PART NINE
DAY III-SATURDAY

The sun rose over the horizon, casting the cage in a yellowish light. Alex changed back into human. The tranquilizer dart, still stuck in his leg, had kept him out all night.

Now fully human and naked, Alex reached over and pulled the tranquilizer dart out, conscious of the pain, but tried to ignore it.

Once he'd taken it out, he heard a voice saying, "Hello, werewolf."

He looked up through the bars of the cage. His captors, the demons-turned-warlocks, were in the room outside his cage, preparing for something.

One of the men was standing a few feet away from the cage bars.

"Hello, werewolf," the man said. "I am Petra." He slid some clothes through the bars. "Put these on."

Alex did. He watched the others carefully. He was sure these were the warlocks that switched places with the demons several hundred years ago. But Petra didn't look a day over sixty.

"You found a spell that would give you immortality," Alex guessed. "That's how you stayed alive after you got human bodies."

"Very good," Petra said.

"What do you plan on doing with me?" Oz asked.

"Use you as bait, really," Petra answered. "The warlocks we switched with aren't exactly happy with either of us now. They'll be here in a few hours."

"But," Petra said, reaching into his jacket. "That's not all we needed you for."

He pulled out a long, sharp, pointed tooth.

Alex felt inside his mouth. The pointed tooth on the top right of his mouth was missing.

Petra smiled. "You'll contribute a lot to what's about to happen, lycanthrope," he looked over at someone. "Including being a meal for our Clacken friend over there. He doesn't really like humans that much, but he loves wolves."

The Clacken Demon stepped closer. Alex recognized him from the night before.

The demon licked his lips. "Especially wolves."

"You want to what?" Buffy asked.

"An alien space ship crash-landed on an island in the South Pacific several thousands of years ago," Adam explained, "It can communicate to us, in a way. When a TP first breaks out-"

"Breaks out?" Willow asked.

"It's our nickname for when she or he discovers his or her powers and almost has a nervous breakdown," Megabyte supplied.

"Oh."

Adam rolled his eyes at Megabyte before continuing. "When the TP breaks out, he or she is attracted to the ship by some pull. New TPs don't always teleport onto the island, however. Like Xander, some teleport into the ocean."

"And that certainly was not fun," Xander said.

"The ship helps us focus our powers. If we," Adam motioned to himself, Xander, and Megabyte, "and all the other TPs mild meld in the ship, we'll be able to locate your missing person."

"Xander?" Willow asked.

"Don't worry, guys," Xander said. "It'll be all right."

Giles looked at Buffy. Her eyes met his. His eyes expressed his reluctance to trust Xander's word. Buffy felt the same, but after Giles said they couldn't kill, she knew they weren't in any big danger. If they were, they'd get out, somehow.

"Okay," Buffy said. "Let's go."

Willow and Anya held Xander's hands, Oz and Giles held Adam's hands, and Megabyte held Buffy's hand. They had to, if the people without telepathic powers wanted to teleport.

"Ready?" Adam asked everyone. After everyone's nod, he looked at Xander. "Are you sure you can handle this again?"

Xander shrugged. "Takes a little getting used to, but I think I can handle it."

Adam nodded and teleported, taking Oz and Giles with him. Megabyte and Buffy disappeared in the same fashion.

"Here goes," Xander told the two of the women in his life. Then he closed his eyes, concentrated on the place he'd seen in Adam's and Megabyte's minds, and they disappeared in a flash of light.

Then they were standing on the titled floor of an alien spacecraft.

Xander, Anya, Willow, Oz, Giles, and Buffy looked around, incredulous. Symbols covered the walls. The doorways were large, wide arches.

In the center of the room was a column decorated by more alien symbols, surrounded on all sides by a platform.

"Oh My…" Giles said, "That was…"

"Kinda boring," Anya said.

Xander looked at Anya, shocked. "Anya!"

"What?" the ex-demon asked.

"Welcome to the space ship," Megabyte said cheerfully.

They all heard a noise, then two women teleported next to the platform. One was dark-skinned and was at least a few years older than the other, who was tan-skinned and had red hair. Both appeared to be in their early twenties.

"Hello," the dark-skinned woman greeted them. She looked at Adam. "Adam?"

