Épisode Piégée S04E13 - Buffy, The Vampire Slayer Saison 4

~~~~~~~~~~~~ Prologue ~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fade in on a close up of Willow. She has her eyes closed and is
chanting calmly.

Willow: I implore you, Neisa, blessed goddess of chance and fortune,
heed my call. Send to me the heart I desire.

The camera is pulling back slowly and we see she is holding five
cards.

Xander: You know, magic at the poker table qualifies as cheating.

We're in Xander's basement. Willow is sitting on Xander's folded-up
sofa bed and Anya and Xander are sitting on large bean bags around the
coffee table. They have sodas and bowls of potato chips and pretzels
to snack on.

Willow: That wasn't magic. I was praying. Two please.

He deals her two cards.

Anya: Five

Xander: Ahn, I keep telling you: four's the max and only if you have
an ace.

Anya: Okay, four.

Xander: Let's see the ace.

Anya: (sighs) Three. (gives up the cards) What a stupid game. All
these rules just to win little plastic disks.

Xander: Chips. They're called chips. They represent money. Since
none of us has any money it represents money. But that's gonna change
once my merchandise hits the street.

He looks at them invitingly. Willow takes the cue.

Willow: (munching on a pretzel) Hmm! Wha'cha got in the boxes, drugs?
(then sternly) It's not drugs, is it, Xander?

Xander: Not drugs.

He gets up and goes to the work bench and grabs one of the boxes.

Xander: You are looking at the new local distributor for Boost Bars.
'The natural food bar that provides a nutritional energy boost for
active, health-conscience people.' (sits) Want one?

Willow: No. Thanks. Those things usually taste . . kind of
tasteless. And then leave a bad after-tastelessness.

Xander: (taking out a bar) Well, don't let the healthy scare you.
Check out these ingredients. (pointing at label) See? Loaded with
fatty goodness.

Anya: Come on, somebody bet already. I got three 'K' cards.

Willow and Xander look at her then exchange a glance. They fold their
cards. Anya smiles happily and begins sliding the pot of chips to her
already large pile. Xander starts to gather the cards up to shuffle.

Xander: Wish the Buff could've made it. This three-hand poker is not
quite the game.

Willow: Guess she's out with Riley. You know how it is with a
spanking new boyfriend.

Anya: (offhandedly while stacking her chips) Yes, we've enjoyed
spanking.

Reacting in shock, the cards explode from Xander's hands. Gaping,
he's about to say something to Anya, but doesn't seem able to talk.

Xander: Well. . .(coughs) The thing is . . . I think Riley is
. . . okay, in an oafish kind of way. But . . . am I the only one
with a big floating question mark over his head about this Initiative
thing?

Willow: Well, they do seem to fall into the 'good guy' camp. I mean
they are anti-demon. (sees Anya's evil eye expression) Probably pro
ex-demon.

Anya: Maybe. I choose to feel threatened.

Xander: (gathering cards again) And why not? There's still heaps we
don't know about these commandos. What exactly are they up to?

Let's go see! Cut to somewhere in the woods. Night time. We see a
few of the Initiative commandos prowling through the trees and bushes
in low crouches. They're all wearing their dark ski masks and armed
with taser rifles. The lead commando silently motions them forward
and three of them disappear into a tall stretch of bushes.

Cut to long shot and we start to hear fighting and a second later one
of the commandos comes flying out of the bushes landing at least ten
yards away. Closer shot: Buffy jumps out of the bushes and there's
already two more commandos down and out on the ground around her. A
fourth and fifth commando charge her from either side.

Buffy greets the fourth commando with quick alternating front kicks
that the commando blocks but the impact sends him off balance. Buffy
spins into a roundhouse kick into the face of the fifth commando as he
comes up behind her. He recovers quickly and swings a punch that she
ducks and sends him down with a right hook. Then she turns to the
fourth commando who's up again. She fakes him with a high backhand
that he blocks, then brings that fist down to hammerpunch him in the
groin, making him hunch around his pain. But her attention is already
on the fifth commando and she blocks a mid-level uppercut, catching it
and has him in an armlock. She sends a back kick into the fourth
commando's chest sending him to the ground.

Buffy swings her captured commando around just as the lead commando
pops out of some bushes with his taser rifle and fires. The blast
hits the helpless commando and he spasms as rings of electricity
course through his body. Buffy lets him drop to the ground and
readies herself as the lead commando charges her. They are about to
fight when--

Walsh: (OS) Lights!

The brights of a humvee parked up on a gradual hill illuminates the
area and Buffy and the lead commando turn to see Professor Maggie
Walsh, in a dark wool coat, hurrying down to them. She walks past the
lead commando, who his pulling off his mask and we see it's Riley
Finn. Walsh stands in front of Buffy and regards her with a stoic
expression.

Walsh: It took the patrol team 42 minutes to track you and you
neutralized them in 28 seconds.

Buffy: (glances at Riley behind Walsh) I was just lucky.

Walsh: I see. (Riley starts to smile) Well . . . still. Very
impressive.

Walsh turns and Riley quickly wipes the smile off his face. She heads
back to the humvee. Buffy watches her leave as Riley steps up to her.

Buffy: I was just being modest with the whole 'lucky' thing. You got
that, right?

Again, Riley has a 'shine a flashlight on his teeth and blind
yourself' smile on his face as he looks down at her.

Riley: I got it.

The rest of the commandos are getting to their feet and taking their
masks off. Graham Miller passes Buffy on her right.

Graham: Awesome, Buffy.

Forrest Gates walks past her on her left, without saying a word,
looking a little pissed. He has a hand on his back and stops for a
moment to look over his shoulder.

Forrest: Pfft! (he continues on)

Riley: (still smiling) See? You're a hit. Everybody loves you.

He puts an arm around her shoulders and they follow the others. Cut
to Walsh standing beside the humvee, looking on. She doesn't look
happy.

Wolf's howl. Buffy theme and opening credits roll.

