Chapter 26-30

Chapter 26: Leave No One Behind


Alpha moved fast along the trail that Kimberly took. Vi fell through some broken planks, along the forest floor. Her senses were at peak, adrenaline still coursing through her bloodstream from the previous encounter. As she broke through, she smelled the dank rotten planks, falling twenty feet; Vi hit hard against stacks of creates. She realized that she was in a series of tunnels. The tunnel system made mostly of concrete with sections of the ceiling made of poorly maintained wood, which was rotting away.
An eerie yellow orange light flickered down at the end of the tunnel. A light breeze wafted towards her, carrying with it the smell of wet dog mixed with lamp fuel. Vi jumped to her feet holding a silver embedded wooden stake in her lead hand, a Wakizashi in the other one. Two lumbering shadows, one high, one low, came towards her.

***

Scott realized that Vi was missing, and he halted the team. Kennedy and Dawn ran over to his position.

“What’s wrong, Scott?” Kennedy asks.

“VI’s missing, she was there a second ago, then she broke through!”

“She broke through what?” Dawn asked.

Scott reached down, pulled a Mark II Gerber fighting knife from his boot and jabbed it into a wooden plank beneath his feet.

“I think there is something below us, maybe a tunnel or something,” Scott tells Kennedy.

“Find where she broke through…now!” Kennedy ordered Alpha team.

Alpha swept the immediate area using a cloverleaf search pattern. Alpha made a series of overlapping loops from the center, while Kennedy pulled out her radio. Scott found the hole minutes later.

“Vi, are you alright?” Scott yells down into the broken jagged hole.

“I am…a little busy,” Vi answers.

“What do we do?” Kennedy confides in Dawn away from the others.

“Activate Bravo Foxtrot, leave one behind; the rest of us will recover Kimberly,” Dawn answers.

“Bravo Foxtrot, this is Kilo Delta come-in, over.”

“Kilo Delta, this is Bravo Foxtrot…go ahead, over.”

“Bravo Foxtrot, move to my location…firing flare, now! Victor India, element fell down shaft…Alpha moving to intercept Victor Sierra…how copy, over.”

“Good copy…Bravo Foxtrot moving now!”

Buffy placed the Hummvee into four-wheel drive and turned on the high beams.

“B, over there!” Faith yelled as a red flare shot into the air, about three hundred meters into the wood line. The Hummvee shot over an embankment and ran over some small saplings, as Buffy was trying to avoid the larger trees.

**********

Vi got into a low fighting stance; she could see both figures clearly now. The taller creature walked upright; a monstrosity; deep set red eyes, large snout that held a set of large yellow fangs. Thick gray fur could not conceal the bands of tendons and massive arms that jutted out of a bronze breastplate with an engraved wolf's head in the center. The outreached arm held a leash in its clawed hand, on the other end was a dreadful creature on all fours. Straining against the leash, a cat like beast, panther in nature, mixed with something else entirely. A hulking shape of jet-black fur, eyes that burned like red embers, head low beneath a massive frame of bone, tendon, and muscle. The beast was ready to spring, at its master’s release. The leash dropped to the dust-covered floor with a metallic clank, it lay intermingled with twigs, leaves, and broken wood from the ceiling.

Vi allows the beast to leap, waiting until it’s midair, then she side steps the charge, feeling the beasts shoulder glance off of her own. Vi struck with her stake, a sideward thrust right as the creature passed, jaws snapping at empty air. Then she spun in the opposite direction bringing the Wakizashi in a downward strike; biting deep into the werepanther’s neck, a mortal wound; the big cat bounced across the tunnel floor. There was no further movement; Vi spun around to meet the full onslaught of the werewolf’s charge.

***********

Buffy saw Scott waving both of his arms, and the look on his face motivated Buffy to push down on the pedal. She pulled up along side of Scott, opening her door almost knocking him down.

“Over here, she’s in trouble,” Scott said.
Buffy grabbed an equipment bag and the Flame out of the back and laid both in front of the truck. She pulled out a rappelling rope from the bag with a snap link already tied to one end; she snapped the end to her belt. Then she looked down the hole right as the massive cat struck. She pulled out about fifteen feet of slack, wrapped the rope around the bumper and picked up the flame as Faith stepped in front of her.

