Fic History Visiting (2/?)

[C A Moore <cab_moore@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Oops! Messed up my own title in the subject line for
the first part.

TITLE: History Visiting (2/?)
AUTHOR: C A Moore (cab_moore@xxxxxxxxx)
PAIRINGS: Eventually B/W, mild B/R, W/T, B/f in
transit
RATING: PG, I suppose, nothing very explicit, yet.
More by implication though, and some nudity; nothing
18+, I think.
DISCLAIMER: Buffy Universe is the property of
Joss/Mutant Enemy/WB. Helen, Jo, Chris & Jane are mine
SUMMARY: A visitor comes to Sunnydale and ruffles a
few feathers. Fits "in the cracks" between "Doomed"
and "A New Man".
SPOILERS: In this part I don?t remember spoiling past
Doomed
AUTHOR?S NOTES: It?s B/W but don?t hold your breath it
will take a while (blasted story keeps expanding).
Mary Sue alert (I don?t need to tell you who).
Thanks to my Beta readers this bit should be a little
smoother.
Everone else, thanks for the feedback so far, more
always welcome. Let the story begin, or continue,
anyway

The morning after the night before....

Xander walked along the passageway towards room 214;
it was 10:00, so he figured that Buffy and Willow
should be up, despite it being Saturday. Reaching the
dorm room door he raised his fist to knock. Before he
touched it a red head in a bathrobe opened the door.

?Yes??

?Err? Buffy and Willow?? he stuttered, trying not to
look at front of the robe.

The girl smiled and tightened the robe,
?They?re still asleep. We had a girls? night, and they
didn?t get to sleep until the not so small hours. I?m
Jo.?

?Sorry, I?m Xander?

?I thought so?, she said, then, noticing his startled
look explained ?They might have mentioned you once or
twice. Do you want me to wake them??

?No I?ll see them later, thanks? Xander replied
turning to leave. 

?Ok. Uh, Bye?, she called after him, and shut the
door.

****

About an hour later, Buffy and Willow were woken by
the ringing of the ?phone. Buffy picked up, it was
Giles.

?Buffy, is Willow there??

?Giles? Yes she is; Good morning to you, too.? Buffy
passed the phone to Willow with an inquiring look.

Willow took the instrument, gesturing to Buffy that
she was as much in the dark as Buffy.
?Giles??

?Willow, during the early morning, our time, someone
penetrated the Watchers Council?s computer system, and
apparently retrieved every bit information on the
system. Apparently they only detected the hacker by
luck, when someone noticed an unusual amount of
network activity. They tried to trace the intruder but
were unsuccessful; during the attempt however they
discovered something disturbing, apparently someone
has been scouring the Internet for any references to
supernatural activity. Whoever, or whatever they are
they seem to have started suddenly just after 4AM and
worked very fast.?

?And the Council came running to you??

?No, actually, but I still have friends on the council
and one of them just contacted me to warn me that this
attacker now knows about Buffy, and her role as the
Slayer. There wasn?t much information on the computers
? the Council aren?t into technology as you know, but
now that this, um, person knows about the Slayer, they
may try to get information by other means.?

?Ok, so what do we do??

?My informant was able to tell me that although the
Council was unable to locate the hacker, some of the
earlier attacks indicated that the source was on the
West Coast. Do you think you could try to trace the
hacker??

?I can try, but if this guy is as good as you say, I
probably won?t find anything?

?If this person wants to harm the Slayer?.?

?I?ll try. I?ll phone you if I find anything.? Willow
hung up, and explained the situation to Buffy.

Fifteen minutes later Willow was busy at her laptop,
while Buffy paced the small room, feeling useless.
There was a gentle knocking at the door; Buffy opened
the door ? it was Jo, bearing coffee.

?Up already?? then gesturing with the coffee ?I
thought you might need reviving?

Willow rose from her position in front of the
computer, and gratefully accepted a drink. As the two
girls sipped the hot liquid she continued,
?I dropped by my hotel to change into something a
little less Friday night, and reassure them that I
wasn?t a missing person yet. You seem to get a lot of
them around here.?

?Hotels??

?Missing persons?

?Oh, yes, vampires?.

Jo looked over to the computer
?You?re trying to trace a hacker??

Willow replied.
?Uh huh, have you done this sort of thing before??

?I worked for a year at a web security firm; I could
have a go if you like?

?I haven?t had any luck, but you?re welcome to try?

Jo moved over to the computer,
?This is a far as you have been able to trace it??
Willow nodded. Jo was soon typing, sporadically, but
fast; Willow had trouble keeping track of what she was
doing as the display was changing very rapidly. ?He
was looking for information on supernatural phenomena
right?? Willow assented again. A few minutes later she
continued, ?He seems to have covered his tracks well,
I don?t think he will be easy to catch?

Watching the two of them at the computer Buffy was
struck by how much they resembled each other, but
couldn?t put her finger on how exactly. She decided to
join the conversation 
?He??

