Foreign Presence

Act Three

"I think I'm gonna burn up this new scanner when I get finished with all this," Willow lightly commented as she picked up another drawing from the large stack piled up at her side. "All these dagger pictures are starting to look the same to me a-and I have yet to see the one from my dream," she said as Giles read the material that she'd collected on the Malloy brother and handed to him minutes earlier.

Just then, there was a knock on the door and Giles left the room to investigate.

When Giles got to the lobby he saw Andrew had gone to answer it.

"Oh, hello Mr. Malloy. It's good to see you again," he said with a polite smile as he opened the door wider.

"Thank you," Hank said as he stood outside.

After a moment, Andrew stepped to the side to give the man entrance, "Oh! Sorry, come in." 

As Hank stepped in, he was met by Giles, standing in front of him. 

"Uh, Mr. Malloy, I was hoping we could have a talk today," Giles said calmly.

"Well, sure. As long as it doesn't take up too much time. I'd like to get started working, got a lot to do today," he replied with a smile.

"Yes, of course," Giles said as he led Hank to an unoccupied room.

Giles shut the door giving them privacy but Andrew swiftly burst inside.

"Oh, hey. Just wanted to see what was going on. You know, how everyone is," he said unconvincingly.

The two men ignored him and sat down at the conference table. Andrew took a seat in the corner to observe.

"Uh, Mr. Malloy," Giles began, "I was wondering if you could tell me a bit about your past. Anything that may be of any interest or importance."

"Well, there's quite a bit. To be honest with you Mr. Giles, we'd be here all day if I told you everything about me," he said with a slight grin.

From his seat in the corner Andrew over-dramatically commented, "We have plenty of time. Tell us what you know and no one gets hurt."

After receiving strange looks from both Giles and Hank, Andrew slowly sat back in his chair.

Ignoring the young man's statement, Giles replied to Hank, "Yes, yes, of course. I needn't know everything about you, Mr. Malloy. Just curious about certain things – we do some checking on the staff we hire and noticed some information about your brother Robert. Can you tell us anything about his life? The accusations made against him?" Giles replied, his voice still very calm.

"Well, when my brother and I were ten, our foster parents killed each other. It's not something I like to talk a whole lot about though, you understand," Hank looked at Giles before continuing. 

"I'm very sorry," Giles said with sincerity.

"I'd rather not go into details if that's alright with you, Mr. Giles. That's just something I won't do," Hank said, then he continued with his story. "I was in a pretty bad fight when I was a teen, so I ended up spending some time in Juvenile Hall. That's not something I'm proud of, but I think it helped me in the long run. Made me a better person. But Richard-." Hank reflected but was cut short.

Andrew quickly made another comment, this time standing up in front of his chair. "Better person, huh? I think you're holding out on us!"

This comment also received strange looks, and again, Giles ignored him but this time gave him a gentle push away. "Your brother,” Giles addressed Hank. “Could you tell me a little about him?" 

"Well, he floated between jobs and ended up homeless. He didn't really have a place to stay. I offered, of course, but it didn't work out. He left me a note one morning saying he didn’t want my charity. Last winter he fell from the roof of this same building. Don't know what he was doing up there in the first place. Seemed like everyone wanted to help, but he wouldn't let us in. Manic depression was pretty bad for him. He'd stay inside for days, not say a word to anyone, when he was like that. Wouldn't see a doctor for anything, I guess he was just too stubborn," Hank said with a shrug. "I think the depression is what led him to experimenting with drugs and that sort of thing. It took me a while to admit it to myself because, well, he was my brother – a twin in fact. So it surprised me how different he and I really were in the end."

Again, Andrew voiced his opinion. "You're not telling us everything, are you?" Taking a step closer to the man, Andrew continued in a dramatic tone. "If you know what's good for ya, you'll tell us!"

Giles rolled his eyes, trying his best not to lose his temper at Andrew's constant interruptions. "Andrew please," Giles sighed.

Seeing the glare from Giles, Andrew quietly went back to his seat. 

"Yes, I can understand your way of thinking. Um, Mr. Malloy," Giles began pinching the bridge of his nose, "if I may be so bold to ask, why are you so eager to work here? Personally, I think I'd find it quite hard to visit the the place where my brother died, let alone work there."

