A haunting voice fills the dark, cold gymnasium, echoing from the shadows.

“So much wonderful pain in the world. And like so many wonderful things, it starts with a dream.

And the dream becomes a world and we walk in its searing beauty and we wish that were real. And then something happens. Something you didn’t even realise you’d been waiting for, but you were.

Somebody comes along to tell you the dream is going to be the world from now on. He’s come to make it so. And he wants your help. Because you’re special. Because you belong.

I used to have a family. There was a time. Angel left. And then… Spike. Darla.” Drusilla‘s melodic tones dissolve into a whisper. “Well.”

She turns slowly, eyes sweeping over Mary. “And now you can be one of us, Mary,” she says, voice low and coaxing. “You can belong.” Mary, surrounded by her classmates-turned-vampires, raises her arms in protest, swearing not to talk, to go home, to forget she ever saw any of them. But Drusilla leers, purring as she traces a skeletal finger across Mary’s chin. “This is an honour,” she says, and the touch makes Mary shudder.

Drusilla declares Mary the last convert from St. Cuthbert’s. Things are getting too warm, she tells the young vampires. With a Slayer in the mix, the school’s no longer safe. She’s disappointed — her recruitment drive had been so discreet.

Now her fledglings are making mistakes: leaving bodies where police can find them, picking fights with Slayers in locker rooms. Her eyes flash with fury. “Mummy is cross,” she sing-songs.

Then, with a sudden shift, she reconsiders. “This is your big night,” she tells Mary. Mary doesn’t understand, but Drusilla leans in again, her voice soft and cruel. “You need this because you have nobody. You are nobody.” Her whisper slides closer to Mary’s ear. “But there’s more of course. You’re going to do us a very special favour. We had you picked out from the beginning, my good girl. You’re going to help us change the world.” She tells Mary she’s heard a new voice — one that knows just how helpful Mary can be.

She unfurls her fangs, demonic visage unveiled, and moves closer. “Just a sweet little sting and it will be all over,” she murmurs, leaning in, eyes closed, ready to taste.

Faith’s size-sixes slam through the wooden door. Drusilla turns, mock-indifferent, launching into a tirade about Slayers arriving in the nick of time — but she’s cut off as Faith barrels through, shoving her aside, kicking Shane’s undead bulk away from Mary, leaving the vampires stunned by her speed.

Drusilla snarls, “Kill her!” and points at Faith.

Faith drives forward, encircled but undeterred. Outnumbered, yes — but never outmatched.

A shriek echoes as someone grabs Mary’s wrist from behind. She spins, ready to strike — and sees the lunch lady. Fred protests the title. She sighs and turns to Mary, telling her to come with her if she wants to live. As they head for the exit, Fred mutters that she now sees why tuition here is so high.

Inside, Faith continues cutting through the vamps. Drusilla, realising Mary has fled, sends Shane after them. “Lord Archaeus will not be pleased if they escape,” she warns.

Running through the building, Mary questions everything. “Why are the good men always jerks?” she asks. Fred, pausing at a closed exit, sighs. “Modern science hasn’t advanced far enough to figure that one out, I’m afraid.” Before they can open the door, Shane’s voice calls out.

He approaches, human-faced, arms outstretched. “I can be with you, if that’s what you want. All you have to do is say yes.” Mary doesn’t hesitate. “Go to Hell.” Shane snarls and lunges. Fred grabs Mary and bolts down another corridor.

Back in the gym, Drusilla claps her hands. “How nice to see you. You haven’t saved our little Mary, you know. You’ve only delayed the inevitable.” Faith slashes through the student vamps. “I don’t know about inevitable,” she spits. “But I do know one thing that’s been a long time coming.” She breaks free, stake in hand, and charges toward Drusilla.

But Drusilla doesn’t flinch. Her followers rush to defend her, willing to fall. She smiles wickedly. “Your actions are children’s lies you tell yourself in little singsongs. A make-believe hero with little wind-up springs. Such a delightful opportunity. Blood like syrup. Such sweet desserts.” She sways forward, a macabre dance. “Spike always said there was no tastier treat than taking down a Slayer.”

