Title: Bring Me Into the Light
AUTHOR: Mistress Ace & Em
E-MAIL: rosewood@inreach.com & winter@sapphire-dragon.net
FEEDBACK: Is the butter on our bread. We write because the story begs to be told. Feedback lets us know if we struck a chord with you.
DISTRIBUTION: Our site, for the moment. When we post fully edited chapters, those can be posted elsewhere. RATING: NC-17
CATEGORY: Story: Romance, Angst
SPOILERS: As You Were
PAIRINGS: B/R/Sam, m/f, f/f
DISCLAIMER: Don't own the characters at all. (More's the pity) They belong to the Great God Joss Whedon et al. We are just borrowing them for a little bit. That's all. No BtVS characters were harmed in the writing of this fic. Well, maybe just a little.
SUMMARY: Not back for long enough. Not nearly long enough and there were too many things left up in the air. But isn't that the purpose of fan-fiction?
 

Chapter 45

First order of business had to be the packing of their gear, which Sam did rapidly and efficiently. Ry's bag first, mainly because he almost never unpacked it. She pulled a few items out of the chest of drawers and the closet, then packed her own bag.

The last bag was ordinance and a lot of that was still in the SUV. Sam laid out the bag, loaded her side-arm into it and grabbed their personal tazers. The ammo went in as well before Sam grabbed her laptop. They might not be able to get an uplink at base camp but it was worth a shot.

Once the bags were packed, Sam took a look at the clock and determined there was more than enough time to make a call. Buffy might be asleep but they promised and she wasn't going to break a promise to their lover. Not if she could help it.

Dialing the number from memory, Sam took a seat in the tiny kitchen. She poured herself a glass of juice, knocked back three stress tabs and waited for someone at the Summers house to pick up. Saturday morning, a little after 7:00 - they were probably all asleep.

Willow, who had just fallen back to sleep, was the first one to wake when the phone rang. She grabbed it on the second ring, smothering a yawn as she spoke, "Hello?"

"Willow... It's Sam. Sorry to call so early. Can I talk to Buffy?" Her estimation had been correct, still asleep. Hopefully Buffy had managed to get a little more rest. Sam doubted she was going to end up getting any more sleep after this call.

Willow sighed. Just what they all needed... but it might help Buffy to talk to her lover, and Sam sounded concerned, so... "Do you want me to wake her? She cried herself asleep some thirty minutes after you left. I sat with her until she was sleeping," Willow said softly.

"I think you better, Willow." She kept her tone as even as possible although it hurt to know that Buffy cried herself to sleep. If it weren't for the civilian lives at stake, Sam would have raised a protest about their going. "There's something I need to tell her."

Sam lifted the glass of juice and took a long swallow while she waited for a reply. Hopefully Willow would take the hint and get Buffy on the line. She could have sent an e-mail... but Sam wanted to hear Buffy's voice... just in case.

"Alright. Hang on a minute." Willow got up and carried the cordless phone with her into Buffy's room. She set the phone on the nightstand and leaned over to shake Buffy awake gently. "Buffy... Buffy... wake up, Buffy..."

"Mmm..?" Buffy murmured as she blinked sleepily up at Willow. "'M awake... wha's up, Wills?"

"You've got a phone call, Buffy. It's Sam..." The name was barely out of her mouth before Buffy snapped awake more quickly than Willow had ever seen before. She sat up quickly, murmuring her thanks, and grabbed the phone. Deciding that discretion was the better part of valor, Willow left the room... but she stayed nearby, just in case.

"Hello? Sam?" Buffy spoke into the phone anxiously.

"Honey. We promised we'd call. Riley's still in the briefing." Voice soft, Sam found herself equally as anxious as Buffy. Hated to leave her... God, she hated to leave her behind. "New Mexico. Alamogordo. We're leaving at oh-eight-hundred." Too clipped, she was being too clipped. Using Finnspeak and that's not what Buffy needed to hear right now.

"They have some civilians, mainly children. We can't turn away from this, Buffy. We have to go." Sam wiped at her eyes, not surprised that her hand was trembling a little.

"Children?" Buffy repeated softly. "God. Yeah, you do... I understand. I would, if I could... no one should have to go through what we have, especially not kids. I take it these things are smart, then? They'd have to be, to take captives."

She shivered inwardly, her eyes closed. Barely fifteen when she'd been confronted by the world of demons... that anyone should be exposed to it at an even younger age was a terrible thing.

"The reports indicate that they are intelligent. They've holed up in the caves and... they're tough, Buffy. They've killed some of the hostages plus three operatives who went in before us. That's why Drum called me and Riley in." She heard the gasp on the other end of the line and wished Buffy was close enough to hold. "Found the bodies this morning. We're going in with full gear and explosives."

