by Rob Sorenson

*******Watcher's Council Headquarters, Mar 1975*******

Katzenbach could barely put one foot in front of the other. The brutal revelations of the past hour were more than any normal person could bear; yet Travers wanted more. The German took a deep breath.

<Inge, >he thought. <If for no other reason I must do this for her. > He rounded the corner and entered the stately library, where Rupert Giles awaited him.

Giles was pretending to be deeply engrossed in a book he'd picked out earlier; in fact he'd been nervously pacing the floor when he heard approaching footsteps. When Katzenbach walked in he put aside the

pretense and resumed standing, but the elder Watcher noticed Rupert's choice of material.

"Shakespeare? Which play?"

Giles appeared slightly embarrassed. "Romeo And Juliet."

"Rather sad."

"Some would say romantic...but certainly sad, yes."

"She's gone."

The young man blinked at the sudden change of subject.

"I'm sorry?"

Hans simply stared at him, desperately trying to keep his raging emotions in check.

Rupert Giles sank slowly into the nearest chair.

"That can't be. That's....not possible."

Katzenbach didn't have the strength to offer comfort to the young man. In truth, it was requiring all his energies to remain upright, much less speak excessively.

Giles felt sick. He himself had padlocked the door to the old home in the East End of London. He'd never considered the possibility that someone with Inge's strength of character would fail the test. He didn't understand the necessity of it, and had told Hans so. Still...Inge dead? That was simply unacceptable. His voice came out in a strangled whisper.

"She was so strong...so capable. How could this happen?" Hans swallowed hard.

"The fault for her death is mine. I did not...train her properly."

Giles stood back up as if a gunshot had been fired, eyes flaring.

"Bollocks! That girl was stronger than you or I without her Slayer powers. Smarter as well."

"Rupert-"

"What the Hell are you playing at, telling me that she wasn't trained properly? I saw her, Hans. One vampire was not going to outmatch Inge Steiner."

"Giles, you must listen to me-"

"Something is wrong here. She cannot simply be dead."

Katzenbach slammed his hand on the table hard enough to send the Shakespeare collection to the floor.

"Dammit, Rupert, shut up!!!"

Giles was shocked into silence. Not once had he ever heard Hans Katzenbach so much as raise his voice. The German went on in a barely controlled tone.

"If you were ever going to listen to me, do it now. I was asked to come in here and reinforce your loyalties. I was to admit to my wrongdoing in terms of my.....feelings...."--Katzenbach's voice nearly broke here--"....for my Slayer."

"Perhaps I was indeed wrong. I don't know. I've done many things wrong in my life. I will not, however, lie to you. You are too smart for that anyway."

He moved closer to Giles, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"I was raised to believe that this Council had a noble purpose. To aid the Slayer in protecting the world. So were you. That noble purpose is being buried by Quentin Travers. The Council is corrupt, and will

become more dangerous as time goes by. The Slayer's existence was never destined to be pleasant, but our job was to make it more bearable. Travers sees them as tools of his trade. Nothing more. He's never had a Slayer of his own. He hasn't watched them collapse with emotion as someone explains what they're about to lose because of a twist of fate that occurred before they were born. Someone, somewhere, decided that this girl's life was forfeit, and Travers uses decent human feelings as a way to control the Watchers

who are supposed to support these children."

Giles pulled away from him, unwilling to hear any more. He tried to turn away, but Katzenbach walked around him now, his flagging energy restored momentarily. Giles stopped in his tracks as the older man

faced him again.

"You must hear this, Rupert. Inge would need you to hear this."

Giles stared at him for a moment, then simply nodded.

"I tell you these things because you have to make a choice. You have three.

"One, you can walk away from this. Leave the Council."

"Two, you can attempt to tell your family about what is happening here. They won't believe you since Travers covers his tracks so well, but you could try. Even if they did, Quentin is entrenched in his

Position now. They are influential, but not ruthless. Travers is utterly ruthless. Please believe me when I tell you that."

"Three, you can stay and work within the system. Wait for your time to come. Travers considers it politically expedient for you to remain an active Watcher because of your family's influence. In my opinion this is what you should do."

"You're asking me to remain part of an organization that is ruthless and corrupt? To what end, Hans? What can I do?"

"As I said...wait for your time. If you do your job, and do it quietly and efficiently, you will have a Slayer of your own one day. Travers wants ruthless, pragmatic people. Let him believe you are this way. I made the worst mistake of my life when I listened to that man's threats. The real power lays in the hands of the Slayer...not the Council. Always remember that."

