The moon shines high in the sky. It’s the dead of night. In the dark streets of Magic Town, however, there’s always activity: a vampire in the shadows… a pixie in someone’s purse… even a mermaid in a fish tank at the former Hackney Aquarium. SeaWorld has officially closed.

And then there’s the crime. It’s easy to have crime in an area that’s not policed by actual police. As petty thieves gather in the alleys, they spot a passer by, one who has the nerve to walk through ‘their’ turf. “There’s one. And he’s all by his lonesome. You know the drill. Wallet, watch, rings.”

The man they’re following has a hood disguising his features. His walk is calm and deliberate, but something about his size gives one of the thieves caution. The passer by turns now, his yellow eyes glinting at them in the moon-light, like a lighthouse beam shining at them.

“Uh… Let’s give this one a miss, eh?”

As the thieves run off, Eldre Koh lowers his hood and shakes his head. He will never understand the human need to prey on others for the fun of it.

He approaches a door, and creaks it open. He descends some steps into the underground basement and goes through another door – and walks straight into Rory’s bar.

Two demons are arguing as he strides in. Over a bar stool of all things. Koh does not understand this behaviour either. Why squabble over possessions when life is so fleeting? Rory barks at the pair, orders them to take it outside. The demons grunt at each other and back down, preferring the alcohol in front of them to a match in the alley. But one stumbles as he moves back to sit and collides with Koh as he shuffles past.

“Watch we’re you’re going, stranger.”

Koh is quick to respond. “Be at ease. I do not seek trouble.” It sounds like an explanation, but in truth it’s a warning. A warning the demon doesn’t heed. He grabs Eldre Koh by the shoulder. “You might not seek it, but here it is. You do not know who you’re dealing…”

Koh turns with one move and smashes the demon in the mouth, teeth and blood exploding everywhere. As the demon drops out cold, the one he was arguing with picks him up with a friend and staggers outside.

Koh turns and sits on the seat they were fighting over. He doesn’t look up at Rory as he apologises. “Sorry for the disturbance. I’ve travelled a long way, and I just want to sit quietly.”

Rory nods. “As you like. I don’t think anyone’s going to disturb you. What brings you to Magic Town, if I can ask?” Eldre Koh looks down, thinking of his next move.

“I am searching for someone,” he says.

At the other side of the bar, still in their dimly-lit area, Amy questions Angel, who’s staring at the bar, and the newcomer in particular. “Something wrong, Angel?”

He doesn’t look at her, watching cautiously. “Some trouble back there, but it’s sorted itself out.” Amy sits in her chair, tapping her finger nails on the wood. She’s getting impatient.

“Good. Then we can get back to talking about me. The favour I’m asking, more specifically. I want to bring back Warren. Just like you did Giles.”

Angel looks at her for a moment. He looks down at his half-finished drink. He knows he’s going to need another after this chat. When he finally speaks to Amy, he tries not to have a smirk on his face.

“That’s a terrible idea. First, I’m not in the favour business. Second, I liked Giles. And finally, this sort of spell is dangerous. You’re a witch, so I think you know what I’m talking about.”

Amy smiles. She’s not put off in the slightest. She moves the jar to one side, Angel thankful that the gunk is out of his direct eyeline. She lists on her fingers as she talks. “Okay. Rebuttal. One. As you point out, I’m the witch. If you can do it without me, then it should be easier to do it with me.”

He finishes his drink. Damn. “Two. Considering your participation in events that led to magic going poof in the world – magic that was keeping my boyfriend together and solid, instead of a jar of goo – I would think you’d want to rectify some of the harm you caused. I mean, maybe you didn’t smash the Seed with your own two hands, but you were fairly significant in the chain of events that made it happen.”

Angel bristles at her recollection. She’s not wrong unfortunately. “Okay. You may have a slight point there, but I’m still not going to…”

But Amy interrupts. She’s not finished. “Three. If it’s as dangerous a spell as you say – and I know it is – then ask yourself: do you really want me bumbling around on my own with dynamite and a cigarette lighter, or do you want to help?”

Angel stares at her. She’s grinning widely at him, quite satisfied she’s covered all her bases. He actually doesn’t have an immediate answer. Amy sits back and folds her arms. She knows she has him. “I think I would have made a good lawyer. If I hadn’t gone full time into witchcraft, I mean.”

