DISCLAIMER!!!! Buffy, Giles, Xander, Willow, and all the characters, from "Buffy theVampire Slayer" aren't mine. They belong to Joss and Mutant Enemy. I'm jealous, but what can I do? All other characters, and the story itself are the sole property of ME, and my imagination. Please send all comments on the story to ME! Thank you and come again!
"God, it's good to be back home!" Eddie Richmond said as he threw his bags down in front of the couch. "I love Houston! It's got a certain something..."
Sidney Benson, Eddie's mentor, watched as the young man fell upon the couch and stretched out. "I thought you said Ecuador was a piece of cake?"
The youth looked up at the older ma n, his face the picture of innocence. "Why Sid! Of course it was! Destroying a drug factory full of zombies and the Reanimator that raised them, was almost toooo easy! When do we get to do the hard stuff? Like invading Hell with snowballs!"
Sidney gave the boy a hasty glance, to make sure that he was joking. Never can tell with that young man, he thought. "Well I'll have to check our schedule. We wouldn't want it conflicting with a prior engagement, now would we?" he said instead.
Eddie just grunted as he turned on the TV. His attention was now entirely focused on the adventures of Mitch Bucannan and the cast of Baywatch. Sidney just shook his head and went to his office.
As he sat down at his desk, the Reanimator thoughts went back to their trip to Ecuador. "Damn fool almost go himself killed," he muttered to himself.
Eddie had burned the entire warehouse down, practically on top them. He had then chased after the magician that had raised 10 zombies and caused the deaths of 14 people. Sufficed to say that Eddie had left less of him then he had the warehouse. "He definitely has his own way of doing things," Sidney thought, "and if he's not careful, it'll get him killed someday."
As the former Watcher candidate thought about giving his protege another lecture on self-control, the light on his answering machine caught his attention. "What have we here?"
He pressed the button on the answering machine and listened. The first message was from his insurance agent, telling him that his premiums had jus t gone up again. The second was from Donna Holder, a lawyer that he had dated a few times. She asked that he call her immediately to take about their future together. Or lack there of, Sidney thought.
The third message almost made the Occult expert fall out of his chair. "Uh, hello? Sidney? This is, uh, Rupert Giles. I know that we haven't talked for quite some time, but if you could get in touch with me, rather quickly, I would greatly appreciate it. You can reach me at 684-456-2104. That is the phone number at my home. Please call me as soon as possible. I have a, uh, zombie problem here that I hope you can help me with... also, it would be nice to hear from you again. Good bye. I hope to hear from you soon."
Sidney sat in silence and stared at the answering machine. Rupert Giles. After all these years!
He checked the date of the message and found that Rupert had called a week ago. "Damn!"
"What's the matter?" Eddie yelled from the living room.
The Reanimator walked into the doorway and looked at the boy stretched out on the couch, his bags still where he had left them. "Good, you haven't unpacked."
The young zombie slayer looked at him with suspicion. "Why is that a good thing?"
"Because we're going to Sunnydale, California, that's why.
Confusion filled Eddie's face. "What's in Sunnydale, California?"
"Nothing. Except the Hellmouth, vampires, and now zombies."
Eddie looked at Sidney, his eyes lighting up. "Really?"
"Yes, really. All that and probably more things for you to shoot at."
The young man smiled for a moment, then went deadly serious. "Should I go get more ammo?"
Sidney nodded. "Also, bring that new toy you've been wanting to try out. It may come in handy."
"Yes, sir!"
As Eddie went down to the basement to get the ammo and his "new toy", Sidney started taking their bags back out to the car. "A week. God knows what's happened since Rupert's call," he said to himself.
By the time he had finished getting the last of their bags into the car, Eddie had brought up enough ammo to fight a small war and his "new toy". As he started the car, Sidney looked over at Eddie, who was cleaning his favorite knife. What ever has got Rupert Giles scared enough to phone me after 7 years must be pretty bad, he thought as they got on to the road.
He looked over at Eddie again, who was loading a Glock with .40mm Smith & Wesson ammo. Sidney Benson smiled. What ever it is, we can handle it.
Chapter 3