"Dammit!" Wesley cursed, slamming down the phone after calling Faith's cell for the hundredth time that day.
His eyes were bloodshot, and he had a desk full of books and papers, strewn about messily, along with his own notes. His deciphering of what the prophecy meant and why it was going to pertain to Faith particularly.
He rubbed his forehead and decided to try Sam instead, fingers almost numb as he dialled the number in.
Sam
Sam paused as he walked along the sidewalk, grabbing his phone from his pocket and answering.
"Hello?"
Wesley
"Sam," Wesley said, almost hesitating for a second.
"I was hoping to catch you."
Sam
Sam frowned, looking around.
"Who is this?" he asked, knowing he recognised the voice but still not quite sure.
Wesley
"Ah... Wesley."
Wesley paused for a moment.
"Don't hang up, please. This is important."
Sam
A scowl crossed Sam's face, and he concentrated on breathing evenly and keeping his tone down.
"You've got a lot of nerve calling me," he said through his teeth.
Wesley
"Yes, I ah, realise our relationship might be a little awkward after..."
Wesley cleared his throat.
"I explained to Faith in the letter I sent that I could not apologise for my actions."
Sam
"I saw it," Sam kept his tone steady.
"So what could you possibly want?"
Wesley
"There's a prophecy," Wesley said slowly.
"And I'm more certain than ever that it is about Faith. Her death, specifically."
Sam
"Right. Another prophecy," Sam agreed sarcastically.
"Wes, enough already. Seriously."
Wesley
"It is very clear!" Wesley insisted.
"Faith and I argued about it, shortly before... before the test with the Council. But I wasn't certain back then. New information has come to light."
Sam
"Of course it has," Sam smirked, other hand on his hip as he looked around.
"I'll be hanging up now."
Wesley
"Just... ask her when she got her tattoo. Ask her. And tell her to call me. Or Giles."
Wesley was almost desperate to get Sam to listen to him.
Sam
"And you think she will?" Sam's eyebrows rose.
Wesley
"Yes."
Wesley was quiet again.
"Just mention the name Kakistos."
Sam
Sam frowned, then hung up.
He debated whether or not to tell Faith as he continued walking back to the motel room, seeing her stand outside already when he got there.
"Kakistos," he said as soon as he was within comfortable hearing distance.
Faith
"What?"
Faith's eyes widened, a fleeting glimpse of panic running through them.
"What... how do you know about him?"
Sam
"Who him?" Sam shook his head, confused.
"I just got a call from Wesley telling me there was some prophecy about you dying, and he said to tell you that name and ask where you got your tatt from. Don't tell me there's acually substance to this?"
Faith
Faith's hand instinctively covered over her tattoo.
"Yeah. Now I think there might be. But God, I wish this were all a coincidence."
Sam
Sam hesitated, taken aback for a moment.
"Wesley said to call either him or Giles," he added, still very confused.
Faith
"The Father will rise and the Slayer will fall," Faith mumbled, recalling what she had overhead a month ago.
"Guess I'm about to bite the big one."
Sam
"Faith," Sam shook his head, "you had dreams last month that I was going to be stabbed. Don't think that this will happen for sure either."
Faith
"I... I had dreams this month too, Sam."
Faith absently rubbed her tattoo.
"Something's going on. More and more vampiric activity while I've been patrolling. They're getting cockier. Something is going down. Something big."
Sam
Sam hesitated, eyes searching the ground.
"Wait... there's been more demon activity too," Sam realised, not adding how he knew that.
"And it's been congregating towards California."
Faith
"I don't know the specifics," Faith went on, almost to herself. "I don't know what makes them think it's me specifically, but I guess Kakistos has something to do with it."
She paused.
"I'll have to talk to Wesley, I guess. Maybe Giles. I always liked Giles."
Sam
"Call Giles," Sam suggested straight away.
Faith
"Yeah."
Faith glanced at him.
"You're really mad at Wes, aren't you?"
Sam
"Really doesn't quite cover it," Sam said absently, looking away.
"But if this is something we relly need to worry about, we should do what we can now to prepare."
Faith
"I have a plan. It's pretty much... me not dying. I haven't added much to it though."
Faith looked up at him.
"I'll get in contact with Giles and see what I can find out."