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Coercion 31 Suppose
Over
the next two weeks, the Scoobies managed to communicate in ways and places they
figured the Initiative couldn’t overhear. They played board games and passed
notes. They met up in the park or by the ocean. Once in a while, Willow used a
new-found spell where she could speak to them telepathically. Xander
enjoyed the renewed closeness with his friends, though it meant Spike was
sometimes left out due to meeting locations or time of day. He found himself
partnered with Oz, and the two got to know one another better. Spike
wrote down every single detail he could remember about his captivity in the
Initiative, no matter how trivial. He also handed Giles an invaluable item, the
key card he’d used when escaping. Buffy
was still on the line between loyalty to her “model” boyfriend and what he
stood for, and what her gut and more evidence was telling her was right. By
unspoken agreement, the heart of the plan against the Initiative was kept from
Buffy. Oz and Willow found a chink in the firewall around their computer system.
They found the key to the lockdown code and wrote a reversal to it. Tara
studied the ley lines in the area and discovered one which, if fed enough
energy, should create a static field like the one Willow had cast large enough
to disrupt all communications in the area for a while. Spike
went out into demon community. He sought the friends and family of the good ones
taken and unified them. Some of the evil demons, basically the local Mafia,
approached Spike and offered to assist. He worked out an agreement in exchange
for them moving their center of operations out of Sunnydale for the next ten
years. In his quests, he also uncovered a powerful mage who would feed the ley
lines for them. Oz,
together with a man he knew who at the college radio station, wrote a program
that would e-mail details about the Initiative to all the news agencies, both
major and minor, local television stations, and the National Inquirer all at
once. His friend had been working on the theory that the government was focusing
on Sunnydale, but no-one would listen to him. Leaving out the demon angle, they
wrote up a document about the Initiative, carefully working on a black market
laptop Spike “located” for them. Giles
contacted some of his friends in the Watcher’s Council and arranged escape
plans and safe places if any of them needed to flee the country. Xander
carried on, contributing where he could, and growing increasingly nervous. Spike
was enjoying the activity, but Xander hated the growing edginess around town.
Both were worried about Spike’s chip. +++ Xander
and Oz went for a drive in his van on Xander’s lunch break one sunny day. They
got drive-through and drove around town. “Have you found anything about the
chips, Oz?” “Very
little. The chip connects directly to a major pain nerve, so it actually takes
very little energy. Their power source is a kinetic battery. As long as there is
any movement at all, it will charge.” “Damn.
What if Spike laid still for along time? Would it die?” Oz
sadly shook his head. “It could take years, then it would re-charge as soon as
he moved again.” Xander
fell silent, watching sights flicker past. “The government has this
technology, this wonderful thing that means no one would ever have to buy
batteries again and they use it for what? To try to harness supernatural
creatures and bend their will.” “Yeah.
Weapons. All great technology started out as weapons or as medicine. Then the
medicine gets bent toward weapons.” They
pulled up to a drive-through and park near a busy, loud road. “Hey, Xan. What
if Spike’s chip gets taken out?” Xander
sighed. “I’m not sure, Oz, I’m not sure.” “Do
you love him?” “What?
No. Maybe. It’s screwy, Oz. I know he started messing with me cause he was
bored. I mean, why else would he? But I’ve gotten to know him. The side he
keeps hidden. He can be sweet, believe it or not. He’s smart, Oz. Once he
starts talking about literature or telling stories about the past… It’s like
he forgets to be the Big Bad. That’s who I like. The not-so Big Bad. He’s
most definitely a friend.” Oz
nodded. “I can see that.” “And
the chip. Do you know it zaps him when he thinks too hard about hurting someone?
Even if they’re not in the room, or even the state. If he hurts me when
he’s… giving me a massage it goes off. I know what Spike is, I just now see
who he can be. I want him to have the choice, Oz. To be good or not. If he’s
not, then I’ll stake him when he comes after me. Or… have Buffy do it.” Oz
nodded, ignoring the tears in his friend’s eyes. “I’ve thought about it,
too. From my own point of view. What if they caught me and chipped me? There are
lots of ways to hurt people indirectly and not set it off. Spike’s done none
of them.” “I
know. And… maybe TMI,” Oz shrugged a ‘go ahead.’ “When we’re…
together, he can be so gentle. So careful. I don’t think it’s the chip,
it’s got to be him. The him I like.” “I’ll
try to dig up more. Willow has a few ideas, too.” “I’m
glad you’re all getting along. I was worried.” “Tara’s
good people. But, sometimes it gets lonely.” “You’re
welcome at my house any time, Oz.” “Thanks,
man, but I don’t think Spike’s the sharing type.” “Oz!
I didn’t mean… well, you are cute.” Xander patted Oz’s head. Oz
looked through his lashes at his friend. “You, too. Hard hats get it done for
me.” It was a joke and they both knew it. Oz dropped the flirt and took one of
Xander’s onion rings. “I’ve been keeping busy. Got a job on campus and
I’m going back to classes. May even join another band once this whole taking
down the Initiative thing blows over.” "It's
gonna break soon, Oz. I can feel it." They
finished their burgers and Oz dropped him back at work.
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