Parts: 11 - 18
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
~Part: 11~
David handed the papers back to Doyle, “My attorney assured me that these are your typical divorce papers. No strings attached.”
Doyle sighed as he took the papers. “Thanks, David. I really appreciate your help with this.” He sat in silence for a few minutes thinking of his life with Harry. It’s not like he hadn’t moved on and it was OBVIOUS that Harry had moved on but divorce. With an inward sigh Doyle signed the papers. “Umm, got a copier I can use?”
“Sure. Just down this hallway and passed the elevator.”
Willow exited the elevator when she noticed Doyle walking down the hallway. “Hey, Doyle.” He was lost in his memories and didn’t see or hear her. With a shrug she continued down to her office but stopped when she saw David standing in the doorway to his. “What’s up with Doyle?”
“He came to pick up the divorce papers that Michael looked over for me.”
“Everything okay?”
“Legally, yes. Emotionally, I’m not too sure.”
“Well, it’s gotta be tough when you realize you’ll never get back together with your first love.”
“Oh, I think he’s doing all right with that. Well, he’ll be all right with that. It’s more that he found out that Richard is a demon and Harry’s okay with it. In his mind he’s always blamed his being a half-demon as the main reason for Harry’s leaving. But to be confronted with the evidence that it was only a small part of the reason. He told me that he wonders if he’d have toughed it out, that they might still have been together. I think that’s what he’s having problems with adjusting to. What ifs… and I don’t think he trusts Richard much.”
A smile quirked Willow’s lips, “I don’t think Doyle would like ANYONE that Harry chose to marry over him.”
“True, but I think there’s something a little off about him, too. I mean he asked DOYLE to his bachelor party.”
Willow was sure her mouth was hanging open. “The groom-to-be asked his fiancé’s ex-husband to come to his bachelor party?! That’s a bit too much Jerry Springer for me.”
“Yeah Angel and I thought so too but Doyle was caught off guard and said he’d go. Then he turned his puppy dog eyes to Angel and me and now we’re stuck going to.”
Willow gave David’s shoulder a pat, “I don’t envy you that, it’ll be a very awkward evening.”
~~~~
David, Doyle and Angel entered the restaurant that Richard and his family own. Angel turned to Doyle, “You sure about this? We can leave now with no one knowing. This really isn’t necessary Doyle. You don’t have to prove to anyone that you’re all right with Harry moving on.”
Doyle just stiffened his shoulders and straightened his spine, “I’m not gonna have that git tell Harry that I never showed.”
Angel just rolled his eyes and followed Doyle.
Richard greeted Doyle when he saw him enter the room, “Hi, Francis!”
“It’s Doyle.” Doyle said through gritted teeth. Maybe Angel was right and he should leave. Ah well, too late now. Maybe he’ll slip out unnoticed a little later. He could always leave during the stripper. Not that anyone would notice him missing then.
“Right. Sorry.” Richard put his arm around Doyle and turned him to meet his family and friends. “Everyone this is Doyle.”
Richard’s brother looked just beyond Doyle and noticed Angel and David hovering in the entry. “Looks like he brought some friends.”
“Angel! Hey, what a surprise.”
“Yeah, I asked him to come… David, too. Hope that’s all right.”
“Sure. Sure. Not a problem. The more the merrier, right guys?”
Richard led Doyle over to the bar, “What can I get you, Francis?”
“Scotch.” Maybe a buzz will help him get through the night before he can sneak away.
David hoped his face didn’t reflect his boredom as he listened to Richard’s cousin tell him about this great idea he had for a computer game. Would he ever go to a party where someone, somewhere didn’t have a great idea for a computer game? He glanced over at the bar where Richard had kidnapped Doyle. At least he didn’t have to suffer through going to his ex-wife’s fiancé’s bachelor party.
Angel saw Richard’s father and brother glance around the room before slipping out unnoticed. He felt that there was something a little off about tonight. What guy would invite the ex of his girlfriend to his bachelor party? It was one of the reasons he had agreed to come tonight, he wanted to keep an eye out for Doyle. Silently edging along the back stairs Angel caught the slight sound of chanting and the smell of something cooking. There was a blur of motion through the crack in a door. Quietly, Angel nudged the door further open and saw Richard’s father take a ceremonial dagger and slice along his open palm allowing his blood to drip into the cauldron over a fire.
“Ino platbrata iko iko retvan el shak.” Richard’s brother chanted as the fire flared up when the blood dripped.
Angel carefully closed the door and found an empty room before he dialed his cell phone.
“Angel Investigations, we help the helpless.”
“Let me speak to Willow, Cordy.”
“I’m doing fine, Angel. Thanks for asking.”
“It’s important, Cordelia.”
Cordelia huffed before yelling, “WILLOW! It’s for you.” She set the phone down on the desk and went back to filing her nails and reading Variety.
“Hello?”
“Willow. How’s your Aratuscan?”
“Not too good. It’s a dead demonic language. Why?”
Cordelia stopped listening when she heard demonic language. Boring research stuff again. She flipped idly through the magazine until the sound of the front door opening caught her attention. Finally a customer.
“Welcome… Oh it’s just you.”
Harry grinned, “Gee thanks.”
“No. I didn’t mean it that way. I thought you were a customer. Doyle’s not here.”
“Oh.” Harry sighed. “I was hoping to clear some things up. I don’t want there to be any bad feelings between us anymore.”
“Well, actually he’s at Richard’s bachelor party.”
Harry blinked at that news and wondered why Richard hadn’t mentioned anything about that.
Willow turned at the sound of Harry’s voice. “Angel. Hold on, Harry just came in. She might know.”
“Harry! Do you know any Aratuscan?”
“A little. Why?”
Willow held out the phone, “Angel’s on the phone and he needs a translation.”
“Hey Angel. What do you need?”
“Do you know what Ino platbrata iko iko retvan el shak means?”
“What’s going on, Angel?”
“I don’t know yet that’s why I need a translation.”
Harry ran the words through her head. “I’m a little rusty. Let me make a couple of calls and I’ll get back to you, okay?”
“Yeah. That’d be great. Thanks.”
~~~~
David sat with a glazed look on his face as Richard’s cousin launched into yet another reason why the game would be successful. A smile quirked his lips as he noticed Doyle trying to ward off yet ANOTHER hug from Richard.
Richard put his arm around Doyle and turned to the room, “Hey everyone. Great news. Doyle gives his blessing, he consents.”
There was happy shouting all around and David was relieved when the cousin dropped the conversation and went to offer his congratulations to Richard. His relief turned to concern when he noticed some of Richard’s family put Doyle in a box with a hole in the top so his head remained outside.
Oh god, this could not be good. Where was Angel? David looked around the room and wracked his brain as to the last time he saw him. He noticed him going into the back room but that had been a while ago. He didn’t remember seeing him come out. As quietly as he could he made his way out of the room while everyone’s concentration was on Doyle.
Richard ducked his head while a friend put a lobster bib around his neck. He turned to Doyle, “I just want to say how incredibly moved I am by your sacrifice.”
