r***@aol.com
2006-07-16 14:56:44 UTC
"You Only Live Thrice..." Part II...
PG13
Disclaimer: All BTVS characters remain the property of Joss Whedon,
Mutant Enemy, and all other owner/creators of the Buffy the Vampire
Slayer series...
Archived at the Cicelyverse page of the Buffy Rebecca verse,
www.geocities.com/buffyrebecca/Cicelypg.html
Or direct to story at
http://www.angelfire.com/zine2/buffyrebecca/yolt.html
Summary: A certain 'benevolent' supervillain has tried to employ a
little more cleverness, patience, and respect for modern science and
technology than the usual Bverse evildoer...
Now c'mon you get it about the 'thrice'...And you know which of
them I'm talking about...
(Hey it gives me an excuse to use my favorite JB film theme...)
***
LA...By the smoldering ruins of the Wolfram-Hart Tower...Reporters,
camera crews, rescue teams, police, and military still swarming about,
though the authorities clearly in more control of the situation...
Morning...
Or, mourning, one might say...Given the black clothes worn by Angel,
Nina, Buffy, Illyria, Giles, Xander, Connor, and a phalanx of Slayers
bearing sorrowful expressions as they stood in a hastily constructed
tent shelter...
"Sorry...Private ceremony for a few of our employees..." a Slayer
held back a reporter who'd made his third attempt to enter the
area... "Mr. Angel will make a statement later..."
Several camera crews, including the 'young woman' shapeshifter,
filming the group from beyond the security ring of guards...Including a
number of surprisingly strong young women...
"I've found out who the girl is..." the young male reporter from
the previous night addressed his older, female colleague...Both weary
from all-night duty but determined to see the story through...
Both a bit surprised to see the young camerawoman who'd likewise been
about the whole time still apparently fresh as a daisy...Clothes as
well...
"Oh?..." the older reporter eyed her colleague...
"A Buffy Summers...A 'close friend' of Count Henri d'Vestigy,
the writer and industrialist...The one they call 'The
Immortal'...And a former 'close friend' of Liam Angel as
well..."
"That one?..." the woman eyed Buffy in her black dress, complete
with veil...Dr. Burkle beside her in an exactly matching outfit...
"Really?...Kid moves in the big leagues..."
"So who would she be here for?...Who's this 'William' she asked
Mr. Angel about?"
"Brother, cousin...Ex- or Ole boyfriend she can't quite let go
of...Who knows?...Maybe it's Mr. Wyndham-Price, the VP she came
for..."
"I'm gonna try to talk to her after the ceremony...Say, it's a
bit rushed, isn't it?...They haven't even issued a list of the dead
and wounded yet..."
"Guess they're anxious to get through it and move on...I hear
there's a lot going on with Wolfram-Hart, Europe...Angel must need to
get rolling on things...The investigation alone'll tie them up for
months..."
"Yesh...Pretty girl..." the younger reporter noted, watching Buffy
wiping her eyes as Mr. Angel moved to a lectern set up in
front...Coughing as he tried to begin reading a hastily-written
eulogy...Dr. Burkle now weeping rather heavily...
"Say, why do they call D'Vestigy 'the Immortal'?...He's only
thirty or so, right...?"
"I hear his family's been a big wheel for centuries in
Europe...Aristocrats...Always an Henri D to run things for each
generation...And they all look like each other...Inbred, I guess..."
"Inbreeding...Gotta watch that..." the male reporter nodded
thoughtfully... "Though he seems to have dodged any problems..."
"And then some, from what I've seen of him..." the other gave a
smile that belied her years...
***
London...Secret medical facility of the Royal Council of Antiquarians
and Library Scientists...
Office of the new Assistant Vice Chairman for Field Operations...Code
name "W"...
"Andrew?...You're saying...Rome was all a set-up?..." William in
his wheelchair glared at Andrew in swivel chair behind desk...