~~~~~~~~~~ Part One ~~~~~~~~~~~

Fade in on exterior of UC Sunnydale. Daytime. Cut to Rocket Cafe.
Panning shot to Willow and Buffy sitting at a table across from each
other drinking coffee (probably mochachinos). Buffy sounds excited as
she tells Willow about last night. For her part, Willow has a happy
'listen even though she really doesn't want to hear this' look on her
face.

Buffy: So then Professor Walsh said that I was just as amazing as
Riley had said. And later, he told me that she couldn't stop talking
about this move I made where I used one of the commandos as a shield
to block a taser blast. It was like twelve-thousand volts. It took
the guy almost two hours to recover. (takes a sip of her coffee)

Willow: (politely) Huh.

Buffy: Hmm. How was your night?

Willow: Like a normal person's. Light on the action-pack. Hope
tonight's not too much of a let-down for you. Excitementwise. (a
pause) You do remember about tonight, right?

Buffy: Bronze. The gang. Are you kidding? I wouldn't be anywhere
else. I miss you guys. We haven't been able to spend that much time
together lately.

Willow: You've been busy. Fighting armies and stuff. Not to mention
other distractions from a romantic-- (sees that Buffy's no longer
paying attention)

Buffy: Riley just walked in.

Willow looks over her shoulder and we see Riley at the lunch counter
perusing the fruit bowl.

Willow: Do ya want to let him know you're here?

Buffy: No. Just enjoying a good stare. (eyes still on Riley) Tell me
about your night.

Willow: Well, spent most of it at Xander's teaching Anya to play
poker.

Buffy: (still Riley-eyed) That sounds like fun.

Willow: Yeah. Except the Anya part and the poker part.

Buffy: Will, I think you better get used to-- a Twinkie!? (quick shot
of Riley going to pay for his junk food) That's his lunch? Oh, he is
*so* gonna be punished.

Willow: (pouty) Everyone's getting spanked but me.

Buffy: What?

Willow: Uh, nothing.

Willow smiles but it doesn't reach her eyes.

Cut to a cemetery. Daytime. All is quiet. Cut to interior of
spacious mausoleum. The door opens and Rupert Giles steps inside.
Laying on top of a stone sarcophagus, Spike raises his head at the
sound. He throws off the ratty blanket that was covering him.

Spike: Hey! Wipe your feet when you enter a person's home.

Giles: (closing the door) Oh, yes. Careless of me. Tracking mud all
over your, uh . . . mud.

Spike is walking towards him.

Spike: (looking around) I admit, it's a bit of a fixer-upper. Needs a
woman's touch. (looks at Giles) Care to have a crack at it?

Giles: While I'd loved to go on trading jabs with you, Spike, perhaps
I'll come to the point. As much as it pains me to say it, um, I owe
you a debt of gratitude for the help you provided me in my recent
. . . metamorphosis.

Spike: (rubbing a crick out of his neck) Stuff the gratitude. You owe
me more than that, mate.

Giles pulls out a small bundle of dollar bills and offers it to him.

Giles: Three-hundred. Count it if you'd (Spike snatches it out of his
hand). . . like.

Spike: I'll do that.

While Spike starts counting the money, Giles looks the place over.

Giles: Um, thinking about your affliction and, uh, your newfound
discovery that you can fight only demons; it occurs to me that
(chuckling) I realize this is completely against your nature but
I-I-I-- Has it occurred to you that there may be a higher purpose--

Spike: Ugh! You made me lose count. (faces him) What are you still
doing here?

Giles: Talking to myself, apparently.

Spike: Well piss off, then. (indicates the money in his hands) This
bit of business wraps up any I got with you and your Slayerettes.
From here on I want nothing to do with the lot of you.

Giles: Your choosing to remain in Sunnydale might make that a little
difficult.

Spike: Well you and yours will just have to show a little restraint is
all. Get out.

Giles doesn't say anything and heads for the door.

Spike: (following) And I don't want you crawling back here knocking on
my door pleading for help the second Teen Witch's magic goes all wonky
or little Xander cuts a new tooth. We're through. You got it?

Giles opens the door and Spike flinches away from the brightness. He
looks over his shoulder at the vampire and his eye twitches. His
feelings might be a little hurt.

Spike: (callously) Honeymoon is over.

Giles leaves without a word.

Cut to close up shot of Buffy. She looking up into Riley's eyes.
They are in very intimate proximity to each other.

Riley: (softly) You don't have to do this.

Buffy: I know.

Riley: I mean, if you'd rather wait . . .

Buffy: (meaningfully) I'm ready. I want to.

Riley smiles down at her. The camera pulls back as they turn and step
in front of a floor-to-ceiling mirror in the wall. We see they are in
the center hallway in Lowell House. Riley opens a tiny hidden panel
beside the mirror and pushes a button. Buffy just stands there as a
horizontal green line comes from the mirror and slides down over her
body.

Female computer voice: New retinal scan recorded. Summers. Buffy.

The mirror slides to one side to reveal the very white interior of an
elevator. Riley steps inside first.

Cut to close-up shot of a black and white surveillance monitor
displaying a picture from inside the elevator as we see Buffy follow
Riley in.