Angel gets up, making sure his pint glass is in his hands. “Because you make some slightly – slightly – interesting points, I’m not going to slam the door on this one right away, but one condition. You do nothing until I get back.”

Amy recoils back. Holds her hands up in protest. Innocent smile on her face. “Hey, works for me.”

Angel doesn’t trust her one bit, but walks out of the bar. He ensures he goes past the newcomer, still sitting quietly. Neither turn or even slow down – but they know they noticed each other.

In the late evening of the Suriname jungle, Faith swelters in the heat of the sun. She checks her pack, her own gear and then gives an order. She’s nervous, but she manages to keep her voice steady. The last time she commanded a group of Slayers, it didn’t end well. “Okay. Check your gear, we’re moving on.”

Faith turns to Billings before he even speaks. The guy is so predictable. “This is ill-advised. It’ll be dark soon. If we turn around now, we might be able to make it back to the boat before sundown.

Reese Zane, even more irreverent to him now than she was before the attack, points at him angrily. “The US military had it’s chance, Major. This is a DeepScan operation.”

“Whose mission leader is dead, thanks to an unexpected pack of daylight vampires. We are not equipped for this and I’m pulling the plug.”

She smirks at him. “Not as long as I’m writing the checks, you’re not.”

Faith gets annoyed now. “Knock it off! There are people out there who’ve had it way rougher than we have. Now move out.”

There’s silence as they start to move. Reese glares at Billings who does the same back. Faith sighs. At least they’re being quiet now. As they walk, Mai takes her place as Faith’s second.

“Okay, you heard the boss.”

Faith is grateful for the loyalty and the support. “Right, Martina, you’re rear guard. Mai, take the point.” Mai nods. “On it.”

As the troop continues, Faith quietly whispers to Mai as she goes past. “Thanks.”

Mai whispers back. “You got this.”

Once everyone has moved, Faith takes a deep breath, counts to five and exhales. “Five by five,” she whispers to herself as she follows through the trees.

It’s not a long walk to their destination, but by the time the troop arrive at the outskirts, the sun has set. Billings holds some trees aside and steps forward, motioning to the others. “That’s the camp.”

It looks deserted, quiet and eerie in the dark. Like a ghost town. “It doesn’t look like anyone’s home, but let’s not assume anything. Move in slowly.”

But as they walk closer from the perimeter and into the camp, Mai looks down at the ground, shining her torch. “I don’t like this,” she says quietly, as Faith and Billings come to her side. There’s a dead soldier on the floor in front of them, clearly killed by a spear.

Faith supresses a shudder. Holds her anger down, tells herself to keep it cool and calm. “They wouldn’t have called us in if everything was fine. Sarah, search the tents, Major Billings, go with her, see if you can find anybody.”

As they walk further and further into the makeshift camp, it becomes clear, due to the sheer number of corpses, that no one has survived. Reese looks about at the scene and cries out in horror. “This is a disaster. If the Board of Directors and the stockholders get word of this…” Then she stops and screams silently to herself. She’s wiping tears from her face as she realises the reality of what’s in front of her. Faith is at her side: for the first time, Reese seems more interested in her father, rather than the family company. “God, listen to me! I do care about my father, and about all these people. I’m responsible for them.”

Faith can see the guilt over her face as the young woman cries, lifting her glasses up to rub the ridge of her nose. “How did I let this happen?”

She wipes her eyes, straightens up and breathes deeply. “For once I don’t want to be in charge.”

Faith looks at her with sincerity. “Give the corporate exec the day off and just be a daughter, Miss Zane. It’s okay.”

Reese smiles and looks up at Faith. She seems surprised. “Yes, thank you for that. And please, call me Reese.”

As they move further into camp, they spot Billings coming from the command tent. “Nobody here. Nobody alive, I mean. But there’s plenty of people missing.”

Faith nods and then asks him, relying on his experience: “How do you think things went down here? Best guess will do.”

Billings doesn’t hesitate, his training coming to the fore like a superpower. “They knew something was coming and obviously didn’t feel they could run, so they tossed up the barricades, tried to hold out. You can see the places where the barricades were overrun. And there are shell casings all over the place. They tried to put up a fight, at least.”