"What will you do?"

Katzenbach took a deep breath.

"I imagine Quentin will grant me a position within the Council with no real authority. He'll view it as a triumph. My time has passed anyway. It is of no consequence what happens to me."

"Hans, I don't know if I can do this. How can I work for these people after what you've just told me? It could be many years before I get a Slayer of my own, and even then there are no guarantees that anything will change."

"I know I am asking a lot of you. I also know that there are no guarantees. We have to hope that you have a Slayer with Inge's qualities. If you do, and you don't allow Quentin to assert control over her life, things can and will change. I have to believe that. I have to believe that Inge's death will mean something. Otherwise..."

Katzenbach looked down, voice breaking, unable to continue. Giles squeezed his shoulder, his own emotions close to the surface.

"I will do as you ask, Hans. For her and for you."

Hans looked back to him with misted eyes.

"Let your Slayer follow her heart. Trust her. Allow her to live. Don't isolate her from the world as we're taught to do. They are all so very special, Rupert. All of them."

Giles only nodded, too full to speak. Katzenbach nodded in return, clearing his throat to gather himself as he turned to walk out of the room. Giles called after him.

"Has another...been called?"

The older Watcher didn't break stride, saying the last words as he left the room.

"Yes. I heard about it on the way over here. Our new Slayer is in New York City."

Quentin Travers was seated in the room, appearing well satisfied with events. Peter spoke up.

"Father, do you believe Katzenbach will truly convince Giles to follow the path we wish?"

"Actually, Peter, I'm uncertain. We certainly provided him with motivation, however. I think young Rupert will listen. Frankly it doesn't matter very much. I simply want to keep the Giles family in our camp

as long as possible. A compliant Rupert will achieve this."

"Could he be a factor in the future?"

"I highly doubt it. Mr. Giles will never have a Slayer of his own if I can help it. He'll be in secondary status. A Watcher will have to die before he assumes control. I confess that is a possibility, but it's a risk I'm willing to take in order to keep him with us for now."

"Katzenbach is returning, father."

The three men fell silent as Hans entered the room. Katzenbach, almost against his will, cast his eyes at the cage in the corner....

And saw nothing. Travers spoke up silently.

"Hans, you have done your duty. Though I'm still disappointed in your conduct with this Slayer, your performance with Mr. Giles is commendable."

"Where is she?"

"I'm going to recommend that you be placed in a position on the

Counc--"

"WHERE...is she?!"

"Calm yourself, Hans. Take a closer look."

Katzenbach moved toward the cage, doing as he was told--and stopped in his tracks.

A small pile of dust was gathered on the floor at it's center. Travers spoke softly.

"I may not have approved of it, but I am aware that you cared for her. In deference to that, we destroyed her while you were away so that you wouldn't have to. We're not monsters."

The German took a long look at the pile, and slowly turned to his fellow Watcher.

"Do you expect me to thank you?"

"Of course not. There was nothing personal in all this. The Council occasionally must do unpleasant things. That is our destiny. As far as your individual destiny goes, as I was trying to say before,

there is a place in the Council for someone of your knowledge and experience. You've proven your loyalty and ability to rise to the occasion today. For this reason I wish to keep you at my side...to handle administrative duties and operate in an advisory capacity for future Watchers. If you choose to accept, of course."

Their eyes held for a moment. Katzenbach gave the slightest ghost of a smile as he spoke through clenched teeth.

"I do indeed accept, Quentin. It would be an honor to serve."

*********************************************************

The Scooby Gang stared at the ringing phone. Finally Buffy spoke to no one in particular.

"I'll get it."

She punched the required button. "Hello?"

She was initially greeted with silence. Just as she was about to repeat herself a strong, clipped voice came through the line.

(Who the Hell is this?)

Buffy felt a burning sensation in her stomach at the sound. This was the man she'd been looking for.

"You've reached the Slayer hotline. How may I kill you?"

She was again greeted by a momentary silence before the voice spoke up again.

(Which Slayer am I speaking to?)

"Does it matter?"

(I like to know who I'm dealing with).

"Same here."

(Fair enough. I'm Colonel Tony Martineau. Watcher's Security.)

"Summers. Buffy Summers."

She'd always wanted to do that.

(I take it your sister still lives).

Buffy's eye twitched. She came very close to crushing the phone in her hand. Out of the corner of her eye she spotted Xander breathing deeply, eyes closed. Trying to calm her. The sight of that alone helped her maintain her composure.

"She does."

(Pity. She killed a good man).

