Unfreezing the Scoobies.

[warren_is_gone]

I was whistling as I sauntered down the hallway, and out into the massive driveway of the castle. A few of my cars were parked out there, and I decided to hit the security button on my keychain for the...the little cherry-red BMW. Yes, that would work. The car was cheerful but not flashy, bright and cute. It was one of my favorites, actually.

"

Comments

[warren_is_gone]

"Why are you so obsessed with us? Why can't you just let us be?"

I'd only been half-listening to Willow's impertinent little rant, but at her final comment I turned to her with a bright, friendly smile that was absolutely chilling.

"Obsessed? Hardly, darling. You people are just pawns in my game. I'm simply bored--that's all this is. I could care less what happens to you, as long as it amuses me, really."

"He can't be serious. This is ridiculous! How fair is this anyway? Since you have the power to freeze us, apparently you must have some sort of power that we can't really fight against. Also, who cares if you have lots of money and you're very powerful. You're still the same. You're still a geek."

Anya's remarks made me tilt my head back for a full-blown bout of laughter, absolutely delighted at her stupidity.

"Oh, Ms. Jenkins...you amuse me." I said simply, wiping away a few tears of laughter from the corners of my eyes. Then I strode towards her, one hand shooting out to wrap itself around her throat and lift her easily off her feet with one hand. My hand tightened, cutting off her air quite efficiently.

"Do not push your luck, Ms. Jenkins. I would have no problem whatsoever with ending your life, right here and now. Do not doubt me in this. I have killed people much closer to me than you to get here today."

With that, I dropped her to her feet nonchalantly, still smiling rather dotingly at her.

"And that said, let me further illustrate my point..."

Rearing a hand back, I slapped Anya across the face. Hard, but not hard enough to cave in her cheek or anything. With this superhuman strength of mine, I had to be careful about things like that. It was enough to leave the right side of her face nicely bruised for a day or so, however. Just a little something for her to remember me by.

Her comment about money however, was intruging to me. Obviously, she found it to be of more importance than loyalty to her friends. Those with a hunger for power, I could always use in my regime. They were the easiest to keep loyal, as long as you kept them rich.

"Learn your place, and there might be a place for you in my regime, Ms. Jenkins. I'd be more than happy to take any of you on, by the way. The offer stands from this day forth to the end of the games--should any of you wish to join me, become a part of my revolution, come to me and say so. And the world will be yours."

"Don't..talk to her...you have no right.."

I turned to face Tara finally, offering her the same chilling smile.

"I have every right, Ms. Maclay. I own all of you now, and I'll talk to whoever the hell I please."

"C-can you send Buffy in please...and maybe, maybe get out."

I laughed again, charmed really, by Dawn.

"Oh, you are adorable. You remind me of Amanda, in her younger days. I'll tell you what, Dawn Summers...you may go outside to meet your sister. She should be standing just outside the building, I'll have a guard take you to her. But the rest of you, I want you to stay for a moment longer. I'm going to show you something that Dawn here probably shouldn't see."

[yammerer_willow]

I was angered by how he was acting.

"Do not think that you have control over us. If I wanted to, I..."

I stopped myself when Tara's hand tighted around mine.

"Shutting up now"

I let go of Tara's hand and walked over to Anya. I helped her sit down. She was noticably shaken, I just wanted to make sure she was ok...she may annoy me, but for once we were in full agreement and no woman deserves what Warren was doing to her.

"Just so you know, you own no one. No woman is your property..."

Why did I feel a need to explain that?

[anya_ankyanka]

Everything was a blur when Warren wrapped his thick meaty... MAN HAND around my throat and lifted me up in the air. My hands immediately flew to my neck when he dropped me, and I gasped for air like I had just drowned.

He said something else and then smacked me across my face. I let out a small cry and then touched my check gently, it was tender already.