Faith agrees and then asks the Major, in his opinion as someone who’s worked with Riley, what he thinks the missing soldier may have done.

He thinks for a moment and then delivers his verdict. “I’ve worked with Riley. He doesn’t know the word ‘quit’. He’d try to pick up the trail. If there’s even a chance for survivors, he’d take it.”

Faith nods and smiles. She completely agrees and is glad they’re both on the same page. “Then we’ll pick up the trail at dawn. In the meantime, we button down here for the night.”

A short while later, gathering her team around her, Faith stands, pointing her torch at an impromptu map drawn in the sand at her feet. “I want tripwires with perimeter flares. Then scavenge the camp for extra ammo and whatever else we can use.”

Billings looks at her. He thinks that if Faith is expecting trouble, then they shouldn’t stay, but Faith simply tells him how she feels. “It’s their jungle, isn’t it? At night, vamps have all the advantages. Digging in is the best of all the bad options.”

Billings doesn’t stop however, and questions her again. “They dug in last time too. Can you guarantee it’ll go better this time?”

Faith hasn’t got time for the verbal jousting, with another plan forming after hearing the Major’s words. She leaves him with a final statement before walking in the opposite direction. “I’m surprised at you, Major. Since when have any of us been guaranteed anything?”

In London, Angel is glad to be home. As he approaches his front door however, he stops and sniffs the air. There’s someone in his apartment. Recognising the scent, Angel walks straight in, through his hallway and into the small living area of the little apartment. “Well, ” he says, staring at his favourite chair. “Company.”

With her legs folded and his sketch pad in her hands, Nadira Kureishi sits there, a welcoming smile on her face. The black skin with the green markings is, once again, the first thing Angel sees. It really is something quite striking, he thinks.

“You’re quite an artist, Angel. I had no idea.”

She hands him the pad, clearly impressed. Angel actually gets flustered, embarrassed by his work and modest about his ability. “It’s just… something I do to pass the time.”

He places the pad down on the shelf next to him and looks at her. He, unlike her, is not smiling. “It isn’t that I’m not glad to see you, but why am I seeing you?”

She looks at him, her lips formed into a wide smile. “Because something’s on your mind. And you want to talk to me.”

Angel looks at her peculiarly. “I don’t know what makes you think I want…” He then looks at her gaze. She’s waiting and all of this is just preamble. “Okay. Let’s say I wouldn’t mind talking to somebody.”

Before he can elaborate, Nadira speaks. “It’s her, isn’t it? The witch.”

Angel looks at her, starts to speak again. “How did you?” He thinks better of it and stops thinking. “No, never mind.”

He turns to look at Nadira. “Yeah. Her name is Amy and she wants a favour. I mean, I’m not going to help her. I can’t.”

Nadira looks at him inquisitively, but he knows she already knows the answer. “Can’t you?”

“I’m letting her think I might help her to stall a while. But she said some things that hit home.”

Nadira looks at him a moment, and then, despite not turning her head, her eyes move away from Angel, as if looking at someone from the corner of her eye. That melodic tint to her voice appears again, talking to something unseen. “Wait. You want me to ask about that too? But… Ah yes. I see. He needs it, doesn’t he? It’s important.” She rather abruptly then moves her eyes and they lock with Angel’s. “You haven’t been sleeping well Angel. You’re troubled.” She gets up now and stands close to him. She reaches behind him and retakes the pad back from the shelf. “I’m here for you and I’ll listen.”

Angel watches her curiously as she goes through the pad, searching for something, although he has no idea what. Then she finds the page and turns it to face him. It’s a sketch of an old fortress. “If you want to talk about this?” she glares at him, something all-knowing in her voice.

In Suriname, Billings doesn’t understand Faith’s planning and is complaining. She’s ordered a clear stretch of the barricade, exposing them to any attack. Billings thinks he could drive a truck through it.

Faith nudges his arm. “That’s right. We don’t have enough people to man the entire perimeter. Better to lure them to one spot where we can concentrate our forces.”

Billings looks at her impressed, considering she’s not a soldier. “Huh. Not a bad idea. If they go for it.”