“VI’s mine, I should be the…” Faith stated.

“You’re all mine!” Buffy exclaimed as she stepped around Faith and dove headfirst into the hole.

Buffy landed in between Vi and the werewolf, she glanced back at Vi as she got into a fighting stance with the beast who was taken aback by the arrival of a second fearless human girl.

He had a battle-axe that he had removed from across his back, then took a step forward.

“Hey, Vi, how ya’ doin’?”

“Hey, Buffy, doin’ alright!”

“Can I take this one or do you want to?”

“I’ll do it… if you don’t mind?”

Buffy stepped aside, allowing Vi to get around her as the werewolf seemed to take a step back. Vi jumped in between his massive arms, blocking, ducking waiting for an opening. She could smell his breath as the werewolf, striking down with both hands, was gripping the massive axe. Vi blocked the strike with her Wakizashi, as she struck through the breastplate with her stake. The beast shuddered violently as Vi yanked out the stake and pushed over the carcass.

“Take a breath mint, sometime.”

“Hey, you alright…Vi?” Buffy asked.

“Yeah…” Vi answered as she moved a lock of her red hair away from her hazel eyes.

Buffy quickly checked her for any injuries, as Scott attached a section of the rope to the front wench of the Hummer. Scott and Faith pulled Vi out of the hole. Buffy, on one knee waiting for the rope to be thrown back down, thought she heard something at the other end of the tunnel. Scott threw down the rope, Buffy grabbed on and the Hummer’s wench pulled her up.

“Nice moves, home-girl,” Faith said as she slapped Vi five.

“Yeah, Vi, you looked good,” Buffy said helping her out of her harness.

“You had me worried there for a second, but just a second,” Scott said.

“Thanks for not leaving me!” Vi said to Scott.

“Don’t sweat it! I got your back, but I can’t watch your back if you won’t let me.” Scott said as he grabbed his equipment and headed for the Hummvee. Vi could tell he was hurt.

Buffy pulled out her Motorola,

“Kilo Delta, this is Bravo Foxtrot…come-in, over.”

“Bravo Foxtrot, this is Kilo Delta…go ahead, over.”

“Recovered Victor India, Bravo Foxtrot moving back to the bridge how copy? Over.”

“Good copy, Kilo Delta…out.”

Buffy tossed the keys to Scott, the only other licensed driver, as Faith and Vi got into the back. Buffy handed her gear to Vi and she pulled out her radio.

“Sierra Mike, this is Bravo Foxtrot…come-in, over.”

“Bravo Foxtrot, this is Sierra Mike…go ahead, over”

“Sierra Mike…prepare to copy; sending salute report”

“Size…two…Break!”

“Activity…patrol…Break!”

“Location…tunnel system... three-hundred meters North east of the I-90, Route 2 bridge…Break!”

“Unit…Lycan…Break!”

“Time…22:00 hrs…Break!”

“Equipment…breast plate, battle axe, and werepanther…how copy…over,” there was a slight pause.

“Bravo Foxtrot…reading back, did you say werepanther?”

“That’s right, Sierra Mike, werepanther.”

“That’s a good copy, Bravo Foxtrot. Sierra Mike…out.”

**********

Kennedy in the lead broke out of the woods and ran out into an open field. Kimberly was crying next to a broken log. Dawn ran up stopping short of Kimberly as she made eye contact.

“Hey, Kim, remember me… it’s me, Dawn.”

Kim was covered in blood, tightly gripping an axe that she grabbed on the way out of her yard.

“They were ripped apart” she stood up still holding the axe her back to Dawn. “Did you see what they did?” Kim turned around glaring at Dawn.

“They did it…right in front of me,” Kim’s eyes narrowed, tears mixed with blood poured from them, then she charged. Choi-Ann stepped in front of Dawn and hit Kim in the jaw with a right cross, dropping her like a felled tree. Dawn nodded towards Choi-Ann as she frantically checked to see if Kim was injured.

