Buffy the Vampire Slayer

POISON CLAN

By Bryan "Blade" Bonner

"Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and related characters are the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Productions, 20^th Century Fox, and Warner Brothers. Original concepts of the Centipede, Snake, Scorpion, Lizard, and Toad are the property of Chang Cheh and Entertainment Programs International (EPI). All other characters and story concept is the property of the author, Bryan A. Bonner. This story is not intended for sale or commercial profit. Any unauthorized reproduction, copying, or use of any portion of this story, without the author’s express permission is prohibited. All rights reserved.

Chapter 5 – Allies

Buffy and Allen walked for a while, in part to see if the would be stalker would take the rather obvious bait. He did, the trench coat pursuer wasn’t too far behind them.

"Follow my lead" Buffy directed Allen to an alleyway not too far from where she’d parked. If things got dicey, Buffy could cut lose with minimum danger to civilians.

For Allen, this cloak and dagger scenario was unfamiliar territory. Two days ago he was freshman matriculating with the UC Sunnydale Class of 2003. Today he’s a key player in a global conspiracy to stop the world from being purged by Tien-mu at the hands of legendary kung fu vampires. Not to mention his close friend was vampire slayer who dealt with the "undead" on a rather regular basis. Now he’s ducking around corners trying to surprise the bad guys in stereotypical dark glasses and trench coats. At any moment Allen knew his alarm clock would go off and he’d be off to class. As he saw the rats scurrying in the alleyway, he knew he wasn’t waking up anytime soon.

Buffy perched herself just around the corner, stake drawn "this is gonna be quick and painless, well at least for us" she whispered to Allen. But for her natural combative instincts, Buffy wouldn’t have realized her attacker was half way around the corner. Almost with the speed of thought, she reacted, driving the stake directly to the presumed attacker’s heart. Buffy waited for the customary dust explosion…all she got was a crooked smile.

"Stake first, ask questions later is that what they’re teaching slayers nowadays or am I special?" The stranger flexed his chest muscle sending the stake across the alley floor!

Buffy realized "typical" didn’t quite capture her presumed opponent. "Do you always stalk your food before you eat or were you watching my ass?" Buffy drew back into forward fighting stance.

"Cute kid, already ate…" before he could finish Buffy’s front kick, reverse punch, and elbow strike interrupted his sentence. The stranger’s head whipped to one side, he staggered back half a step, and then smiled.

"Is that all you’ve got slayer?" the stranger’s smile became sinister, fangs protruding slightly over his lower lip.

"Not really" learning her lesson from the Centipede encounter, Buffy wasn’t underestimating this opponent. A vicious jump front kick, followed by a jump spinning back kick, caused Buffy’s opponent to stagger. Side blade kick to the supporting knee knocked him off his feet. However, Buffy’s finishing Muay Thai knee strike was blocked, causing Buffy to loose her balance. Rolling with the move, Buffy’s back tuck allowed her a graceful landing. The strange attacker was now on the offensive. Triple reverse punch, high-low round house kicks, and a ridge hand, Buffy countered every move, she realized the stranger was not as fast as Centipede, but he was stronger than most vamps.

Not being without more than one resource, Buffy spun backwards, pulling two more sharpened stakes from her mid drift jacket. "Don’t forget to write…from hell" Buffy’s accuracy was deadly, head and heart! Her fighting spirit and jaw dropped when the stranger caught the headshot and allowed the other to bounce harmlessly from his body.

During the thirty seconds battle, Allen’s mind was moving faster than the speed of thought. Something inside of his being was flooding his mind with information, images, history, heritage downloading several centuries of history into his cerebral cortex like a high pressure hose of data. Holding his skull, Allen dropped to his knees, his eyes rolling into the back of his head, his brain almost incapable of absorbing the relentless stream of information. As quickly as it began, it stopped. The hurricane of white noise that filled his mind, his soul, was replaced by an uncanny calm. His soul was at peace.

"Toad!" Allen stood up.

"Actually I go by Cage these days, but we’ll have time for formal introductions later" the stranger turned his attention away from Buffy and onto Allen.

"I will not allow you to pervert Sifu Quan Chi’s teachings any longer, this ends here, ends now" Allen planted himself is a firm fighting stance.

"The Renewing Phoenix appears to have completed its transformation, your destiny is revealed" the stranger almost sounded relieved.

Buffy wasn’t sure what to make of this surrealistic conversation. "Can we get back to the part where we collectively kick you butt back to Asia or wherever you’re from?!?" Allen’s new warrior spirit caused Buffy’s confidence to rise.

"I love to trade blows with you to kids, but I think they might have other plans" the stranger, Cage, pointed to the mouth of the alleyway where a dozen vampires hungrily rounded the corner.

"Friends of yours? What’s the matter, afraid of one wittle ole slayer?" Buffy and Allen prepared for a group attack.

"Just like fish in a barrel boys. Nobody leaves alive" the vampire spokesman snarled.

"Aww come on, is that the best you can do" Allen was picking up on Buffy’s sarcasm. "Fish in a barrel that’s so ‘All in the Family’." Glancing at Buffy, Allen noticed an approving nod from her, acknowledging his first combat humor attempt.

"Don’t know these clowns. Something tells me they’re not lost looking for a book club" the stranger reached up into his trench coat, his gloved hand falling to his side revealing a sterling silver, black grip, extended magazine, Glock machine pistol!

"Your brains vanish with your soul? Guns don’t work on vampires. Didn’t they teach you guys that in basic Vampire 101?" Buffy was once again using her sarcasm to conceal her anxiety.

"Who said I lost my soul?" Cage grinned. "Shut up and learn kid." Cage dropped to one knee and sprayed the front line attackers with gunfire. To Buffy and Allen’s amazement, and the surprise of the attackers, they disappeared in a barrage of dust!

"Damn!!!" Allen was genuinely impressed; Buffy was stunned.

"Hey, how come I don’t have one of those? I am the slayer and everything. What are you union or something?" Buffy regained her composure for the remaining attackers.

"Birthday gift" Cage raised the gun to his face, rolled on his back, and popped up revealing the weapon’s twin. Unleashing the fury of both weapons, the remaining vampires that weren’t dusted ran.

"No fair, I didn’t get to finish beating out all this pent up frustration, guess I’ll just have to take it out on you" Buffy wasn’t convinced Cage was a savior.

Before Buffy could shift her leg weight to launch her attack, the weapon that had had just helped save her ass was now in her face! Through his sunglasses, Buffy could feel Cage’s stare.

"Buffy" Allen’s reaction was instinctive and immediate. A double front tuck put Allen within meters of Buffy, but in the front of Cage’s other barrel!

"Don’t force me to end this before it starts." Cage’s tone was serious and deadly. "We have a common foe…Tien-mu. Ring any bells?"

Hearing the name surprised Buffy and Allen.

"Good faith…" Cage lower and holstered his weapons, placing his hands carefully by his side "…an olive branch."

Buffy and Allen relaxed their stance.

"Your one of the five, the Toad" Allen’s confusion was evident.

"Not to mention a blood sucking fiend from beyond the grave" Buffy’s sarcasm was now dripping "sorry…I meant vampire."

"Later, long story. Now, we make like wind before we have to deal with reinforcements" Cage was already out the alley doorway.

"I’ll meet you at Mr. Giles’ apartment."

"Done." Buffy paused on the way towards her car, something was askew. Turning to face Cage "How do you know where Giles’ lives? How do you know who he is?!?"

"Who watches the Watcher" Cage’s grin showed his fangs once more. A screeching alley cat momentarily distracted Buffy, Cage was gone.