I know I took a bit of time getting this posted. Sorry! For once I actually let my real life get in the way. So not like me. But here is Chapter 2. And I just wanted to say this story is a bit darker, explores a side of things I have never approached. It's not one of those fluffy bunny things.( Sorry Anya) And just so you know Xander does not get the girl. I could only do that once. I mean I know an author has to stretch but I just couldn't do it, not another sex scene with Harris.

New Game

Sequel to Afterglow and third installment in Dive into Destiny Series

Author: T.Claybourne Rated PG-13 to NC-17. Sex Violence and language

Pairings involve Spike /Original ( as set up in last story) Angel/ ? Wesley/? Faith /?

Thanks to my Beta, Hawera and my muses, Kurt Cobain, John Lyndon (AKA Johnny Rotten) and Joe Strummer.

Just a reminder: You die hard Spuffy fans you will finally feel some validation in the next story following this one. ( I promise there is a definite and secure Spike /Buffy pairing in Part Four and final story of the series)]

In an attempt to obtain preternatural powers a human Spike and his wife make a trip to the lurker Demon that gave him his soul. Things don't go as planned. What happens next is a trip into a dark, dark tunnel of a carnival type ride. Fun for some and not for others. ( Want to take the ride?)

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New Game Chapter 2 Assemble the Team

Buffy dialed Angel's number. She got the stupid out-of-area announcement again. She began to pace. It had been almost forty eight hours since she had heard from him and she was in a panic. She couldn't hide it from the kids, they all knew. Willa had practically taken over as mother figure.

Her phone rang and she jerked, startled briefly before answering.

"Buffy?"

Buffy's relief washed over her. "Angel, it's been two days. Where are you? I am pretty much a crazy woman at this point. I mean Willa has talked to me about tranquilizers, seriously."

Angel chuckled. "I'm sorry. I am in a podunck town outside of Bakersfield. The car threw a rod. My cell phone was dead and I couldn't find the charger. The only one I found was the car charger and with the car being towed…"

Buffy gave a small laugh. "What did we do before cell phones?"

"I vaguely recall writing letters and giving them to men who rode horses across the country, carrying them in big leather satchels."

Buffy laughed briefly. "So when will you get here?"

"The whole engine is shot, Buffy. This town has a Bates-looking motel with, if you'll believe this, a single pay phone, a grocery slash liquor store, and a garage. It'll be a week to ten days."

Buffy said nothing.

"Buffy?"

"Angel, you are so getting it when you get here. Leaving me alone with these four teenagers, and now I have to take them clothes shopping."

"Well, I'll look forward to the… getting it."

"Oh my god, you just sounded like Spike."

"I know you are upset, but insulting me will not help the situation."

Buffy gave a short laugh. "I love you. Call again if you can but I get the whole car- charger town-in-the-past thing."

"Tell the kids I love them."

"I will."

~ ~~ ~

Angel turned to Mia. She put her tongue to her top teeth and then smiled. "I got all tingly when you added the part about the kids. You sold that one."

Angel grinned. "So, what do I get?"

Mia walked up close. She pushed him up against the alley wall and, standing on her toes getting real close to his face, she leaned into him.

Whispering in his ear, she said provocatively. "To make the next call and then….."

Spike cleared his throat and calmly asked, "Are we bloody well going to change the rules mid-game, Mia, because if so I just want a heads- up over here."

Mia jumped back from Angel, laughing and threw herself into Spike's arms, wrapping her legs around his waist. "What of yours do you want up, baby?"

Spike laughed. "Oooh but you are evil. Look how very unsatisfied poor Angel looks."

Mia wrapped her arms around Spike's neck, hung her head and shoulders back, then looked over at Angel upside down.

"Spike, you should have said devastated, it would have been more flattering to me, but he's neither. Look at him trying to look all unaffected. Come on, Angel, make the call then you can have someone to dominate."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Angel sat at the coffee shop's outside table: it was the furthest from the entrance door and just bordering an alley.

"Angel?"

"Thanks for meeting with me here, Wes."

Wes sat down.

"Where did you tell the others you were going?"

"I didn't give exact specifics , I just told them we were meeting."

"Good."

"I thought you and Buffy were taking the children and running."