Cut back to Buffy and Riley. Buffy turns and watches the elevator
door close again. Cut to Initiative headquarters. The elevator door
opens and Riley is holding Buffy's hand as he leads her out onto a
catwalk overlooking the main chamber.

Buffy: (eyes wide) My God.

Slow panning shot of the jumbo hangar size complex. In the middle of
the floor is a lower section where men and women in surgical scrubs
and white lab coats or performing tests and operations on several
types of demons, strapped to strange looking tables and chairs.

Buffy: You said it was big. You told me, but you never said it was
*huuuge*!

Riley: (offhanded) I don't like to brag.

Buffy looks at him and a grin breaks his face.

Buffy: (looking down again) I had no idea. This is incredible. But
not that I thought it was some fly-by-night operation. (turns to him,
excited) Unless it is! I mean, can you guys fly? At night. With
those jet-pack things, do you have those?

Riley: (playing coy) I can't really talk about it.

Buffy: This is unreal.

They look into each other's eyes and Riley leans down, about to kiss
her . . .

Walsh: So, you like our little operation?

They turn to see Walsh standing behind them on the catwalk.

Buffy: Yeah. Yes. It's very . . . clean.

Walsh approaches and hands her a small plastic clip-on badge.

Walsh: Your visitor's pass. (takes a few papers from her clipboard)
And I've assembled some reading material to bring you up to speed.

Buffy clips the pass to her leather jacket and takes the papers Walsh
offers her.

Buffy: (frowns) Oh. And I thought I was never gonna get homework from
you again.

Walsh: You can't take that home. That's classified material. Highly
sensitive. When you're through reading those pages you'll have to eat
them.

Buffy just stares at her, speechless. She looks up at Riley.

Riley: (grinning) She's joking.

Walsh: Don't worry, it doesn't happen very often. Shall we?

Buffy exchanges another glance with Riley and they follow.

Moments later, they've made their way down the metal staircase and
Walsh is leading them towards the open center of the complex. They
stop at the metal railing and look down.

Walsh: Much of our hands-on research with the SHT's is performed here.
We call this 'The Pit.'

Buffy sees a pair of green squid-faced demons laying on two tables,
while scrub-clad techs work on them.

Buffy: And what do you call those?

Riley: Tough. It took eight of us to bring those two down.

Walsh: They'll be under our control soon enough. (calling down) Doctor
Angleman!

Cut to a man in a white lab coat talking with another person. He
looks up to acknowledge Walsh then returns to his conversation.

Walsh: (to Buffy) Head of our science team. He's a leader in the
field of xenomorphic behavior modification.

Buffy: Behavior modification?

Walsh: We've made significant advances in reconditioning the
sub-terrestrials. Bringing them to a point where they no longer pose
a threat.

Buffy: (to herself) So I've seen.

Then she sees Walsh and Riley's expressions as they look at her.

Buffy: . . . on the Discovery Channel. With gorillas and sharks.
They-they made them all nice. You haven't seen it?

They don't say anything but Walsh doesn't look convinced. Buffy turns
her attention away and points across the complex.

Buffy: What's over there?

She starts to walk casually in that direction and Riley and Walsh
follow. Seconds later, Walsh is in the lead again as they approach an
area closed off by a chain-link fence. Inside are large caches of
guns and equipment of all types. There is one commando on duty
inside.

Walsh: The armory. You'll have to be cleared for use on each of these
weapons.

But by this point Buffy must have felt like she was back in class for
her attention has already wandered and she steps up to a table behind
Walsh and Riley. She sees a small looking device laying in an open
case. As she lifts it up, the image on the monitor behind her also
moves and we see a close-up of Buffy's eye as she holds the device
close to her face.

Walsh: (while this is happening) The more advance arsenal can be
complicated, but I'm certain, in time, you'll pick that up. (looks
over her shoulder and sees what Buffy's doing) Don't pick that up.

Walsh walks to her and quickly takes it from her.

Buffy: What is it?

Walsh: About twenty-thousand dollars.

Riley: It's a prototype for a com-cam. (points to the monitor behind
her) Communications camera. Soon to be standard issue. Gives us a
direct comlink to Control when we're out in the field.

Walsh: Also monitors the heart rate of the wearer. A valuable tool
for research in stress in combat condition. If you'll follow me, I'll
show you the SHT containment area.

Walsh walks off and Buffy looks to Riley mouthing 'sorry.' Riley
shakes his head with a smile, telling her not to worry as they follow.

Some time later, the tour is coming to an end. Walsh stops to face
Buffy.

Walsh: We have a few more things to give you.

Buffy: (pointing) What's in there?

Quick shot of the metal security door we saw in the last episode. A
lab coat scientist uses a ID card to open the door and disappears
inside.

Walsh: Research area. Very restricted for security reasons. Here is
your security card and your pager.

She accepts the items from Walsh and studies the pager.

Buffy: Been thinking about getting one of these.

Walsh: We're the only ones with the number and it stays that way.

Buffy: Right.

Walsh: Lose either one of them and there's hell to pay and down here
we mean that literally. (offers her hand and she actually smiles as
she shakes Buffy's hand) Again, welcome to the team.

Cut to student lounge. Willow and Tara are sitting on sofa chairs
leaning on the arm rests. Tara is holding a clear purple-pink crystal
in the palms of her hands.

Willow: This is so cool. Wow. I've been trying to find the dolls-eye
crystal my entire life. Well, since June, anyway. Where'd you get
it?

Tara: It-it was my grandma's, I think. I found it a long time ago in
my attic. (hesitantly) I-I want you to have it.

Willow: Oh, no, Tara. Th-that's really sweet. I can't. It's like a
family heirloom. I-I just wouldn't feel comfortable.