"Everyone, this is Ami and Jade. Ami and Jade, this is, if I have the names correctly, Buffy, Giles, Oz, Willow, Anya, and Xander."

"Hello," Jade said, smiling. Both women had English accents. "How did you happen to meet Adam and Megabyte?"

"I know you," Xander told Jade. "I heard you in my head earlier tonight."

"You're the new Tomorrow Person?" Ami asked. "Jade told me someone just broke out. I was still asleep. It is Saturday morning in England, after all."

Buffy cleared her throat. "Okay, can we please get down to business? I happen to have a friend on the line."

"Right," Adam said. He nodded at the column. "That helps us concentrate. It's the center of the ship. We'll be able to locate your friend easily with it," he started walking to the platform, and the other Tomorrow People except Xander followed him. "Come on, Xander."

With one last look at his friends, Xander followed them.

They sat Indian-style in a small circle around the column. "Okay, how exactly do I do this?" Xander asked.

The others told him, then they got down to business.

Xander held his right hand to his side palm-up, and the other palm down. The others did the same until all of their palms were barely touching. Then they closed their eyes and concentrated.

Xander's head felt like it would explode. He was getting so much information all at once.

He could see the thoughts of the other tomorrow people. In only seconds, he learned about what their lives had been like since they broke out. Jade had been one of the last, breaking out when she was (sixteen or fourteen?). Now she had blossomed into a girl over twenty, majoring in (?) at a university in England. Ami went to Oxford for her second degree. Megabyte, because of his ease with computers, had gotten a job at a software company, while Adam had continued to live on the space ship, but had gotten a job at (?). They trusted each other greatly, although Xander discovered that Adam still kept some barriers between the others and his past.

Then he reached outside of the circle and found his friends. He saw Buffy's mental thoughts in his mind. He saw how she remembered becoming the Slayer, and he felt her disappoint that, when she moved to Sunnydale, that part of her life wasn't over.

He saw Anya's desire to become a demon again, along with her pleasure, pride, and delight remembering all the vengeance she took apart in. He saw Willow, happy that Oz was safe, but worried that he'd never be in his real body again. She was afraid for Alex, too, and hoped he was still alive and that Xander and the Tomorrow People would find something.

Xander saw Giles' thoughts. Giles was concerned for Xander's safety and worried that he may be drugged or under some sort of magical influence. He also feared for Buffy, and knew that although he didn't trust the Tomorrow People, he should trust Buffy's instincts, because she was often right.

He also saw Oz's thoughts. Oz was still getting used to having no real form, along with the joy of not being a savage beast on the night of the full moon.

All of them were worried for Xander's safety and hoped he would be successful.

Then his and the Tomorrow Peoples' minds reached even further outwards. They glanced briefly into the minds of sailors and islanders. Then their telepathic reach soared across the California coast, past of the urban dwellings of San Francisco and Los Angeles, past the minds and worries of the people in a hundred other cities and towns.

Then they were in Sunnydale. Before, they'd glanced by the minds of a few demons and monsters. But now, half of the town's population was supernatural.

Xander barely registered it, but he saw Spike's thoughts as the vampire drained a young college student of her blood, then he was reaching out further. He saw commandos searching the town for the warlocks-turned-demons. Then he saw the demons' thoughts.

Then he was in Alex's mind. He knew it. He heard Alex wish he was back in his shape-shifting form, so he could squeeze through the bars of his cage and get out of there.

Through Alex's eyes, Xander saw the demons-turned-warlocks preparing for something. Alex didn't know what, only that they needed one of his teeth for some kind of ritual.

Xander had to talk to Alex, try to compare information.

Adam didn't say they could communicate telepathically with someone who wasn't a Tomorrow Person. But he didn't say they couldn't, either.

Xander concentrated some more.

Adam, Megabyte, Jade, and Ami broke the mind meld.

"He's in Sunnydale," Megabyte said. "He's in some kind of cage. The warlocks are preparing for some sort of ritual."

"The demons are headed for the building," Ami added. "And these army guys are tracking the demons."

The Scooby Gang exchanged looks. They all said, 'What do we do know?' and they were directed to Giles. Giles only shrugged and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

Willow looked back at the Tomorrow People. Xander hadn't opened his eyes. "Xander?"

Everyone else looked at him. Xander was still in the mind meld.