“She’s not injured, this is not her blood! Kennedy, request pickup…now!”

“Ah…Dawn…maybe you better check her jaw, it’s a good bet these two are not going to be study buddies.” Kennedy stated.

“No one…fuck my watcher,” Choi-Ann said highly agitated. Everyone turned and looked at her. “I mean, no one fuck with my watcher…you get me?” Choi-Ann said with broken English, looking highly pissed.
Kennedy looked shocked, first at Choi-Ann, then at Dawn.

“I’ve been teaching her,” Dawn said proudly.

“Dawn…” Kennedy belted out smiling.

“Not that… I don’t know where she picked that up at!” Dawn stated.

“Looks like your not the only one getting private instruction from the Sgt. Maj.” Kennedy said rolling her eyes as Choi-Ann and Eddie picked up Kimberly.

Dawn just smiled, as she pulled out her Motorola.

“Bravo Foxtrot, this is Kilo Delta…come-in, over.”

“Kilo Delta, this is Bravo Foxtrot…go ahead, Kilo Delta.”

“Recovered Victor Sierra; request immediate pickup at junction of Route 20 and Route 254 how copy over.”

“Read you Lima Charlie…Bravo Foxtrot, on our way…out.”

Kennedy moved them out, Eddie and Scott carried Kimberly to the pickup point. Alpha team set up a hasty perimeter as Dawn spotted the lights of the Hummvee moving towards their location. The team loaded up their gear and Kimberly, the vehicle drove off as they heard police sirens in the distance coming in fast.

Buffy drove them back to the school; Dawn and Choi-Ann got into the other vehicle and both vehicles headed back slowly towards the Sanctuary, tubs of baby wipes being passed around both vehicles.


Chapter 27: Crow Feathers


Union Pacific Railroad Co. Cleveland, Ohio

A commercial rail train was carrying lumber from the west stops; a door opens in one of the center cars and Naiya jumps out carrying her backpack. She stops and looks around, then back at the railcar and makes a clicking sound. Mars jumps down and starts licking her hand. The two take off heading for a place called Westlake.

“There we will find the blonde haired one, the one destined to lead us, the one in my dreams; at a place called the Sanctuary,” Naiya thought to herself.

The two traveled parallel to Detroit Ave. keeping to the shadows, Mars in the lead. She hunted with him since she was a little girl and he was a cub. He was trained to alert her to anyone ahead unless it was a vampire; then he would just attack. That sometimes got them into trouble, but Naiya knew Mars had a deep hatred for vampires. As they approached Madison Ave. Naiya stopped and took a knee, Mars joined her. Police cars, Ambulances, and Fire engines, their sirens whaling, passed right in front of them. Naiya and Mars cut down one block and headed into the woods. They went under the Interstate ninety over pass and jumped a fence; Mars climbed a nearby tree and dropped to the other side joining his friend.

They entered the Rocky River Reservation at a full run heading west. Mars lead by twelve feet in front of Naiya. Through the thick woods, the two crossed the Rocky River. Naiya swam with one hand gripping Mars by the scruff of his neck, the other hand held her rucksack and compound bow up out of the water. Mars, who did not like the water, drug Naiya the last fifty feet to the edge of the far side. He shook off his fur and proceeded up the bank where he stopped and started to growl. Naiya carefully untied her Mirage 1.5 compound bow, selecting one of her silver tips, as she could smell it too. Mars looked back at Naiya who nodded her head for him to keep going.

Moving more cautiously, Naiya and Mars stalked through the thick woods. Naiya covered every direction with the business end of her bow. They slowly entered a small clearing, where Mars came to a complete stop. Naiya heard three distinctive growls; they were surrounded. She heard a branch break, she turned and took aim in the direction of the sound as she breathed in and slowly closed her eyes.

She listened for the sound of the beast’s paw to come off of the stick. She heard it then released, the shaft went into the darkness and struck. A large Werewolf took three steps out into the clearing clutching its neck, Naiya’s arrow hanging out of the front. With a gurgling sound, the beast fell hard to the ground.