"Uh, well, you know," Hank stammered an answer, "I guess it's kind of hard to explain. It's like... like I'm closer to Richard when I'm in this building - like there's a connection here that I can't find anywhere else. I mean, I still feel like I didn't help him as much as I could have. Even though he turned everyone's offer down, there still must've been something I could've done to help him. Some people put flowers on graves; others on road side memorials. I guess this is my place for Richard.” When Giles and Andrew didn't reply, he continued, "To be honest, I'm surprised he listened to me when I told him about this empty building.”

“You told him?” Giles asked.

“Well, yeah. After he left I went looking and finally found him a couple weeks later. I wanted to bring him back home but he refused. So instead of dragging him back I told him to come here for shelter. No one had been using the place for months…I never would have dreamed his life would end that way.”

"Dreams! We've had dreams!" Andrew nearly yelled from the corner, "Have you dreamt about him?"

Giles sighed and sat quietly.

"Yeah,  I've dreamt of him, but that's not uncommon to dream about a lost relative,” Malloy explained. 

"Uh, Mr. Malloy, I've heard that there were some child murders in the city last year and that your brother was the chief suspect. I'd like to hear about that, if you don't mind, of course. If it's too much, then we'll just drop the subject," Giles said with a smile.

"As sad as it is to say," Hank paused as he hung his head, "I believed the police when they said Richard was the one that murdered those poor kids. At first, I never would have imagined he'd do something like that, but after hearing the police tell their story and then putting the details together, it just all made sense after that. He might have killed people but...he was still my brother. I'd understand if that makes no sense to you Mr. Giles. I hated what he did but I loved him. He was the only family I had left."

"Right then, I'm sorry if I've taken up too much of your time Mr. Malloy or made you uncomfortable in anyway. I'll let you get back to your work," Giles said as he stood up.

“It’s okay,” Malloy replied. “I’ve come to terms with it all. I just hope you won’t hold my brother’s deeds against me.”

“No need to worry,” Giles reassured him with a grin. “And thank you for being so forthright about everything.”

As Hank closed the door behind him when he walked out, Andrew walked up to Giles' side. Turning to Andrew, Giles told him, "I do wish you hadn't mentioned the dreams. For future reference, do not try to be so helpful next time."

Getting a shy smile and taking a step back, Andrew replied, "Oh, sorry. I guess I said too much, huh?"

"Indeed," the Watcher agreed.

"I'm really sorry. From now on, I give you formal permission to tell me to shut up," Andrew proudly said.

Just then the door opened and Willow slowly walked in.

Overhearing Andrew's statement to Giles, she asked, "Oh really! Since when do we need permission?" After no reply from Andrew, she continued, "Anyway, I just thought I'd tell ya the dagger's a no go. I searched every data bank and book I could but nothing. I guess fancy, customized, figment daggers are like that sometimes," she said to try to lighten her own mood.

"No luck at all?" Giles asked.

"Nope. There were zero results. Its design is just too obscure. Maybe it's unique? There was a similar one found in Cincinnati a few months ago, though. A trespasser at someone's house dropped it when the police were called. I printed out a picture of it," she said as she handed the paper to Giles. “There has to be something more to this dagger, we just need to find out what it is," she explained.

Just then, as the three gathered around the picture to observe it, the lights flickered. Looking up at the ceiling, Willow said, "Ok, what brought that on? It's not storming outside, is it?" 

"Um, no. I don't think so, I haven't heard any thunder," Giles commented, also looking around the room as the lights continued to flicker.

“Malloy working on the electric?” Willow asked.

“No, he’s a carpenter - finishing the drywall in the second floor living quarters,” Giles remarked as the lights violently began to go off and on. 

"Uh, guys, what's going on?" Andrew asked with a scared tone in his voice.

Turning around to face Andrew, Giles quickly stepped aside as the scissors flew from the desk toward him. Next, other items began to race toward them.

"Get out of here!” Giles yelled as he opened the door and let Willow and Andrew race out. They darted down the steps and headed back to the main computer area on the first level when once more objects began flying about.

“Everyone take cover!" Giles yelled as he crouched against the projectiles flying about the room. The three darted under the desk just as the doors throughout the building began to fly open and slam shut again and again.