Tara looks a little hurt and she puts the crystal away. Willow see
this.

Willow: But i-if you wanted to try out some spells with it some time,
I wouldn't say no.

Tara: (eager) Maybe tonight. I mean, if you're not doing something
you could . . come over and we could do something. (smiles)

Willow: (uncomfortable) Tonight . . . That sounds really nice. But
tonight I, uh, already have plans with people. Other.

Tara: (hurt again) Oh. Um, that's okay. Another . . time.

Willow: Absolutely. It's just tonight, it-it's kind of a specific
crowd. You might feel out of place.

Tara is silent for a moment.

Tara: I better get to class.

She grabs her books and stands up. Willow stands up with her.

Willow: Well, um, I'll see ya later. Okay?

Tara just nods and walks off.

Cut to Initiative headquarters. Walsh walks up to the metal security
door and zips her security card through the keypad. The door unlocks
and she steps inside. She continues down the corridor to another door
and punches in a code and slides the cards again. She enters and as
the door closes we see the number 314 on it.

Cut to interior of the lab room. Walsh closes the door behind her.
Dr. Angleman, who just got through washing his hands at a sink, turns
to face her as he dries them.

Angleman: How did the tour go?

Walsh: I'm not sure. She's unpredictable.

She walks across the room. Her attention is on something we cannot
see.

Angleman: She's an unnecessary risk.

Walsh: Possibly. How's our baby doing today?

Angleman: Adjusting nicely. Reflexes, motor-functions. All off the
charts.

Walsh: That's what I like to hear. (to whatever she's looking at)
Almost time to wake up, Adam.

Cut to the lab table. We see a young man laying under a blanket, only
his chest and head visible. But he doesn't look like a normal man.
His brown hair is neatly trimmed, the most normal feature, while more
than half of his face is covered in dark green skin, the rest of his
face a human pale. There is also metal plating on the green left side
of his face, from jaw to temple. Most of his chest is also green as
well as is his right shoulder, but we can also see patches of other
different types of skin. Wherever skins meet there is a line of
sutured or welded-on scars like a grotesque demonic jigsaw. There
seems to be numerous IV lines and monitoring connections disappearing
under the blanket.