"We were, but then something happened."

"What?"

"I remembered I'm not the running type, so I sent her on by herself."

Spike stepped out of the shadows of the alley. "That and we decided to have… a drink. Why don't you join us, Wes?"

Wes stood quickly. He turned and headed toward the Café's entrance with its lights and people, and ran right into Mia.

"Hi, sexy. Never told you I thought that about you, did I? But you are. And tonight you look so good a girl could sink her fangs into you. Oh Wes, don't give me that betrayed look." Mia pulled her demon face forth, grasped him by his shoulders, walked a few steps and then threw him to the back of the alley.

She was on him before he even realized he had hit the ground. Wes stared at the yellow eyes and she slammed him hard into the wall. He was surprised when he heard, before he felt, his skull crack: the blood started to run down the back of his neck. Mia stared at him and slowly morphed back to human face. It seemed like a seamless movement but Spike and Angel suddenly flanked Mia.

"Did you hear about the team, Wes?" asked Mia.

Wes swallowed hard with the realization of what was to come.

"It's your choice, Wesley sweetie. Who is it going to be to make the change for you? Oh, there it is, that's the look I wanted instead of the betrayed one. Go ahead, Wes, tell the others what I was waiting for."

Spike put his hand up."Oooh …oooh me, teacher. I know."

Mia gave a little chuckle. "No, you've seen it all before. It's Wes's turn. Say it, Wes, and no archaic language: in English will be fine."

Angel drifted forward. "Let me take care of this."

Mia looked at Wes and breathed deep through her nose, then smiled. "Even if Wes is refusing to say it out loud I can smell the fear all over him." She looked to Angel. "You'd better remember who put it there for you. What do you think, Spike? Did Angelus do any better?"

Spike moved in and ran his nose along Wesley's neck. He looked at Mia and licked his lips. "Even if he did, it hasn't been for a very long time, pet." He moved back behind Mia, then leaned on the wall.

" So, then, it'll be the best-tasting fast food you've ever had." She gave a small laugh "Well, at least for tonight." She looked at him seriously. "You'll owe me, Angel."

Angel grinned, "Why do you keep saying that? I've offered to pay and you refuse."

Mia smiled and raised a brow. "All you ever have is Canadian quarters. This machine takes real American ones."

" Now you and I know that's not true. It takes British coins, doesn't it?"

Mia shrugged with one shoulder. "Guess it does at that." She looked Wes in the eyes. "Wes is British isn't he?" Mia glanced at Angel, then at Wes. "Hmmm. Maybe I'll let him pay me in the very way you…."

"Mia!" Spike started, distracting her, "You said you were hungry, wanted a surfer, remember?"

She looked at him. "I am. I do." She looked back at Wes. "I like how the sun bleaches their hair nearly white. That and the salt water and sand makes them smell all fresh, like linen."

She dropped Wes and he fell to the ground. He watched as Mia and Spike walked away. He only saw the heels of their boots and the tails of the long leather coats briefly before he felt Angel at his throat.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Mia handed Angel the phone.

"The phone is mine Mia, I could be carrying it myself."

Mia laughed. "Right. I'm not letting you decide to call and verbally torture Buffy on a whim, and I know you would. I have read every book and piece of written material the Watchers had on you, and quite a bit of what Wolfram and Hart had too. It's too early in the game for your past indiscretions to surface. If you hadn't been drawn to the type of activities you are, we would all be living in some sort of hell on earth. I guess in the long run it actually worked out in my favor that you played torture–the-girl-that-loved-me when you lived in Sunnydale."

Spike snorted as he held back a laugh.

Angel stared at Mia: she stared back.

"Oh good, here we go again, the who-will-sodding-blink-first session."

Both Angel and Mia smiled. Mia cocked her head a bit and lifted her brow slightly. " Make the call, please?"

Angel called and gave a plausible explanation of magic and protection to Fred as to why it wasn't Wes making the call and why he wouldn't be returning for couple of nights. When he had finished Mia took the phone back from him and looked at Spike.

"You're in charge of sleeping beauty. Angel and I have a field trip planned, and maybe when we get back we could have somewhere better than these damn sewer tunnels to sleep in."