?Or she? Jo conceded.

After about half an hour of searching Jo continued,
?Seems to have placed programs on a large number of
computers worldwide, which located and forwarded the
information, then self-destructed, I can?t trace him
directly, but, I?ve used the West Coast clue, and
checked all the major university systems, and I?ve
found some unusual network activity that seems to
point to a central location?

?Where?? Buffy and Willow asked simultaneously.

?You?re going to love this ? UC Sunnydale?

?Someone here??

?Yes. I?ve checked the security logs for last night,
and somebody entered the computer science building,
around the time the attacks started, using a master
override code to open the door. The same code was used
to exit at around the end of the attacks also. These
was a lot of coming and going around that time, so
something strange must have been going on.?

?Override code? Like security or something?? Willow
asked.

Jo typed a bit more, and answered, ?According to the
patrol logs none of the campus security staff were at
the building at those times.?

?So we still don?t know who? Buffy stated.

?The surveillance tapes from the cameras in the
building might be informative? Jo suggested, ?but I
don?t know how you would get them?

?We might have to? Buffy said grimly.

?We should tell Giles? Willow said, remembering her
promise to keep him informed.

Willow quickly phoned Giles, and told him that they
had some information, and would come over to tell him.


*****

On the way to Giles? place the stopped at the campus
security office on the slim chance that they would be
able to get a look at the footage without resorting to
breaking and entering. Buffy and Willow both found
themselves amazed as Jo quickly charmed the man in
charge to let them see the tapes on the blatantly
flimsy pretext that her boyfriend had claimed to have
been in the computer science building last night, and
she suspected he was cheating on her. Her effort
proved to be unnecessary, as they found that the tapes
were missing.

After they left, the guard considered reporting their
interest in the tapes to the initiative; better not he
decided, offering to let them look at the tapes had
been a major breach of protocol.

The trio arrived at Giles? shortly afterward; Buffy
and Willow did the introductions, and Giles explained
that Xander couldn?t make it as he was working.

When they were seated, Jo positioned easily between
Willow and Buffy with her arms draped across their
shoulders, Giles inquired of Willow
?I believe you had something to tell me?? and looked
doubtfully at Jo.

Willow explained the presence of the third girl.
?Jo offered to help us, and found out that the origin
of the attacks was right here at Sunnydale, the
college in fact.?

?I see?, Giles replied, and then remembering his
position as host ?Would anybody like a cup of tea??

Buffy and Willow declined, Jo accepted the offer;
Giles moved to the kitchen to make the drinks, and Jo
followed.

Jo started the conversation quietly.
?This time yesterday I didn?t even know about demons,
I mean real demons, vampires, the Hellmouth or
Slayers. It?s like you are living in an entirely
different world, dealing every day with a menace that
most of the world doesn?t even know exists?

Giles followed with his standard reply
?Sometimes it is better not to know.?

Jo agreed,
?This knowledge is definitely in the two edged sword
category. I understand why you want to restrict it,
and I have no intention of interfering?

Giles was surprised by the girl?s blunt statement, but
also relieved
?Thankyou. You seem to be very perceptive?

Jo looked over at Willow and Buffy who appeared to be
discussing ideas on the identity of the mysterious
hacker.
?I know you want to protect her, so do I. Last night I
had a close encounter with a vampire; Buffy killed
her. I?m not planning to become a full time demon
hunter; I?d prefer to die of old age. I helped them
trace the hacker out of gratitude?

Although taken aback, Giles had to smile; if all would
be slayer groupies were this perceptive he?d be out of
the cautionary lecture business.

Sensing that the ice was broken Jo moved onto more
general conversation.

As Jo and Giles returned, Buffy noticed that Giles was
now more relaxed, they were apparently discussing
music, ?Giles? music in fact. Casting a despairing
glance at Willow, she moved the conversation to less
frightening matters
?So, any more news from the Council??

Giles pulled himself back to the present
?Not really, they have hit a dead end tracing the
hacker, and there have been no more attacks?

?Could it be a demon?? Willow asked.

?It would be most unusual, demons tend to shun
technology, and rarely have the will or patience to
master it? Giles replied.

?So we?re looking for a human?? Buffy questioned.

?It is the most reasonable explanation?, Giles agreed.

?So, no research?? Buffy asked, smiling.

?Without more information than we currently have, we
can only wait and see what develops?

?Hmm, a Saturday without research what will we do??
Buffy?s smile broadened.

Giles continued,
?However, adequate training is an asset in any
situation?

Buffy?s smile faded.
?I thought I was doing the ?on the job? thing?

?How about some sparring?? Jo asked.

In response to the puzzled looks she explained.
?I haven?t really had a chance to see the Slayer in
action. I?m kinda curious about the enhanced strength
and speed thing?