Walsh: (soft voice) And take your first look at the world. I know
you're gonna make me proud.

~~~~~~~~~~ Part Two ~~~~~~~~~~

Cut to the Bronze that night. Music is playing ('Trashed' by Lavish)
and people, mostly young, are socializing. Camera pans over to where
Willow and Anya are sitting at a table. Willow is lifting her sleeve
to check her watch, probably not for the first time. Xander is
walking to them while unwrapping a Boost Bar and taking a bite.

Anya: (indignantly) Xander. You haven't been paying any attention to
me, tonight. Just peddling those process food breaks. I don't know
why.

Xander: (around mouthful) Well, let me put it in a way you'll
understand. Sell bars. Make money. Take Anya nice places. Buy
pretty things.

Anya: (considers) That does make sense. All right, I support you. Go
sell more.

Xander: Oh, well this was the only one I had on me. Besides, it's
getting late. Maybe we should go.

Willow: Go? You can't go. Buffy hasn't gotten here yet.

Xander: Let's face it, Will. She's over an hour late. She's probably
out living the life of Riley. I don't think she's coming.

Willow: She is! (unconvincingly) She said she was looking forward to
spending quality time with just us. (brightens) See? Here she comes.

Shot of Buffy walking into the Bronze followed by Riley, Graham,
Forrest, and two other guys. ('Keep Myself Awake' by Black Lab starts
to play)

Willow: (crestfallen) . . .with Riley . . . and some other guys.

Buffy and the young men reach their table.

Buffy: Hi, all. Sorry about the late-itude.

Xander: Late? Really? Huh. Hadn't noticed.

Riley: Hope you don't mind us tagging along.

Willow: (forced smile) No. No, of course not. The more the
. . . more.

Riley: This is Graham. This is Forrest. That's Kevin. And that's
Jay in the back.

Graham: How you doing.

Riley: We're gonna go grab some drinks. Anybody want anything?

Buffy: Coke, please.

Willow: I'm good.

Xander: No.

They look to Anya with the offer.

Anya: (frowns) We're going away. To dance. Over there.

She stands up and takes Xander's arm.

Xander: (being dragged away) We are?

Riley and the guys head over to the bar and Buffy sits on Anya's stool
across from Willow.

Buffy: Anya seems a bit on edge.

Willow: She's a little angsty around commando-types. Ex-demon issues.

Buffy: Oh. (points to the guys) You know, I didn't think that you
would mind. Riley and the guys were throwing a little impromptu
celebration in my honor and made it, like, impossible to not invite
them.

Willow: Oh. That's neat about the celebrating. I just thought this
was supposed to be, you know, just us. Just the scooby corps., you
know. I mean, I could have invited somebody else if I knew it was an
open free-for-all.

Buffy: I'm sorry. I had no idea. My *total* bad. (grins) So, who did
you want to invite?

Willow: What?

Buffy: You said you wanted to invite someone.

Willow: (nervously) No. Not-- no one. I meant a hypothetical someone
which is to say no one. What are we celebrating?

Buffy: (lowers voice, but excited) I'm in. The Initiative. Professor
Walsh gave me the grand tour and we're talking Grand as in Canyon!
You'd never believe the size of it.

Willow: That's really . . . again I say 'neat.' So, what do you mean
exactly? You've joined them?

Buffy: No. N-not exactly. It just means that when I patrol I'll have
a heavily armed team backing me up. (smiles) Plus, boyfriend going to
work with me: big extra perk.

Willow: Buffy, do you really think this is a good idea? I mean, don't
you think you're rushing things a little?

Buffy: (frowns) I thought you liked Riley?

Willow: Not with Riley. With the Initiative. I mean, there's a bunch
of stuff about them we still don't know.

Buffy: I know that. (then) Like what?

Willow: Well, what's their ultimate agenda? I mean, okay, yeah,
they-they neuter vampires and demons. But then what? Are they gonna
reintegrate them into society? Get them jobs as bagboys at Wal-Mart?

Buffy: (in serious thought) Does Wal-Mart have bagboys?

Willow: Plus, don't forget that '314' thing that Ethan told Giles
about.

Buffy: Well, a man that worships chaos and tries to kill you, is a man
you can trust.

Willow: Well, bad info or not, I just think there's certain questions
you should ask before you go off and enlist.

A pager goes off and Buffy reaches into her bag to pull it out. Two
seconds later five more beepers go off at the bar and Riley checks his
pager.

Riley: That's us. Let's go.

Willow: When did you get a pager? What's going--?

Riley steps up to the table and Buffy stands up.

Riley: That's our cue. Mother wants us.

Buffy: (turns to Willow) Will . . .

Willow: I know. Talk later.

She doesn't look happy as she watches Buffy leave with Riley and the
others.

Buffy: So what's the big emergency?

Cut to Briefing area at Initiative HQ. There is an overhead projector
displaying the image of an ugly demon on a large white screen. Riley
is standing to one side of the screen as Professor Walsh walks in
front of the group of commandos seated in rows before her. Among them
near the back, Buffy sticks out like a . . . well, like a girl in a
sea of broad-shouldered military green. That, and she's also the only
one seated with a plunging neckline.

Walsh: This is your objective. Sub-T: 67119. Demon class: Polgara
species. Though visual confirmation has not yet been made, we're
confident of the target's approximate position as it leaves behind a
distinct protein marker. Dr. Angleman will brief you on its defenses.

She takes a seat to the side as Dr. Angleman steps up next to the
projector and overlays a second transparent page over the first. This
adds long sharp looking protrusions from the demon's arms.

Angleman: When threatened . . . bone skewers jut from the creature's
forearms during battle. It's imperative when ensnaring it not to
damage its arms. That's all you really need to know.

Amidst the commandos Buffy raises her hand.

Buffy: Question.

Dr. Angleman doesn't seem sure how to respond, unaccustomed by this.
He glances at Walsh who stands up again.

Walsh: Buffy?

Buffy: Why exactly can't we damage this polka thing's arms? I, uh,
not that I want to, it's just in my experience when fighting for your
life body parts get damaged and-- better its bits than mine. (glances
at the guys around her) Or . . . ours.

Angleman: We wish to study the physiology of every subterrestrial's
natural defenses. It's part of the research we do here. (before he
can continue--) Uh-- Yes?

We see that Buffy had her hand raised again.

Buffy: What do they want?

Angleman: Want?

Buffy: Why are they here? Sacrifices, treasure, or they just get
rampagy? (she is starting to get looks from the commandos) I find it's
easier to predict their responses if I know--

Angleman: They're not sentient. Just destructive, I believe.

Walsh: They do have keen eyesight, however. You might want to be
suited up for this.

Buffy: Oh. (glancing at the military green around her) You mean the
cammo and stuff? I thought about it but, I mean, it's gonna look all
'Private Benjamin.'

This gets chuckles from some of the commandos.

Buffy: Don't worry I've patrolled in this halter many times.

This gets even more chuckles and Riley has to bow his head and clench
his jaw to keep from laughing his ass off.

Walsh: Why don't we give our attention to Dr. Angleman (Buffy raises
hand) and save all questions until the end.

Angleman: Actually, I'm finished.

Walsh: Oh. Uh, well, Agent Finn, deploy the teams.

All business, Riley walks out in front of the group.

Riley: Okay, listen up. We'll be going in a four squad set-up. Team
Leaders: Gates, Taggart, and Stavros. Alpha Team, you're with me.

Walsh: Report for TLs for assignment and weapons requisitions.
Reminder: this is a zap-n-trap, people. Capture not a kill. Any
questions? (sees a raised hand) (sighing) Buffy.

Cut to the front of a closed door. It opens and it's Tara's room.
She is surprised to see the person who is standing in the hallway.

Tara: Willow?

Willow: (sheepishly) A funny thing happened with my prior social
engagement. Pretty much ended when a friend of mine went off to do
something with another crowd she hangs out with. Irony is kind of
ironic that way. (hopefully) Anyway, I know it's late, but I-I thought
maybe-- I mean, if you still wanted to . . . do something?

Tara just smiles and opens the door wider to let her inside. She