“Sacrifice!?!” He winced as he felt a prick on the side of his head, “Ouch! Hey… my head’s going numb.”
The crowd around him chuckled and Richard moved in closer, “Well, I’d hope so. We wouldn’t want you to suffer when we cut into your skull.”
~~~~
Harry slammed down the phone, “Dammit Angel’s not answering. Come on we gotta get Doyle.”
“Why? What’s the translation?”
“Something about ingesting a past love.”
“What? You don’t mean literally do you?” At Harry’s look Cordelia continued, “Right when doesn’t it mean literally? Come on I’ll drive. You keep trying to reach Angel.”
Willow grabbed the keys out of Cordy’s hand, “I’LL drive.” She turned to Harry. “Trust me you’ll thank me later.”
David kept to the shadows as he opened door after door hissing Angel’s name. This was ridiculous something could be happening to Doyle downstairs while he wasted his time hunting Angel. As he opened his mouth to yell Angel’s name he heard a cell phone ringing in the next room. He tried that door and saw Angel lying on the ground. He rushed over yelling Angel’s name.
Angel shook his head and tried to clear the cobwebs. “What?” Then the memories came flooding back and he leapt to his feet in vamp face. “Where’s Doyle?”
“Downstairs. Richard and his family have him locked in a box. I came up here looking for you.”
“Come on. I think they’re gonna use Doyle in some kind of ritual.”
David followed as closely as he could behind Angel but he doubled his efforts when he heard the crashing of the door downstairs and Angel’s angry voice drifting up, “Party’s over.”
Richard’s father looked at Doyle, “You brought a VAMPIRE to the party?!”
Those demons closest to Angel felt the full brunt of his anger as they were thrown left and right like rag dolls. David entered the room and noticed that Doyle’s box was being kicked around in the melee of the fight. He tried to get closer and catch him.
David picked up a knife that he noticed lying nearby and swiftly approached Doyle’s box.
Doyle’s eyes widened as he watched David come closer with the knife. “Hey, now. My brains wouldn’t be that tasty. Honest.”
Confusion crossed David’s face, “What are you talking about? Do you think this knife is sturdy enough to cut through that lock?”
“Yeah, yeah. Good idea.”
Raising the knife back and using all the strength he could, David sliced down on the lock. He watched in satisfaction as the lock didn’t break but the box around it did.
Doyle pushed against the lid and it sprang open. “Thanks, mate.” He shook his head and let his demon come out. “Harry always wanted me to mix with other demons. I think it’s time to mix.”
He launched into a group of nearby demons and joined in the fight. Before David could either fight or flight the sound of the front door banging open caught his attention.
Harry stood at the entrance with her hands on her hips glaring. “Stop it! Stop it now!”
Everyone stopped at Harry’s shout and Richard looked over at her guiltily. “Hun bun? What are you doing here? You know it’s guys only.”
She narrowed her eyes, “I know what you’re doing, Richard.”
“The stripper wasn’t my fault… honest.”
“Not the stripper. Wait! There was a stripper?!”
“You really shouldn’t be here, hun bun.”
Cordelia glared as she came up to Richard and began poking him in the chest, “And YOU shouldn’t be trying to eat my friend’s brains! You horrible, ugly demon people!”
Doyle grinned from his position on the floor under a broken chair. He glanced over at David, “Told you she liked me.”
Harry began tapping her toes, “I’m only going to ask you this once, Richard. Were you or were you not going to eat my ex-husband’s brains?”
“Sort of.” Richard answered sheepishly.
Willow leaned over and whispered in Angel’s ear, “How do you sort of eat someone’s brains? It’s not something you say oops sorry my soupspoon missed wasn’t really aiming for your brains. Please forgive me.”
Angel grinned. It was nice to hear Willow do her Willowspeak again.
Harry raised an eyebrow at Richard, “And just when were you planning on telling me?”
Richard winced, “I was hoping I wouldn’t have to.”
“You were going to start our marriage on a lie?!”
Doyle leaned over to David, “Kind of missing the point isn’t’ she?”
“I was trying to bless out marriage…like in the ancient teachings.”
“Pfft. Since when have you or your family ever done anything according to the ancient teachings? You can’t even pry your Uncle Raymond from his chair in front of ESPN on Sundays long enough to spill the blood of a she-goat.”
Uncle Raymond glared at Harry, “Hey! Richard are you going to let her talk about me that way?”
Harry glared at Raymond before turning back to Richard, “You know how I feel about these barbaric rituals.”
Richard sighs, “I should have told you. I’m sorry. But unless I complete this ritual no one in my family will consent to our marriage.”
Harry hung her head and then looked over to where Doyle and David stood and then she reached for Richard’s hand.
Doyle tensed and edged his way around the gathered demons to the doorway. He got ready to make a quick escape.
“Hun bun?” Richard looked down at the engagement ring that Harry had left there.
Harry turned her back on Richard and walked towards the door. She noticed Doyle open his mouth and get ready to say something before she stopped him, “Don’t say a word, Francis or I’ll eat your brains myself.”
Doyle snapped his mouth shut as he and the others followed her out the door.
Willow watched as Doyle leaned against the building’s wall and watched Harry as she got into a cab. “You think he’ll be okay?”
Angel thought about his answer, “I think his feelings for Harry ran deeper than he knew. But yeah I think given time he’ll be okay.” “Well someone should go talk to him.” Cordelia made her way over to Doyle, “Hi, you’re not going to be loser, pining guy around the office are you? Cause, you know…we’ve got one of those already. And he pulls it off way better than you could.”
Angel and Doyle both shout, “Hey!”
Cordelia let out a long suffering sigh, “Look I’m so not the cheer girl. If you want insincere platitudes go to Willow.”
“HEY!”
Cordy just ignored her, “You’ll get through this, Doyle. Not all nice guys finish last.”
Doyle grinned over at Cordy, “You think I’m nice?”
“If you haven’t learned by now that I only say what I mean you don’t know me very well.”
Doyle smiled back at Angel and the others, “Told you she’d fall for my charming personality sooner or later.”
~Part: 12~
Angel pulled up into the parking lot of Cordelia’s apartment complex and heaved an inward sigh. He’d had to listen to Cordelia and Doyle bicker and flirt all the way back from the aborted bachelor party.
“We’re here, Cordelia.” He interrupted yet another argument about making a commercial for Angel Investigations.
“All I’m saying is that if we advertised, we’d probably get paying clients.” Cordelia ignored Angel in the pursuit of making a point with Doyle. She decided to play the guilt card, “You don’t want to be sponging off David forever do you?” Thinking that the commercial would be great exposure for her in her pursuit of an acting job Cordelia gave her best puppy dog eyes.
“Princess, it’s not about the money. It’s about helping those that need help. David doesn’t mind, besides it’s probably a tax write-off.”
Before Cordelia could launch into another argument Angel interrupted, “Not to be rude but can you guys finish this argument later. You know being knocked out and fighting Ano-movic demons kind of takes it out of you.” Angel faked a big yawn hoping Cordelia would get the hint.