In the training room Faith, Kennedy, and the other Slayers took cover beneath the stairs as the objects they worked with everyday began flying at them and the door began to open and shut. 

"Everybody just stay calm!" Faith shouted above the noise as she looked up to see the lights flickering.

"What the Hell?" Kennedy turned to Faith.

Two crossbow bolts hurled toward Kennedy but Faith reached out, catching them both, one in each hand.

“Everyone on your stomachs,” she ordered.

A quarter staff tumbled toward them and Faith grabbed it before she too dropped to her stomach. Once on the ground, she turned to Kennedy.

"I don't know but we need to find out if the others are okay," Faith said with a worried look as the noises and objects began to get more intense. “Plus going someplace with things less pointy and lethal might be a good idea too.”

“Everyone stay put and keep your head covered!” Kennedy told the group. “When we say run you follow us single file, no pushing. You got it?”

“Yes ma’ma,” the group answered in military fashion.

“Ready, Brat?” Faith asked with a grin. “You lead ‘em through. I’ll watch their backs. Agreed?”

Kennedy nodded and crept up slightly to get some traction. “Okay girls, run!”

The Slayers jumped to their feet and raced up the stairs, dodging debris as they ran along. Faith stood at the bottom of the stairs and continued to knock objects out of the girls’ path with the quarter staff.

Kennedy, in the lead, opened the door and held it, ordering everyone through. “Go to the council building now, single file! Move! Move!”

She looked on as the Slayers raced down the adjoining hall to the council building yet kept a close eye on Faith who was walking up the steps backward, still fighting off the flying objects. When the last Slayer was through the door, Kennedy shouted to Faith.

“We’re clear!”

Without delay Faith turned her back on the room and started to race up the stairs. She was nearly through the door when she felt an arrow bury into the back of her leg.

“Son of a bitch!” she howled as she fell inside the hallway. Quickly, Kennedy shut the door and dropped to her knees next to Faith to examine her.

“God, are you okay?” Kennedy asked.

Reaching behind and quickly pulling it out, Faith said, “That was my favorite pair of leather pants, too.”

 “Forget the pants. How’s the leg?” Kennedy asked.

Faith shrugged. “Barely broke the skin but my pants are dead. Damn it! Do you know how much these things costs." 

Kennedy gave a sigh of relief and rolled her eyes. “I think Willow can budget a new pair of pants for you. Just get a receipt 'cause you know, she can be anal about that stuff," Kennedy teased which brought a grin to Faith's face. "Come on. We gotta catch up.”

Back under the desk, Willow tried to perform a banishing spell as she muttered, "Conquiesto, Desisto, Eval..." but the attack grew more powerful as she had to quickly move to the side to avoid getting hit by several objects, her spell interrupted and ineffective. "Son of..." she remarked and took a deep breath in frustration to start again uttering, "Conquiesto, Desisto..."

Giles quickly moved Andrew further back of the desk as smaller exacto knives, pens and pencils seemed to close in on them.

Working in a room by himself, Hank didn't move an inch when the events started happening. Too terrified of what was going on, he began to call out his brother’s name.

"Richard? Richard! What do you want?! What do you want from me?!"

Hearing his words, Giles and Willow looked at each other.

“Go,” she told Giles. “I have to finish this spell.”

The Watcher paused a moment as if considering the consequence of leaving her unprotected. But he nodded firmly and picked up a waste paper can to use as a shield as Andrew followed him. 

Cut to
INT
Watcher's Council Private Quarters – Same time
Cleveland 

"Richard?” he continued. “Where are you? What are you doing to me?!" He screamed above all the noise and stood still in the center of the room with the lights going on and off.

Cut to
INT
Watcher's Council Lobby – Same time
Cleveland 

At that moment, the front door opened and Mr. DeVeer and Rowena entered the building. Running toward Giles, who was visible, they managed to duck out of the way of some decorative, fencing swords that were now hurtling through the air.

Now inside the Council building the Slayers followed Giles’ team.

Kennedy quickly commented on all the chaos as one foil sliced through a decorative current. "Whoa! Didn’t think such a thin sword could do so much damage."