closes the door.

Cut to a wooded area. Alpha team is on patrol. Buffy is with them.
She is walking beside Riley, three other commandos behind them. She's
wearing a jacket over her halter top and looks a little glum with her
hands shoved in the pockets.

Buffy: So I guess she hates me now.

Riley: (distracted) What?

Buffy: Professor Walsh. Questions. An Initiative faux pas, yes?

Riley: It's . . . a little unusual. She's just not used to it. Maybe
because you barely ever opened your mouth in her classroom. But I
know she likes you. In fact, she liked you before I did.

Buffy: (hopeful) Really?

Riley: Told me so herself.

Buffy: Maybe I should get her a present or something--

Riley: (stops) Buffy. Can we talk about this later? There's a
dangerous hostile out here and . . . since I don't have your reflexes,
I kinda need to focus.

Buffy: Right. Right.

They start walking again. After a moment she looks at him.

Buffy: What do you mean she liked me before you did?

Riley: (oops) Uh. . . .

Buffy: You didn't like me?

As Riley tries to take his boot out of his mouth we--

See what Beta Team is up to. They're stationed within a cluster of
bushes. Graham is scanning the area with night vision goggles and
Forrest is standing beside him. Forrest seems to be in a mood of his
own.

Forrest: (grumbling) It just isn't right.

Graham: He made you team leader, didn't he?

Forrest: That's not the point. I've always been Riley's second in
command. Instead he picks a girl.

Graham: His girl.

Forrest: Whatever! Three guesses on what that boy is thinking with.

Graham: Maybe he just wanted to give you a chance to get out from
under his shadow?

Forrest: Hey! I'm not under anybody's shadow.

Graham: It was a joke, man. Don't get your panties in a bunch. I'm
just saying-- (sees something through the goggles) Hang on. Got
something.

Forrest: Target?

Graham: Negative.

Graham passes the goggles to Forrest. Night vision POV: shot of Spike
strolling along carrying a sack of groceries.

Forrest: Hel-lo, Hostile 17.

Graham: (to commandos behind him) You two: standard flanking. Go.

The two appointed commandos hurry off to their mission. Cut to front
shot of Spike walking. Behind him one of the commandos rush out of
the trees carrying a heavy net. He's about to throw the net on Spike
when the vampire suddenly spins around and catches it in his fist. He
swings the commando around and slams him into a nearby tree. The
second commando charges and aims his taser rifle at him. Spike throws
his grocery bag in the guy's face and he falls to the ground. Spike
flinches back at the pain the Initiative implant causes him. He turns
and flees into the woods.

Cut to Graham. He has a scoped rifle shouldered and is calmly
tracking Spike in his sights. He pulls the trigger and Spike stumbles
as he's hit in the shoulder. Growling, he continues to run.

Forrest: (to Graham) Alert Control and Alpha Team. We've tagged
Hostile 17 with a tracer and we're in pursuit.

We return to Buffy and Alpha team who are now stationed in a clearing.
Panning shot of the three commandos as a cell phone beeps. Buffy is
standing beside Riley who is scanning the area with night vision
goggles. One of the commandos steps up to him with the cell phone.

Commando: Sir. Graham's on the talkie for you. Reception's not too
good.

Riley: (into phone) This is Alpha Team, go ahead.

We hear Graham's garbled voice but can't make out any of the words.
Riley moves further out into the clearing trying to get a better
reception.

Riley: Say again, Beta Team. You're breaking up.

He doesn't see the Polgara demon burst out of the trees behind him,
but Buffy does.

Buffy: Riley!

Riley only has time to see the demon before it shoves him hard to the
ground. Buffy rushes forward, as the Polgara steps over Riley to
finish him off, and snaps a round kick to its face making it stagger.
She steps over Riley spinning into a roundhouse kick across the
creature's face and the scene goes into slow-mo.

Cue funky tech-noir erotic music (it's actually "Window to Your Soul"
by Delirium) as Riley stands up beside Buffy. He pulls out an asp and
there is an echoing snap as he extends it with a flick of his wrist
and the audio (except for the music) fades completely. Both ready to
kick ass, they charge the demon together.

**Cut to some time later that night: in Riley's room at Lowell House.
He and Buffy rush into frame from either side and start kissing
passionately. Riley is wearing normal civvie clothes again and Buffy
no longer has her jacket on. Skip a few frames and Riley has his head
buried in her shoulder, kissing her neck as they rub their hands up
and down each other's backs.

Cut back to now. Riley is hitting the demon in the arm with the asp,
making it stumble, then hits it again in the back of the head.

**In Riley's room. Close up of his hands undoing the knot on the
spaghetti straps of Buffy's halter crisscrossing her back. When it's
loose he caresses his hand over her bare skin.

Now. Riley's just succeeded in pissing the Polgara off and it knocks
him aside with the swing of its powerful arm. Buffy steps in again
with another roundkick to its face and follows through with a hard
right-left combination.

**Close up of Riley kneeling in front of Buffy, pulling off her
knee-high leather boot.

The Polgara is backhanding a commando, flipping him to the ground.
Riley, behind it, jabs the asp into the demon's spine.

**Buffy is pulling Riley's white T-shirt over his head. Her halter is
hanging loosely.

Riley swings the asp again but the Polgara blocks it and punches him
hard across the face. Buffy delivers a back-kick into the creature's
chest as Riley falls to the ground.

**Buffy is trailing a line of kisses down the front of Riley's body,
starting at his chest.

Buffy slams another right-left punching combo into the Polgara's face.
It raises its arm and its bone skewer extends from under its forearm.
She ducks as it takes a swing at her head. Riley is getting to his
knees. Buffy blocks another strike and knees the demon in the
midsection.

**Riley is behind Buffy slowly sliding the halter off her shoulders.

Buffy side steps the Polgara as it tries to stab her and gets behind
it. The demon turns to face her again.

**Buffy is kissing Riley over her shoulder as he caresses her cheek
with his hand. More missing frames and Buffy is suddenly sucking one
of his fingers as he kisses her shoulder.

Buffy ducks under another of the Polgara's swings. Riley picks up a
fallen taser gun and takes aim, but Buffy is too close to the creature
for a clear shot.

**We see Buffy lay back on Riley's bed and he slowly lowers himself
down on top of her. A couple of missing frames and they're kissing.
She's caressing his chest.

Buffy slams a two-legged drop kick into the Polgara's chest and drops
to the ground as it staggers back. Riley shouts 'now' and he and
another commando unleash their tasers. The demon is blasted by the
bursts of electricity and the other two commandos are readying a heavy
net behind it.

**Buffy is now on top and lowers herself down on Riley. More deep
kissing, his arms around her.

They have the Polgara in the net and it's struggling while Buffy gets
to her feet. The audio returns and slow-mo ends as she snaps a front
kick into its face, knocking the creature out. The commandos wrap
things up and Buffy takes a few steps back, breathing heavy. Riley
stands beside her. They face each other.

Buffy: So . . . what do you want to do now?

Before he says anything--

We go back to Riley's room which becomes *now* and Riley is on top
again as they continue to make love. The music is replaced by a more
sinister theme as we cut to a black and white ceiling-shot of Riley's
room. The camera pulls back and we see we're looking into a
surveillance monitor. There is a label on top of the monitor that has
'FINN' written on it. As the shot continues to pull back we see two
more monitors to either side of it with similar shots of, currently,
empty rooms. One is labeled 'GATES' the other 'MILLER.' A control
panel becomes visible under the row of monitors. There are two reels
of tape spinning, obviously in 'record' mode, and there is someone
sitting in front of the control panel.

Cut to closing shot of Professor Walsh. Her face is free of any
telling expression but her right eye twitches once as she watches.