"'W', please Mr. Walthrop..." "W" firmly insisted, patting
his white cat... "Yes, we know your name...Buffy found it in the main
archives...Which fortunately were not kept in the old Antiquarian Hall
building..."
"And yes, Rome was an intelligence-gathering operation...Which you
and Angel very nearly compromised...Of course we hadn't been able to
establish safe continual communication with Angel at that time..."
"Intelligence on the Immortal...?" Hmmn...Will smiled...So...
She really didn't...Doesn't...All this time, she...
Uh, boy...And Dawn knew about Harmony...I'm in for it...Still, focus
on the good news...
"So His Benevolence is actually a hideously malignant pustule of
Evil...A monster who must be destroyed without mercy...And our Buffy is
on his trail..."
Only question being...Why isn't pretty-boy dead yet?...
"Not exactly Evil, Spike...That's part of the problem...If he were
pure Evil we could act against him..."
"But if he was a Partner, as you just said..."
"He kept us informed as to their actions, William...It's how we
were able to intervene and save you...Claimed he was merely trying to
be in a position to warn us of their operations and help stop
them..."
"But you don't trust him...?"
"We believe His Benevolence doesn't have any intention of
destroying the world or Humanity...In fact, he wishes to save it...And
rule forever with Humanity's fervid blessing..."
"Sounds a bit like your Council and Slayers..." Will noted...
"W" bristled a bit in his chair...His cat likewise hissed a bit at
the offender...
"We don't rule...Openly...Democracy survives...In some
countries...And at least people still get to have their own murderous,
corrupt tyrants rather than have them imposed..."
"Ala Mr. Bush?..."
"Politics isn't our sphere, William..." Andrew waved a hand...
"But His Benevolence seeks to rule all...Supposedly, and perhaps to
his own mind, for the good of all...Playing on Humanity's fears and
weaknesses to impose himself as the world's absolute, if benevolent,
master..."
"Ah, another Jasmine...Angel tole me about her...Sounded like a good
deal...A few hundred people a year in exchange for world peace and
prosperity...Cheaper than what the Iraqis are paying right now,
certainly...He should just run for President of the US, as a
naturalized Undead American he'd have my vote..."
"William..."
"Ah, right the citizenship thing..."
"Spike..."
"Just pullin' your leg, Wells...er..."W"...I'm a
soul-restored Englishman, after all...And we were fighting for
democracy and representative government while most of you lot were
still on our side of the pond...So, His Benevolence is full of it..."
he beamed... "Well, such a clever fiend playing on Humanity's fears
must be stopped..."
Painfully, if necessary...Preferably...
"And Buffy really doesn't...?"
"Mr. Walthrop?...Would Buffy Summers cheat on her own beloved
husband, unlike said husband?...Knowing he was Undead, if a cowardly
idiot?..."
Will blinked...
Husband?...
Ummn...Some sort of spiritual thing, maybe?...Why, Summers, that's...
Uh-oh...A thought struck him...
"Andrew...I know Buffy and I got pretty drunk that one night after
she resurrected but I'm sure..."
"W" frowned...
"She thought you might try to back out of it...So Mrs. Walthrop asked
me to give you this..." he reached to his desk and handed him a very
old and faded certificate...
A certificate of marriage...Will saw...Dated...March 11th, 1880...His
eyes drawn to the two signatures at bottom...
Mr. William Soames Walthrop...
Miss Cicely Anne Addams...
Cicely?...
He stared at "W" who smiled archly, stroking his cat...Who, tired
of the stroking now hissed and ..."Ow!..." scratched a bit as it
jumped from his lap...Scowling at "W" from his desk as "W"
shook and sucked his scratched fingers...Stupid cat...
"Cicely...? But..."
"Lady went to some time and trouble to save you...Several times,
William...Since you're still behind her on the scorecard, not to
mention...Family...We're hoping you might return the favor
again...And maybe save Humanity from becoming the cherished pets of a
well-meaning, benevolent dictator..."