Buffy fought to stay calm. The absolute last thing they needed was to have her panicking, even at a couple hundred miles' distance. After a few deep breaths, she asked, "Who's going with you two?" She already knew that Sam and Riley were the best the Black Ops group had. But she needed to see if they had quality back-up, otherwise they were in more danger than they had to be.

"Specialist Joseph Reyes, he's new. Demolition's expert. And Graham Miller. Small team... It's close in there, Buffy. Not much room to maneuver and if we take a full squad, we're asking for trouble. Ry's a crack shot but we don't need to give him any targets for friendly fire." The plan was sound. It was logical and well thought-out, just like most of Ry's operations. But when Sam repeated them to Buffy, it sounded thin, like they were trying to do too much with too little.

"Graham," Buffy breathed. She'd seen how Graham Miller watched Riley like a hawk. Presuming that he felt similarly about Sam, Graham would insure that Riley and Sam made it out, even if they had to do it over his dead body. And though Buffy herself thought that Graham wasn't nearly as expendable as he considered himself to be, she had to admit that in his place she'd do the exact same thing.

After a moment's silence, Buffy continued, "I guess all I can say is please be careful. Don't let them get you into any dead-ends... if they're smart, they'll try to trap you." Without a lot more details than she had, Buffy couldn't comment on their strategy. She had to accept what Sam told her and hope it was the right way to go. But she didn't have to like it.

There was nothing about this situation that she liked.

"We will, honey." Holding the phone carefully, Sam closed her eyes for a minute. Said a silent prayer for a successful mission and a swift return. "I'll keep an eye out and give the group a heads-up."

She heard an off-key whistling outside their front door and smiled. Riley was out there, just in time to be able to say goodbye to Buffy. "Hold on. Ry's just outside... I'll put him on. Love you, Buffy."

"Love you too, Sam. And thanks for calling... I'm glad you did." Buffy answered softly. She was glad to have this chance... God only knew what would happen.

"Glad I had the chance." Sam felt a pair of warm arms slide around her from behind, pulling her back against a broad chest. A moment later, Riley dipped his head down to brush his lips along the line of her throat. It took every ounce of control to keep from moaning but Sam managed to keep a lid on it. When her husband lifted his head, she handed him the phone.

No need to ask who was on the other end. None at all. "Buffy... I love you. We'll be careful. I swear."

"I know you will, Riley," Buffy answered him softly. "I love you too." She bit her lip briefly, then added, "Sam said that Graham is going with you... he'll watch your back, like he always does. And that... it helps some to know that. Does he watch Sam that way, too?"

"Like a hawk. More devoted to her than to me." That comment earned him a playful punch to his shoulder as Sam pushed him up against the kitchen counter. On her feet now, she opened the fridge and poured him a glass of orange juice as well. Set it silently down on the counter before wrapping her arms around him, nestling her head between his neck and shoulder. "We going to be in radio silence once we hit site. Doubt the cells will work in the caves and it's a stealth operation until we get the hostages out."

"I figured it would be. I remember that much about it, at least," she agreed. Even pagers had trouble getting signals in some of those caves... and they were going God only knew where. "I know you don't really want to go... but I also know that you have to. Not all demons are stupid, and these sound like they need people of your caliber to beat them. I understand... you don't have to prove to me that you're needed to do this."

Buffy was guessing at the source of some of his anxiety, but it was probably a good one.

"Good." Instant relief in his voice, the tension draining away as Riley realized she wasn't going to burst into tears. If there was anyone in the world who understood duty, it was Buffy. She'd eaten, slept and breathed duty for over a quarter of her lifetime. Faced things more terrifying than he could even imagine and managed to survive... most of the time.

"Buffy, we'll be back as soon as we can. You're on our emergency contact list." She wasn't yet but a quick word to Drum would clear that up. Riley wished he could list her under next-of-kin. That way if something went wrong, she'd at least get a sympathetic soldier or a chaplain along with the telegram. "And we'll call as soon as the mission's done. I promise."

"I know you will. I'll be here waiting to hear from you. You'll be in my thoughts, always." And it was true. They would be... constantly. But Buffy hoped she wouldn't be a distraction for them. "Don't worry about me, I can cope. Just focus on your mission and come back here safe."

"Roger that. You hang in there too." Reluctant to end the call, Riley pulled Sam closer. Listening to her tiny sounds, felt her breath on his neck and remembered vividly why he had so much to live for now. Which brought up one more thing he needed to say. "Congratulate Xander and Anya for us. Tell them how sorry we are for missing the big day."