Cordelia rolled her eyes, “Yeah, yeah. Anyone ever tell you you’re not Mr. Subtle Guy?” She turned to Doyle as she got out of the car, “This argument is so not over.”
“Didn’t think it was.” Doyle muttered as he watched Cordelia leave.
“You know, Doyle. She probably just wants to do this so she can say she’s starred in a commercial.”
“You just remember that sentiment, when she drags your Avenger of the Night body into it.”
“What?!”
Doyle batted innocent eyelashes at him, “Did you miss that part of her argument? Oh yeah, she pictured you in a trench coat being all tall, dark, handsome and mysterious saving the damsel in distress.”
~~~~
David wondered again for about the twentieth time why he agreed to this. He looked over and noticed Cordelia talking happily with the film crew. His lips quirked up into a slight smile, she seemed to be in her element here. Much more than fighting demons, though she threw herself a hundred percent into that work as well. She just seemed to glow when she was surrounded by people fawning over her.
Cordelia was bored. Would these people never shut up? All they talked about was how great she looked, how she was doing a good job, yadda, yadda, yadda. If this didn’t prove that she had moved on since Sunnydale nothing would. The old Queen C would have loved this attention and empty praise. She glanced over at David and rolled her eyes before turning back to the yammering fool that wouldn’t shut up.
“If you’ll excuse me I think Mr. Nabbitt wants to talk about the next shot.” She quickly made her way over to David and slipped her arm through his, “Is it time for the next shot? Please tell me it’s time for the final shot, lie if you have to.”
“Actually it is. The grips just notified the director and the cameramen that the alley is all set. They just have to finish up a bit with the mood lighting so it looks all dark and mysterious. Should be ready to roll in about ten minutes.” David watched Cordelia’s face and noticed she wasn’t as happy as she appeared before, “Everything all right?”
She plastered a fake smile on her face and turned it on David. Noticing the concerned look on his face she let the mask fall, “You ever want something so bad only to find out it wasn’t as great as you imagined?”
“Having second thoughts about acting?”
“Not really about acting just what I want to do with my life.”
“Ah… it’s hard to go back to the normal life when you’ve helped the hopeless.”
“Sort of. I mean I helped in Sunnydale but that was mostly keeping the world from being sucked into hell. We were kind of on the sidelines helping but here with Angel and you guys I feel like I’m really doing something. Don’t get me wrong, I love the attention and the fawning but it’s just not as fulfilling as it used to be.”
“Ms. Chase, they’re ready for you.”
~~~~
Willow sat on the couch next to Angel and waited while Cordelia put in the videotape. “So what’s the surprise?”
“Not sure, Cordy just called and said to get everyone over here she and David had something to show us. I have a suspicion that it might have something to do with the argument she and Doyle had yesterday.”
Before Willow could respond Cordelia turned to everyone. “Okay, this is just a rough draft so keep an open mind.” She stared at Doyle before handing him a piece of paper.
“What’s this?”
“The voice over part. I was thinking maybe getting one of the cheaper Baldwins to do it and then I thought. Hey, we’ve got a Joe Schmoe average guy right in our office.”
“Not that I don’t appreciate the compliment, Princess but I’m not really photogenic and I get dry mouth.”
“Pfft, I can work magic with makeup just ask Willow.”
“HEY!”
Cordelia ignored Willow, “Besides it’s mostly voice over they’ll only see you at the end of the commercial anyway.”
Doyle rolled his eye and took the paper, what he wouldn’t do in his quest to ask Cordelia out on a date.
David hit play on the remote and the scene opens out on a dark deserted alley with a dark figure running. As the camera rolls closer they see Cordelia running down the alley.
Cordelia smacked Doyle to get his attention and begin reading, “Danger lurks around every corner.”
Just then a big man dressed in leather grabs Cordelia and she screams, “Help! Is there no one out there to help me?”
“Well now there is someone to answer your call. He’ll protect you and catch you when you fall. You can count on it and you can count on me. I’m the dark avenger.”
Willow couldn’t stop the giggles as she watched a tall, dark man in a trench coat save Cordelia. She narrowed her eyes as the tape came to a stop. She looked at the screen and then at Angel, “You know, he looks kind of like you being the Dark Avenger and all.”
Angel narrowed his eyes at Willow and ignored the laughter that Doyle was trying to suppress and the twinkle in David’s eyes.
“Cordy, I really don’t think…”
But Cordelia cut him off, “Wait it’s not over. Read the rest Doyle.”
Doyle sighed as he glanced back down at the paper, “If you need help then look no further, Angel Investigations is the best! Our rats are low.”
“It’s rates!”
“It says rats! Our rates are low, but our standards are high. When the chips are down and you’re at the end of your rope. You need someone you can count on and that’s what you’ll find here. So don’t lose hope. Come on over to our offices and you’ll see there’s still heroes in this world.”
Cordelia looked around the room expectantly. “Well?!”
“Umm, yeah. Don’t you think putting Angel in the spotlight might raise some questions as to why he doesn’t work during the day?” Willow tried to be diplomatic.
“Not to mention I am NOT going to be the Dark Avenger.”
“Yeah, okay. You’re right. The Dark Avenger is a little more than the Average Joe can relate to. I’ll drop that part. Look, I know a little something about self-promotion. This is a great idea. Besides do you want to be sponging off David forever? I mean he’s given you this fire station while the Hyperion is being remodeled. He takes care of the bills when our so few clients don’t pay.”
David interrupted. “Cordelia I can’t fight like you, Angel and Doyle can. I have a corporation to run and this is my way of helping the fight. Besides in the scheme of things it doesn’t take much to back up Angel Investigations. If it doesn’t make a profit I can write it off.”
Doyle smirked over at Cordelia, “Told you we’re a tax write-off.”
“Yeah okay this is your way of fighting the good fight. It still doesn’t mean we can’t advertise to get clients. Sure Doyle gets his vision to connect us to the Powers but what about the schmoes that aren’t high on the Powers list and still need our help. When they watch this they’ll know who to call. And I can’t believe I just used that cheesy line from Ghostbusters.”
Doyle put down his voice over lines and stood up to turn off the television. Before he took a few steps he grabbed his head and fell to the ground, “Ow!”
Cordelia sank down next to him and rubbed Doyle’s temples hoping to ease the pain as the vision played on his inner mind. “Whatever you saw just now – did they look like they could afford to pay?”
~Part: 13~
Doyle blinked and tried to talk around the headache that was splitting his brain in two. “Two kids, hiding, brick building.”
“Great, kids. Non-paying people.” Cordelia muttered as she helped Doyle to his feet.
David brought Doyle some aspirin and a glass of water, “Did you get any indication about where this brick building might be?”
Willow quietly stepped behind Doyle, she could no longer stand the pain in his eyes. She knew that it would take awhile before the aspirin did their magic. So while they waited Willow decided to try some of her magick.
It had been some time since she’d done anything more than float something but a healing charm was basic spell casting. Besides she’d done it on herself numerous times back in Sunnydale when the slaying and the studying got to be too much.
Doyle jumped at the soft contact of Willow’s cool fingers on his temple.