***
PG13
Disclaimer: All BTVS characters remain the property of Joss Whedon,
Mutant Enemy, and all other owner/creators of the Buffy the Vampire
Slayer series...
Archived at the Cicelyverse page of the Buffy Rebecca verse,
www.geocities.com/buffyrebecca/Cicelypg.html
Or direct to story at
http://www.angelfire.com/zine2/buffyrebecca/yolt.html
Summary: A certain 'benevolent' supervillain has tried to employ a
little more cleverness, patience, and respect for modern science and
technology than the usual Bverse evildoer...
Now c'mon you get it about the 'thrice'...And you know which of
them I'm talking about...
(Hey it gives me an excuse to use my favorite JB film theme...)
***
LA...By the smoldering ruins of the Wolfram-Hart Tower...Reporters,
camera crews, rescue teams, police, and military still swarming about,
though the authorities clearly in more control of the situation...
Morning...
Or, mourning, one might say...Given the black clothes worn by Angel,
Nina, Buffy, Illyria, Giles, Xander, Connor, and a phalanx of Slayers
bearing sorrowful expressions as they stood in a hastily constructed
tent shelter...
"Sorry...Private ceremony for a few of our employees..." a Slayer
held back a reporter who'd made his third attempt to enter the
area... "Mr. Angel will make a statement later..."
Several camera crews, including the 'young woman' shapeshifter,
filming the group from beyond the security ring of guards...Including a
number of surprisingly strong young women...
"I've found out who the girl is..." the young male reporter from
the previous night addressed his older, female colleague...Both weary
from all-night duty but determined to see the story through...
Both a bit surprised to see the young camerawoman who'd likewise been
about the whole time still apparently fresh as a daisy...Clothes as
well...
"Oh?..." the older reporter eyed her colleague...
"A Buffy Summers...A 'close friend' of Count Henri d'Vestigy,
the writer and industrialist...The one they call 'The
Immortal'...And a former 'close friend' of Liam Angel as
well..."
"That one?..." the woman eyed Buffy in her black dress, complete
with veil...Dr. Burkle beside her in an exactly matching outfit...
"Really?...Kid moves in the big leagues..."
"So who would she be here for?...Who's this 'William' she asked
Mr. Angel about?"
"Brother, cousin...Ex- or Ole boyfriend she can't quite let go
of...Who knows?...Maybe it's Mr. Wyndham-Price, the VP she came
for..."
"I'm gonna try to talk to her after the ceremony...Say, it's a
bit rushed, isn't it?...They haven't even issued a list of the dead
and wounded yet..."
"Guess they're anxious to get through it and move on...I hear
there's a lot going on with Wolfram-Hart, Europe...Angel must need to
get rolling on things...The investigation alone'll tie them up for
months..."
"Yesh...Pretty girl..." the younger reporter noted, watching Buffy
wiping her eyes as Mr. Angel moved to a lectern set up in
front...Coughing as he tried to begin reading a hastily-written
eulogy...Dr. Burkle now weeping rather heavily...
"Say, why do they call D'Vestigy 'the Immortal'?...He's only
thirty or so, right...?"
"I hear his family's been a big wheel for centuries in
Europe...Aristocrats...Always an Henri D to run things for each
generation...And they all look like each other...Inbred, I guess..."
"Inbreeding...Gotta watch that..." the male reporter nodded
thoughtfully... "Though he seems to have dodged any problems..."
"And then some, from what I've seen of him..." the other gave a
smile that belied her years...
***
London...Secret medical facility of the Royal Council of Antiquarians
and Library Scientists...
Office of the new Assistant Vice Chairman for Field Operations...Code
name "W"...
"Andrew?...You're saying...Rome was all a set-up?..." William in
his wheelchair glared at Andrew in swivel chair behind desk...