"I will. Both things, I mean. And Xander will understand, I'm sure." Soft sigh, unwilling to say goodbye until she had to. "At least you don't have to see me in that awful, ugly dress," she said lightly. Feeble attempt at dispelling the cloud of gloom that hung around her... but at least she was trying.

"I look forward to the pictures. If you want, when we get back, you can model it for us..." That drew a laugh from Buffy which in turn had Riley smiling. His voice dropped a little as Sam pulled back, raising an eyebrow at him. "Then we'll peel you out of it..."

"In that case, why would I even want to get into it?" Her voice dropped similarly, teasing ever so slightly. "And if I did get into something just to let you get me out of it, there are much better things I could be wearing. You know, like ones that actually look good."

"Mmmm-hmmm... Red teddy." His eyes closed for a second, living in that memory. Buffy showing up at his house after a patrol, her heavy coat pulled close around her body. He'd offered her a drink, she asked to use his bathroom and five minutes later came back out... still wearing the coat.

The first thing he'd noticed was her bare feet, then the pile of clothes on his bathroom floor right before the coat dropped to the ground. Soft curtain of hair, faint flush on her cheeks as he scanned over her, starting at the top and working his way down. Hint of black lace along the top edge, a set of thin straps that snapped easily two minutes later. Red satin flowing down her perfect body like crimson water and he fell to his knees in front of her.

"Liked that one, did you?" Buffy smiled, also remembering. The flare of heat in his eyes as they'd traveled down her body, the gentle touch of his hands on her hips as he knelt in front of her, her back against the door as his mouth found her nipple through the satin and teased it. "I have one other that you never got to see... black and red mini-dress, made entirely out of Spanish lace..."

The lace had pretty floral designs, but some parts were more open... she hadn't quite been brave enough to wear that one for him, with the way her nipple poked out through the lace. The other was covered partly by one of the flowers in the design.

The broad smile on Sam's face confirmed what Riley suspected. She could hear Buffy's response loud and clear. There was considerable interest in that smile.

"Wear that instead. Meet us at the door wearing only that and we'll be your slaves for life." To his credit, he didn't sound anywhere near as breathless as he felt. This much adrenaline and they weren't even on the transport yet. Just the thought of Buffy wearing something like that and all his clothes were way too tight.

"Give me a call half an hour before you get here and it's a promise..." Buffy offered, her voice a soft purr. Even over the phone, she reacted to the subtle inflections in his voice. More than anything, she wished they were with her... but she knew that they couldn't possibly be, so she kept the thought to herself. Still, it was nice to know that they hadn't changed their minds when they returned to their normal lives.

The reassurance was one that she needed. Sometimes badly.

"Good. Look forward to it... God, I love you." He was holding the phone too hard, pressing it against his ear like he wanted to crawl down through the line to her. A knock on their door pulled them both out of their haze, reminding Riley of the reality that had to be faced. "Buffy, we have to go."

Fighting back the urge to beg him to stay, Buffy took a single deep breath and let it out slowly. "Okay, I understand," she managed to say softly. "I love you both, and I'll be waiting to hear from you when it's over. Be safe." Buffy closed her eyes, willing herself to stay strong for just a few more minutes. Just a few more. Let them go with the thought that she could be strong and they didn't have to worry about her.

"We will. See you soon." He wasn't going to say goodbye. Goodbye was too final and they were going to be back. Probably in a day or two. Sam took the phone from him as he went to answer the door.

On the other side of the screen was Graham, his gear packed and the bag sitting by his feet. He raised one eyebrow at Riley, tilting his head toward Sam who stood in the kitchen doorway, phone cradled against her shoulder. Instead of acknowledging his presence, Riley's wife turned away and walked back into the kitchen.

"See you soon, Buffy. Be safe." Sam said quietly, more than aware of Graham's curious stare. She and Riley never called out before a mission. They were always the first on the line waiting for the transport, eager to take on the next assignment. There were going to be some hard questions asked and she wasn't ready to answer them.

"I will, Sammie," Buffy answered. "You too. Take care of each other for me... and next time I'll be with you. Right?" Good, that was good... keep talking, stay in control. Don't make them worry about you when they're going into a life-or-death situation.

Graham left his bag on the doorstep when Riley let him in. First Riley, now Sam was behaving oddly. Not wrong, just a little off. Not quite the norm. **What a puzzle,** he mused. Sunnyhell always created puzzles, it seemed. Graham, for one, felt that it would be too soon if they ever went back. Any of them.

"Right. No question of that. See you soon." Even with him in the other room, Sam could feel the weight of Graham's presence. Riley's shadow, he'd been dubbed by the team. Wherever Riley went, his silent companion was usually two or three steps behind. Graham always had Riley's back and Riley always had Graham's. They watched out for each other, laid their lives on the line for each other on more than one occasion.