~~~~~~~~~ Part Three ~~~~~~~~~~~

Fade in on Giles' apartment. Next morning. We can see Giles in the
kitchen, through the opening above his bar, pouring some tea.

Giles: (over his shoulder) I don't know how many more ways I can say
'I'm not interested.'

We see Xander and Anya are sitting on the couch in the living room
area. There are several Boost Bar boxes on the coffee table.

Xander: W-- try one! Check these flavors. Cherry-berry. Maple
walnut. Ooo, almond licorice.

Anya: Ew.

Giles leaves the kitchen and stands next to the coffee table.

Xander: Anya, we don't say 'ew' in front of potential customers.

Anya: Just skip this part and tell him you want money to buy me pretty
things. He'll understand.

Giles: (sighing) Very well. Hmm, maple walnut.

Xander: An excellent choice.

He takes one out of a box and hands it to Giles. Giles tears the
aluminum off the end and takes a bite. He quickly stops chewing and
there is a disgusted look on his face.

Giles: (menacingly) Please leave my home now.

He drops the Boost Bar on the coffee table like it's a handkerchief
with a nasty booger on it and searches for something to spit in.
Trying to save the sale, Xander grabs another bar from a different
box.

Xander: It's the, uh, the gritty texture, isn't it? Maybe you're more
a cherry-berry fellow.

There is a pounding on the door. Desperate sounding. Giles, still
suffering from Boost crap in his mouth, heads for the door. Before he
reaches it, it bursts open and Spike runs inside. He is holding a
tarp over his head, protection from the sunlight.

Spike: Close the door!

Xander: Spike? You may want to give up these morning jogs.

Spike: Soldiers boys are out in force. I've been trying to keep them
off my scent. Run them in circles. But they keep coming.

Giles takes a quick inspection of his door but he is still able to
close it. Spike drops the tarp in relief.

Giles: And . . . how is this our concern? Seeing as how you've
expressed the desire to have nothing more to do with us.

Xander: Spike said that?

Giles: Mm-hmm.

Xander: (to Spike with feeling) . . . That hurts.

Spike: (exasperated) All right. What do you want me to say? I need
help. (points at Giles) And no cheek from you.

Giles makes a show of zipping his lips shut.

Spike: (shrugs his coat off his shoulder) Look! The buggers shot me.
In the back.

Giles in unmoved and leans against his desk.

Giles: Remind me. Why should I help you?

Spike: (scoff) Because you do that. You're the goody-good guys.
You're the bloody freaking cavalry.

Giles: No, you can come up with a better answer than that. Why should
*I* help *you*?

Spike: (thinks) Ooh! Because I helped you! When you turned into that
Fyarl demon, I helped you, didn't I? (smug)

Giles: And that was out of the, um, evilness of your heart?

Spike: (grinning) Oh, hell no. I made you pay me-- (stops grinning
and looks at Giles' stoic, but hard, expression) You right
bastard. (he digs out the money from his coat pocket and slams it into
Giles' palm) That's all that's left. I spent the rest on blood and
smokes, which I'll never see again. (sees Xander and Anya still
sitting) Ah, come on! Circle the wagons. Tend to the wounded here.
No time for layabouts.

Cut to Riley's room. Buffy is in his bed looking comfortable (her
sleep-mussed hair just working for me!). She wakes up and her eyes
take in her surroundings. Worried, she suddenly rolls over and finds
Riley lying next to her, already awake, looking at her.

Riley: (smiling) Hey. What's the matter? Weren't expecting to see
me?

Buffy: (relaxing again) I never know what to expect.

They're secure enough with their morning breaths and start kissing in
a lazy manner. An electronic chirping sound fills the room.

Buffy: (laughing) Your robot bird sounds hungry.

Riley: It's just a reminder to take my vitamins.

He rolls over and grabs a medicine bottle on his nightstand as the
chirping ends.

Buffy: (teasing) You're kidding.

He downs the pills with a glass of water and returns to his original
position. Tucking the sheet around her chest, Buffy sit up against
the headboard.

Riley: Sorry.

Buffy: (starts to play with his short bangs with her fingers) Quite
the regimental soldier.

Riley: I am how they trained me.

Buffy: They? Who they?

Riley: You know, the government. Plucked me out of special op
training for this.

Buffy: What did they tell you it was for?