“Just relax. I’m going to see if my simple healing charm does anything with your vision headaches.”
“I’d marry ya in a heartbeat if it does.”
“Oh sure, the only reason you’d marry me is cause I can cure your headaches. Nice.” Willow stifled a giggle as she watched Doyle frantically searching his brain for a way to backpedal.
He relaxed as he noticed the twinkle in Willow’s eye. “Now, Willow you know my heart belongs to Princess over there.” Doyle waggled his eyebrows at Cordelia.
“The headache must not be so bad if he’s able to flirt with two women through the blinding pain.” Angel said with a slight lift of his lips, “Of course I think Doyle would have to have one foot in the grave before he stopped flirting. Even then I’m not so sure he’d stop.”
Doyle’s eyes widened. Not at Angel’s teasing but because he hadn’t even noticed the pain was, well not completely gone but definitely manageable. “Willow, my luv you’re a queen… a saint.”
“Oh sure, I’m just the Princess while Wicca girl gets to be a queen AND a saint.”
Interrupting the flirt fest between Doyle and Cordelia David cleared his throat, “So the brick building....”
“Right.” Doyle played back the vision and this time concentrated on the area surrounding the building. “It’s in an abandoned part of town. There’s broken windows in the two buildings around it. Wait! There’s a sign on the side of the building. Well, more like carved into the side of the building, ‘Edgewater Estates’.”
Willow turned to the computer and went to the database that David had designed of buildings in the LA area new and old. She typed in Edgewater Estates and waited for the ping of hits.
Angel went to stand behind Willow and looked over her shoulder. “Five hits but only two haven’t had taxes paid on them in recent years.”
Willow clicked on the first of the two. “This one has a picture file link.” She looked over her shoulder at David, “Have I told you how much I wish we’d have had these databases in Sunnydale?”
She swiveled back around as David’s face flushed slightly. “Doyle is this the building?”
Everyone came to stand next to Angel as Willow clicked on the newspaper article about Edgewater Estates.
“Looks like it, but to be honest all brick buildings kind of look alike and that’s not as abandoned as it looked in my vision.”
Willow scanned the article, “No, it probably wouldn’t be. This was written twenty years ago when Slumlords forced the tenets out.”
“It’s a place to start anyway. Come on.” Angel turned and grabbed some weapons from the weapons cabinet.
~~~~
Willow moved closer to Angel as they made their way down the deserted street. She made a mental note to ask Angel to start teaching her self-defense. She hadn’t needed the training in Sunnydale cause Buffy did most of the fighting and she’d researched. Sure she and David didn’t do much at AI either but on nights like this when they were walking down deserted streets facing an unknown demon she wanted to learn self-defense.
Angel put a hand on Willow’s shoulder causing her to stop and the others to catch up. “This the place?”
Doyle looked at the surrounding buildings. “Yeah, this is it. A good place for hiding.”
He led Angel and the others up the stairs and down a hallway until he stopped in front a door. “This is the number I saw in my vision.”
Angel raised his hand to knock but dropped it and twisted the knob instead.
“Hey! How come you can just walk inside? I thought vampires had to be invited in.” Cordelia asked as Angel stepped over the threshold and into the tiny room.
“Only if a human owns the place but if demons live there then vampires can come in without an invitation.”
David looked around the room and noticed still warm food on the table. “Looks as if they left in a hurry. The food’s still warm.”
“I smell something.”
Cordelia wrinkled her nose, “Yeah, cabbage.”
“No, fear.” Angel knelt down and threw the carpet aside. “Trap door.” With a hard pull he raised the door.
Willow softly gasped as frightened eyes stared up at them. “It’s okay. We’re here to help.” She reached out her hand to help the small demon girl out.
The girl shrank back into her father and Willow tried to smile reassuringly. The father gently pushed the girl toward Willow’s still outstretched hand, “It’s okay.”
Angel waited until everyone was settled in the small room before nodding for the elder to explain.
“We gave all our money to a man that promised to give us passports and safe passage. He disappeared with our money and never showed with the ship. It was stupid I know, but we were desperate to get away.”
“Where to?” David asked softly not wanting to frighten the man anymore than he seemed to be.
“Briole. It’s a small island off the coast of Ecuador. It’s Sanctuary to our kind.”
“Sanctuary from who?” Angel asked but before the elder demon could answer the door to the apartment burst open. Angel and the others were on their feet and weapons raised.
“Hey, hey. What’s going on?” A young demon asked as he stopped at the sight of weapons pointed at him.
“It’s all right, it’s Reiff.”
Angel lowered his weapon and indicated for Reiff to join them. Without acknowledging Angel or the others Reiff approached the older demon, “They’re close. They almost got us, as it is we lost half our supplies.”
The elder demon placed his hand on Reiff’s shoulder, “Our guest… it is the promised one.”
“WHAT?!?!” Cordelia, Angel and Doyle looked at the older demon like he just grew another horn out of his head.
Reiff just rolled his eyes, “Great.”
Willow cleared her throat, “Umm, I think there’s been some misunderstanding. Angel isn’t the promised one…”
Sariff smiled a mysterious smile, “Oh I don’t think so. Many of our prophecies are unclear but this one is quite specific. In the final days of this century the promised one will appear and save us from the Scourge.”
Willow smiled, “Believe me. You think prophecies are clear than BAM they sneak in something unexpected. Trust me you can’t depend on prophecies.”
Reiff sneered, “Besides how do you know he’s even the promised one. Just because he shows up doesn’t me it’s him.”
Cordelia nodded her head to agree. But Angel was more interested in this Scourge that they were frightened of, “Scourge?”
“See he doesn’t even know who they are, how is he supposed to save us from them. They’re coming and their not going to stop until every last one of us is dead. You put your trust in this ‘promised one’ and you’ll get us all killed.” Reiff grabbed his coat and stormed back out of the apartment.
Sariff watched with regret as Reiff left. He turned to Angel, “He’s young, I’m sorry. Excuse me.” He followed Reiff out the door.
~Part: 14~
Angel turned to look at Doyle when he sensed his heartbeat begin to race.
“What?”
“The Scourge.”
“What are they?”
“Death.”
“You wanna be a little more specific?” Cordelia asked as she and the others joined Angel next to Doyle.
“When I was younger they hunted in my neighborhood. They’re a band of pure-blooded demons that hunt down mixed heritages types.”
“What’s mixed heritages?”
Doyle closed his eyes briefly; this was not the way he wanted to let Cordelia know that he was half-demon.
Willow turned to Cordelia, “Probably half-demons. I remember Giles telling us about them and how some even fought by the Slayer’s side in the old days.” Giles had never told them about half-demons but Willow figured she’d smooth the way if Doyle ever decided to tell Cordelia the truth.
David tried to remember what he’d learned about the demon community when he was setting up the database. “I don’t remember seeing the Scourge listed anywhere when I was setting up a database.”
“That would be because it’s the demon community’s dirty secret. Don’t want it to get out that demons hunt other demons.”
“No one fights back?” Angel couldn’t understand why the demon community didn’t band together and take down the Scourge.