When she and Riley hooked up, Sam worried about disturbing their bond... that she would get in the way. There had been a few rumors that Finn and Miller were more than friends but talking with Riley proved that one false in about three seconds flat. He and Gray went through basic together. And when Ry got tagged for the Initiative, he'd recommended Graham. Even stood up to Walsh when Miller got a D in covert ops, took his side in that argument and when Riley'd won, he spent the next few weeks drilling the basics of being sneaky into his friend's head.

Now the three of them were each other's shadows. And it worked... really well.

"See you soon, Sammie," Buffy answered quietly. She waited a moment more, then hung up the phone with a soft sigh. Settled herself back in bed and closed her eyes... praying silently for the oblivion of sleep. It was a peace that she badly needed at the moment. Besides, she was exhausted.

Graham turned to nod at Sam when she came back into the room. Watched her hang up the phone and again raised an eyebrow. He'd ask out loud if they made him, but he knew that they understood what he was asking without actually having to say it. Silent communication had saved their asses any number of times, and eventually it extended into normal situations as well as battle situations.

"Buffy," Riley confirmed so Sam wouldn't have to. There was no need to lie to Graham, not about something a simple as who was on the phone. Why they were talking to her was really none of Graham's business. But the tilt of his friend's head and the frown that creased his brow meant they would have to say more than that.

"Xander and Anya are getting married today. We promised we'd come if we could. Had to give our apologies." Sam said, reaching for one of the bags. Not a lie, it was not a lie.

"Ah," Graham commented. "So you called Buffy to do that instead of Xander?" Seemed a little odd to him. They would never lie to him, but that didn't mean they were being entirely honest either. They could tell him part of the story without telling him all of it. And normally he would let it go at that. But Buffy was a different story. That one little girl had the potential to destroy everything he protected so determinedly...

"Xander had a house full of people and de... more people. He's got enough to deal with right now." Riley hefted the other two bags, noting that the ordinance bag was much too light. "Sam, give me that one and go get the rest of the gear. We'll meet you out on the line in 10." If Graham wanted to quiz someone about Buffy, that someone was going to be him.

Nodding in agreement, Sam switched bags with Riley. She was halfway out the door, pulling her cell-phone out and talking with supply before she even hit the sidewalk. Even with the stash in the SUV, there wasn't going to be enough firepower for this mission.

Graham sighed internally at the defensive look in Riley's eyes. And sending Sam away... that wasn't a good sign either. But, then, maybe it was better this way. If Riley needed some sense knocked into him again, Graham wouldn't hesitate to do it while they were private. But he approached the subject from a more indirect angle. No need to get pushy about it unless Riley made him. No point in picking a fight if one wasn't needed.

Especially with the mission ahead of them.

"So, when did Sam and Buffy become such good friends?" he asked easily. "I know we've had the non-Initiative troops spellbound by tales of the Slayer, but other than that, Sam didn't seem to think much of Buffy."

**Good one, Gray. First question - definite landmine.** Rather than answering, Riley walked their bags out onto the sidewalk and set them beside Graham's. He turned on his heel, the screen door slapping against his boot as he walked back into their quarters. "They met on our last visit. Seemed to hit it off okay once the bumps got ironed out."

Squaring his shoulders, Riley made his way into the kitchen. Finished off his glass of juice and the little bit left in Sam's before rinsing them and loading the dishwasher. "Got on great when we took out those nests together. You know Sam, she appreciates anyone who can hold their own in a fight. Especially a woman."

"True," Graham agreed. Sam was every bit the strong, independent female. And she admired that in other women, though there were few who could accomplish what Sam had. Buffy was the only woman who could ever surpass Sam in battle-mode, and that was because she was the Slayer.

"And Buffy does tend to have that effect on our people. But given Sam's opinion of what you went through, I didn't think they'd ever actually be friends." Sam hadn't been able to hold anything against Buffy; Riley wouldn't allow either of them to blame her. But she still had a part in it, and that part had Graham suspicious of her. And Sam had been too, for a while. "Look, man, I just don't want to see anyone hurt."

"I hear you, Gray. Me either." Riley leaned against the counter for a minute or two before he raised his eyes to look at his best friend. Now that they were away from Buffy, he felt those little doubts trickling in. Human, he was very human despite his flirting with the darker side of things. And part of being human was having doubts when things were going too well. When things seemed too good to be true.

Everything that had happened in the past two days was so good, so perfect... too perfect. The sword of Damocles was hanging over his head and Riley knew it. Not the time for doubts. This was not the time for doubts.