The looks still said clear as mud.
?Martial arts are my other passion. What can I say, I
had a strange upbringing?

?You want to spar with me?? Buffy asked to clarify.

?Yes. I don?t know why you?re so surprised, you must
have trained with Giles occasionally?

?Not in living memory it would seem? Giles said
pointedly.

Buffy decided to humour her, and they agreed to meet
at the College gym in half an hour, so Jo could go
back to her hotel to change into, as she put it
looking down at her skirt ?something more martial?.

Jo arrived at the gym to find that Giles and Willow
had also come. Willow looked enquiringly at Jo?s tee
shirt and shorts; Jo defended her choice
?Its practical. What did you expect, something out of
Xena? I?ll leave those fashion statements to Buffy?.

Willow smiled, it was strange but somehow this girl
reminded her of Buffy, her confidence, or maybe the
way she moved; she couldn?t decide exactly what it
was.

They went inside, and Buffy and Jo started sparring.
Buffy was obviously holding back, and Jo decided to
precipitate matters. Thirty seconds later Buffy was
lying on the mat, and Willow and Giles were pretending
to look in the other direction. Buffy got up and the
sparring began in earnest. Willow watched, entranced,
as the two of them moved around the floor, describing
an intricate dance, each following the other?s
movements with breathtaking precision. Jo in
particular was fascinating to watch, continuously
moving with fluid grace, avoiding, or diverting
Buffy?s blows, all the while probing Buffy?s guard,
with fast precise attacks.

Giles too, was impressed; the girl had not been
exaggerating her skill, very few humans could hope to
outfight a Slayer, even one that wasn?t really trying,
as in this case. Watching the two of them spar was
quite an experience, strength and speed matched
against skill. He wondered if Buffy had noticed the
other girl?s strategy, forcing her to expend her
energy in attacks doomed to failure, all the while
conserving her own with an economy of movement that
spoke of the true master. To have learnt so much while
so young, the girl must have had incredible teachers,
and a very great deal of practice; maybe this would
convince Buffy of the need for regular training.

Buffy finally managed to penetrate Jo?s guard,
knocking her legs out from under her
?Gotcha!?, smiling at Giles and Willow, then turning
to Jo, who had smoothly rolled back up, and was
standing on guard a short distance away ?do we have a
winner??

Jo shrugged, it was clear that Buffy was bored by this
kind of fighting, preferring an adrenalin fuelled
melee.
?Alright. Just in time for lunch?

Giles sighed, the fact that the outcome shouldn?t have
even been a question seemed lost on Buffy, he just
hoped that when she learnt her lesson it wouldn?t
prove fatal.

After lunch Jo announced that she had some things to
do in town, and suggested meeting in the Bronze in the
evening.
?Sure?, Buffy agreed, and after Jo left, she turned to
Willow, ?So what do two fancy free girls do with their
Saturday??.

Willow raised an eyebrow
?I think one girl has forgotten about her psych
assignment?.

?That?s my Wills, kill my carefree spirit?

*****

The sentry straightened his posture and saluted as the
white-coated figure came up the passageway. She
stopped and returned the salute, smiling. He
discreetly looked her over, not one of his most
onerous duties. Her nametag stated her identity as
Major Dr Jo Walsh; the rank was surprising for someone
so young, even if it was a purely formal rank; he
wondered idly if she was related to the professor. She
returned his salute with a precision that surprised
him, there was certainly more to her than the obvious.

Moving aside he allowed her to pass, and looking after
her as she disappeared into Records, regretted for the
first time the rules that forbade workplace
relationships. He had never understood the way some of
his fellow soldiers felt about red heads, but he had
never seen anyone who could wear a lab coat like that.

*****

Entering the coma patient?s room the nurse was
surprised to see a red head seated beside the girl?s
bed. No one had come to visit that patient for a long
time, but the young redhead seemed innocent enough.
Seeing her enter, the girl rose with a smile and
greeted her
?Hello?.

?Hello, nice day. Are you a friend?? the nurse asked
hoping she wasn?t sounding too inquisitorial.

?Not really close. It?s very sad when there isn?t
anyone to care?

?Yes, ? the nurse agreed taking in the fresh flowers
and straightened sheets, as she decided how to
continue the conversation ?we couldn?t even find her
family, there was just the Mayor, and now??

?No one? the girl finished for her.

The patient was unchanged, as always, continuing on
her round the nurse decided there was no need to tell
the Council about Faith?s visitor, the girl was just
being kind.
When the nurse left the girl stood looking down at the
still body in contemplation, coming to a decision she
stroked Faith?s face tenderly with her hand, and left.
As she walked away a very good observer might have
noticed a faint reddening of Faith?s skin where she
had been touched, rapidly fading. If the observer had
been sensitive to such things they might also have
noticed a subtle change in the girl on the bed, a
sense of something akin to spring, of processes long
stilled beginning again.

*****

more soon,

CBMoore

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