Riley: They didn't. In the military you learn to follow orders. Not
ask questions.

Buffy: I don't understand. Aren't you curious about all the science
and research stuff they're doing?

Riley: Hm. I know all I need to know. We're doing good here.
Protecting the public. Removing the subterrestrial threat. It's work
worth doing.

They're silent for a moment. Buffy becomes serious.

Buffy: What's 314?

Riley seems surprised by the question but before he can say anything,
his phone rings.

Riley: (answers it) Riley.

Walsh: (VO) We have a situation. You're needed.

Riley: On my way.

He hangs up.

Buffy: What is it?

Riley: Don't know. (gets up)

Buffy: You're really not one for asking questions, are you?

Riley: (smiles) I'll leave that to you.

Cut to Initiative headquarters. Riley, in commando attire, is walking
across the floor when he glances at the metal security door and stops.
He walks over and peers through the small wired-glass window. Down
the corridor he can see the door marked 314.

Walsh: Lose your way, agent?

Turns to face Walsh, standing behind him.

Riley: No ma'am.

Walsh: I've instructed Beta Team to suspend pursuit of Hostile 17
until your arrival. I didn't want any slip-ups, that's why I'm
putting you in charge. (hands him a piece of paper) You'll rendezvous
with them at these coordinates.

He acknowledges with a nod and starts to walk off.

Walsh: Riley. (he faces her) Make me proud.

Riley: Yes, ma'am.

He continues on and Walsh watches him leave.

Cut to lab behind door 314. Dr. Angleman is in surgical scrubs and
has just finished using an electric bone-saw on something we can't
see.

Walsh: (OS) I think we've got a situation.

Angleman looks up from his work and as he pulls his mask down we see
his latexed fingers are bloodied.

Angleman: The Slayer?

Walsh: (begins to pace) She's becoming a liability.

Angleman: We knew that was a danger. Does she know about the project?

Walsh: She knows it exists. She already holds too much influence over
Riley --over Agent Finn.

Angleman: We move to the contingency scenario?

Walsh: Right away.

Angleman is now using scissor clamps on the something we still can't
see.

Angleman: That's too bad. She could have been a powerful ally.

Walsh: I know.

Angleman: And Finn will take it hard.

Walsh: That's why sooner is better.

We finally see what Angleman was working on as he lifts the left arm,
severed at the shoulder, of the Polgara demon lying on the table. He
moves away from the table with it and we can see Adam on a another
table several feet away.

Walsh: (to herself) It's better.

Cut to Giles' apartment. Spike is sitting backwards in a chair, his
bare chest against the backrest. Giles is standing behind him,
wearing latex gloves, exploring the wound with a pair of long
tweezers. Xander and Anya are on either side of him shining
flashlights on the wound.

Spike: Oww! Watch it. That hurts.

Giles: It doesn't appear to be a bullet. It's too deeply embedded to
be a tranquilizer dart.

Spike: (grumble) Also not tranquil.

Giles: Some sort of . . . illumination emanating from it. It's
blinking.

Spike: I don't care if it's playing 'Rockin' the Casbah' on the bloody
Jew's harp, (human growling) just get it out of me!

Giles: Anya, there's a bottle of Cognac in the cabinet next to the
sink. Can you get it for me?

Spike: (as she leaves) What? You're gonna get snockered now?

Giles: It's not for me, you prat. If I'm gonna operate on you then I
need you in anesthetized. It's going to take some time. (picks up a
scalpel)

Xander: We don't have any. That blinking thing. My pseudo-soldier
memory bank tells me that's a tracer.

Giles: A what?

Spike: A what?

Xander: It's like a homing beacon. And if commando guys are reading
the signal, they're coming home.

Anya returns with the bottle and offers it to Spike. He grabs it and
takes a healthy swig.

Giles: Well, we need to buy some time. It's in deep and I'm no
surgeon.

Cut to Buffy and Willow's dorm room, in Stevenson Hall. Buffy walks
inside and closes the door behind her. The room is empty and she sees
that Willow's bed is just as undisturbed as her own. She goes to her
desk to put down her bag and takes off her jacket. She's no longer
wearing the infamous halter top (no, you gutterfaces, she's not
topless) she's wearing a dark long-sleeve blouse. The door opens
behind her and Willow walks in.

Willow: Oh, hi.

Buffy: Hey. (indicating the bed) Out all night, huh?

Willow: You, too.

Buffy: Yeah.

They're silent for a moment and Willow is fidgeting with something in
her hand. It's the dolls-eye crystal she had refused from Tara
yesterday. (Hmm . . .) She walks to her side of the room and sets it
on top of her dresser.

Buffy: Sorry about bailing on you guys at the Bronze.

Willow: That's okay. I . . . (glances at the crystal, then to Buffy)
Don't worry about it.

Buffy: (smiles) Okay.

Buffy's pager goes off and she retrieves it from her bag.

Willow: Wow, they really keep you hopping, don't they?

Buffy: (clipping it to the waistband of her blue jeans) Yeah. I gotta
go. I'll see ya?

Willow watches her leave. Then the phone rings and she crosses the
room to answer it.

Willow: Hello?

Cut to Giles. He's using his new cordless phone (*A New Man).

Giles: Willow. You're there at last. We have a problem. Where's
Buffy?

Willow: (cut to) Just left. (sarcastic) Beeped away by her new buds.
You want me to go after her?

Giles: (cut to) Uh, no, no. It's your help I need, actually.

Willow: (cut to) Really? What do you want me to do?

Cut to Initiative headquarters. Buffy is walking with Walsh.

Walsh: It's a small job. Reconnaissance. Probabl