"So what's got you worried? I know it's not just the mission." And it wasn't. Riley had seemed a little off the moment he'd walked into Drum's office, just before the walls closed in and he focused.

Nothing but calm concern in Graham's eyes and in his voice. No judgments. Not yet. There would be plenty if he spilled right now. Riley pushed away from the counter, shutting things down and shutting Graham out with a shake of his head. **There are more thing in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.** Strange time for Shakespeare to pop up in his head but Riley was used to the way his own mind worked.

Graham wouldn't be able to handle the truth. Wouldn't be able to deal with the thought that he'd taken back up with Buffy. Or that it wasn't just him, that Sam was a willing and damned eager participant in everything that had happened and would happen again once they got this mission over with.

Their mission… Pandora's box had been opened in Southern New Mexico and it was their job to get it closed. Before that last of its contents were spilled upon the earth and even hope was gone.

Graham sighed inwardly again. Riley had shut down. There was no way he was going to get anything more willingly, right now. And though he would normally have pushed until Ry talked, now wasn't the time. They had to leave soon on a mission that had killed more than a few people. There would be time to deal with personal issues later. The mission came first. There were civilians to save.

"Buffy and Sam get along really well, let's just leave it at that." For a moment, the internal theater in his head played highlights of their definition on getting along really well before Riley shut it down ruthlessly. Looking up into the face of curiosity and speculation, Riley laughed. "It's kinda weird seeing your wife and an ex bonding, you know? Worried me a little, like they're comparing notes."

Graham chuckled at the look on Riley's face and nodded. "I hear ya. Do you think they really might be? Trading stories or something?" Graham wasn't completely convinced, but he would leave it alone for now. If Finn wouldn't talk now, he would eventually. And in the meantime, Graham would keep his eyes peeled, as always. He wasn't called Finn's Shadow for nothing.

"Caught them whispering once or twice, so yeah... I'm thinking they were." Easy stretch of a smile, a duck of his head and Graham was following right along. Walking away from the danger zone. His buddy even chucked him one on the shoulder, hard enough to make Riley wince. "C'mon, we're burning daylight."

"Yeah, we'd better go. We've got," Graham paused to glance at his watch, "ten minutes. Better head out." If they wanted to make transport on time, anyway. They could easily make the short distance in ten minutes, but there was no point in pushing it.

Falling in step with one another was easier than drawing breath and twice as natural. Riley opened the door for both of them, waited for Graham to step through before closing and locking it behind them. In unison, they hefted their gear up, straps going around shoulders. Riley was carrying twice as much even though Sam had packed light. With a nod, they jogged off down the sidewalk, across the quad and out into the street.

Sam and Reyes were waiting for them along, the Finns ordinance bag packed to the point of bulging and resting against one of Sam's booted feet. Engaged in some sort of small talk, they both looked up as the rest of their team drew near.

"Rest of the gear's being loaded on the C-5 now," Sam said, taking one of the bags from Riley and setting it down on the sidewalk. In the distance, they spotted the bus and Riley felt the familiar jolt of adrenaline hit him.

They were headed out. Doing their part to fight the good fight. Save some lives, remove the threat, make another corner of the world safe again. What they'd been trained to do and it felt... good. Felt right.

Graham switched gears mentally from the concerned friend to the focused soldier. A "red shirt" man, the guy who was there to take shots for the Captain, to keep him safe. Ever since basic, things had been like this. They weren't about to change now, regardless of concerns over the tiny blonde who still had a hold on Riley's heart. None of that had a place here, and everything that didn't have a place in the mission was resolutely discarded.

They had a job to do, people to save, and they'd damn well do it. They'd earned their reputation for being the best, and they'd drive that point home again with this one. Graham was supremely confident in that belief. Even if he died, they would still succeed.

"Great day to be alive. Let's keep it that way." Riley announced, sliding so easily into command mode. Bred into him, leader among men - he learned it at his father's knee, had it ground into him by playing team sports, where he usually ended up as the captain. Had it breathed into him when he took his commission and led his first mission. It was part of him, like an arm or a leg and the rest of his team knew it.

"Roger that," Sam chimed in, hefting the ordinance bag and loading it onto the bus. Reyes followed with his own gear, then Graham who waited holding out a hand to take one of Riley's bags. Together, they got everything stowed onto the bus with their usual speed and efficiency.

Moments later, everyone was in their seats and strapped in safely. With all of them in professional mode, there was very little talk. The silence wouldn't last for the entire trip; it wasn't easy to keep completely to yourself for that long and the reassurance would keep them calm. But for the moment, each was lost in their own thoughts.