The other two werewolves attacked, Mars caught one heading straight for Naiya. He had the wolf in a death grip across the throat, snapping his head back and forth until the wolfman went limp. Mars ran to stand at Naiya’s side, as the third beast more cautious, tried to circle around, when suddenly Naiya heard a loud gasp then nothing. She took a knee holding on to Mars by the neck, she still felt eyes on her. After what seemed an eternity, Naiya got up and started moving west.

A shadow was far up in the trees dressed in all black, a black hood exposing just the eyes, a Katana and Wakizashi, hung around the waist. He gripped a long bow in one hand, watched the Slayer run off, then he hit the ground and started running low behind her, staying down wind.

Naiya and Mars ran hard, crossing small creeks, low hills, and roads, and the whole time Mars stayed out front. His keen eyesight and sense of smell guided them safely ahead. The smell of Demons, Vampires, and Werewolves was permanently etched on his mind from growing up on the reservation protecting the tribe and Naiya. He stayed in the woods as much as possible; it was his home. Naiya, bow in hand and rucksack on her back, completely covered in mud and soaking wet, knew she was getting close. She stayed close behind Mars who climbed over a stone wall, and turned and looked at Naiya who thought she saw him smile. Mars stood directly under a sign that read Evergreen Westlake Cemetery, just south of the Sanctuary.

“Mars, we don’t have time for you to play,” Naiya said.

He clearly wanted to dust some first risers. Mars looked north and canted his head to the side then snapped a look at Naiya and jumped down into the cemetery. Naiya climbed up on the wall and listened. She heard the faint sound of a girl’s scream carried along by the wind. Naiya jumped down and bolted after Mars, who was already increasing the distance between them. Mars leapt up on the top of a mausoleum, scanning what lay in front of him and caught a glimpse of movement. He jumped to the ground, and looked back as Naiya came running up to him.

Mars took off running low to the ground, closing the distance, he leapt into the air; his fangs closed on the throat of a newly risen vampire ripping his head right off of his body. Mars looked back as Naiya ran up, he coughed up some black dust, and took off heading towards the screaming in the distance.


The two companions made it to the cemetery’s far wall and climbed over it dropping on the other side. Naiya left the cemetery and crossed Crocker Road finding a small service road and a high chain link fence, she was here. They followed the fence around until they came upon an entrance and guard shack. Naiya stopped and took a knee as Mars ran up and started to lick her face.

“You’re not going to want to hear this, but I can't take you in with me, not yet. I want you to stay out here and protect this area until I call for you.”

Mars growled and sat down as Naiya walked down the road heading to the guard shack. The guard grabbed a flashlight and shined it towards Naiya as she approached.

“Halt, that’s far enough, this is private property…” The guard said as Naiya came into few he saw how young she was. “Miss, can I help you?”

“I am here to see the blonde one, the one in charge,” Naiya answered.

“Just a minute, Miss. I will call up to the house,” he said and then picked up the phone, “Yeah, this is the front gate. Is Miss. Summers there?…Yes, Mr. Giles will do…Hello, Sir, this is the front gate. I have a very young Indian girl, no, American Indian, that says she is here to talk with the blonde one, the one in charge…yes, those were her exact words. Yes, sir… Sir, she has a bow and arrow in her hand,” the guard hung up the phone. “ Miss, you may go up to the house, just follow the road to the top of the hill.”

Buffy was down in the Infirmary, Kimberly had stopped screaming and was fast asleep, Dr. Kidare gave her a sedative. The phone on the desk rang and Willow answered.

“Hello. Hi, Giles…yes, she’s here. I’ll tell her…bye.” Willow hung up the phone.

“Buffy, we have another girl heading up the drive way. Buffy, she’s American Indian, and she has weapons, that’s what Giles said.”

“Whew…we are getting a little crowded in here. Willow, we may have to double bunk soon.”

“I’m already double bunking,” Willow said as Kennedy smiled at her.

Buffy, Xander, Arthur, and Giles walked out of the Sanctuary as Naiya walked up. She placed her rucksack on the ground as Buffy walked over to her. Naiya stood there and stared at Buffy.

“Hello, my name is…”

“You are the blonde one, you are the leader, the one in my dreams,” Naiya said.