Faith smiles again and motions towards Mai ahead of them. “I’m hoping to encourage them in the right direction. Mai?”

Mai wipes a sheen of sweat from her brow and continues working. “I’m cobbling this thing together from lab equipment and the mess hall cookstove. But it should work for what you need. Or explode.”

Faith, with no hesitation, volunteers. “Then I call dibs. My risk.”

Billings, inexperienced with all of this, asks Faith genuinely. “You can kill a vampire with what, stakes, silver, fire?”

Faith nods. “I’m just hoping to herd them in the right direction if I need to.”

Approaching Martina, who’s packing weapons together, Faith asks her how much ammo they found. Martina shakes her head. They didn’t find much, but they did find things that can help with her plan. Faith nods at them, and walks off, next duty in mind.

As they walk, Billings looks at her. He smiles now, a charming smile, nothing like the bad-tempered scowl he’s been wearing on his face since they first met. He tells her that he has to admit it: she’s doing one heck of a job and looks like she has things under control.

Faith turns to him, tells him that he sounds surprised.

“No. It’s not that,” he says quietly. Faith looks at him for a moment, a sliver of vulnerability slipping through the Major’s mask. Faith remembers quickly that this is personal for him too. He knew and worked with both Riley and Sam Finn, and she doesn’t stop him as he speaks about them.

“Sam was in charge here. She was one of the best. Always had things under control. But that’s looking like it might not have been good enough. At least one thing gives me hope.”

“What’s that?”

He turns to walk away, but his voice is confident, with no doubt. “Riley Finn is still out there somewhere.”

Ten minutes later, still working on her device, Mai looks at Faith as she leans against a barrel. “Looks like you won over the Major.”

Faith isn’t convinced and shakes her head slightly. “I wouldn’t go that far. But he seemed to approve of my preparations. So we’ll put that in the win column at least.”

Mai knows she’s being modest. Tells her so. “That’s because you’ve done a good job. But hey, we don’t even know the vamps will attack at all. Just precautions right? I mean…”

Mai looks up, realising that Faith hasn’t answered. “Faith? Are you still with us?”

Faith just stands there, staring into the bonfire, burning brightly at the centre of the camp.

“Just thinking about something Billings said. Riley is still out there. But alive or dead? I don’t want to come all this way just to be too late.”

Mai puts the device down, moves closer to her friend. “You said something happened between you and Riley, but you didn’t go into detail. Talk to me.”

Faith sighs. She knows it was a long time ago, but it’s now fresh in her mind, like it was yesterday. She starts her story, avoiding Mai’s gaze the whole time. She’s ashamed.

“There was this time that Buffy – yes, the Buffy – and I traded bodies. Nobody knew I was her and she was me.” She chuckles at the absurdity now.

“Yeah, it’s a long story. Back then my first instinct was to take advantage of the situation. Buffy and Riley were an item at the time and… well, he ended up on the innocent-victim side of that equation.”

Mai looks at her, realisation on her face. “You mean, you and he… Oh.”

Faith still hasn’t looked at her friend. “So, yeah. If I can find Riley, help him somehow, I don’t know…”

Mai has restarted her prep now, sharpening a stake with her hands. She talks to Faith, quietly, intimately. “People can change, Faith. I’m not saying forget what you did. Just have confidence in what you’re going to do.”

Faith smiles and then, less than five seconds later, is all business. “Okay. Enough of this Dear Abby stuff. You gave me pointers with the pistol. Let me return the favour.”

She picks a stake off the table. “It’s probably been a while since you logged some stake time, but that’s what it might come to if the ammo runs out. And you’ve already seen these new vamps are stronger. So no half-hearted thrusts. Don’t take it for granted you’ll get penetration. A two-handed strike is better than…”

Her lesson is interrupted as a tripwire at the perimeter explodes, drowning out Faith’s words. She runs towards the epic-centre, Slayers readying all around them. The announcement goes out quickly: they have perimeter contact.

A horde of tribal vampires are at the perimeter, scrambling over the gap Faith strategically left in the barricade. As they peer at her, she smiles, holding Mai’s makeshift device in her hands. She flicks a switch, and a small hiss is heard from behind her. “Sorta need you to go around, boys,” she says, smiling.