Graham concentrated on the mission. He studied his maps, committing as much as possible to memory so that he would be able to find a way in or out, even in the dark, in the event that any of their equipment should fail. Always best to have backup when possible.

Seated together, Riley held hands with his wife. They exchanged a glance or two, identical smiles turning up as the memories of the past few days rolled over and over inside their heads. The world had changed in that short span of time, changed irrevocably and that fact bothered neither of them.

Shaking himself out of his reverie, Riley looked at the map spread across Graham's lap. He traced a line along one of the channels, wide enough for them to get through - single-file but wide enough... even with gear. Not big enough for their prey to hide in or follow them out should retreat become necessary. Graham's eyes narrowed and he nodded, catching one without Riley having to say a word.

When Reyes leaned over to look as well, Graham studied the map and began to point out potential places to detonate to seal off the few large exits. He saw Reyes nod or shake his head at various points and let the younger soldier point out the sites he thought would be best. Hardly a word spoken, but none were needed. Even though Reyes was new, he obviously knew his stuff well enough to mesh with the team he'd been placed with.

That fact spoke well for the young man; not everyone could merge with the team enough to understand Finnspeak, let alone the silent communication Graham and Riley had long-since perfected.

Sam spotted a smaller tunnel, too small for any of them to use. However, it could prove useful if everything fell apart. The remaining victims were children, small enough to use this last bolt-hole. She tapped the map, circling the exit point and raising an eyebrow to Riley. "Fail-safe." No need to say more, they all got it in one.

They'd have to be careful blowing the main tunnels. One of them was dangerously close to their own entry and exit point which was probably why Reyes was frowning. Leaning over the map and scribbling some notes while shaking his head. One false move in laying his charges and the rescue mission could turn into a mass burial.

Riley looked up when the bus came to a halt. They'd been so intent on the map, none of them noticed the bump as they pulled out onto the runway. The gaping maw of a C-5 awaited them, the ground crew scrambling to load up final items. "Heads up. We're here."

Folding the map even as he moved, Graham followed the Finns out of the bus and around to grab their gear. Loaded up, the team headed for the C-5, skirting the ground crew as they went.

Riley handed off their bags to the ground crew with the exception of their ordinance. That he hefted over his shoulder and lead the way up the loading ramp and into the bowels of their transport. Past the bay where a jeep was strapped into place, along the narrow catwalk to the passenger section of the cargo plane. He stowed the weapons bag in the jeep itself, tucking it down into the passenger's footwell.

Rough seats up front, bolted to the bare steel of the floor and equipped with belts but not much else. No in-flight movies or stewardesses on this trip. Bare bones essentials which was really all they needed.

Sam took a place against the bulkhead, belting herself in before rummaging through the med-kit a crew member handed to her. She checked the supplies, nodding to herself as she did so. Everything they could possibly need, barring any major trauma. She could set simple breaks and there was enough morphine in the kit to take down a bull elephant if something really bad happened.

Taking the seat next to her, Riley opened the map again and juggled the dossier until Graham snorted at him. Looking up, he grinned as his partner took the map away, spreading it over his own knees. The unspoken comment was simple enough, basically one of those 'you read the dull report and I'll do the navigating' looks.

Graham smirked briefly as Riley turned his attention to the dossier. Dull, boring things. Graham would rather hear the brief when Riley finished it. Until then, he'd study the maps again. Consult with Reyes about which areas were likely to be totaled so he could adjust in his head before hand. They would really only have one escape route, but it only took one wrong turn to get lost in tunnels that could potentially go in circles...

Each of member of the team went about their separate tasks. By the time they landed at White Sands Missile Range, Riley could recite the particulars in his head. First attack, eight days ago - eleven civilians missing, seven found dead after two days of searching by the locals. First team in - four days prior and all three of them dead less than twelve hours at this point. Suspected number of hostiles - anywhere between five and nine - they moved too quick for anyone to get a good head count.

No clue of what type of nasty they were. Only that they were really nasty. The researchers were on it but had very little to go on. What he wouldn't give for a few minutes with Mr. Giles right now. Buffy's Watcher, while difficult to get close too, really knew his stuff. Probably had a book somewhere that detailed everything in the world about their target... right down to what they liked for breakfast.

Which, from what the file said, was probably humans... young humans.

The more he'd read, the more he was convinced Drum made the right call. They were the right squad to send in. The only thing that would have made him feel more secure is if Buffy was with them. Very few people in the world he'd trust to watch his back and she was at the top of the list.

Next time. They'd bring her next time.

