.

“Buffy?” Giles turned, appearing slightly concerned.

“All this talk about figuring things out really got me thinking. You said earlier that Wolfram and Hart is big…like, really big. But are they, like, having-access-to-things-we-don’t big?”

“That would be accurate, yes. In one form or another, Wolfram and Hart has existed in our world, and dozens or possibly hundreds of other dimensions for, well, literally since the beginning of time. Tracing as far back as the Old Ones. Yet what does this have to do…” Giles stopped mid-sentence, understanding emerging.

“New plan. Two vamps, one stake. I’m heading to LA to save my sister slayer and, once and for all, figuring out what’s in that book. Compliments of Wolfram and Hart.”











For all you youngin’s “Good Vibrations” was a 1991 hit by Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch. Those who don’t know Marky Mark, he is more well known as Mark Wahlberg. Back in the day, he brought showing your underwear into fashion and talk about abs for days! http://moremarkymark.tripod.com/ Yup, I have a tender spot in my…heart for him. He’s from my home state! Represent! For those older than me, “Good Vibrations” is also a 1964 song by the Beach Boys.



Andrew’s little spiel: “There is no emotion, there is peace. There is no ignorance, there is knowledge. There is no passion, there is serenity. There is no death, there is the Force.” Is the Jedi Code http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Jedi_Code