“That was really stupid of you, I hope you know.”
The demon gave a grunt of pain as Hasna wrapped his arm tightly. “Yeah,” he breathed, “I rather got that.”
She just glared at him. “You’re very lucky to be alive,” she said.
He rolled his red-tinted eyes at her. “Look, I kinda got the idea when my arm nearly got torn out of its socket, thanks.”
The makeshift sling done, Hasna sat back a bit on her heels. “Serves you right,” she said. “You’re no match for a Ryalta demon.”
He was not cowed by her manner. “Someone had to save those kids,” he said instead.
“Did you think suicide was going to save them?”
“I...”
Any retort the young demon might have made was interrupted by his sister, screaming on the top of her lungs. “What the hell did you think you were doing?” Daneela called, storming across the vast room as best she could while weaving in between the seats.
“I...”
“I have told everyone that any fighting is to be done in groups!” she yelled. “We can’t afford to lose anybody right now! But you, you just had to be a hero, huh, Malik?”
He looked back and forth between the doctor and his sister. Finally, he sighed. “You’re right, I was stupid,” he said.
“Damn right,” Daneela agreed, but the wind seemed to have been taken out of her sails by his calm agreement.
“Just, tell me one thing,” he finished. “Are the kids okay?”
Hasna and Daneela shared a smile. “Yeah, the kids are fine,” Hasna replied calmly. “And after I look them over, they are going to be wanting to thank you in person. And then probably their parents as well.”
Malik winced in anticipation. “You couldn’t just give me something to knock me out, could you?” he pleaded with the doctor.
She laughed, then stood, leaving the demon to nurse his injuries in peace. Daneela fell in step beside her.
“It’s good that you’re here,” she began.
Hasna felt a pang of guilt. If it wasn’t for her, this whole thing might not be necessary. “It’s the least I can do,” she said.
“I just worry, you know?” Daneela continued. “We haven’t lost anyone yet, but if they keep going like this...the injured are going to outnumber the healthy, and then how are we supposed to keep our neighbors safe?”
“Maybe you need a change in tactics,” Hasna suggested.
The demoness looked instantly hopeful.
“But I’m a doctor, not a tactician,” she finished quickly.
Daneela’s disappointment was palpable.
“Maybe we need just need reinforcements!” came an excited voice from near at hand.
Hasna and Daneela looked at him sharply. One of the youngsters who’d volunteered for sentry duty was standing in the doorway near at hand. Daneela was obviously about to berate him for eavesdropping – not to mention leaving his post - then gasped. “Slayer!”
“Oh my,” Hasna said a heartbeat later.
Coming from around the young – and slightly awed – sentry, Buffy gave an awkward laugh. “Thanks for the warm welcome.”
But Hasna was already turning her attention on who else was with Buffy. The younger Slayer had probably never been this far down in the levels of the city. She was gawking openly.
“He picked us up at the lair,” Buffy was saying, gesturing at her escort.
He puffed up his chest proudly.
Buffy wasn’t done, though. “It was nearly empty,” she continued, sounding a touch angry. “What the *hell* are you guys doing?”
“Someone had to take care of things with Angel gone,” Daneela said a bit defensively.
Hasna kept her tone steady as she could. “They moved everything here so that nothing would happen to it.”
“Even the furniture,” Daneela contributed quickly. “So you can move right in whenever...”
“Dani,” Hasna interrupted. “Why don’t you, uh, show Buffy’s friend around the place?”
The demoness shot her an odd look, but complied.
Once she was out of earshot, Buffy chuckled. “So, a theater, huh?” she said. “For unique dwelling places, this definitely competes with the train station.”
Hasna shot her a pained look for a second, and Buffy stopped her ramble with a frown. “What?”
She didn’t reply at first. “Don’t you have somewhere to be?” she said to the sentry still hovering behind Buffy.
He blushed and vanished at her rather harsh tone.
As alone as the two of them could be in the busy building, Hasna finally turned her full attention on Buffy. “Where’s Angel?” she asked without preamble.
Buffy’s frown gained a hint of sadness, and Hasna gasped.
“Oh, no! He’s not...”
The blond Slayer shook her head quickly. “No, he’s just...” she sighed. “Remember when I told you about running into the Watchers? Well, they’ve got Angel. And through him, they’ve got me.”
That only made Hasna’s guilt redouble on itself. If only she hadn’t contacted them again... “I...oh...”
“What is it?” Buffy asked suspiciously.
She turned a sad gaze on Buffy and led her over to one of the old chairs. “I’m afraid...this is all my fault, Buffy.”
She sprang to her feet, eyes flashing angrily. “What the hell do you mean?!”
Her outcry drew the attention of a number of the others in the old theater, and Hasna held out her hand in entreaty. “Please, sit,” she begged. “I’ll explain everything.”
Buffy’s expression was cold. “I trusted you. He trusted you,” she said.
“I know. I’m sorry.”
Slowly, she sat again, her gaze closed and wary.
