Title: The Final Link in the Chain (5/?)
Author: Northlight
email: uzenet@videotron.ca
Summary: Spike helps Willow out of an awkward situation and gets drawninto an even more dangerous one.
Warning: Slight language, and even less violence.
Distribution: If you already have any of my stuff, go ahead.Otherwise, ask and I'll say yes :) Also availabe at"http://members.spree.com/sip1/northlight12/will/index.htm"
Disclaimer: Joss owns all.
Written: Aug. 3, 1999

His power ranged outwards, spinning past the confines of his body insearch of the child whose blood would complete his bid for power andultimate immortality. It raced along the tree lined pavement, a heavyoppressive air carrying the stench of decay and old blood. Mentalfingers dug into the car held captive by the strength of his will,searching for source of the blood that called to him. The powertrembled as the man who wielded it simmered with rage and frustration atthe emptiness he found within the car. The power spilt outwards,weaving through the trembling trees in which his prey had taken refugewithin.

Blood called to him.

The first sign of trouble was in the form of a car with carefullyblackened windows, sitting motionlessly in the center of a moon washedstretch of pavement. Marcus Faringdon's fleshy white hands tightenedagainst the steering wheel of his own Council granted car, and took adeep, noisy gasp of air as he slowed the vehicle to a crawl. Thesedate, functional car drifted to a stop behind the empty one.

Marcus licked his wide lips nervously as his eyes tried to pierce thepaint slathered across the rear window in search of his waywardcolleague and the... creature whose aid she had somehow acquired inevading the Council. One hand abandoned it's death grip on the steeringwheel to search out the comfort of the simple cross tucked beneath theuncomfortably tight collar of his shirt. He pulled it free, his thumbtracing the edges of the holy symbol as if assuring himself of it'sshape and substance. He let it drop back to his chest, hangingawkwardly over his tie.

This hadn't been what he was expecting when he had first stepped intothe stately walls that housed the Council training grounds. Marcus hadnever wanted an active Slayer, nor, the responsibility of training anyof the girls who had the potential to blossom into the one bastionagainst the creatures of darkness. He had wanted little more than asteady income, and a desk job somewhere within the safety of the sturdyCouncil walls -- researching, cataloging, or serving as an errand boy,if needed -- anything but moving out into the world of vampires andmonsters where his life had a great chance of being snuffed out withouta care on the part of any of the many nightmarish creatures which roamedthe world.

And here he was, alone with nothing but his cross and his faith toprotect him, with a vampire, a deadly sorcerer out for blood, and analmost-Watcher who had proved to be not a little deadly herself. Thehand still resting against the steering wheel spasmed. "Lord, give mestrength," Marcus murmured as he reluctantly unclasped his safety beltand opened the car door.

He clumsily struggled outside. The air was cool and strangely heavyagainst his sweat slicked face. Marcus briefly considered getting backinto the car and driving onto Sunnydale where he could simply claim thathe had seen no sign of Willow on the drive over.

He stepped away from his car, and after that first difficult step,quickly shuffled over to the vehicle that had required he stop. Cuppinghis hands against the window, Marcus cautiously pressed his face againstthem, peering through the chips and lighter smears of paint. His quickscan of the car showed no sign of Willow nor the vampire who had killedthe team sent in to dispose of the young woman and her child.

Marcus' fingers trembled at the door handle as he pulled it open. Thescent of stale cigarettes and alcohol hit him as he warily clamberedinto the car. He checked the gas and found the tank sufficiently full.Finding the keys still in the ignition, Marcus cautiously test the car.It purred to life.

Quickly dismissing each possibility that came to mind, Marcus came tothe grim conclusion that the abandoned car could only mean that they hadbeen found and the vehicle forcibly stopped. His shallow, rapidbreathing seemed to fill the car. Illianer finding Willow had been theone thing that no one on the Council had been wishing for. There wasthose who wished her dead, and the threat her child presented safelydealt with. Then there was Traherne, whose goal it was to presentWillow to the near-Immortal, for a price. But having her caught whilethe Council scurried around in vain would benefit no one and harmeveryone.

Marcus tumbled out of the car, raising his face to the star studded skyand dragging in deep breaths of the tainted air. He gagged at thesubtle... foulness to it, his face going pale. "I'm not made forthis..." he protested weakly as he glanced at each side of the road.The trees to his right seemed to have bent slightly, looking wilted andsickly. "Oh no. I'm not going in there," he muttered.

He looked down at his neat dress shoes and suffocating tweed suit. Hethought of Willow, summoning to mind the image of her as he had firstseen her -- young, excited, and brimming with determination andgoodness. He thought of Travers, and Traherne, all of the dour facedmen and women who were even now still arguing over her fate.

And with a defeated sigh, he followed after her.

~End part 5~
*grumble* Including plots with stories is such a pain... Not that thishad much of one, but still :)