Prologue

August 8, 2008

Guardian Council Headquarters

London, England, 1:40pm GMT

Rupert Giles sat down at his desk yawning, a cup of tea in his hand.   Daytime was always a slow time, most of their work was done from dusk til dawn.  Still, it was a good time to take advantage of the quietness to get some work done.  He logged on to their central computer, pulling up a picture of a young blonde girl frowning into the camera, she looked about 14.  He looked at her statistics.

Sara Jane O'Reilly

Location: Wicklow, Ireland

Date of Birth: March 26, 1994

Additional Notes: Very troubled young girl, both parents and a younger brother were killed in a car accident when she was 7 years old.  Since then has lived in several foster homes, foster parents have reported that the girl never sleeps through the night claiming to have nightmares about monsters of some unknown origin.  Has been expelled from school for fighting and acts of vandalism yet has shown herself to be exceptionally intelligent and has the supernatural physical strength present in a Sabbatarian girl.  Also have reason to believe that her psychic abilities are particularly keen.  With proper guidance, would make a fine Slayer.

Giles stared at the picture, her eyes seemed so haunted.  She was undoubtedly ready for her call, yet he couldn't help but feel of pang of guilt at having to officially pull her from any remote chance she had left for a decent life.  Still she had already suffered so much tragedy in her life at such a young age, and clearly was starting to show anger over it, maybe they could help her channel her anger more effectively.  He sighed out loud, this back and forth battle he had with himself was not an unfamiliar one, he struggled with his role in life even after decades of being a Guardian.  He stared at the girl's big blue eyes; they reminded him so much of another young girl he had once watched over. 

Buffy Summers had also been troubled, and her life as a Vampire Slayer had been one of great heartbreak.  By the time she had left him for good to go about leading her own life she was shattered and bitter.  She thought she would have a normal life, he didn't have the heart of the energy to tell her that she would never have normal life again.  Every dark corner would hold something ominous, everyone that came into her life would be a liability, her weakness.  If she had children of her own, the fear that they could be attacked by one of the creatures of the night could be at times paralyzing, and heaven forbid she should have a daughter born on a Saturday.  It was something she had eventually discovered and was now living as Guardian in Europe, he knew this from checking up on her, she still wasn't speaking to him.  He was quite sure that she blamed him for robbing her of what was left of her teenage years when she had moved to Sunnydale all those years ago hoping to get away from being a Slayer.  But even she knew that she was amongst the lucky ones, many never made it out of this life at all.  He looked at Sara Jane, would she be one of the survivors or would she be one of the others?  Only time could tell.

"Care to share your thoughts old man?"  A deep voice said breaking into his thoughts.  Giles looked up and smiled wryly at the equally older man standing over him munching on a dry piece of toast. 

"Same as they always are Travers, nothing as remotely life altering as your poetic musings."  Giles replied sarcastically as Travers plopped down next to him looking at the young girl with interest.

"Are you going to bring her in?"  He asked.

"Well, she certainly fits all the criteria we look for in Slayer, physical and mental abilities, she would be easy to bring in because she has no family to speak of, has a rage about her that could easily be directed towards her mission."

"But?"

"Did I say a ‘but'?"

"Your tone said ‘but'."

"Well since you're so good at reading my tone why don't you tell me my ‘but'?"

"You're having the whole morality argument in your head again aren't you?  Giles, you have to remember these girls save hundreds of lives, they preserve the structure.  And with the cease fire treaty it isn't the same death sentence that it once was."  Giles let out a sigh.

"I know you're right, but don't you ever feel like we're leading lambs to the slaughter?" 

"They are destined for this.  We didn't write that, God did."  Giles looked away.

"Is that how you sleep."

"I don't sleep actually."  Travers said quietly his thoughts flashing to his own trained Slayers and one in particular.  She had always claimed she wanted to be a math teacher when she grew up, why hadn't he let her be that.  They sat for a moment before suddenly Travers sat up straighter.  "Giles did you just see that?"

"Just see what?"  He looked back at the computer screen, it flickered then all the sudden the picture of Sara Jane disintegrated replaced by a message.

I am the one that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore; and have the keys of hell and of death.

Giles and Travers stared at each other wide eyed.  The message disintegrated replaced by another one:

Countdown to the New World Order.  It said, and a countdown began:

10. . .9. . .8. . .7. . .

"We have to get out of here!"  Travers cried out.

"They could be waiting for us outside of these doors."  Giles replied looking around wildly.

. . .6. . .5. . .4. . .

Giles sat at the computer, desperately trying to shut it down.  Meanwhile Travers went for the back door.

. . .3. . .2. . .1. . .0

Then nothing happened.  They looked at each other confused.  Travers shook his head.

"I'm going to take a look around,"  He said opening the door.

"No Travers don't!"

But it was too late, an explosion ripped through the stately British mansion.  It destroyed everything creating a 33 foot crater.  Everyone inside the Council Headquarters was immediately killed.