Spike's jaw tightened and he pursed his lips. "Em, just what's this plan of yours that leaves me with Angel's fledgling and Angel with my… with you?"

"What I have planned requires Angel's special talents."

Spike's eyes narrowed. "Perhaps you could be a bit clearer than that."

Mia grinned and tilted her head. "Is this a jealousy thing or a dominance thing?"

"You know what it bloody well is."

Mia pulled him to her and kissed him hard and deep, eventually biting his tongue. She pulled away and they both licked blood from their lips. Spike lifted his brow. Mia leaned forward and whispered in his ear.

"We're going to San Diego."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Willow lay in her hospital bed, finally having enough strength to drink by herself. She had herbs that would have helped with healing, but Giles couldn't sneak them in: the nurses were watching everything going in and out of her. Giles had been so sweet. Even with all his duties at the Council he had sat vigil at her bed.

He was reading over one of his many reports.

Willow looked over to him. "Tell me what happened."

"What?"

"Giles, as long as we've know each other, you've never thought I was a dummy, have you?"

He smiled, "No, Willow, I have never thought that."

"So I know something bad happened, ah, besides me. What was it?"

"Every Slayer in all of London was killed."

Willow`s heart skipped a beat, "Every one?"

Giles looked so defeated suddenly. "Yes, the only ones that survived were out on assignment or home on vacation."

"Oh my goddess," swallowed Willow. She just stared at Giles and breathed hard for a few seconds. "He always said we were lucky she was on our side and had her soul"

"What?"

"Spike. He used to say that if she ever lost her soul we'd all be in trouble."

"You know, I believe that even in his most evil dreams he probably couldn't have imagined this. They didn't get the children though. Buffy got them to safety."

Willow relaxed briefly. "Did you warn Xander?"

Giles eyes widened as he got out his phone.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Mia and Angel had worked their way back through the sewers in Los Angeles to the cross-section where they had been staying.

"So Mia, you take me off to San Diego and all I get is… well, just tell me how I'm supposed to be satisfied with only Wesley to dominate: Wesley?"

"What, he's not sexy enough for you? He's got blue eyes. I know Wes's hair is dark, but he didn't bleach his hair until the nineteen seventies. I thought…"

Angel looked over at her.

"There is no way he told you about that. Did you see it psychically?"

Mia grinned, "Nope, just guessed. But I know for sure now, don't I?"

"You know nothing except that I liked to be in charge." Angel smirked.

She smiled back, "Too bad you aren't any more."

Angel glared at her.

Spike and Wes came around the corner.

Mia ran and jumped, wrapping her arms around Spike's neck. "Did you find us a new place?"

"Maybe. Did you take care of Xander?"

"Angel killed his wife Diana," smiled Mia as she kissed him.

"And was he devastated?"

Mia kissed him again. "Who cares? That was not really apart of the game. We just needed to eliminate the last west coast Watcher."

"He was devastated," said Angel proudly. "Looked hurt and confused when I told him I couldn't kill him. It was so beautiful."

"Was that all I was, a west coast Watcher?" asked Wes

Mia unwrapped herself from Spike and walked to Wes. She put her hand to his face. "No, Wes, you've always been more than that and now, well, you're a part of our four. It's their four, the Scoobies, against ours." Taking her hand away, Mia looked at Spike and Angel. "We need to have a name, don't we? I was thinking something like `The New Scourge'."

Spike let out a laugh and Angel just gave her a grin.

"There is just one thing, Mia…" started Wes. "By taking me you…"

"Oh, I know, Wes. I've pulled Fred and Gunn into the mix, increasing their team's numbers, but every team needs a back-up player, so let's go get ours. I just know Spike didn't find us a new place."

"I was bleeding busy, teaching the new boy to play."

"And?" asked Mia

"And he's already as good as you at the hunt. How you lot picked that up in the books, I don't know."

"As good?"

Spike grinned, "Almost as good."

"So Mia, who's next?" asked Angel

"Spike knows who it is, it was his suggestion, but who would you add, Angel?"

Angel shrugged his shoulders slightly. "Gunn. He's been killing our kind since he was a teen."