“Sure they did. But these guys BELIEVE in what they do. You kill one and two or more take their place.”
“Hard to fight fanatics.”
Doyle’s eyes glazed as he remembered his past, “My first vision didn’t come until I was in my twenties. I had no idea what was going on and I was afraid that I was having a stroke or something. I… I saw them in my vision but I didn’t know if it was real or a dream. I punked out and didn’t do anything.”
Cordelia gave Doyle’s shoulder a comforting squeeze, “You couldn’t have known.”
Doyle gave Cordelia a slight smile of thanks before turning to the others, “These people are going to need more than their promised one. We can’t fight the Scourge, Angel.”
“It won’t come to that, we’ll get them out of here.” David said quietly. “I may not know what it is to be persecuted and hunted because of my heritage but I do know what it’s like to be hounded because of who I am. I’ve got contacts, I can get them out of here.”
~~~~
“Did you get everything?” David asked Willow as they waited for Angel and the others at the docks.
“Piece of cake. A little hacking, a little graphics, then bam papers.” Willow grinned as she showed David the papers.
He raised an eyebrow, “Medical waste?”
“Yep, no one’s gonna inspect the cargo hull of a ship carrying medical waste. Don’t want to spread any diseases now would we?”
The sound of footsteps sent Willow and David into the shadows where they could make out a tall form approaching. David gave a sigh of relief when he recognized his friend.
“Hi, Nikolai. Thanks for meeting us here.”
The big Russian smiled when he spotted David and Willow. “David, Firebird.”
Willow giggled when Nikolai grabbed her into a hug and asked, “So, are you finally leaving this one and coming away with me to my house on the Black Sea?”
“I wouldn’t be able to stand the winters.”
Nikolai waggled his eyebrows at her as Willow stepped back, “I’d keep you warm, Firebird.”
David rolled his eyes, “Don’t you ever give up?”
“Nyet. One of these days she might take me up on my offer.”
“You’d run the mile in a new record if I ever surprised you and said yes.”
The sound of a truck approaching brought their light teasing to a halt. Willow whispered to David, “You did tell him they were demons right? No surprises?”
“No surprises.” He reassured her as Angel quickly approached.
David, Willow and Nikolai emerged from the shadows to greet Angel. “Angel, this is Nikolai Stanislaski.”
Nikolai nodded a greeting, “Everyone here?”
“All but one but Doyle’s bringing him in.”
Willow handed Nikolai the papers. “Here, you’re officially carrying medical waste.”
Nikolai smiled and gave her shoulder a squeeze, “You sure you don’t want to run away with me, Firebird?”
Angel narrowed his eyes at the Russian. “What?”
Willow smiled over at Angel, “Ever since I met Niko he’s been trying to get me to go away with him. I think he’d faint if I ever said yes.”
“You’re right. The joy would be so overwhelming that I’d faint from the pleasure.”
Willow just shook her head and laughed as she went over to greet Cordelia.
David couldn’t resist a little teasing of his own as he and Angel followed Nikolai, “Don’t worry, Angel Nikolai isn’t serious. You still have a chance with Willow.”
Angel’s mouth opened and shut with no sound coming out. “No, no it’s nothing like that. Willow and I are just friends.”
David was glad his face was in shadow so Angel didn’t see the smirk that was playing across his features. “Uh, huh.”
Cordelia waved to Willow before turning to help the rest of the demons out of the back of the truck.
“I’m sure Doyle will be here with Rieff soon.”
“Yeah, that Doyle’s a good one. He understands what we’re going through.”
“We all do.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t mean to imply that the rest of you didn’t. It’s just more personal for him. As a half-demon he has to always live with a certain amount of persecution.”
“Demon?” Cordelia’s eyes widened at that new bit of information.
Willow hung her head when she overheard Cordelia’s conversation. She hoped Doyle’s charm would get him out of the fight that Willow feared would be brewing.
“Why don’t we get everyone on board while we’re waiting for Doyle and Rieff?” Willow turned when she saw Niko join her. “Everyone this is Nikolai Stanislaski, your captain.”
“I apologize for the accommodations. I normally take supplies and not people.”
“I’m sure we will be most comfortable. Thank you very much for taking us in.” Sariff gave a slight bow to Nikolai.
The captain gave a small smile in response and indicated for the others to follow him up the gangplank.
Cordelia turned when she heard running footsteps and smiled in relief when she saw it was Doyle.
Doyle stopped when he saw Cordelia, “What?”
“You’re alive.”
“And this makes you happy?” Doyle grinned as he stopped next to Cordelia.
Cordelia brought her hand up and slapped Doyle across the cheek.
“What was that for?”
“Why didn’t you tell me you were half-demon? I thought we all agreed no secrets!”
“I wanted to tell you but I was afraid you’d reject me.”
Cordelia rolled her eyes, “I’ve rejected you WAY before now! So, you’re a demon… big whoop. Hello, I work for a vampire.”
“I just thought….”
“What? You think I’m that superficial. I dated Xander Harris in High School. Being a demon is way far down the list behind “short” and “poor”. Is there anything else I should know?”
Doyle gave her a grin, “The me being a half-demon is pretty much my big secret.”
“It’s the Scourge!” One of the demons yelled from the ship and pointed down the docks.
A large group of motorcycles were headed toward the ship.
“Everyone get down into the ship and lock the doors. NOW!” Angel yelled.
~Part: 15~
Angel turned to Cordelia, Willow, David and Doyle, “Go with them. Make sure they stay safe.”
“Angel!” Willow yelled as David pulled her along. “You can’t fight them alone.”
“I’ll be fine. Just until the ship pulls away.” Angel yelled over the blast of the ship’s horn.
The leader of the Scourge smiled as he saw Angel blocked his path, “Kill him painfully.”
Angel smirked as he easily defeated four of the attacking demons. “That’s it? This is the best the PURE demons can do? Four beaten by the lowest of the low, the almost HUMAN demon.” Angel taunted as he continued to battle the oncoming demons.
Tiernan, the leader of the Scourge, gave a roar and tackled Angel. Their tumbling bodies fell through the top of the cargo hold as they exchanged blows.
Cordelia gave a shriek as Tiernan and Angel landed on a lower catwalk inside the hull of the ship.
“Oh God!” Doyle shouted and pointed to the top of the cargo.
A blinking beacon was being lowered through the hold.
Angel looked up, “It’s going to detonate. Everyone out!”
Tiernan smiled evilly at Angel, “Now the lowest of the low will be cleansed. Only the pure bloods will be left standing.”
David and Cordelia help the Lister demons as they scramble toward the ladder. After they made sure Cordelia and David had everything under control Willow and Doyle made their way to where Angel and the leader of the Scourge had landed.
“Actually, you’ll be on your ass.” Angel smirked as he twisted Tiernan’s neck into an unnatural angle. He waited until he heard the satisfying pop of his neck breaking.
“We can’t open the doors.” Cordelia shouted down the ladder. “They must have locked it from the outside.”
“W-what exactly does that do?” Willow asked as she pointed to the beacon.
“Its light kills anything with human blood.”
