The Harvest by Richie Tankersley Cusick

Author:Richie Tankersley Cusick
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Publisher: Simon Pulse

CHAPTER 13

“A Slayer . . .” The Master pondered this possibility. “Have you any proof?”

Luke answered him with a sneer. “Only that she fought me and yet lives.”

“Very nearly proof enough,” the Master conceded. “I can’t remember the last time that happened.”

“Eighteen forty-three.” Luke looked almost embarrassed. “In Madrid. Caught me sleeping.”

The Master gave a vague nod. “She mustn’t be allowed to interfere with the Harvest.”

“I would never let that happen.”

“You needn’t worry. I believe she’ll come to us.” As his two servants looked at him questioningly, the Master added, “We have something that she wants. If she is a Slayer and this boy lives, she’ll try to save him.”

Luke walked over to Jesse. His hideous face split in a macabre smile.

“I thought you nothing more than a meal, boy,” he chuckled. “Congratulations. You’ve just been upgraded to ‘bait.’ ”

* * *

True to the Master’s prediction, Buffy was even at that moment trying to plan a rescue.

“There it is,” Buffy said eagerly.

Willow sat at the computer while everyone else gathered around her. Showing on the screen was a complete map of the city’s electrical tunnels.

“This runs under the graveyard,” Willow explained, pointing to one in particular, but Xander shook his head.

“I don’t see any access.”

“So all the city plans are just open to the public?” Giles asked.

“Uh, well, in a way,” Willow frowned a little sheepishly. “I sort of stumbled onto them when I accidentally . . . decrypted the city council’s security system.”

Xander’s focus remained on the screen. “Someone’s been naughty . . .”

“There’s nothing here,” Buffy sounded disappointed. “This is useless!”

“I think you should ease up on yourself,” Giles consoled her, but Buffy turned on him, obviously distressed.

“You’re the one who told me I wasn’t prepared enough. Understatement. I thought I was on top of it, and then that monster Luke came out of nowhere—”

She broke off abruptly and Xander glanced up at her.

“What?” Xander asked.

But Buffy was remembering the scenes from the past night playing out perfectly in her mind. “He didn’t come out of nowhere,” she said excitedly. “He came from behind me. I was facing the entrance. He came from behind me and he didn’t follow me out.” She looked at the other three faces around her. “The access to the tunnels is in the mausoleum.”

“Are you sure?” Giles straightened.

“The girl must have doubled back with Jesse after I got out,” Buffy went on. “God, I’m so mentally challenged!”

Xander stepped back, ready for action. “So what’s the plan? We saddle up, right?”

“There’s no ‘we,’ ” Buffy corrected him. “I’m the Slayer and you’re not.”

“I knew you were gonna throw that in my face,’ Xander grumbled.

“Xander, this is deeply dangerous.”

“I’m inadequate. That’s fine. I’m less than a man.”

Xander turned his back on her and walked off. With a sympathetic glance in Xander’s direction, Willow appealed to Buffy.

“Buffy, I’m not anxious to go into a dark place full of monsters, but I do want to help. I need to.”

“Then help me,” Giles replied without hesitation. “I’ve been researching this Harvest affair.

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