Wes grinned and shook his head. "Oh no, Angel, I've already deduced that she would want "a bigger gun" as they say, if you can overlook the pun. The other player will be someone that can do the very most damage."

Mia lifted her brow and smiled. "And who would that be, Wes?"

"Am I right in assuming that we will be heading for Cleveland and the Hellmouth for a visit with oldest and second-longest living Slayer?"

Spike dug a twenty-dollar bill out of his jeans pocket and put it in Mia's hand. "Bleeding spent all those years with the bloke and he wreaked all that destruction, I was sure it would be him who would get it, not the head boy."

"How many times have I told you?"

"Em, you have told me so many times I can't even start to count them, but we are different now, walking the dark side. I was hoping it had changed."

"It will never change, Spike."

"What is that?" asked Wes.

"Say it out loud!" demanded Mia

"No."

Angel spoke. "She is always more right than him. They have had this argument for twenty-plus years and Spike never wins, but he keeps trying…idiot"

Wes looked at Spike. "Oh, right. I remember now and I agree on both points, the idiot and her being right."

"Great. Look at that, Spike. You've united the team."

"Bloody hell, this getting to the big stand-off is going to be so much fun," Spike said sarcastically.

"But honey, even you agree on two things. I haven't eaten, and neither has Angel. Do you two want to join us or are you set?"

"I'm up for it," Wes replied excitedly.

Spike crossed his arms over his chest. "You've had enough alone time with Angel."

"Great, we'll all grab a bite and then we head for Cleveland. We should look to eat someone with a SUV, one of those with the really tinted windows: it'll have more room. Angel, you'll drive first."

Angel looked at her and cocked his head. "So authoritative. I like that."

"No you don't. I'm not going to be all Buffy-like and hit you to make any of my points, so just shut up and go."

Spike snorted, " When Buffy was a slayer, she did used do that. But how did you know, love?"

Mia began walking and Wes fell in beside her. "They aren't the brightest crayons as they say, are they?"

Mia laughed. "He's not thinking because Angel is in the equation."

"Oh right," Wes chuckled. " I see, he is so distracted by Angel, and their rivalry or what have you that he just suddenly forgotten how well you know Buffy because, as humans, you and she were best friends for years and years."

Mia stopped and looked intently at Wes. "Spike has forgotten nothing when it comes to me: he never will. Understand?"

Wes nodded as he briefly glanced away and to the ground then back up. It was notably a small act of submission.

Mia smiled. "Good, then let's go and show these two that even though they are older and more experienced as vampires that means absolutely nothing in this group."

"Death, destruction and mayhem: you and I have read much more about it than they could ever hope to."

"Yes, and in so many ancient languages." She laughed. "We are so going to be able to scare any Sumerians we find."

Wes laughed out loud.

Spike, who had been following behind them, said, "Love, you two are having way too much fun already. We haven't even killed anything yet."

Mia turned to look at him. "Wes is a fun guy. I've told you that before. And a plus for everyone is that he has always had in him a very protective streak for me, haven't you, Wes?"

Wes chuckled, "Oh yes, Mia, I'd die for you."

She laughed and leaned into him with her shoulder.

Spike looked at Angel. "We are going to have trouble with those two. Kindred spirits of a sort, aren't they?"

Angel gave a chuckle. "Yes, but then there is us. We also know how to have a bit of fun while we're out together, William, don't we?"

Spike grinned, "That we do, Angel, that we do."

"Well then, William, let's us go and show those two young ones how it's done."

Spike gave a long deep chuckle, "Oh Angel, you have no idea how she likes to do it. You and Wes are in for a treat. You especially will appreciate tonight; you can trust me on that."

Angel glanced from Spike to Mia. His belly clenched at the thoughts Spike had just evoked. The night was starting to look very interesting. Things had in fact looked pretty good from the time he'd opened his eyes to see Mia's smiling face and that meal of a slayer she had provided for him, and by the looks of it they were only going to get better. Even though he wasn't in charge he'd stick around just to see what she'd do next. Besides, he thought there were plans to kill Buffy and he wanted in on them. He'd convince Mia that he needed to be included. Or maybe he'd just kill her himself and ruin Mia's plans, depending on how things went. Mia should know, no-one ever really controlled him.