Willow lowered her head and bit her lip. So this was it? This was how she was going to die. From a bomb built by demons that hated other demons with human blood.
She raised her head and looked Angel in the eyes, “I’m really glad I met you, Angel.”
Angel’s hands came up and cupped Willow’s cheeks, “Nothing’s going to happen. How many times have we gotten through worse things than this back in Sunnydale?”
Willow gave him a trembling smile. She’d put on a brave face for Angel and the others but she’d known she was on borrowed time. How many times could you cheat death without him finally coming to collect? She wondered if he was really open to a game of chess. She was pretty good.
“Umm, is that doohickey supposed to do that glowy thing?” Cordelia asked as she and David joined the others.
“It means it’s fully armed doesn’t it?” David asked.
“Almost. If I pull the cable I think I can shut it off.” Angel mumbled.
“Angel! That’s suicide. There’s got to be another way.” Doyle grabbed Angel’s arm.
Angel looked at the terrified demons and then at Willow, “It’s all right.”
“NO!” Willow yelled. She felt a warmth begin to spread throughout her body. Oh god, was she having a heart attack? Was this what it felt like right before you died?
Cordelia, David, Doyle and Angel all looked at Willow in surprise. Angel slowly reached out to Willow but abruptly pulled back his hand at the heat that radiated off her body.
“Willow?”
“NO! You’re not going to sacrifice yourself because of hate and blind prejudice. There is more good you need to still do. The good fight… your path to redemption.”
Doyle placed his hand on Cordelia’s arm and pointed over to the beacon. As Willow’s anger grew the beacon moved.
Willow’s eyes turned white and her head jerked to the left. She raised blind eyes toward the center of the hold where the beacon was hovering ever closer to the top of the hold.
“Oh my god, it’s just like when she restored your soul, Angel. Her head flew back and weird words popped out of her mouth.”
David kept his eyes on Willow. He noticed her arms begin to move in a jerky motion as she raised them over her head. Almost like a marionette moving to the whims of a puppet master.
Willow no longer felt in control of her body. One other time in her life had she felt this way. When she restored Angel’s soul and the spirit of the Romany filled her. She didn’t know who possessed her now but she did feel safe so she knew it was a force for good.
Her arms jerked apart in a pulling motion and Angel watched in awe as the cable fell away from the beacon. The light faded suddenly and the unarmed object fell to the bottom of the hold with a clatter.
The clanking sound of the cargo door being unlocked and pulled open coincided with Angel’s yell of Willow’s name as she crumbled to the floor of the catwalk.
“Everyone all right down there?” Niko yelled. “We killed the remaining demons up here.”
David turned worried eyes to Angel, “She okay?”
Angel nodded as he felt Willow’s strong heartbeat. He raised a shaky hand to caress her hair not bothering to look at David. He only nodded but refused to let her go.
“Yeah, Niko. We’re okay. How long until the helicopter arrives?”
Nikolai glanced at his watch, “About twenty minutes. Want me to call and delay?”
David looked back over at Willow and saw that she was awake and struggling to sit up. “Twenty minutes will be fine.”
Cordelia, David and Doyle made their way over to Angel and Willow.
“You okay?” Angel asked softly as he helped Willow sit up.
“Just peachy. Say, is my head three times its normal size cause it’s kinda feeling big right about now.”
“What happened, Willow?” David asked as he came to sit by his closest friend. “I know you’ve done magick before but I’ve never seen anything like that.”
“I don’t know. Something or someone took over. I just felt this anger and then the heat built up inside. I felt like I was on fire and my blood was boiling… literally. Then I was here but not, sort of like someone was pulling my strings.”
Angel listened to Willow’s explanation and wondered if the Oracles had anything to do with her possession. He knew that if that beacon had gone off they would have lost not only their “Champion” but their “Seer” as well.
Cordelia elbowed Doyle in the side of the ribs, “Okay, we’re done. So will you ask me out to dinner, already?”
~Part: 16~
Willow blinked against the blinding white light that filled her vision. Oh god, something happened and she’d died. Her mind raced to try to remember the events of the last evening. Her last memory was of the helicopter ride back to Los Angeles and David taking her home. Was this a backlash to whatever had happened on the ship?
The light began to slightly fade to a brightness that wasn’t as harsh and her eyes slowly adjusted. She blinked rapidly trying to clear her vision as a dark blur slowly made its way toward her.
“H-hello?”
“The vessel awakes.”
Willow looked behind her to see who else was with her in the stark white room. As her eyes scanned the area her brow crinkled when she saw she was alone.
“Vessel?”
“Our vessel.”
“It was you that helped get rid of the beacon.”
“We do not concern ourselves in the matters of lesser beings.”
“Yeah, uh huh then why make me be all Pinocchio if you don’t care? And who’s we?”
“We are the Oracles. We speak for the Powers That Be. The end of days has begun and we gather our warriors.”
“Oh, I am so not the warrior. Okay, once I was a big gun but that didn’t turn out so good. Well, in the end it did but that’s beside the point. Trust me when I say not really warrior material here.”
The woman’s lips quirked in a small smile, “No, you are our vessel.”
The man standing beside the woman finally spoke, “You are our link to the champion.”
“This doesn’t involve blinding headaches does it? ‘Cause if it does I’m gonna have to go with the thanks but no thanks.”
“The Seer’s path is not yours. His was a path of atonement, yours is the path of the chosen.”
Nononononononono, she was so not the chosen. Buffy was the chosen, hell even Faith was the chosen but she didn’t want to be the chosen. “Can’t you choose someone else? Cordelia… yep Cordelia would love to be the chosen one.”
“Her path lies in a different direction.”
Willow’s shoulders slumped in defeat; it looked like she was chosen. “So, um what exactly do I have to do?”
“There is a war being waged…”
Willow interrupted the female Oracle, “Yeah, I know. The Slayer, a chosen one in every generation fights the forces of darkness.”
“This war does not concern the Slayer, the balance of light and darkness is on the edge of change. The Champion, Seer, Vessel and the Warriors will be the advanced guard for the end of days. You will be the conduit for the Powers and they will use your shell to restore balance in the conflict.”
Willow wasn’t too sure she liked the idea of being used as a puppet. She hadn’t liked the feeling of not being in control of her body when she had been possessed in high school and again last night. If she could be used by the Powers That Be what would stop the Powers of Darkness from using her in the upcoming conflict? It wasn’t like she had a choice, either. If the Darkness took over her body she wouldn’t be able to stop it. She’d try to get in touch with Giles and see if he knew of anything that she could do or anything that would block it. She wasn’t too happy about being a pawn in the conflict.
“What happens if…” Willow’s voice trailed off as suddenly the room she had been in became engulfed in a bright white light and quickly melted into her bedroom once again. “Oooooookay. That was weird even by Sunnydale standards.”
~~~~~~
“You know everything I know, now.” Willow looked over at Angel, Cordelia, Doyle and David.
“They said this was the end of days? Would that be the END end or apocalypse number five hundred fifty-two? Can’t these Powers come up with a new riff?” Cordelia pulled out a nail buffer to finish doing her nails slightly listening while the others discussed Willow’s visit from the Oracles.
