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Jillian K
Disclaimer: BTVS is property of Joss Whedon and Mutant enemy. This fic is intended for entertainment purposes only so no money is being made of it. As if anybody would pay.
Summary: In a different Sunnydale in where the demon threat has been neutralized the slayer protects a vampire from the Initiative labs.
The next four hours went by in a blur. As soon as we exited the car we were accosted by a half of dozen news reporters who wanted the latest scoop concerning the missing vamp. Riley reassured them that things were being handled according to Initiative policy and that the lab-subject would be in custody soon. I did my best not to punch him in the face.
Finally, we were ushered inside and sat for speech after speech that enumerated the many qualities of the honoree. Riley got up to publicly thank him for his contributions to the Initiative and science in general. Then the guy was officially inducted and after listening to him thanking everyone including his third grade teacher we left. Not even the chicken was any good.
Finally we arrived at my house a few minutes after midnight. He parked the car in his usual spot and helped me out. Wordlessly we headed inside the house.
The living room was nice and cool in contrast to the warmth outside. I put my bag on top of the coffee table and sat down on the couch. Riley followed my lead after taking off his jacket and loosening his tie. For a while we just sat, neither of us venturing to speak. Finally I broke the silence.
“Well that was exhausting. Those speeches seemed to go on forever… except for yours that is” I said forcing a smile.
“Mine was the worst. I didn’t even know the guy and had to ad-lib most of what I said. But it really doesn’t matter, the speech wasn’t important. What was important is that we show the world that nothing is amiss”
Unknowingly, he had given me an opening.
“You mean the fact that William the Bloody still at large?”
“Yes. The situation with subject seventeen is a public affairs disaster. It puts in question the effectiveness of the Initiative and not to mention compromising our research capabilities”
“What do you mean?” I was intrigued.
“Well, you know that the Initiative, along with the Council of Watchers, has been very successful in containing the demonic threat. We don’t have exact numbers but we figure that there are only a few hundred vampires that are still free out there. That means that our research pool in dwindling and the authorities need to be encouraged to bring any captured demons to us instead of destroying them. If we show that we cannot be trusted to keep them secure then we will not be receiving any more. Simple as that”
“Oh, that makes sense but what I don’t get why you ordered William’s execution especially since lab-subjects are so hard to come by”
“William the bloody”
“What?”
“His name is William the bloody or rather subject seventeen. ‘William’ just seems too familiar” he said with a twinge of suspicion.
Brilliant Buffy. I’m giving it away.
“You’re right. Its probably because I’ve been so caught up in recapturing him that it almost seems like I know him” Nice save “but you still haven’t explained why you wanted him dead”
He paused for minute as he organized his thoughts.
“It is my belief that a test-subject has a limited shelf-life. The conditions in which they exist affect their cognitive process and compromise any responses they emit. Subject seventeen was displaying behaviors that indicated that he was at the brink of regressing into an animalistic state. He introduced too many extraneous factors to ever be considered viable research material”
“Repeat that in English”
“He was no longer of any use to us. I saw no reason to keep him around”
I know that if I’d had a stake nearby it would have made its way to Riley’s non-existent heart.
“But not to worry. Subject seventeen will not be a problem much longer” his tone was smug and confident.
An ominous chill descended over me. What did he mean?
“What do you mean?”
“For the last couple of weeks we have been sending a radio signal aimed at scrambling the computer chip that was implanted in his brain. As we speak the chip is destroying brain cells which will gradually result in the vampire’s final death”
I couldn’t breathe. William was dying.
“H…How long does he have?” I managed to ask.
“We figure a couple of weeks at most. Certainly no more than a month”
So that was it. The chip was the cause for his gradual weakening and yesterday’s collapse. He had managed to escape the lab but he was still powerless against their control. He was still at their mercy.
“I apologize for not telling you sooner but I had no clearance to do so. I think that Director Walsh was still hoping you could bring him back but we cannot wait any longer. Hopefully we will be able to retrieve the body before it disintegrates”
The body.
“Riley I think that you should go” I whispered.
“What did you say?”
“I want you to leave now”
“What is if? You’re not feeling sick are you?”
“Yes actually I am, but more to the point I don’t think that we should see each other anymore”
He looked at me in total shock. I guess he hadn’t seen this coming.
“Why? Why would you want that? What did I do?
I lied through my teeth. “No its not you, its me. I realized that I don’t belong with you” Because I belong with him, I added silently.
“How long have you known this?”
“For a while now but I’ve been waiting for the right time to tell you. I guess it was tonight”
“I see. If that is the way you truly feel” he took his jacket in his hands and made his way to the door and stopped. He turned slowly to face me.
“But one last thing. I hope that you are aware what the penalties are for harboring an escaped demon. Even the Slayer is not above the law”
I could only stare as he shut the door behind him. My fate was sealed.
-----
As soon as I heard the BMW’s engine fade away I ran outside and got into my car. I was at Willow’s in less than two seconds. My friend opened the door and I rushed into her arms.
“Willow oh God Willow”
“Buffy what’s wrong?”
“William?” I wasn’t ready to tell him yet.
“He’s asleep. Come in to the kitchen”
As she ushered me to the kitchen I caught a glimpse of my love sound asleep on the couch. I fought the urge to take him in my arms.
Willow closed the door behind us and turned to me.
“What happened?”
“He is dying. The Initiative is killing him”
“How?”
“They are using the chip in his brain to do the job for them. He only has a couple of weeks left”
“Can the chip be disabled?”
“I don’t know but even if it could be it would have to be from the Initiative base. They are sending a signal from there”
She considered for a moment. “Its’ there any way you can get inside. As the Slayer”
“No, my clearance is minimum. The only times I’ve been inside there I was either with Walsh or Riley. I don’t know anyone else who has full access to the Initiative complex”
She smiled slightly. “I do. Buffy do you remember Xander Harris?”
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