Prologue: Welcome (back) to Sunnydale.
The brunette normally didn't run from a fight. She was more of a jump into the burning fire kind of girl. But there were five of them and only one of her. Plus she really wasn't in the mood to kill any more humans. She felt her speed kick in and every individual muscle in her body working itself to inhuman-like capabilities.
Her surrounding environment flew by as a blur, just colors now, greens and blues and blacks. Branches scratched at the sides of her face and leaves reached out to tangle in her long brown locks, but she didn't slow her sprint or shorten her stride, dodging trees and hearing the snapping of twigs beneath her feet. There was no way they were going to catch her. She wasn't going to be caught again.
Distortion crackled through the walkie-talkie and then Riley heard the order. "Finn. We've got a potential hostile coming your way. She outran us. She looks human, but her speed and endurance suggest something else. Bring her in."
Riley deftly assembled the gun and its scope and took aim at the female form running unaware through the forest. He gently squeezed the trigger and smiled smugly as the tranquilizer found its target. He peered through the scope, watching the girl as she stumbled briefly before succumbing to the drug, her body crashing to the ground.
The well-disciplined soldier immediately dialed up the other squadron leader. "Potential hostile is tagged," he called through the hand-held radio. "The tranquilizer I hit it with has a honing device and will give you the coordinates of the body."
Riley glanced once more through the scope of his gun at the unmoving female form. "Damn, I'm good," he boasted to himself.
The brunette woke up groggily to find that her carefully planned ensemble had been replaced with a sterile looking jumper. Her head throbbed lightly as though she'd been drinking her signature Jack and diet the night before.
She winced, sitting up from the prison-like cot that adorned her cell. The room's harsh overhead light and equally blinding whisper white walls disorientated her even further. Her room was actually only three blindingly white walls. The fourth, an unsettling mirrored wall that seemed to have no door.
"Where the hell am I?" she growled out loud. She combed her fingers nervously through her hair, only stopping when she felt it. A bald spot.
The girl jumped to her feet. "What the fuck?" she screamed. Her fingers frantically felt around the area, which felt like it had been recently shaved. A neat line of fresh stitches formed a perimeter around the bare area.
"Oh hell no, they didn't," she steamed, feeling a bit like Samson. She paused in her anger however to realize she didn't know who they were.
"Welcome back to Sunnydale," she muttered to herself.
Riley stared at the girl through the one-way mirror as she discovered her new haircut. He crossed his arms in front of his broad chest and his face looked troubled and deep in thought.
"She's back? What is she doing back?" he vented to himself. He hadn't recognized her earlier through the gun scope, but now from this proximity there was no doubting who she was. Riley turned when he felt a strong hand on his shoulder.
"Hey man," the deep voice greeted his friend. "What's the situation with this one? She looks human?"
"Never judge a book by its cover, Gates," Riley mumbled, turning back to glare at the girl.
Flanked by a handful of scientists, Dr. Maggie Walsh walked down a long corridor towards the two soldiers.
"Riley. Forrest." She nodded toward the caged girl. "What kind of a demon are we dealing with here?" The scientists looked momentarily flustered as they rustled through the pages attached to their clipboards.
Riley continued staring darkly at the brunette who had now begun to pace frantically back and forth within her confined space, periodically touching the small bald square on her head. "You won't find her in your files," he informed them coldly. "Her name is Faith."