"Xander?" Jade asked.

Xander? Adam called.

I'm here, Xander's telepathic voice answered. I'm talking to Alex, comparing notes.

You can talk to people who aren't TPs? Megabyte asked, incredulous.

No, Ami answered.

That must be your extra power, Jade said.

You're talking to him right now? Adam asked. Why can't we hear him?

"Guys?" Buffy asked.

Jade and Ami looked at them. "Sorry. We were talking to Xander telepathically," Ami explained. "He saws he's communicated with Alex. Only, it goes both ways."

"Didn't you just do that?" Willow asked.

"Yeah, but apparently, Xander's the only one who can tele-communicate with people who aren't TPs."

Meanwhile, Xander was hooking Megabyte and Adam up with Alex. He'd already explained what had happened to him. Okay, Alex, this is Megabyte and Adam.

Hello? Adam called.

Hi, Alex answered. I've heard of the Tomorrow People, but I never thought I'd be meeting one, let alone one of my friends would be one. But we'll have enough time for that later.

Yeah, Xander agreed.

Wait a minute, Alex said.

Alex? Megabyte asked.

They just mentioned something about Harper's Medallion. I can see it now. It's on a gold chain. They're drawn a circle in purple holy chalk on the ground. They put Oz's tooth in the middle. Apparently, the demons are getting close, and they want to be ready. There was a pause, then Alex said, Oh, s***.

What is it, Alex? Xander asked.

The demons have arrived, Alex said. But they're not the slimy guys. Apparently, these demons, like the Clacken, have been hired to defend the warlocks.

We're coming, Alex, Xander assured him. Just hold on.

Xander opened his eyes. He, Adam, and Megabyte turned to the others. "Okay, I've told Alex what's going on so we don't have to explain the whole telepath thing to him later." Then he explained what Alex had seen.

"Harper's Medallion, you said?" Giles asked, looking thoughtful.

"Giles?" Buffy asked.

"They're going to switch back," Giles said. "The warlocks would get their old bodies back, and so would the demons."

"Is that a good thing?" Willow asked.

"No," Giles replied. "Because after the demons get their bodies back, the Sect of Eskigal, human again, will die on the spot of old age. I've done some more research, and it seems the demons managed to animate the human bodies for so long through magic. The spell involving the werewolf tooth and the Medallion will draw that magic out of the human corpses and feed it to the demons. They'll be more powerful than they ever were before as humans or demons."

"We've got to stop them," Buffy stated.

"We'll need to stop at my place for supplies," Giles said.

"The Commandos are searching for the demons wizards," Xander added.

"We've got to distract them," Buffy said.

"There's a spell we can perform that will make the commando's trackers completely useless," Giles said.

"Too late," Xander announced, "They're there."

"Who?" Anya asked.

"The Godzilla family," he answered. "They've arrived at the police station the warlocks are keeping Alex. They're fighting the demons, but the hired help is loosing. They'll be able to switch places soon."

"You're still in contact with Alex?" Giles asked.

Xander nodded.

"Okay," the Slayer said. "Here's the plan: Giles, Megabyte, Anya, Jade, and Willow will get the supplies and perform the spell. Then you'll do the same if we need to fight some super-powered demons. Xander, Oz, Adam, Ami, and myself will go to the center of the action and try to stop the warlocks and the demons from switching places and free Alex."

"Everyone clear?"

Everyone said yes without any objections.

"Okay, then," Buffy said. "Let's teleport out of here."

PART TEN

After Riley's team met E-Team at the college campus, they followed the locator through the town. Then, suddenly, the signals began to jump all over the place. There were at least signals now

Agent Young, one of the members of E-Team, shook his head before he proceded to beat the device on the side of a tree. It didn't help.

"It's no use, sir," he told Riley. "The signal is appearing in too many places at once for only four demons. The signals are just jumping all over the screen. Either the Hostiles can move pretty fast, or they're blocking us somehow."

Forrest's voice came over Riley's walkie-talkie. "Lilac-One to Tiger-One, over."

Riley took the walkie-talkie off his belt and pressed the 'talk' button. "Lilac-One, this is Tiger-One, over?"

"Readings are jumping off the scale," Forrest replied.

"Same here. Report back to Base-One for debriefing, over and out."

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