Hasna took a deep breath and began her story. “My father was a Watcher,” she said. “So it was always expected I would be one, too. I started training from the age of about ten. They taught me everything I know about medicine and magic. And everything I know about demons.”
To her credit, Buffy remained silent, though her anger did not dissipate.
“Then, when I was eighteen, I had to undergo a field trial. I was left to my own devices for one week to catalogue any demons in a particular area and determine any threat.”
“What happened?” Buffy asked at last.
Hasna gave her a sad smile. “I met someone, someone who decided to help me. He quickly became a friend. Could have become more than a friend in time. And he just happened to erupt into patches of purple scales when he got particularly emotional.”
“Demon,” Buffy said in surprised understanding.
Hasna shook her head slightly. “Hybrid, actually. Just another guy, going about his life in the lower levels, who took it upon himself to help a new girl to the area. He was so kind.... I never told my superiors about him when I made my report.”
She had to take a deep breath before she could continue. “We kept in touch for almost two years before they somehow found out. I’d...started to see other problems with the Watchers by then, but when they found out.... The last I saw of Ravi, he was being dragged through the halls of headquarters by two of their goons. They made a point of making sure I saw him.”
“Oh, god,” Buffy gasped.
“I packed and left that night,” she continued. “So, you see, when you said you encountered the Watchers, I was terrified. I knew what could happen. So I wrote them a letter.”
“You did what?”
Hasna gave a sad nod. “Really backfired on me, didn’t it?”
Buffy shook her head. “You couldn’t have known,” she said. “Sure, it was stupid to do, but they’d already seen us. He’s just another vampire to them, and I...” she shook her head.
“You’re in danger of being another slightly supernatural human ‘contained’ for your own protection,” Hasna pointed out.
“What do you mean by that?”
“Didn’t you wonder what those Watchers you encountered were after?” she asked. “They think the psychics are too dangerous to be left out on the street, so if they find one... I have not heard of one ever being seen again.”
Buffy shivered visibly.
“They’re here now,” Hasna continued, “the psychics. They answered the call just like I did. I’m trying to make things right. They’re trying to protect each other and their homes. Once Angel disappeared...”
“What’s that have to do with anything?” Buffy asked, confused.
“You don’t have any idea how important Angel is to this area, do you?” Hasna asked in surprise. “He’s been keeping this little section of the bottom city safe for generations now. You’d be amazed how many stories of him there are. He’s a local legend. And now that he’s come out of the shadows, he’s more than that. This was the worst possible time for him to have been taken.”
Buffy’s eyes went wide in understanding. “It’s gotten worse? The demons?”
Hasna nodded. “Much.”
The Slayer smiled slightly. “So that’s what you’re all doing. Teaming up against the demons.”
Hasna could not help but smile back slightly. “It didn’t start that way,” she said. “It started with Richard. He was determined to find out who had captured the two of you and go storming to the rescue. Then...well, he and the couple of people he’d managed to recruit got into some local trouble. Daneela took over, and a good thing too. She’s gotten everyone organized...and realizing that they too can keep everyone safe.”
“Daneela?” Buffy said in surprise, gesturing at the pretty demoness.
“There’s more to her than it looks like.”
“Must be,” Buffy muttered. She sighed then. “Listen, we can’t stay long. The Watchers are going to start looking for us, and I don’t want to bring them down on your heads.”
“We understand,” Daneela said, abruptly joining in the conversation. The other Slayer was right behind her, but she wasn’t paying attention to the demoness. Instead, her full attention was on the young man about her age walking beside her. Both Hasna and Buffy recognized him as the telekinetic Buffy and Angel had rescued from the Watchers not that long ago. They shared a smile.
“It was an honor meeting you, Tamika,” Tomas said with teasing gallantry to the young Slayer.
She gave an obviously nervous giggle that was quickly stifled. “Please,” she said a bit embarrassed, “just call me Tammy.”
“As you wish.”
Buffy cleared her throat. “I think we should be going,” she said loud enough for the other Slayer to hear.
The girl nodded and pulled away from her new admirer. “It was nice meeting you,” she said.
“Slayer,” Daneela said quickly before they could leave, “just so you know...the moment you need us, we’ll come running. Just let us know.”
Buffy gave a sad smile. “Thanks. But I don’t want to put you all in any danger.”
“We’re in danger all the time,” Daneela said seriously. “We need you and Angel here. The demons...”
“You should get going,” Hasna interrupted.
The demoness leader glared at her.
“I don’t intend to stay with the Watchers,” Buffy said strongly.
“Be careful,” Hasna admonished.
Buffy smirked slightly. “Always,” she agreed, then hurried out of the theater with Tamika in tow.
Once they were gone, Hasna turned to face Daneela’s glare. “What?”
“Why didn’t you let me tell her about your suspicions? About the demon concentration?”
“She has enough to worry about,” Hasna said calmly.
“But...a weak spot between Earth and Hell...she should know...”
“They’re Slayers,” Hasna said strongly. “They’ll know soon enough.”
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