Spike and Tucker's talk.

[summoner_tucker]

"What?! Is Warren...? No. Nononono-oh-hoh, mate. 'Fraid you've got me wrong. I'm, uh... I don't do that sort of thing, 'specially not with someone like Dickie Dictator."I snorted into my wine glass, pulling the cigarette from my lips with my index and middle finger and exhaling deeply, blowing smoke into the air in front of me with a heavy sigh of

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[always_been_bad]

"He like, lords his power over you, like he's so much better, you know? Like just because maybe he figured out how to take over the world in two years, that makes you a fucking worm. He's such a bitch."

I rolled my eyes at that one.

"Bloody tell me about it, mate. The sod was tryin' to get me to attack him earlier just so he could laugh when I got zapped by his damn chip. I think he gets off on it or somethin'."

My anger was still boilin' in me, and I'd have given anythin' to have some random demon around that I could pound the holy hell out of. Of course, aside from seemin' to be my kinda guy, the bloke next to me was human as well, so I wouldn't be able to turn to him for the much-needed fist fight I craved.

"Caleb? I barely know him. He helped me out a little while ago, and wanted an audience with Warren. So I brought him here. He's not a bad guy, I think."

"Not bad, eh? I'd think twice 'bout that one. Couldn't quite put my finger on what it was 'bout him that got the hairs on the back of my neck standin' on end, but I wouldn't turn my back to him if I were you."

I took a long drag of my own cigarette, savorin' the experience with a sigh of relief. I could almost count my nerves relaxin' one by one. I know I'm a souless monster and all, but thank the bleedin' Lord for cigarettes and booze.

"It's just...I used to be an addict, okay? I mean, I was fucking into everything. Crack, weed, PCP, Heroin, Acid...you name it. And when Warren took over, he fucking forced me into rehab. I have to admit, I was kind of a mess back then...all strung out, my days melting together from one high to the next. Somewhere, I knew I was going to die if I kept going the way I was. But fuck, isn't that MY fucking choice? Who the hell is Warren to decide what I do with my life? Good results or not, he fucking controlled my life, and I couldn't do a damn thing about it. And Andrew...Andrew just fucking let him."

Wow. Someone needed to vent like he was me after Buffy'd left me for the million an' a half time. And that's sayin' somethin'.

"Uh, sorry. Didn't mean to rant-gasm all over you like that. What's your name, by the way?"

"It's Spike. Mighta heard of me, havin' the reputation of bein' quite the big bad, 'specially 'round good ol' Sunnydale. And don't worry none 'bout rantin' to me. Hell, you get me started on Warren and I'm guessin' I'll talk your ear off 'till the sun comes up. Warren seems t'be big with the no-choice thing too, almost as much as he likes his power. Oh, he made it sound like I had a choice down there in his little personal army base today. Made it sound all nice and pretty and fair, he did. Smarmy bastard... I've got no love for Warren, mate, so by all means, don't hold back.

"So, your brother and Warren, eh? I'm guessin' their closer than you'd like 'em to be, right? Shoulda figured. Pegged your brother as a poofter since I first met him, I did... uh, no offense intended towards him. Seemed like a nice enough geek. Though Warren... didn't think he was like that. Remind me to find a pair of baggier pants. Don't want to give him any ideas."

As uncomfortable as I suddenly felt about allyin' myself with Warren, it was good to at least have someone to bitch about him with. I'd have to take down this bloke's name for later. We could go out drinkin' and complain together or somethin'.

[summoner_tucker]

"Bloody tell me about it, mate. The sod was tryin' to get me to attack him earlier just so he could laugh when I got zapped by his damn chip. I think he gets off on it or somethin'."

I shuddered slightly.

"I know that Warren was watching me through his surveillance cameras and shit while I had been going through my withdrawal. I could only imagine how he must have been totally jerking off to seeing me in so much pain. Too bad for him, his hard-on was probably totally deflated when he saw how upset Andrew had been over the intensity of my withdrawal symptoms. It was fuckin' brutal too, man. Fuckin' convulsions, and nightmares, constant migraines, hallucinations, I was fucking throwing up and randomly cussing people out all the time, nosebleeds...you get the idea. Don't ever fuckin' do drugs, man. They'll fuck your shit up"

I listened when he gave me his analysis of Caleb, nodding. "Yeah, he's got a kinda creepy sort of air about him. I picked up on it too. But he doesn't seem so bad once you get to know him. A little out of his head, but not a bad guy"

"So, your brother and Warren, eh? I'm guessin' their closer than you'd like 'em to be, right? Shoulda figured. Pegged your brother as a poofter since I first met him, I did..."

I bristled. "Hey man, watch it. That's my brother"

"Uh, no offense intended towards him. Seemed like a nice enough geek. Though Warren... didn't think he was like that. Remind me to find a pair of baggier pants. Don't want to give him any ideas."

I shrugged carelessly. "I wouldn't worry about it if I were you. Warren and Andrew are pretty damn devoted to each other and all that shit. But don't tell him I told you that, it's supposed to be this big secret. Warren's afraid of assassins or some crazy shit like that" The idea almost makes me laugh. As if I'd let anything happen to my brother.

"So, Warren's got your balls to the wall, huh? He's good at that. Gotta hand it to him, the fucking bastard"

[always_been_bad]

"I wouldn't worry about it if I were you. Warren and Andrew are pretty damn devoted to each other and all that shit. But don't tell him I told you that, it's supposed to be this big secret. Warren's afraid of assassins or some crazy shit like that."

I raised an eyebrow at this. So Warren cared about the little twink, did he? Well that was always good to know for future reference I s'pose. A weak point perhaps? Though from the way this guy was talkin', it sounded like Warren wouldn't really abide by anyone so much as lookin' cross-eyed at Andrew. Still, somethin' to at least consider. At the very least it meant that Warren was, in fact, capable of some sort of love, right? He's not a complete monster.

"So, Warren's got your balls to the wall, huh? He's good at that. Gotta hand it to him, the fucking bastard."

"No. Let's not hand him anythin', shall we? The bastard's got enough as it is. You know, he's wrong if he thinks he can manipulate me like this forever. I'm not gonna stay his bitch forever. Just as soon as I figure out a way to get... my, uh, friend outta here, then I'm gone."

It was just then that it occurred to me that I was oh so casually talkin' with the brother of the lover of the leader of the free world.

"So... don't s'pose you'd happen to know where Warren might keep his little projects, would you? And by projects I mean others like myself that he somehow knocked out for the past two years. Still not sure how he did it..."

I didn't really care too much about the rest of Buffy's friends, 'cept for maybe the little nibblet and maybe Anya. Neither a' them deserved this so far as I could tell. Tara and Willow... well, never really knew them that well, did I? They can use Xander for a government guinea pig for all I cared, though. And if it wasn't for this bleedin' love... or, whatever it was I had for Buffy, I'd say that the bitch could stay locked up forever too. But no matter how much I'd love that, I'd hate it too somehow. Don't understand how that works, really. Maybe this soddin' chip short circuited my brain and now I'm thinkin' all wonky.