“I’m just going as Buffy these days. What is your name?” Buffy asked the mud covered girl as Mr. Giles, Arthur, and Xander walked up.

“My name is Naiya, The Vampire Slayer of the Sioux Nation.”

“Excuse me, what’s with the five black feathers?”

“Xander…” Buffy said.

“It is all right…Buffy. I wear a crow feather for every Vampire I have slain since I was called.”

“Damn, Buffy you would be better off duck taping about six crows to your head,” Xander said.

Buffy just shot him a look and lightly punched him on the arm.

Naiya started to giggle, “You’re funny. Strange, but funny.”

Xander grabbed her pack as Buffy guided her by the arm and lead her upstairs to an unassigned room. Naiya carried her quiver and compound bow with her. Giles called the cafeteria requesting some food for the new arrivals.

Buffy lead Naiya into her room. Naiya had a look of shock on her face. She had lived on the reservation most of her life. The luxury items she saw before her just weren’t the things that she was used to. She did plan to use her Play Station or maybe turn on the computer, but mostly sleep.

Xander set her rucksack down by the door as Buffy walked her into the bathroom and showed her the shower.

“If you need anything, Naiya pick up the phone and dial zero. The Sanctuary’s operator will direct you to me anytime. It was really nice to meet you, we will have time to talk later,” Buffy said.

Buffy grabbed Xander by the arm and left her alone, so she could clean up.
Naiya strolled around her room admiring all of the things that Buffy said were hers. She took off her jacket, setting down her stake, hunting knife, bow, and quiver of hand made arrows. She gingerly removed her boots and socks, because of the blisters on her feet. She and Mars had covered over six hundred miles in two days, and a hundred of that was on foot. Naiya pulled off the mud caked pants and walked over to the bathroom, turning on the water. She leaned against the sink, and removed her headband; taking off her shirt and underwear, she stepped in under the hot water. Naiya let the watercourse over her; she looked down at the drain turning brown from the mud. She shampooed her hair while she grabbed a bar of soap and a washcloth. Twenty minutes later Naiya stepped out of the shower, grabbed her rucksack and pulled out a small bag that contained her girly stuff including a toothbrush. She also produced her flannel pajamas, socks, tee shirt, and underwear.

***

Mars circled the Sanctuary compound staying away from guard shacks; he found a patch of tall grass where he paced around in a circle smashing down the tall blades. Having made a place to sleep, he closed his eyes after one last look at the Sanctuary.

The shadow stayed down wind of the big cat, he climbed a tree and watched the compound for about an hour then climbed down, and headed back in the direction he came from, to report on the location.


Chapter 28: The Blood of Innocence

Kimberly slowly opened her eyes to the strong smell of alcohol and antiseptic. She looked around only to affirm the nightmare that she lived through was actually real. A strange beeping sound filled her aching head as she tasted the warm coppery blood in her mouth. The bright green and red lights on the monitoring equipment bathed the room with an incandescent glow.

Her jaw was painful to the touch, yet she held no animosity for the Asian girl that hit her. Kimberly knew that she was like her in some way not yet worked out in her confused head. She leaned up and ripped out her I.V. and thumb heart rate and blood pressure monitor as an alarm started beeping. Kimberly jumped off the bed and felt the cold hit her bare feet and back. She looked around frantically, for her clothes only to find them in shreds in a stainless steel garbage can. Kim took off the open back top and tied it as a makeshift halter top. It covered her chest; the light blue bottoms would just have to do.

She walked out the double doors and up the cold granite steps. The metal doors at the top of the steps were unlocked. Kim opens and walks stoically through the doors and steeped out into a long hallway. The light from a fireplace flickered and danced across the wood grained walls. Kim enters the first room that she comes to and climbs out an unlocked window. She drops catlike onto the well groomed lawn and dashes to the back fence where she enters a storage shed. She quickly grabs a can of fuel, a hatchet, and a machete strapped to her back. Kim stops and with a quick glance back towards the mansion momentarily; then, scales the wall disappearing into the night.