“The Oracles told you that they were gathering warriors?”
Willow turned her attention to Angel, “They said ‘we gather our warriors’ so I’m guessing they were bringing the warriors here in LA or at least to ‘the champion’.”
Angel turned to Doyle, “Any visions from the Powers?”
“Not a one, I guess the Powers feel that they said all they needed to say to Willow.”
“Giles is looking into seeing if he can find anything.” Willow wasn’t going to mention the part about Giles looking into how to block the Darkness from taking control. Angel and the others had enough to worry about.
“I wonder when ‘the warriors’ will begin showing up.” David wondered aloud.
Before anyone could answer there was a knock on the door.
“Not even the Powers would be that cheesy.” Cordelia mumbled as she stood to answer the door.
“H-hello? I’m looking for the vampire with the soul.” A demon with two small horns asked.
Cordelia didn’t bother to answer just pointed to Angel and turned back to her desk.
“You’re him? The vampire with the soul?”
“I’m Angel.”
“Y-you help the helpless, right? That’s what you do? You gotta help me, someone’s after me.”
“Why do you think someone’s after you?”
“Everywhere I go this guy on a motorcycle shows up. First it was in Phoenix, then again in Vegas. I’ve tried shaking him but he keeps coming. He’s like a demonic Energizer Bunny.”
“Why do you think he wants to hurt you?”
“Why else would he follow me through three states?”
“But what about YOU would make someone track you?”
“I don’t know! I’m nothing, a nobody.”
Angel raised an eyebrow and waited, when the silence stretched he finally broke it, “You know it’s been my experience that when someone is hunting you it’s usually for a reason. Kill anyone lately?”
“NO! I’m not that kind of demon. I sense things; I’m an empath demon. You know I would have thought you’d know that not every demon is evil. Okay yeah sometimes I use my talents to cheat at Poker bit that’s not really EVIL.”
“Cheated anyone that might not share your views on the subject?”
“No one that I can think of. At least not enough to hunt me down through a few states. So are you gonna help me?”
“ARGH!” Doyle bent over in pain as the Powers sent a vision.
“I’m thinking the Powers didn’t say EVERYTHING to Willow.” Cordelia said as she went to get the aspirin that Doyle would need.
~Part: 17~
Doyle tried to smile his thanks to Cordelia as she handed him his aspirin and water but he was afraid the smile was more of a grimace. “Thanks, Princess.”
“So, what else did the Powers have to say? More world savage? More about Willow, the vessel?”
Doyle shook his head and was eternally grateful that it remained attached to his body. “Not unless the world needs saving from a great big grey blobby thing.”
Angel raised an eyebrow, “Great big blobby thing?”
“Ooh, like Jabba the Hut?”
Everyone turned to look at David.
“What? Like you all weren’t thinking that?”
Angel turned back to the demon, “Sound familiar?”
The demon just looked at Angel, “Do you honestly think that I couldn’t outrun a great, big blobby thing?”
Angel rolled his eyes, “I meant did it sound familiar to you as in have you heard of it before.”
“Ah, no except for like that guy said Jabba the Hut.”
David fired up the demon database as Angel grabbed his coat. “Where are you going?”
“To check out his apartment since he thinks whoever is chasing him knows where he lives. You guys research whatever Doyle saw and we’ll meet back here.”
~~~~~
Angel stepped out of the elevator and into the barely lit empty hallway. As he turned left and silently walked down the passageway toward the demon’s apartment, a door opened as he passed and a couple smiled at him as they closed the door to their apartment. Angel wondered at the concept of humans and demons coexisting happily in the same apartment complex but then thought that looks could be deceiving and that the couple could easily have been half-demons like Doyle.
He reached the door to the demon’s apartment and swiped his fingers down the doorframe as he noticed a substance on it. He idly rubbed his fingers together against the sticky goop and wrinkled his nose in distaste at the smell it emitted. He did NOT want to know what it might be.
The sound of the elevator’s door opening masked the sound of Angel forcing the apartment door open. Before he could step over the threshold someone or something pushed him inside and slammed the door shut.
With a growl he spun and saw a crossbow pointed at his chest by a figure in the shadows.
Slowly the figure stepped out of the shadows, “Hello, Angel.”
Angel relaxed as he recognized the holder of the crossbow. A small smile tilted his lips as he leaned back onto the back of the couch. “Wesley.”
“I wager you didn’t think to see me again.”
“To tell you the truth I didn’t give it much thought one way or the other. What are you…” He trailed off as Wesley drew closer with the crossbow.
“Ah, ah, I’m the one asking questions here. I think it only fair to warn you that any sudden movement and I’d be forced to…” Wesley trailed off as Angel casually batted the crossbow out of his hands.
“Interesting look for you, Wes. The Watcher’s Council trying out a new image?”
“In point of fact I no longer work for the Council. I came to the conclusion that I could do much more for the cause by working autonomously.”
“Ah, they fired you, huh?”
Wesley’s smirk faltered a bit but he recovered quickly, “Absolutely not. I came to the conclusion after watching Mr. Giles that I’d function much better as a rogue demon hunter.”
That statement stopped Angel’s investigation of the apartment and he turned to face Wesley, “You’re a demon hunter?”
“ROGUE Demon Hunter and I’m on the trail of a particularly nasty bugger right now. So I suggest you stay out of my way.”
Angel rolled his eyes and went back to looking through the demon’s things. “Easy there, tiger. I think you’re making a mistake if we’re talking about the same demon. He’s harmless.”
“Harmless?! He’s left a trail of mutilated corpses. Human and demon.”
“Mutilated?”
Wesley nodded. “Each of the victims possessed some unique power such as telepathy, healing hands, poison tongues. Whatever the source of their power was ripped, gouged or torn from the victims.”
“He’s collecting power.”
Wesley’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “For what purpose I can only guess. The fiend has cut a swatch across most of the continent. I almost caught up with it in Phoenix.”
Angel slowly turned around to face Wesley, “Kind of short with a ruddy complexion?”
Wesley’s brow furrowed in confusion, “Short? No, on the contrary, quit enormous and powerful. More of a yellow-green and lately he’s secreting a vicious yellow liquid.”
Angel reached out and fingered a yellow blob that was on Wesley’s leather jacket. “Like this?”
Before Wesley could answer another blob dropped from the ceiling and landed on Wesley’s coat. They both looked up and saw a demon was clinging to the ceiling and watched their movements. Wesley and Angel both take a step back just as the demon lost his grip and fell to the floor between them.
The demon quickly recovered and swiped at Wesley.
Wesley emitted a soft ‘oomph’ as his body collided with the far wall he’d been thrown into. He looked back over his shoulder to see that Angel and the demon are fairly matched. His eyes quickly scan the area and light up when they spot the crossbow.
Wesley reached for the bow and bolts just as the demon landed a particularly vicious looking hit at Angel. The vampire was knocked into a nearby wall and before he could recover Wesley fired a bolt and hit the demon square in the chest.
The demon screamed in pain and anger as the bolt speared its chest. With a roar it leapt through a nearby window and made its escape through the darkness.