"Learn your place, and there might be a place for you in my regime, Ms. Jenkins. I'd be more than happy to take any of you on, by the way. The offer stands from this day forth to the end of the games--should any of you wish to join me, become a part of my revolution, come to me and say so. And the world will be yours."

I listened up when he said that. I kept my mouth shut though, as difficult as it was. Willow helped me sit down, because I felt like I could hardly walk, my knees were shaking and I rarely, if ever got nervous about something like this.

[smitten_wiccan]

My mouth gaped slightly when Warren picked Anya up and smacked her. Following her with my eyes, I watched Willow as she looked after Anya, letting out a breath when she seemed, for the most part, alright.

When Warren grinned at Dawn's question about Buffy I felt a sick feeling in my stomach. Could we trust him? Well...of course not. But was Buffy really outside was the point. I was reluctant to let Dawn out of our sight, especially on the command of...him.

Fighting to keep up a strong facade I looked over at Willow, my eyes conveying my uneasiness at the idea of letting Dawn go, and at just what he considered inappropriate for Dawn's eyes after his display.

[dawnie_thekey]

My eyes widened when he atacked Anya and I let out a small yelp when he slapped her. This is not good, this is not good...I kept thinking over and over.

Then he said that someone will accompany me to Buffy. Ok, so very not trusting of Warren with that. I could tell that Tara was thinking the same thing as I glanced up to the look on her face.

Quite frankly I was scared at what might not be appropriate for my eyes, but I know that if he says it's not good then I won't question that. All I know is that I could really use my big sis right now.

Taking in a deep breath I give Tara a fleeting look before I speak up. "Fine...take me to her..." My voice was almost whimpery. "...uh, I mean...please."

[warren_is_gone]

"Do not think that you have control over us. If I wanted to, I..."

I stepped forward, backhand-slapping Willow across the face neatly, enough to split her lower lip wide open.

"You can't do anything to me, dear. I am invulnerable now, thanks to a bit of a supernatural enhancement myself. You can't touch me. Just try and use your foolish little excuse for magical abilities, and not only will you fail miserably, I'll have you...and every single one of all your friends killed on the spot."

"I have all the power over you now."

I watched the blood run down her face, feeling a thrill at the sight. I was going to have fun torturing this little bitch, in more ways than one.

"Just so you know, you own no one. No woman is your property..."

"Oh, but you are. All of you. You are in no position to tell me who or what I own, because I own all of you. Now I suggest that you shut the fuck up, before I decide to just kill you right now."

And that said, I put one hand flat against her face and shoved her to the ground with no effort whatsoever, enjoying the satisfying crack of bloodied flesh hitting the concrete.

"Do not test me. I will kill you, and everyone you care about, Willow Rosenburg. Should I see the slightest indication that you are attempting to use your magic tricks, I'll slaughter each and every last one of you in cold blood."

Unlike the idiot Willow, the rest of the girls had the sense to stay quiet. I even gestured the guard who was taking Dawn away before they left.

"Don't frighten her, Toby. Just make sure she gets outside to her sister."

Toby nodded, leading Dawn out, and once again I turned to face the girls.

"I'll bet you're all curious about what I didn't want Dawn to see, right? Don't worry, I won't keep you in suspense any longer."

Snapping my fingers, another guard entered the room at my command. He was gripping the upper arms of a struggling, sobbing young man with a black cloth blindfold wrapped around his face. There were tears running down his round face, and every once in a while he'd let out a high-pitched scream.

"Oh God, oh Jesus, please don't kill me, I'm only seventeen, I don't want to die, please please please..."

I didn't know the boy's name, only that he was some worthless epsilon gathered from the edge of town somewhere. Honestly, I hadn't wanted to kill him. But I felt the need to drive my point home with the scoobies, especially since this Willow seemed so intent on being a stubborn little bitch, and so I'd decided this was the only way to do it. I was having fun scaring the hell out of these friends of the slayer.

