3rd Person's POV

Water is poured into a glass from a small pitcher. Giles brings the glass over to Buffy. She is sitting with Willow and Laney as Xander paces nearby.

"Here. Drink this."

Buffy takes the glass, "No thank you."

She says it absently as she drinks the water. She's elsewhere.

"I've never seen... I mean, I've never seen anything like... that was new."

"Who would want to hurt Dr. Gregory?" Willow asks sadly as tears form in her eyes.

"He's a cute little old man... or at least he was." Laney frowns looking at her rings.

Giles shakes his head, "He had no enemies on the staff that I know of. He was a civilized man. I liked him."

"So did I." Buffy says in a small voice.

"Well, we're gonna find out who did this. We'll find them and we'll stop them."

Buffy nods, agreeing with Willow's statement, "Count on it."

"What do we know?"

Buffy rises, focused now, "Not a lot. He was killed on
campus, I'm guessing. The same day we last saw him."

"How do you know?" Giles asks.

"Didn't change his clothes."

Xander stops pacing, "This is a question nobody
particularly wants to hear, but, where did they put his head?"

Laney frowns, "You're right. I didn't want to hear that."

Xander grimaces looking at Laney, "Sorry."

Buffy crosses her arms angrily.

"Angel. He warned me something was coming."

Giles stands remembering the conversation. He walks over to the bookcase and grabs a text.

"Yes. Yes he did and I wish I knew what he meant. All I could locate was an oblique reference to a vampire who displeased the Master and cut off his hand for penance."

"Cut off his hand and replaced it with a fork?"

"Wow, I've heard of eating disorders, but..."

Giles glances as Willow, "I don't know what he replaced it with."

"Why would that guy come after a teacher?"

"I'm not certain he did Xander. There was an incident two nights ago with a homeless man in Weatherly Park. He was practically shredded. But
nothing like Dr. Gregory."

Laney raises a finger in the air, "Fork guy doesn't do heads."

"No."

Buffy nods, "And Dr. Gregory's blood wasn't drained."

"So there's something else out there? Besides silverware man?"

Laney chuckles, "Silverware man."

Xander smiles then frowns again, "This is fun. We're on Monster Island."

"We don't know it's something else. This fellow is still our likeliest suspect."

"Where was that guy killed? Weatherly Park?"

"Buffy, I know you're upset. But this is not the time to go hunting. Not until we know more. Promise me you won't do anything rash."

"Cross my heart."

Later that night at Weatherly Park, the sidewalks were deserted. Buffy and Laney, dressed for hunting, cross the street then they quickly and gracefully vault the locked fence next to the sign: WEATHERLY PARK - CLOSES AT 10:00 P.M.

They move cautiously through the spooky trees and bushes. Buffy stops as she hears a sound. She spins into a Fu crouch as a large figure stumbles out of the bushes. It's just a homeless man with a bottle in a paper bag.

"Shouldn't be here at night l'il ladies, s'dangerous."

They veer off in opposite directions. Laney spots something on the ground-- a body! She calls Buffy and they run to it. Kneeling down they see it's just another homeless guy sleeping. They continue on, passing some thick foliage growing up over some large rocks. Buffy stops, then grabs Laney's arm and they move back. Something about the foliage bugs her.

She pokes at it-- it's loose-- she pulls it back, revealing a small storm drain. Someone wants to keep this tunnel entrance a secret.

Buffy peers into the round hole and the blackness within.

"What is it?" Laney whispers.

"I can't see anything. It looks like nothing."

"Let me see."

Buffy moves away, allowing Laney to look. That's when an arm shoots out of the darkness-- an arm with three sharp claws where the hand should be.

Laney drops to the ground-- the claws shredding her jacket-- and out of the tunnel comes one bad mother of a vampire. Long hair, wild eyes, we'll call him CLAW.

He takes a big swipe at her face, she uses her feet to trip him. As he falls to the ground Buffy leaps forward and body stomps him. She whips out a stake and dives. He rolls out the way as the stakes sinks into the earth.

He grabs her from behind, his claw inching towards her throat. She stomps on his insole, elbows him in the gut, turns and kicks him hard in the knee. He grabs it in pain.

"Hold it! Police!" A man's voice comes from nearby.

Sounds of people coming echo throughout the park. Lots of flashlights shine. Claw bolts into the underbrush. Buffy hurries and helps up the winded and hurt Laney. They crawl out of sight as the Homeless Guy (who was really a cop) bursts onto the scene followed by three uninformed cops holding guns.

"I heard him-- spread out!"

The homeless guy and the cops move into the foliage.

The opposite side from where Buffy and Laney entered, a woman carrying two grocery bags, walks down the sidewalk. Her heels click clack in the night.

Shooting through the fence-- something is stalking the woman. She's oblivious. Claw sees his next meal. He scampers up the fence with frightening speed. A beat later, Buffy and Laney appear out of the trees and see what's happening. Buffy helps Laney as they bolt for the fence.

The woman walks on as Claw drops into frame right behind her. She turns, it's the substitute teacher Natalie French. Buffy, racing for the fence, sees Claw do something unexpected-- he sniffs Natalie, pulls back in real terror and runs into the street. He dives for the nearest sewer gutter then he slithers into,m it disappearing from sight.

Unseen, Buffy watches Natalie, unfazed, continue on her way.

"You saw that too right?" Buffy asks Laney as the two watch Natalie disappear.

"I knew there was something wrong with that chick."

JUST FOR FUN
Laney's Stealth Outfit