"'W', please Mr. Walthrop..." "W" firmly insisted, patting
his white cat... "Yes, we know your name...Buffy found it in the main
archives...Which fortunately were not kept in the old Antiquarian Hall
building..."
"And yes, Rome was an intelligence-gathering operation...Which you
and Angel very nearly compromised...Of course we hadn't been able to
establish safe continual communication with Angel at that time..."
"Intelligence on the Immortal...?" Hmmn...Will smiled...So...
She really didn't...Doesn't...All this time, she...
Uh, boy...And Dawn knew about Harmony...I'm in for it...Still, focus
on the good news...
"So His Benevolence is actually a hideously malignant pustule of
Evil...A monster who must be destroyed without mercy...And our Buffy is
on his trail..."
Only question being...Why isn't pretty-boy dead yet?...
"Not exactly Evil, Spike...That's part of the problem...If he were
pure Evil we could act against him..."
"But if he was a Partner, as you just said..."
"He kept us informed as to their actions, William...It's how we
were able to intervene and save you...Claimed he was merely trying to
be in a position to warn us of their operations and help stop
them..."
"But you don't trust him...?"
"We believe His Benevolence doesn't have any intention of
destroying the world or Humanity...In fact, he wishes to save it...And
rule forever with Humanity's fervid blessing..."
"Sounds a bit like your Council and Slayers..." Will noted...
"W" bristled a bit in his chair...His cat likewise hissed a bit at
the offender...
"We don't rule...Openly...Democracy survives...In some
countries...And at least people still get to have their own murderous,
corrupt tyrants rather than have them imposed..."
"Ala Mr. Bush?..."
"Politics isn't our sphere, William..." Andrew waved a hand...
"But His Benevolence seeks to rule all...Supposedly, and perhaps to
his own mind, for the good of all...Playing on Humanity's fears and
weaknesses to impose himself as the world's absolute, if benevolent,
master..."
"Ah, another Jasmine...Angel tole me about her...Sounded like a good
deal...A few hundred people a year in exchange for world peace and
prosperity...Cheaper than what the Iraqis are paying right now,
certainly...He should just run for President of the US, as a
naturalized Undead American he'd have my vote..."
"William..."
"Ah, right the citizenship thing..."
"Spike..."
"Just pullin' your leg, Wells...er..."W"...I'm a
soul-restored Englishman, after all...And we were fighting for
democracy and representative government while most of you lot were
still on our side of the pond...So, His Benevolence is full of it..."
he beamed... "Well, such a clever fiend playing on Humanity's fears
must be stopped..."
Painfully, if necessary...Preferably...
"And Buffy really doesn't...?"
"Mr. Walthrop?...Would Buffy Summers cheat on her own beloved
husband, unlike said husband?...Knowing he was Undead, if a cowardly
idiot?..."
Will blinked...
Husband?...
Ummn...Some sort of spiritual thing, maybe?...Why, Summers, that's...
Uh-oh...A thought struck him...
"Andrew...I know Buffy and I got pretty drunk that one night after
she resurrected but I'm sure..."
"W" frowned...
"She thought you might try to back out of it...So Mrs. Walthrop asked
me to give you this..." he reached to his desk and handed him a very
old and faded certificate...
A certificate of marriage...Will saw...Dated...March 11th, 1880...His
eyes drawn to the two signatures at bottom...
Mr. William Soames Walthrop...
Miss Cicely Anne Addams...
Cicely?...
He stared at "W" who smiled archly, stroking his cat...Who, tired
of the stroking now hissed and ..."Ow!..." scratched a bit as it
jumped from his lap...Scowling at "W" from his desk as "W"
shook and sucked his scratched fingers...Stupid cat...
"Cicely...? But..."
"Lady went to some time and trouble to save you...Several times,
William...Since you're still behind her on the scorecard, not to
mention...Family...We're hoping you might return the favor
again...And maybe save Humanity from becoming the cherished pets of a
well-meaning, benevolent dictator..."
***