*****

Graham was the first to hit base camp with all his gear. Took a moment to fill his canteens with fresh, cold water, then rounded up a few extras just in case. In a climate like this, you could hardly have too much water; it was better to be on the safe side. When his teammates joined him, he handed the extras around so that everyone would have at least one spare in their pack.

That done, he turned his attention to Riley and Reyes followed his example. It was time for their Captain to fill them in on any particulars they might need and give any last-minute directions before they headed out.

Riley had checked in with the on-site commander, Major Thompson, who looked like he hadn't slept for a week. He knew him by reputation, good leader but not much field experience. After a terse conversation, Riley arranged for two men to help Reyes rig his charges.

"Listen up. They think the main clutch is here - in the big chamber." Riley tapped the map with his fingers, holding it down as a hot wind blew through the open tent. "It's been quiet. No activity in or out and they haven't found any more bodies so there's a chance the hostages are still alive."

The air around them shimmered, the sand turning liquid in the distance as Sam looked out over the horizon. Flat white for miles around, broken only by the jumbled cliffs and a dark spot that was one of the cave mouths. Gray had done the right thing in getting them water. They were going to need it.

"We're gonna play this out by the numbers. Reyes - there are two guys waiting over there to help you get set-up. They can also lay cover fire if needed." Wiping the sweat out of his eyes, Riley took a pull off of his own canteen before setting it down on the briefing table. He handed each of them a comm unit. "The signal won't make it out of the caves but we should be able to transmit to each other. It's gonna be dark in there - we've got flares but only for emergency use."

"Standard equip?" Graham asked, meaning infrared eyewear. Most demons were photosensitive to some degree. Reyes might not be comfortable with it, from the expression that flickered across his face, but he had to learn sometime. At least he'd be at the rear, coming in after blowing the other exits. Assuming, of course, that the explosions themselves didn't bring the hostiles out.

"Standard equipment. Warm-blooded. They'll show up on the scopes." As he spoke, Riley passed out the infrared gear and Sam unpacked the rest of their equipment. Hand-to-hand stuff mainly, the enclosed quarters didn't allow for any distance weapons and grenades were right out.

They armored up, each of them wiping sweat away from their faces and the back of their necks. Black and the New Mexico desert was not a good combination but it would keep them alive down in the caves, so they bore it. Sam checked their packs for a third time while Graham and Riley studied the map. Reyes was fiddling with some detonators when she sat down next to him. "Glad you're with us on this. You doing okay?"

"Yes, ma'am," Reyes answered automatically, then he hesitated. He looked up at Sam and decided that he could be honest with her; from her expression, it didn't look like she'd yell. "I've just never been on a mission this important before. There's a lot of risk in blowing those caves... if any of them are unstable, the whole network could collapse and we couldn't do anything about it. No matter how careful I am with these."

He indicated the detonators, then shrugged. "Just nervous, I guess," he added after a long moment.

"It's all right to be nervous. We all go through it. Remind me to tell you about my first drop sometime." Her natural response was to lay a hand on his shoulder but Sam kept her distance. Woman in the Black Ops, hard enough... attractive woman - even worse. While she had a rough and tumble relationship with a lot of men on the squad, including arm wrestling matches, Reyes was new and he didn't know where the boundaries were. So she set them.

Instead, she flashed him a quick smile and returned her attention to her husband, who gave her a smile of his own. Tight and quick and full of approval. Just enough distance, then.

"Reyes, you ready?" Riley jerked his head to the left. The two men from Thompson's team were standing outside the tent, one of them slapping dust off his clothes as they waited. Small and thin, both of them - just the right size for this type of work. Demolition experts had to be able to squeeze into the smallest of spaces as well as be fit and ready to handle climbs up or down sheer cliffs.

"Yes, sir," Reyes nodded and got to his feet. He snapped a salute to Riley, then joined Thompson's men with a map and a pack full of explosives. He could tell one of the men was more experienced than the other by the faint frown that appeared as he explained what they were doing. Still, no one mentioned the fact that they could cave in the entire network. It was their job to see that they didn't.

Graham nodded to himself as he stepped up beside Riley. "If anyone can do it, he can," Graham nodded in Reyes' direction. He'd heard part of Sam's conversation with the younger man and understood the concern. But if Drum said Reyes was the best man for the job, then he was more than likely right.

"Yeah. He'll handle it." Their team was handpicked. Hell, the whole squad was. Best in the Corps and they had the stats to back that claim up. They watched as the three men piled into a jeep and headed off across the sand towards the caves. The entrances were at least a mile from base camp and there was an out-cropping they could hide it behind once they got it range.

"Let's load the gear." Motioning to Sam, Riley grabbed two of the packs and made his way to the jeep they'd brought with them. Behind him, both Sam and Graham grabbed the other equipment. "We'll give Reyes twenty minutes and head out. Meet up with him at the side entrance."

