Habeas Corpses Part 2 (of 7) by Peyton

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Welcome to Bashlachev

I can’t believe what is in front of me. The water’s rising up to my knees and I can’t figure out how the hell I wound up here. Everything seemed okay when I started out the other day then the rain came pouring down and now I’m drowning in my fears. And as I watch the setting sun I wonder if I’m the only one. ~~”These Walls” – Teddy Geiger

Before she could blink the woman was gone. She was in another cage. This one was larger and as far as she could tell from the noises there were at least four other people confined in it. At least the light was only dim instead of nonexistent. As she struggled to look around she heard a woosh like the sound of a vacuum releasing and there were hands on her head and limbs loosening her bonds.

“Hey girlfriend, I see they got you too. Whadya do? Attend a garden party in a country that would extradite?”

It was strange to find this particular voice comforting even in its hoarseness. As soon as the ball gag was removed Buffy choked out, “Faith? What are you doing here?”

“Same as you. We’re enemies of the People, ain’t life grand?”

Buffy was free and she propelled herself out of the awful chair causing most of the other occupants of the room, aside from Faith, to jump. Looking around the new cage she saw one wall lined with chairs just like the one she’d been confined in except they had restricting braces instead of the plastic temporary bonds she’d been held in. Five chairs in all.

Faith saw her glance and commented, “yeah, the hot seats. You must have pissed them off royally in solitary because they moved you into general pop before they were even done outfitting your chair.”

Buffy shuddered and moved her attention away from the chairs. The room was approximately twenty by forty, three concrete walls rounded out with one made up of Plexiglas that had holes punched in it like a hamster cage. On the other side of the plastic wall, hung up high on one wall was an actual iron maiden which was slowly dripping what looked like blood. Standing under the Iron Maiden, against the wall like a guardian was a woman with blue hair. She didn’t move, hadn’t since she’d entered Buffy’s line of vision, not even a blink. Creepy.

“That’s Illyria. She’s some sort of ancient hell god. She hasn’t done much since she got here. She only talks to…” Faith cut off abruptly.

Buffy turned her attention to the people inside the cell. Continuing to act as tour guide faith followed Buffy’s gaze and commented, The handsome guy laying in the corner is Gunn. He’s one of Angel’s demon hunters.”

“Angel? Is he here too?”

“Dunno. There’s a vampire in the Maiden. I’ve never seen it but who else could it be? Especially since the rest of his gang is here.”

“His gang?” Buffy asked since she didn’t recognize anyone else in the room.

Faith chuckled humorlessly. “The mousy one huddled in the chair is Eve. Not sure why she’s here. Next to her is Gunn, he was part of the LA apocalypse. He killed a Senator! How cool is that?” off of Buffy’s disapproving look Faith continued, “What! She was a demon, of course. Come on, Buffy! I’m reformed, remember?”

“What kind of demon was she?”

“No clue. According to Charlie she was installed in a human corpse so she could pass and she was well on her way to the White House but it’s hard to get details out of him since he’s not conscious very often. He was hurt when he arrived and the chair really takes it out of him.

“The guy currently nursing Charlie is Connor.” Faith broke into a grin that didn’t reach her eyes. “He’s Angel’s son.”

Buffy went cold, “Paolo told me about him. I guess he wasn’t just trying to piss me off. Was he one of Angel’s gang too?”

“Dunno. He was there last year when I got out of prison but he didn’t seem to be one of the inner circle. He’s way hot headed, though. Makes me look like the Dalai Lama. Or at least he did then. He seems calmer than he was but then they haven’t been here all that long so who knows.”

“How long?”

“Coupla days.”

“For you.”

Faith sighed. “I don’t know. It was less than a month after we got to Cincinnati. I have no idea where Wood is. I hoped for along time that he wasn’t around because they didn’t take humans into custody, but Charlie and Eve kind of disprove that theory.”

“When you and Robin went incommunicado we just assumed… Faith, that was eight months ago!”

“Was it?” came her bleak reply.

Originally posted at http://seasonal-spuffy.livejournal.com/148587.html