***

Dr. Kidare runs into the Intensive Care Unit and sees Kim’s bed empty. She reaches for the phone on the wall.

“Hello, Mr. Giles…this is Dr. Kidare, Kimberly has checked herself out.”

“Oh, dear lord…I’ll notify Buffy…thank you, Lori.”

Giles looked across the table at Asano and Van Helsing with much concern.

“It seems that are new arrival has left the premises…no doubt looking for payback.”

Mr. Giles reached across the table and grabbed the desk phone.

“Hello, Buffy…assemble the squad…Kimberly has left the compound…yes, she is probably heading to where you found her…I’ll let the Sergeant Major know.”

***


Kimberly runs through the forest as fast as she can, branches stinging her face. She moves East by instinct alone, her eyes fierce and blazing deep rooted revenge guiding her with no thought of her safety. The night was cool against her bronze skin…it felt good to run. The ground was moist she usually wore tennis shoes, but running through the forest gave her the feeling of an ancient primordial warrior, like the dark warrior that she has seen in her dreams since June or they could be nightmares. As she ran Kim saw her Mom screaming and her Father desperately trying to fight off the …werewolves.

“Werewolf…that is what Dawn called them. Ridiculous…there was no such thing.”

The screaming of her Mother broke through that thought as her Dad was ripped apart.

“Whatever they were they will pay…I’ll send them to Hell.”

The fury drove her, Kim knew that if she stopped running…stopped fighting, for even a single second she would die or just brake down and start crying.


Chapter 29: My own Lion



Christina got up in the middle of the night and opened her door. She walked down the hallway in her Scooby Do pajamas, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes; she was heading towards the cafeteria where Mariana kept the cookies and milk. She rounded the corner to the staircase, holding onto the railing, and as she headed down the steps she saw Mars running up them.

Christina backed up against the wall, a look of total fright on her face. She tried to yell, but the sound would not form. Mars ran to the top of the steps and stood a foot from Christina’s face, he could sense that she was scared, but he didn’t understand, none of the children in his village were afraid of him. Mars took a step forward and started to clean the child’s face. For a brief moment Christina didn’t know what to do, then she hugged him around the neck. She looked around and walked Mars to her room. “This place is so cool!” Christina said to herself, closing the door behind her. She played with Mars until they both fell asleep.

Buffy woke up on her own as the sun started to rise; she hadn’t replaced her alarm clock yet. She yawned and stepped into the bathroom, washed her face and brushed her teeth. She wanted to check on Christina, Kimberly, and Naiya before training started this morning. She walked across the hall and opened Christina’s door,

“Christina, time to get up, sleepy head…Oh my God!” Buffy stopped dead in her tracks. Mars was sleeping and Christina was asleep across his neck.

Buffy reacted; she ran quickly over to Christina’s bedside and grabbed Mars around the neck, who was trying to get up from underneath the child. She yanked up the nearly two hundred and twenty pound cat, right out of the bed, and threw him across the room. Mars paced back and forth growling, keeping his distance, he didn’t know what he did wrong, but he did know who was in charge; he laid down on the floor and just watched the Slayer.

“Buffy, no! He’s my friend…”Christina said as she ran and hugged Mars around the neck.

Mars started to lick her face, keeping an eye on Buffy.
“Christina, that’s a …a lion; that’s a frekin lion, get away from there!”

“No, I won’t… he’s my friend and I’m keeping him. Can I keep him…please.”

“You can’t keep him, Honey, that’s a frekin lion.”

“I think you hurt him,” Christina said petting his head.

“I didn’t hurt him, that’s a full grown Mountain Lion,” Buffy said as Dawn and Choi-Ann ran into the room carrying crossbows.

“Get out of my room, you’re not going to hurt him, get out! Now,” Christina yelled stepping in front of the lion as he nuzzled her ear.

Buffy motioned Dawn and Choi-Ann to lower their weapons. Naiya heard the commotion and ran into Christina’s room.

“Mars, I told you to remain outside.”

“This is yours, you brought a lion into our home?” Buffy asked hands on hips, agitated, watching Mars for any movement; she planned to snap his neck if he moved.

