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Part ElevenCordelia reached the manhole cover last. She looked down into the murk below. But, to her credit, she thought, she hesitated only briefly before following Willow and her husband down, cross in hand, spray-vial at the ready. It would ruin her skin, her makeup, and her outfit, but she’d realized long ago, to her great shock, that some things were more important. Saving the world just barely qualified.
She hurried down the ladder, slipping on the last rung, and found Willow and Xander watching Emily slam a vampire into the wall a few times. “Tell me where my friends are,” she hissed.
“I — was about to,” the vampire said. Willow shined her flashlight in the vampire’s face. It was Angel. Cordelia could feel her husband tense up next to her and firmly held his hand.
Willow said sternly, “Emily,” and in response to her Watcher’s gestures spun Angel around to face her. She released him as soon as she recognized him.
“Angel,” she blurted. “Sorry.” She backed off. “We’re just looking for —”
“Regan and Cale. I know. I just saw them and I was coming to find all of you. Elsza’s holding them hostage.” With effort he shook off his vampire face and instantly became much better-looking.
Xander growled, “How do you know this, Deadboy? You have something to do with it?”
Angel snarled sarcastically. “Yes, in fact. I captured them and turned them over to the Master myself.” He looked at Cordelia. “Tell me, does he work hard to be this stupid or is it a gift?” Cordelia’s nostrils flared. No one talked to her husband that way. Well, except her. And Willow.
Willow promptly cut between the pair and the vampire and said, “You,” looking at Xander, “You’ll always be immature. On the other hand, you,” turning to Angel, “are 250 years old. I’d think you’d know better by now. You say you know where Cale and Regan are?” Angel nodded. “Where?”
“In a cavern not far from where the Master is. She’s preparing for some kind of ritual. The good news is that they haven’t been turned yet.” He leaned heavily on the sewer wall. “The bad news is that they don’t have long.”
“Why didn’t you try to rescue them?” Emily asked. “For all you know —”
“No. They’re safe for now. Something to do with a ritual and a sacrifice. And trying to save them alone would’ve been suicide.”
“Whatever,” Cordelia said. “Can we get on with it? The water’s just ruining my boots!” Angel flashed her an odd look and led them off down the passageway, with Emily following and Willow bringing up the rear.
* * *
The Orb around Ms. Rosenberg’s neck was burning furiously. At the same time, Emily staggered; she’d been hit with a massive dizzy spell. “There are a lot of vampires up ahead,” she told her Watcher. “Too many for me to count. Actually, it feels like one big vampire, but that can’t be right.”
“Why not?” Cordelia asked. “Maybe it’s this new Master.”
“Unless she’s as large as the Library, no. It’s like a whole room is a vampire.”
Angel brought them to a door of some sort, lying on its hinges. “The passageway I told you about is back here.” Quickly he led them to a small underground passage, cramped enough that they’d have to crouch or crawl to get through it. Xander immediately put her aside and started to enter behind Angel.
“Wait, what …” Emily began. Cordelia echoed the sentiment. Then Ms. Rosenberg said, “Xander, what are you doing?”
“Emily’s the Slayer. If this is an ambush …”
“I’ll be ready,” Emily said, hurt.
“No,” he said firmly. “You’re too valuable, and I’m not going to risk the two most important women in my life.” He entered the tunnel behind a visibly impatient Angel. After a long time, they emerged into a bright, torch-lit cavern. Angel was nowhere to be seen.
Across the cavern Cale and Regan were gagged and chained to the wall. They looked behind the Original Slayerettes furiously. Then Angel suddenly grabbed Xander and threw him across the cavern to smash into the wall.
“Free at last,” he crowed. “Free at last. Great Master Almighty, I’m free at last.” Vampires appeared from a passage in front of them. Emily braced for a fight.
“Angel, what?” her Watcher asked in confusion.
Angel clicked in mock sympathy. “Poor, innocent, trusting Willow,” he said. He leaned quickly into her face and said, “Angelus!” so loudly it made her jump back.
Xander snarled, rising to his feet, “I knew I couldn’t trust you.”
“You were right.” Angelus smiled, an evil smile.
Emily said, “So you’ve been lying about everything? Are you the Master? Are you this undefeatable one?” Emily braced for an attack. Immediately two vampires rushed to the bound Regan and Cale.
“No, little Slayer,” Angelus said. “Try anything and your friends are our next meal.” The fire in Regan’s eyes should have burned Angelus to ashes.
“Don’t tell me you’re the one we can’t defeat,” Cordelia said. “We can beat you.”
“The undefeatable one? Oh, that’s not me. That is …” He bowed. “My master. Elsza? You’re on, honey.”
“Aren’t prophecies a bitch?” A voice came from further down the cavern in the darkness. All three adults stopped and stared at a small figure barely silhouetted there.
Emily turned back and addressed the voice in the dark. “Who are you?”
The figure started moving forward, slowly, into the torchlight. She said, in an oddly cheery voice, “I’m the Master. My allies know me as Elsza. But you and me, we’re gonna be friends. I can tell these things. And my friends call me …” She stepped into the circle of light.
Ms. Rosenberg said, “Oh, NO …”
“Buffy.”