Comm-unit firmly in place, Sam clicked the ear-piece twice. "Romeo-Tango five to Baker-Foxtrot seven, come in." It hissed for a moment before Reyes came in loud and clear. "You've got twenty to get those charges laid before we're coming in. Over."

"Roger that. T-minus twenty and counting," Reyes replied, partly to confirm that she'd come through clearly and partly to give a heads-up to his teammates. "Meet you at ground zero when you get here. Over."

"Romeo-Tango five out." The last of the gear was loaded. Sam took a drink of water from her own canteen, running a mental check of everything loaded in the jeep. Lots of ordinance, but that was to be expected taking on something like this.

Riley and Graham studied the map one last time. This wasn't a cakewalk but they'd handled things that were much, much worse. Given a healthy margin of error, they'd still probably be done before the next sunrise. Taking one last sip of water, Riley wiped sweat off the back of his neck. Damn, it was hot...

Graham took a swig of water and ran a hand across his forehead. It was hotter than hell out here. He looked at his canteen, then at Sam and Riley. They were as hot as he was. "Might as well drink what you want while we're here and can refill. Give us a head-start against dehydration." So saying, he took another swallow. Might be pushing things a bit, but it could also save their lives and Graham knew no one would say a word about it to them.

Base could always have more supplies brought out. Their team would only have what they could take with them. And though this should be an easy trip, the sun could take a man down in very short order. Especially wearing black like they were.

Sam nodded and took another drink from her own canteen. She felt the light brush of Riley's fingers in the small of her back. Simple touch, nothing overt which was best. He was in command now and their personal relationship had to take a backseat to the mission. But that fleeting touch was... good.

Riley drank as well, then refilled both of their canteens. Fifteen minutes had passed and it was almost time to move out. Major Thompson came out of his tent and nodded to them, keeping his distance. Alpha Company was a breed apart and the rest of the troops stayed away. They'd lost three of their own and these people, legends in the Corps, were there to avenge that loss. Nobody wanted to break their concentration on the task at hand.

After the mission was over, then they'd get to know the Finns and Lt. Miller. Until then, there were other tasks that needed tending.

Graham also noted the respectful distance that surrounded them as he refilled his canteen. Then he joined the Finns at the Jeep and asked, "Time to go, boss?" he asked, his voice soft enough to not carry beyond their small group.

Riley nodded in agreement even as he climbed into the passenger seat. While he normally ran point, on joint mission like this, Graham did the driving. It gave Riley time to run scenarios in his head and go over last minute details. Sam slipped into the seat behind Riley, buckling up at the same time that her husband did. "Let's move out."

Graham hopped into the driver's seat and started the engine. With the maps in his head, he knew exactly where they were going and how long it would take to get there. In exactly four minutes and twenty-seven seconds they pulled up near the entrance they were going to be using. It was precisely twenty minutes after the end of Sam's call, and Reyes was waiting for them with Thompson's men.

When Riley approached and asked for a report, Reyes said, "One tunnel collapsed a little more than we intended, sir, but we're sure it's far enough from the main cavern to not cause problems. All sizeable exits but this one are now sealed, sir."

There was dust in the air around them and the ground trembled for a minute or two before it all settled out. From their vantage-point, Riley could make out the blocked exits. Reyes had done a good job and now it was their turn. He shouldered his own pack and helped Sam into hers. She was carrying the medical gear and the balance was off a little. While Graham and Reyes donned their gear, Riley shifted the load a little.

"That's good, Ry. I'm good," Sam stated as she hooked a tazer onto her belt. The load was off her shoulders now and resting on her hips which was a better distribution. She was a little irritated with herself for not checking that beforehand but that's what teamwork was about. You helped each other out.

"Good job, Reyes." His own pack now in place, Riley settled the infrared goggles into place. He checked the comm-unit, clicking the ear-piece and speaking in a soft tone, "Whisky-echo niner to base. We are going in. Repeat, we are going in."

"Base here," came the reply, "We'll monitor you as best we can. Over and out."

Graham nodded and pulled his goggles into place. Helped Reyes with his, as they were sized wrong. Adjusted, Reyes nodded his thanks and the group was ready. Riley took point, as usual, and Graham followed him into the darkness, the others close behind. This was the kind of small-team work that they were best at. Theoretically this shouldn't be too difficult a mission, but after Sunnydale Graham would never underestimate a situation again.

He kept his eyes and ears open, alert for anything.

Sam followed Graham, flipping her infrareds into place and Reyes brought up the rear. Together, as a team, they descended into the unknown.

*****

 
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