“He’s not just a lion, he hunts vampires. Mars has never harmed another human, even if they deserved it, and he would give his life in an instant for that child.”

“That’s his name…Mars. Oh, Buffy he’s safe, come and meet him, see he’s nice.”

Buffy walked over and knelt down beside Christina, as Mars walked over to her, flopping down on the floor in front of her, and laid his head across her lap.

“Buffy, pet his head, behind his ear, he loves that, sometimes he purrs, it’s funny,” Christina said and Buffy rubbed the lion behind his ear.

“He still has to stay outside and it’s up to you two to convince Mr. Giles to let him stay.”

All of the girls were up, strolling into Christina’s room and meeting Naiya and Mars.
“Naiya, he’s yours! I can help take care of him, can I help take care of him?” Christina asked.

“Christina, he is not mine, he belongs to you now. You see, Mars always stays with the youngest, that is no longer me,” Naiya answered the young child.

“Totally cool, this is so cool, Buffy did you hear that? I got my own lion.” Christina said to the others.


CHAPTER 30: AMBER ALERT


Natasha woke up to the coppery taste of blood in her mouth, blood caked her hair, one of her eyes was swollen shut, and she had a few broken ribs. Every time she woke up, one of the vamps would come in and beat her with a club. She could see girls her age, even younger or older, dead chained to a wall, bled completely dry. She heard screaming throughout the night, girls being tortured and other things, she figured that she wasn’t picked because of her injuries. That’s why she didn’t join them for the extracurricular activities. The beatings were just a reminder of what category she was in. Natasha got some punches and kicks in, but mostly she would lose consciousness.

“It’s easy to beat someone when they’re chained to a wall,” Natasha thought to herself.

*******

Buffy walked into Christina’s room, dressed in a casual brown pants suit and black pumps; she wore her long blonde hair up.

“Christina are you ready yet, we have to be there by nine o’clock…Christina?”

“Buffy, I’m right here. I have to take Mars to Naiya’s room, and then we can go.”

“Christina, come here… I don’t want you to get too attached to Mars. Mr. Giles has not made up his mind yet.”

Christina walked over and leaned against Buffy’s leg; she had on a soft blue sundress, a shade darker, blued leather shoes, and her dark hair hung loosely at her shoulders.

“It’s a little late…for that, I’m pretty much attached,” Christina said rolling her eyes.

“I know. You look pretty in your new dress, Christina.”

“You do too, Mom…Oh, Sorry.”

“Well, come here, I’m hoping that after the judge sees how adorable you are, you can call me that pretty much fulltime, only if you want too,” Buffy replied.

“Buffy, do you think Mr. Giles thinks I’m that adorable that he will let me keep Mars?”

“It’s possible, I always could, you know… keep stuff,” Buffy replied.

*******

Cleveland Municipal Courthouse

The bailiff stood as the anti-chamber’s door opened, “All rise, Her Honor- Judge Rachel Emmons, presiding, please take your seats.” The door closed as a stern looking woman entered. She was in her early fifties, dressed in a black robe with white borders, she had medium length black hair with a tint of gray, and brown eyes. She sat down and opened a file.

“All right, let me get this straight, Miss Summers. You run a school for girls out side of the city. You found Christina roaming the streets by herself, injured, you took her back to the school, treated her, and now you want to adopt her, as a single mother.”

“That’s correct, your honor,” Buffy said with a smile.

“It says here… Miss Summers, please, approach the bench. Miss Summers, it says here that her parents were brutally killed, and their blood was drained. The Police have been looking for this child for almost three months, and you say she was living on the streets. There may be some psychological damage here. You may return, now,” the judge said to Buffy.

“Miss Summers, although this is very heroic…just one question: there was a Hospital and a Police Station very close to where you found her, why didn’t you take her there?”

“Because, your honor, I am new to the city, her injuries were not life threatening and we have a fully qualified medical staff, including a Surgeon,” Buffy stated.

“I’ll tell you what, ninety day probation, I am granting you temporary custody of this child. You have to talk with the Police, the school will be inspected, and I want Christina to see a counselor. After ninety days, if everything works out, come back before me and we will make this permanent. Oh, and Miss. Summers, tell the Sgt. Maj. I said hello.”

