"Sunnydalopolis..." Part XV...

Sunnydalopolis part XV

Harmony is assisting Dr. Severn, sinister head of Xortox Labs and employer of "cybergeniuses" Warren and Spike, in obtaining "expert" advice for his
immortality project...

"So you see my dear, I must have the Scroll of Anatasis to complete my work..."

Harmony frowns...

"Well, only the oldest vampires know anything about how we're created...My
friend, they call him "the Voice" as he is never seen...well, he could probably find what you're looking for..."

Severn, all congeniality...as always...

"Well, Harmony, we've been very kind to you here at Xortox since we saved you from being sacrificed by the Initiative last year, haven't we?... You'll be a team player, won't you...for the cause of science...the discovery of immortality..."

"Immortality...well, gee...I can give you immortality...no problem..."

Severn smiles coldly at her...

"Scurrying around by night like a rat?...driven by blood-lust...unable to carry out my plans...No, my dear I think prefer another way..."

Prejudice, thinks Harmony...Our people encounter nothing but prejudice...We
should form a protest group and march for our rights... I wonder if Buffy would sign a petition... I mean with her coming from the other side and all... After all this transcends petty Slayer-Vampire issues...this is a matter of democratic principles...

Harmony, patriotic American vampire and fighter for democratic justice...

"Can your friend obtain the scroll for me, Harmony?...Any price is
acceptable..."

"Well...He's very old and hard to reach...but I'll do what I can..."

"Thank you my dear...Willes, escort the lady out..."

Soon as I check to see if my cattle prod is charged, thinks Willes...
"Security, it' s leaving" he calls...

That Mr. Willes is certainly no gentleman thinks Harmony as she heads home...Of course, Dr. Severn is kind of menacing and cute...just like the Dean from Animal House'...

I hope Phil (aka "the Voice") can come through on that scroll...times are tough and a girl needs to be gainfully employed... Besides, why should male vampires like Spike get all the good jobs?...

***
Safely back, Willes confronts Severn...

"Is it safe to trust these creatures...that 'lady' and her friends...Not to
mention our Dr. Walthrop'...?"

"Willes, Science requires that risks be taken in any advance...And I want to cover all bets...If Warren's neural transfer project is a success, I much prefer that route...However...my time is short, you know..."

"But why bother with keeping Walthrop around...?"

"Isn't it obvious...Warren must have made use of his knowledge on vampire
transformation in his own project...Why else would he make use of a vampire
partner?..."

Knew that twerp Warren couldn't have pulled this off by himself, Willes
thinks...

"...But I must be sure before trying either process myself...We need a chance to throughly examine that robot..."

As Willes left he couldn't help reflecting that one would never take Severn for a terminally ill man...amazing what billions and access to vast medical facilities can do for your appearance...Hmm...He contemplated an immortal Dr. Severn heading Xortox eternally...Not exactly likely to result in a company rich in bold, dynamic new ideas for a fast-paced global marketplace...If Severn really succeeded, Willes thought, I should rethink my stock portfolio...

***

Spike and Buffy Rebecca facing their first major domestic crisis...

It's the lying, he thinks, after his return from Giles...That's what destroys a relationship...If I pretend I know nothing about Giles' plan...and she finds out I do?... If I tell her I know, she'll be on guard...and I won't have any chance to stop her...

If I stop her I lose her...She'd do what Buffy would do if someone she cared about failed her...Isn't that what Warren said? Maybe....She'd mourn
me...hard to miss' a dead man...perhaps, but she'd go...If I go ahead and
let her fight...she's gone forever... Giles is right, I am a Watcher now...

Buffy Rebecca however settles the matter fairly quickly.

"I met quite an interesting man tonight...Giles introduced Will and me to the Emperor of Byzantium and Rome..."

Spike isn't sure what to say...pretend it's news to him, a joke?... "Was that something on the History Channel?..."

"He's leading the Knights to destroy the Key and stop Glory...Apparently one of his ancestral emperors pissed her off..."

"Well, then problem-solved, eh...How were the old gang?...Buffy over you yet?"

"He'll give me a chance to fight Glory before he destroys the Key...Dawn...so he says...if I can show him I have the strength..."

"Does he know the Key is Dawn, then?"

"I don't know...he didn't seem to know what or where the Key was...but...he
seemed pretty clever..."

"A true Byzantine, eh...?" Spike can't help hinting about his education
again..Hey, Cambridge...two years...classics...you know...

She looks at Spike...

"I will have to fight Glory, Spike... I know you'll try to stop me but I will need your help..."

"I won't let you be destroyed by that maniac... The world survived before you Buffies were around you know...I didn't notice any Apocalypse plans succeeding before I came to Sunnydale...Maybe your victories in that department have been a little over-rated..."

"Spike, you and I know why Giles wants me to fight Glory...not just because I'm the stronger but because I can't kill human beings..."

"And what bloody fool told you that...You're a wonderful killer, Buffy...An ace without parallel...Why your style the other night...."

"Spike!... Human beings!... And thank you for that truly wonderful compliment,really...I just love the idea of being compared to Drusilla..."

Oops...Another old girlfriend brought up...change the train of thought,
Spikey...quickly...

" Poor Dru...Hope she's staked soon and finds peace... Such a gentle soul,
really...that's what attracted me to her... The gentleness, the lost waif
thing... Not the psycho killer..." He tries to look soulful and
sincere...think Angel, Spikey...that whining twit...Has he become Christ
yet?...He certainly thinks he is...

She glares, then brushes it off...

"Spike, Giles hopes I can stop Glory, but I think he's leaving the Knights a chance to get at Dawn...by having me there in Buffy's place...Dawn will be there, somehow, he will get her there...And they will fight to the death to destroy her if they feel I'm going to lose...And even if I can somehow be in place to stop them...I couldn't...in the end... So that will leave you..."

"Me? To protect the Nibs against the Knights?..." Has she forgotten my chip?...Hmm...would that mean she views me as a noble, reformed vampire?... Or should I be calling Warren about a memory failure...? He could examine her, accidently shut her down for a month until someone does Glory in...

"And Glory, probably... As for your chip problem...Having you around at least will allow you to get Dawn away while I'm occupied...And I'll ask Xander to help in case more's required..."

"Harris?..." Images of Xander pursued by 1000 ferocious Knights... "What an
excellent idea, Buffy Rebecca...Capital that...That stout fellow Harris will come through, I'm sure..." Wait...the Niblett... Blast it...

"He'll have to do...And he would die for Dawn..."

Too quickly, I'm afraid, Spike sighs...

"I'm telling you the truth on this, Spike...That means I'm trusting you...Don't let me down..."

He looks at her...Buffy Rebecca...

"I'll be honest too then...I'll help you fight Glory...I'll do what I can to save your sister...But I will not promise to let you die for her..."

She smiles at him... "Spike, I think that's the first time I've ever believed what you've said..."

The basis for a lasting relationship...
***