And then another switch and the device in her hands works exactly as planned: it’s a home made flame thrower!

“We’re closed to all through traffic here,” Faith quips as several of the vampires fall, screaming and burning. Others catch on fire but try to get through, but as they do, they’re greeted by the Slayers, weapons armed.

As Faith fires flames at the vampires, herding them towards Mai, the Slayers also fire and it’s soon pandemonium again, bullets and spears everywhere. The Slayers use a make-shift stake cannon, that kills several of the vamps, but there are too many of them and they’re being overwhelmed.

The Slayer next to Reese stakes one vampire, but is killed by another. As Reese flees screaming, Billings turns towards her. He’s distracted long enough for a vampire to surge behind him.

His throat is ripped out in seconds.

As another vampire grabs the fleeing Reese, Mai rushes to her aid, but she’s too slow. As the vampire prepares to bite, Reese closes her eyes, only to get a second faceful of dust in as many days. Faith is ahead of them, having staked the vampire in the back.

Mai asks for suggestions as the vampires herd the surviving Slayers back inside the camp. Faith barks an order at them. “Gotta run for it.”

Mai objects. “They’ll be on us in seconds.”

“I’ll keep them busy.” Faith says, preparing to engage the enemy. She turns to Mai directly. Quieter. “If you make it back…”

And then a missile comes out of nowhere! It hits the vampires square in the centre of their group and whatever was in the missile explodes, dusting the demons instantly.

Faith whoops in surprise and delight. “Who sent the cavalry?”

A voice comes from the jungle, belonging to a uniformed and armed woman, weapon in hand and looking like she’s spent days getting to them. “Sorry I couldn’t intervene sooner. I wasn’t expecting anyone to reoccupy the camp. Took me a while to get here.”

Faith locks eyes with the newcomer, and recognises her from her photos. The hair is a different colour, blonde instead of brunette, but it’s her. “Sam?”

Samantha Finn ignores Faith, not even aware of who she is. “Time for introducing later. Those tribal vamps scatter easy if you catch them by surprise. We took our lumps here the first time around, but it’s been educational.”

“They’re still vampires. But primitive. A couple of nice explosions will get their attention. But they’ll regroup, fast.”

Faith walks to her, wanting to speak privately. “We’ve got a boat by the river landing.”

Sam nods and then turns to the troop and then back at Faith. “Fine. I’ll see you safely on your way before returning.”

Faith resists the urge to grab the woman’s arm, but does raise her voice. “You’re not coming with us?”

Sam doesn’t turn back, but Faith can tell she’s saying no. “The vampires have prisoners in their village. I’ll want you to call in reinforcements, of course. But I can’t chance leaving them alone. I’ve got to go back.”

A quiet voice comes from the centre of the Slayers. “Wait. Did you say prisoners? Is my father there?”

Sam looks at her now, seems to recognise her. “Reese Zane, I presume. Yes, ma’am. He’s there.” Her face is a look of concern, however.

Somewhere else, in the London flat she’s currently staying in, Amy is focussed on something in front of her. A Pixie, this one named Perry, asks her a question as he flies around a shelf. “Just one bottle, mistress?”

Amy doesn’t look at him, but chides him slightly. “Just one, he asks. You make me laugh, Perry.”

The Pixie floats over to her, bottle in his tiny hands. She takes it from him. “Do I? Sorry mistress.” He hovers there for a minute, looking at the artifact in front of her and then at her directly. He seems quieter, scared of offending her. “If you don’t mind my asking, mistress. Why do I make you laugh?”

Amy barely contains her laughter. “Silly insect. Because a single bottle of this stuff could probably power Hogwarts for a year.” She chuckles again. “Okay, that’s a slight exaggeration. But more than enough to recharge an artifact.”

“What are you hoping to see, mistress?” The Pixie looks down at the table. There’s a crystal ball in front of Amy and it’s glowing with white energy.

Amy smiles at him. “Oh. Just keeping an eye on an old friend…” As Amy turns the sphere in her hand, she can see her target, clear as day. Not here now, but soon. Amy laughs again, as Willow Rosenberg continues on with her day… unaware that she’s being watched…