“I will, ma’am.”

“Would you like that Christina?”

“Yes Ma’am,” Christina said.

“Thank you, your Honor. Christina, say goodbye.”

“Goodbye,” Christina said as she walked through two large wooden doors holding Buffy’s hand.

“Goodbye, Christina,” Judge Emmons waved. She turned and smiled at the stern looking Bailiff. He was a three hundred-pound, solidly built African American ex-linebacker, for the Cleveland Browns. “Oh, chill out Marcus you know she was cute.”

“Don’t have time for cute, your honor, you may not be worried about the death threats, but I am, ma’am it’s my job," Marcus replied.

*************

“Hey, what do you say we go to the mall. We can eat cheeseburgers and I’ll buy you a dress, you know, regular mother- daughter stuff.”

“Alright, but I get to pick out the dress this time,” Christina said looking up at Buffy, firmly griping her hand. “Does this mean…you’re my Mom, now?

“Well, we have to wait ninety days, but yes, you can call me Mom now,” Buffy said taking a knee and moving a lock of hair away from Christina’s brown eyes. Then she helped her into the Suburban, snapping her seat belt into place.

“Hey, we can go to the Galleria, at Erieview. It’s on St. Clair, a couple of blocks from here.” Buffy said, excited for the time she had to spend with Christina. Buffy paid the parking attendant, and parked the suburban. She ran to the other side and helped Christina out; then the two Slayers walked hand in hand into the Galleria.

“Let’s get something to eat, are you hungry?” Buffy asked as she leaned down to loosen Christina’s jacket. Christina checked Buffy’s head with her fingers.

“Christina, what are you doing?”

“It’s just that, you killed some vampires when you saved me…Faith says that when you kill a vampire you get hungry and horny…I was just checking for horns.”

Buffy gave her a big hug, “Don’t listen to everything your Aunt Faith tells you.”

Christina sat at a table in the food court, her feet dangling above the tiled floor of the mall. Buffy was at the counter ordering a couple of junior whoppers, fries, and a coke. The she headed over to the table and set down everything, while handing Christina a coke.

“Did you understand everything the Judge said this morning?”

“I think so, she said I have to see someone to make sure I’m all right, and they will send someone to inspect the mansion,” Christina said taking a bite out of her burger.

“We both have some things to do, but I think it’s going to be all right,” Buffy said.

They ate their lunch and washed up in the bathroom; Buffy wiped off Christina’s hands and led her out onto the concourse. They went to store after store, but after a while Buffy stopped at a dress boutique where she saw a beautiful blue dress displayed in the window.

“Come on Christina, let’s go in here.”

“Buffy… I mean Mom, I want to go in over there…can I get some music?”

“What kind of music do you want to get?

“Oh, I don’t know…maybe some Iron Maiden…Judas Priest.”

Christina looked up at Buffy’s total look of abject horror, “I’m just kidding…I just wanted to see you do the mom freak out thing. Maybe some Michelle Branch or JoJo,” Christina said with a big smile on her face.

“Oh, so you’re a little sneaker then?” Buffy said slipping a hand to her stomach and tickling her.

“Alright, we can go get you some music, wait right here, where I can see you.”

Christina could see Buffy talking to the lady behind the cash register.

“Hey, little girl…come here,” a voice said from the stairwell.

“What do you want?”

“I lost my kitten…could you help me?”

“I have a kitten…he’s probably a lot bigger then yours,” Christina said as she walked over.

“He was right over here,” the man said, as his arm shot out and placed a tasser on Christina’s neck.

The man grabbed Christina as her body went limp in his arms; he lifted her up over his shoulder and ran down the steps. He carried her through a parking garage, down a flight of steps leading to the subway and then down a service tunnel, where three of The Devil’s Seraphim stood.

“Here, that was close, she’s worth at least a thousand.”

“Yes, she is… and seeing how you owe us nine hundred for the coke we gave you, here’s a hundred.”

The man took the money and didn’t complain, as the other two placed a collar around Christina’s neck and drug her down the tunnel.