Angel looked over at Wesley and then down through the window. “Nice shot.”
Wesley’s lips twitched. “Thanks.”
~Part: 18~
Willow leaned over David’s shoulder as he explored the database. “Still no luck?”
David picked up the drawing that Cordelia had made of Doyle’s description of his vision. “’Fraid not. It’s either a demon that I haven’t catalogued yet or Cordelia’s drawing is off.”
“Hey! I heard that.” Cordelia glanced over at David, “if anything’s OFF it’s Doyle’s description.”
Barney, the demon that had asked for help, laughed at Doyle’s indignant look.
Before Doyle could respond the fire station’s door opened and Barney leapt to his feet.
“It’s him.” He pointed at Wesley that had entered behind Angel. “That’s the guy that’s after me.”
Cordelia smirked, “Wesley? You’re afraid of Wesley?”
“Hello, Cordelia.”
Angel held up a hand, “Barney, it’s okay.” He turned to Wesley and pointed, “the books are over there.”
The vampire turned back to Barney, “Wesley wasn’t tracking you, he was tracking the demon that was tracking you. We ran into it at your apartment.”
Barney crinkled his brow, “let me get this straight. Your friend wasn’t hunting me, he was hunting whatever was after me.”
“Exactly.”
“And this other demon was after me because…”
“It wanted to steal your empathetic ability.”
David began to furiously type in the database search engine.
Willow cocked her head to the side considering, “what kind of demon would do that to another demon?”
“A Kungai.” David said from behind the terminal.
“Precisely.” Wesley entered the room with an open book. He raised his head and smiled at David and then paused when he noticed who was sitting next to him. “Good lord. Willow. Angel didn’t tell me the Sunnydale gang was here. Is Mr. Giles here as well?”
“Hey, Wesley. I guess you hadn’t heard that I left Sunnydale after high school. It’s just me here, no Giles, Xander or Buffy.”
Cordelia cleared her throat.
Willow smiled sheepishly, “A-and Cordelia of course. You look good, Wesley. So what brings you to LA?”
Angel narrowed his eyes as he watched how Wesley looked at Willow.
Wesley puffed up a bit. “I’m a rogue demon hunter these days.”
“I’m glad everyone’s reunited but um, could we get back to this demon that’s hunting me?”
Wesley tore his eyes away from Willow and brought his attention to the demon but before he could answer David interrupted.
“A Kungai demon is of Asian origin and very deadly. It’s also a powerful race of demons, the Kungai possess a Tak horn, capable of consuming its opponents’ life forces. You’re lucky to gave gotten out of there alive.”
The demon turned to Angel, “You have to take this thing out before it finds me.”
“I’m working on it. I have to find it first.”
“Hang on.” Wesley paused in thought, “earlier today I tracked it through an Asian district just north of here.”
“That’d be Koreantown,” Doyle said.
“Then that’s where I start looking.” Angel started to turn.
“Wait.” Willow quickly jumped up. “I know you have to stop this thing, Angel but what about Doyle’s vision earlier. There has to be a reason the PTB sent that vision instead of one about the Kungai demon. We’ve searched the database but haven’t been able to come up with anything yet.”
“You guys continue researching. I’m sure there’s something in the books or call Giles. I’ll go find the Kungai demon.”
Wesley stepped up, “don’t you mean we?”
“I prefer to work alone, Wes.”
The former watcher crossed his arms over his chest and regarded Angel, “I see. And you can speak Korean or perhaps ancient demonic languages?”
Angel sighed deeply, “I know I’m going to regret this, come on and do EXACTLY what I tell you to do.” He returned his attention to Barney. “You should stay here where it’s safe. We’ll call as soon as the Kungai demon’s taken care of.”
Willow turned concerned eyes to Angel, “be careful.”
Angel smiled his acknowledgment before he turned to leave but grimaced slightly when he heard Willow say, “you too, Wesley.”
~~~~
“Willow, before I become all research girl, are you sure the powers didn’t tell you anything about a grey blobby thing?” Cordelia asked as soon as Angel and Wesley left.
Willow rolled her eyes, “Cordy, do you really think I love research so much that I wouldn’t have said anything? You know everything I know about what the Powers told me. It seems I’m just the puppet/vessel not the messenger/seer that Doyle is.”
Barney took out his cell phone, “do you guys mind if I make a call? I was supposed to meet a buddy of mine, I don’t want him to worry.”
“Sure, go ahead. I’m just going to make a pot of coffee. You want one?” Doyle asked as he left Willow and Cordelia to argue among themselves. “Sorry it’ll have to be black if you want some. We’re out of cream.”
“Black is great.”
Barney smiled his thanks before he walked out of the room and made his call.
“Yeah, it’s me. Of course, I got the Kungai horn. Don’t worry, it’s in a safe place. Listen, I think I found something even better.” Barney smiled as he watched Doyle bring in the coffee to Willow, Cordelia and David. “Actually, two things even better. How much more are you willing to pay for a Seer and a Vessel for the Powers that Be?”
A calculating gleam entered Barney’s eyes as he listened. “Sure, I can get just the eyes of the Seer and of course the Vessel will be the whole package. It’s a deal then. I’ll bring them when I bring the horn.”
Barney hung up the phone and returned to the others. He’d have to take out the other two before he could get to his prize but that shouldn’t be a problem. They wouldn’t be near as tough as the Kungai demon had been.
“Were you able to get in touch with your friend?” Willow asked as she saw the demon re-enter the room.
The demon ignored Willow and swung a fist at the closest human. David crumpled into a ball as the force of Barney’s fist hit him in the side of the head.
“Go!” Doyle shouted to Willow and Cordelia as he charged Barney.
“No way, mister.” Cordelia muttered as she picked up a nearby heavy book and ran toward the attacking demon.
The demon winced as he felt the book hit his head but he didn’t stop in his objective.
“DOYLE!” Cordelia yelled as she watched in horror as the demon picked up Doyle by the throat.
Willow had scrambled to David’s side and breathed a sigh of relief when she felt a thready pulse.
Cordelia repeatedly kicked and punched the demon in a desperate attempt to get Barney to release Doyle.
“I’ve had just about enough of you.” Barney muttered as he dropped an unconscious Doyle to the ground. The demon turned and threw Cordelia into a nearby wall.
Willow screamed Cordelia’s name as she watched her sagging body slide to the ground. She raised her arms and the books flew off the shelf and straight for the demon.
“Oh, bonus. You’re a witch, too. Well, pretty vessel I think the price on you just went up.”
Barney easily deflected the flying books and ran after the rapidly fleeing Willow. “I really don’t want to hurt you. Bruises bring down the prices.”
He laughed cruelly as he caught up with his prey. Barney hit Willow in the side of the head and watched as she fell to the ground. “Not by much though.”
The demon put Willow over one of his shoulders and went to return to Doyle. “Hmm, I wonder if they have something that will take the Seer’s eyes out here.” He glanced at his watch and sighed deeply. “Ah well, I suppose I’ll have to take them out later. Can’t be late for my appointment.”
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