Wood replied, "I hear ya."

“Keep moving,” Faith told them.

Mr. DeVeer shouted over the noise. "What's going on here?" he asked turning his head from side to side, keeping a lookout for more flying objects.

"Can we help?" Rowena asked as she continued to bob and weave from the projectiles. Her eyes squinted, trying to focus with the flickering lights.

Willow sat on the floor and closed her eyes, trying to concentrate. 

Looking for her lover, Kennedy glanced over and saw what the witch was trying to do. She watched as a calculator slammed into Willow’s back yet the Witch kept her eyes closed and her body stiff. Kennedy darted over to her side to stop any other flying objects from interrupting the spell.

Once again, Willow spoke the words from the spell she hadn't finished earlier. "Conquiesco, Desisto, Evalesco, Quies!" With the last word said, everything suddenly seemed to stop and things got quiet again.

"I guess it worked," Rowena said as she slowly stood up and looked around to check on everyone.

Kennedy helped Willow to her feet and turned her around, pulling her blouse up slightly to inspect her back. "Are you hurt?"

"No, I'm fine. I just don't know how long this spell will hold. It's not very strong so whatever we decide to do, we need to do it fast," Willow explained with concern.

Turning to the noise at the top of the stairs, Rowena noticed Hank moving toward them to the main room. He was grasping his side, apparently hit by something in its flight across the room. 

She, along with DeVeer, Giles, Wood, Andrew and Willow, quickly raced up to reach him.

Cut to
INT
Watcher's Council Second Level 
Cleveland   

Cut to
INT
Watcher's Council Lobby – Same time
Cleveland   

Faith nodded to Kennedy and pointed up stairs, “Go with Red,” she told her. “Rona, watch the girls,” she added as she started up the stairs.  

Cut to
INT
Watcher's Council Second Floor Study - Moments Later 
Cleveland 

Kennedy entered the room to watch over Willow.  Rowena ordered, "Someone get me a first-aid kit."

Andrew darted from the room as she walked inside. Moments later, he was at her side with a box of medical supplies.

Giles turned to the rest of the group. "This must have something to do with the dreams we've all been having. We need to take care of this now, there's no time to waste."

Cut to
INT
Watcher's Council Second Library 
Cleveland   

Giles led the others into the small second floor library, next to the study and they all took a seat.

"I need to know everything that happened in your dreams last night. Every last detail will help. We're bound to stumble upon something of use."

"Well," Faith started, "it was the same kid I saw the other night, only he led me to this weird place. When we got there, someone was hiding something, but I couldn't see exactly what it was. There was this little hole or something in the wall and I looked closer, and saw some kind of knife or something in there."

Hearing her words, Giles asked, "Do you know where this place was? Were there any landmarks or anything to remember it by?"

Pausing a moment to think, she replied, "No, it was inside someplace. There was a window in the wall and we went up some stairs, but nothing other than that."

"Anyone else have anything similar in their dreams?" Giles asked as he looked around at the small crowd of people.

"Yeah, I saw stairs and a window too. It was the same kid from the other night. Willow had the worst dream though. The knife kinda went after her. I woke up before that happened in my dream," Kennedy offered.

Wood agreed, "Yeah, me too. Same kid and I saw a window and some stairs."

"Um, I saw the same kid, but I didn't see anything else except the ground," Andrew shared. Getting everyone's attention, he continued. "Somehow we got up on a roof. Before I knew it, I'd been pushed and the last thing I remember seeing is how quickly the ground was coming at me. I braced myself for it and that's when I woke up."

Giles sat silently for a few seconds before speaking. "Well, I-I'm not exactly sure what all this means. However, we do all have a remembrance of the same child, a window and a staircase," he thought out loud. Just then, he looked up at the group. "I've got an idea."

With that, he turned to leave the room.

Curious, Willow, DeVeer, Wood and Faith followed behind him. As they left the room, Kennedy nodded to Andrew and they went back to the study to watch Rowena and Hank.

Cut to
INT
Watcher's Council Third Floor – Moments Later
Cleveland 

In seconds, Giles and his followers were standing in an unoccupied room of the building that still needed some renovation done to it.

"Okay, that's freaky," Willow said. “This is the same room Giles”.