"Yeah, a really wonderful man who tortures people I care about."

(If you simply did your duty this wouldn't have been necessary. You left us with no alternative).

"You mean outside of going out of business and letting us handle things?"

(Fighting evil IS our business, Miss Summers).

"Could've fooled me."

(You are destined to work for the Council. It has lasted two thousand years for a reason).

"Yeah, the reason is a bunch of guys can't deal with the fact that a girl is in charge."

(This is pointless to continue. It is long past time for talk. Your group must be destroyed).

"Not if I find you first."

(I'll be looking forward to seeing you, then. Is the other Slayer available?)

Buffy ticked her eyes toward Faith, who raised her eyebrows.

"Yes, she's here."

(May I speak with her?)

Buffy shrugged. "Since you asked nicely." She held the phone out. "Asshole bad guy wants to talk to you."

"Cool." Faith took the proffered cell. "Say, you DO know that this could be a Hell of a roaming charge if you're outta state, right?"

(You would be Faith?)

"Got it in one."

(I just wanted to let you know that my men are looking forward to meeting you. They like their whores experienced. You started quite young, yes?)

Faith didn't so much as blink an eye.

"Well, yeah....don't take this personal or nothin', but in my experience you soldier types carry those big guns to compensate, if you know what I'm getting at."

(Your little Alexander is preferable, then?)

"Nothing little about him, Colonel Mustard."

(You overheard my conversation with Miss Summers, then?)

"Slayer hearing. It's a perk."

(I have a report in front of me regarding the entire clone affair. Pierre Leveque left it behind. I take it you remember him? You sent us a very personal message as I recall).

"Yep, that was little ole' me, all right."

(I wonder if little Alexander screamed when his leg was broken?)

Silence.

(Faith? Did he cry out for you to save him when his ribs were imploded? Did you make it in time to stop his pain? I must ask you a favor. When you come after me could you bring him along? I'd so enjoy taking a crack at him myself.)

Faith's voice was hushed.

"You're not getting anywhere near him."

(Come now, Faith. You really have no room to talk. Have you ever protected anyone successfully? Your first Watcher? Your old friend the Mayor of Sunnydale? I think not. It's not something you're good

at. Little Alexander must be aware of this, yes? Admit it. Your skills are limited to killing and shagging.)

Faith's response was to whirl and throw the cellphone into the wall, shattering it on impact. Everyone in the room was startled except Buffy, Spike and Angel. They had heard every word. The dark haired Slayer faced her blonde counterpart.

"I'm feeling a real strong need to find these bastards."

Buffy nodded and looked to Willow.

"Will, we need you and Wes to work on tracking these guys. The Council must have another base of operations in America. I'm tired of waiting for them to hit us. It's our turn to hit them."

******************************************************

Martineau hung up the phone and looked across his desk at Peter and Paul Travers. smiling.

"I take it you boys heard everything?"

Two nodding heads supplied the answer.

"Unfortunately Dawn Summers still lives. This was a possibility, of course. In reality her death was a means to an end anyway. I simply wanted to arouse the Slayers to action."

Paul Travers spoke in response.

"You certainly did that, sir."

"Yes, well, I had to think on my feet there. I never considered the possibility of anyone on our team being caught. They're too good for the Slayer to have done that without assistance. That is an x factor that we aren't aware of. I cannot say I'm pleased with that. One way or the other, though, they're coming for us here. Precisely as I was hoping for."

Peter spoke this time.

"If I may ask, sir, why would you want them to come after us? Eventually we could pick them off one by one."

"With all due respect, Peter, that hasn't worked very well so far. A new approach is needed."

"And that approach would be?"

"Once the Slayers and their followers come to us, I plan to start a full scale war. Every weapon at our disposal. These people are concerned only with primeval forces. There's not a real soldier among them.

Still, though, I doubt it will come to that."

Both Travers boys raised their eyebrows, but Paul spoke for them this time.

"You doubt that they will fight? If there is one thing we know..."

Martineau's eyes twinkled.

"I agree that they'll be willing to fight us. Will they be willing to do it if innocents died all around them? The battle won't be fought here."

The Colonel pointed straight up.

"It will be fought there. Above ground. If we know anything about this group, it's their weakness when it comes to innocent life. They can't stomach it. I plan to have the Slayers and her people surrender to me without so much as a whimper. We won't have to fire a shot. All they have to do is come to us."

Peter and Paul Travers smiled.

Outside the office door, Hans Katzenbach removed his ear and walked silently away.

- End Chapter Fifteen -