"I want you to know that your death is extremely patriotic. Thank you for this." I said seriously to him, before reaching to wrap my fingers around his neck and snapping it hard to one side. There was the satisfying snap of his neck breaking, and I watched as his limp and lifeless body tumbled to the floor, before a guard rushed up the drag it away.

"Don't doubt me. I don't want to, and I will avoid doing it if at all possible. But I have no qualms about shedding blood to get where I need to be."

[yammerer_willow]

I got up angered and sore at the same time. I didn't want to risk Tara's life so I didn't use anything in the way of magicks. I would however find a way to beat this ass.

"You can kill us all, then you would be bored all over again so what purpose would that serve?"

I asked this just as he brought this kid in and killed him. I let out a yelp as he cracked his neck. I tried to stop him, but Anya stopped me. However no one stopped me from speaking...I wish they had.

"You can kill all the helpless 17 yr olds you want, but you won't kill us, we hold some worth to you. Threaten all you want, but I will..."

At that point someone stopped me from speaking..thank goddess.

[anya_ankyanka]

"Willow," I hissed in her ear, "Do shut up."

My eyes had widened in terror as he snapped that young boy's neck. Although yes, it was true, I had put men through terrible agony and suffering, I had never just killed an innocent child on the spot. It was too crass for me, but Warren seemed to enjoy doing whatever the hell he wanted.

"So," I said, trying to sound reasonable, my voice still shaking, "What do you want us to do? What's this game? Do you put us on a deserted island and do we have... tribal council or something?"

I tried keeping my wits, but my whole body ached, especially my cheek and throat.

[dawnie_thekey]

As the guard took me out of the room I heard the smack and when I glanced back I saw Willow crumpled on the ground. Pulling against the grip the guard had on me, I tried to go to her, but it was hopeless. I gave up and let him lead me out to my sister.

When I saw her I ran to her and hugged her tightly. "Buffy!" I held my sister like I hadn't seen her in years...though that was actually very true. And I cried a little. "Buffy I'm scared."

[smitten_wiccan]

There was no other word for it, I was shocked. First from Warrens display, and his complete disregard for human life. It was disgusting, that he could feel no remorse for such a senseless act, it literally made me feel nauseated. But secondly, because of Willow.

Her reaction was understandable, of course. Warren deserved to hear what she was saying, but I knew after what I'd seen it would have no effect on him except maybe to anger him, which was in no way good for any of us.

Once Dawn was out of the room, with Buffy I was hoping, I hurried next to Willow with the intent to stop her before Warren decided to hurt her worse. "Willow!" I said, and latched onto her arm and pulled her toward me. Not hard, but enough to pull her attention back to me. "Willow.." I repeated again firmly, but with a note of pleading evident, hoping she would stop and at least hold off if not calm down. My eyes widened when I saw the blood trickle down her cheek and I felt my stomach flip again as I gently reached out to cup her bruised cheek. My mind briefly entertained the thought of attempting retaliation, but I knew it would be foolish and instead tended to Willow.

[warren_is_gone]

I had to smile, watching all of them cling to each other, afraid that I planned on seriously hurting them. They just didn't understand. As long as they played the game right, I'd never have hurt any of them. They were my pets, my sweet little playthings that I intended to take care of as soon as this was all over.

As long as they made the right decisions, of course.

"All right. It seems that you all have the basic gist of what's happening here, feel free to go join Buffy and Dawn outside. Toby here will show you the way."

I gestured to one of my most trusted guards, who appeared silently to lead all of the scoobies outside to the slayer and her sister. Then I went about cleaning things up in the room, watching Toby arrange them all into a single file line.

"I look forward to playing the game with you. I'm sure we'll all have a lot of fun." I said brightly, waving cheerfully to all of them as they were ushered out.

"I'll be seeing you all soon!"

I felt a rush of hot-cold blood under my skin, watching them leave. This was going to be incredible, one of the greatest plots I'd ever devised. I was...I was cooler than Magneto himself.