Faith, restrained, looks up. “I guess he’d know. Word on the street is he’s taking Buffy down every night.” Drusilla freezes. Her face drops. Her lip quivers. She’s not happy.

Elsewhere, in a history classroom, Fred and Mary huddle as Shane bursts through the door. Fred fires an arrow — he catches it and snaps it with a chuckle. He grabs Fred by the throat, slamming her into the wall. “I want Mary. I’d hate to ask twice.”

Mary grabs the broken arrow, tries to strike — but Shane knocks her down. “I don’t know what the mistress needs you for, but you’re nothing special.” He doesn’t see Fred until the flagpole hits his back. Fred grumbles about new vampires having hide like armour. Mary adds her strength.

Together, they drive the pole through him until he crumbles to dust. Mary pants, “School is hard enough without bloody vampires.”

Back in the gym, Drusilla is composed again. She mocks Faith’s insults, calls them petty. She scrapes a nail across Faith’s cheek, drawing blood. Faith giggles. “Look behind you.”

Drusilla smiles — then stops. Slowly, she turns.

Above her, on the balcony, stands a demon she doesn’t recognise. But the species is familiar.

Eldre Koh stands tall, orange eyes gleaming, cape billowing. “Sorry to arrive late, Slayer. I came as soon as I got Fred’s message. I take it you still need my assistance. Or am I misreading the situation?”

Faith orders him down. Koh leaps, light blades flashing from his fists, scattering the vamps with a boom. Drusilla bolts for the exit.

Faith yells for Koh to stop her — but it’s too late. Together, they finish off the student vampires with ease. When the dust clears, Faith searches for Dru. Koh tells her she used the battle as a distraction. She was willing to sacrifice her followers. “I find that distasteful.”

Outside, Brandt and the police have arrived. They’ve searched twice, found nothing. He’s willing to go in again, but thinks the vamps are gone.

Faith is frustrated. “I let the worst one get away.” Brandt places a hand on her shoulder. “You did good. Vamps dead. School girl saved. I like that kind of math.” Faith smiles. She asks to speak to Mary. Brandt says he’ll arrange it.

Later that evening, on her flat’s balcony, Faith and Fred share a drink, looking out over London. Mary told Faith that Drusilla wanted her for something special — but never said what. “This is going to keep bugging me,” Faith says. “I mean, why a school at all? Why kids?”

Fred shrugs and pours another drink. “Remember, it’s Drusilla. She’s crazy. And anyway, we’re talking vampires here. Predators. And predators target children. That’s ugly, but there it is.” Faith sighs. She wishes it didn’t make sense. But it does. Drusilla’s been recruiting for months. Laying groundwork. And with what’s happening in California, Faith doesn’t think it’s a stretch to connect it to Archaeus. She smiles. Hopefully it’ll make sense when Angel gets home.

She asks Fred about Illyria. Fred admits the adrenaline stirred something when Shane grabbed her. Illyria stirred — but she kept it in check. She doesn’t think they need to worry yet. But it needs resolving. Faith nods. “One thing I definitely learnt about school: teachers should be paid more.” Fred chuckles. “Lunch ladies too.”

On a calm London street, Mary turns to her mother, asking if she’ll come inside her father’s home. But her mother shakes her head. Divorces exist for a reason. She urges Mary to enjoy her time with him — no matter how annoying he gets.

Mary nods, waves her off, and walks toward the front door, where her expectant father is already waiting. He’s excited to see her, eager to check she’s okay after the incident at school — but Mary knows that look. He’s itching to share his latest find.

She steps inside as he ushers her down a long, ornate corridor. Mary teases him — he’s retired, so what could he possibly be working on now?

Her father smiles. The museum recently unearthed a new piece, and he offered to have the artefact moved to his home, where he has the tools to study it properly.

He opens the door to his lab.

Inside stands a grotesque, demonic figure — clad in armour, jagged blade in hand. A statue, cast in bronze. Her father explains that no one knows what it’s for, or where it came from.

Mary steps closer, intrigued. Her father smiles. He loves a good mystery.