Go TeamC/A
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Title: Breakdown
Author: Liam
Posted here: 05-26-2002
Rating: PG-15.
Category: Action
Content: C/A
Summary: A small town. A horrifying secret
Spoilers:
Disclaimer: The characters in the Angelverse were created by Joss Whedon & David Greenwalt. No infringement is intended, no profit is made.
Distribution:
Notes:
Thanks/Dedication:
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TeaserSerenity, California
June 12, 2003
“Please, don’t hurt me,” Carol Emerson begged.
The two masked individuals paid no attention to her. They dragged the young woman by both arms past the procession of people.
A twenty-foot wide pathway had been cut down through the cornfield in which all had gathered. People stood single file along both sides of the pathway, holding small torches and chanting in Latin. The procession all wore dark, flowing robes and wooden masks covering their faces.
“Please, you’re scaring me. What are you doing?”
The two continued to drag the woman through the aisle of corn until they reached a hundred foot wide clearing in the center of the cornfield. Carol looked around in fear at her surroundings. In the center of the clearing stood a large rectangular boulder, standing perhaps ten feet high and six feet wide. On three sides were lit large bonfires, and in front was a stone bench.
The two men holding her stopped at the clearing’s edge. The double row of people walked by them, torches held high as they continued to chant. The processions stopped when the lead individuals reached spots on either side of the bench.
From behind her, another appeared. This person was different from the rest. His robe was a bright red, and the mask he wore was decorated in the fashion of some monster. The being walked confidently down the center of the aisle of parishioners. When he reached the bench, he turned around and nodded at the two holding Carol.
“What’s going on?” she cried. “Why are you doing this?”
The two dragged her past the parishioners and threw her before the red cloaked being. Cold blue eyes stared down at her through the mask. “What’s happening?” she cried again. “Let me go, please!”
The red being ignored her and began to chant in Latin. Hands raised in the air, he cried out emphatically.
Then he was silent.
He turned, and from his cloth removed some powders. Chanting a few phrases, he tossed the powder at the boulder. Then again, silence.
The fear in Carol was multiplied as the boulder began to glow a bright yellow, seemingly turning the night into day. The boulder did so for a minute before fading out.
The red being turned back and faced Carol. For the first time that night, English was spoken.
“Josiah has deemed you…unworthy.”
“What?” Carol screamed. “I don’t understand.”
The red being spoke no more. He nodded to the lead parishioner on his left. From his cloak was produced an axe. Carol tried to jump back, but the two who brought her grabbed her once more. The red being moved aside, allowing the two to throw Carol on the bench.
Forcing her on her back, the two strapped her down, the young girl screaming all the while. “Please stop! What are you doing?” Carol struggled against the ropes, but was unable to break free.
The axe man stepped closer and raised his blade. With a swift stroke, he brought it down.
Part 1
County Road W
Three miles outside Serenity, California
June 20, 2003Cordelia Chase lifted the hood of the Plymouth convertible. Brushing back a piece of stray hair, she shook her head in disgust. “It’s the radiator,” she said.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, that is why you always check the engine before going on long road trips.” Faith hopped from the passenger seat and joined Cordelia in looking at the boiling over radiator. “Oh yeah, that puppy is shot.”
“Thank you, Faith,” Cordelia said dryly. “But I kinda noticed.”
Faith grinned in amusement. “Hey, just trying to lend a helping hand. Offer input, trying to be a productive member of the Angel Investigations team.” Faith then turned serious. “Well, we’re a couple miles from the nearest town. You wanna walk it or wait to see if a kindly local will give us a ride?”
“Number two is sounding good to me.” Cordelia pointed in the distance. Coming towards them on the gravel road was a pickup truck. “You wanna show leg to get him to stop, or you want me to do it?”
The two women waved their arms at the coming vehicle. Both breathed a sigh of relief as the truck slowed to a stop by the side of the road. “Car trouble?” the middle aged man asked.
“Nah, we stopped to set up a produce stand,” Faith muttered.
Cordelia grinned at the slayer’s quip before answering. “Yes sir. It looks like our radiator is shot. Could you give us a ride into town?”
“Sure can,” the man smiled. Faith almost busted out laughing at the man’s yellowed teeth. “Hop in back. I’ll drop you off at the auto repair shop.”
“Thank you. We’d appreciate it,” Cordelia said. They hurried back to the car and grabbed a few bags. Then the two women went around back and hopped in the bed of the truck. Once they swept away some beer cans, they took a seat. In moments, they were moving again.
“You gonna call Angel when we get in town?” Faith asked. “He’ll probably be worried about us.”
Cordelia gave a sardonic grin at Faith. “He’ll be more worried about needing a new radiator than anything else.” Faith laughed. It was probably true. “I figure we can get a hotel room, then I’ll call him. He’ll need to call that Davidson guy and tell him we’ll be late for our appointment.”
“Yup,” Faith agreed. “Until we get a new radiator, Sacramento will have to wait.”
****
Hyperion Hotel
Earlier that day
“Angel, it’ll be a simple job. I’ll only be gone two days, three at most. I’m sure things won’t fall apart that quickly around here without me.”
“That’s not what I’m concerned about,” Angel sighed. He loved the girl, he really did, but sometimes she frustrated the hell out of him. “I don’t like the idea of you going up to Sacramento by yourself.”
Cordelia turned her best smile on the vampire, the one that turned him into putty that she could mold. “Angel, I’m a big girl. I’m also half demon, and I’ve learned self-defense from the best. Besides, the job is to exterminate an apartment full of Vocklar demons. A Chihuahua could kill one of those things.”
“I know that’s what the guy says, but how do we know? You’re going to be a couple hundred miles away. We won’t be able to help you if you need it.”
Cordelia gave the frustrated vampire a kiss on the cheek. “I get that you want to protect me,” she started, “but I’ll be fine. Anyway, no use in arguing. Since I’ll be traveling in daytime you can’t ride up there with me.”
“I wasn’t going to suggest that I go,” Angel defended. “I want you to take Faith.”
“What? Why?”
“Because. She just got paroled, she just got a place to stay, and she just got a job. I want her to feel like she’s earning her keep around here, that I’m not letting her stay out of obligation or something. Besides, it’ll be someone to watch your back. And, maybe give you an opportunity to get to know each other. You know, girl to girl.”
He wasn’t going to relent on this, she realized. “Fine,” she huffed. “Go up and tell Faith to be ready in thirty minutes. I want to be up there by sundown.”
Angel smiled and pulled his Seer close for a kiss. “That wasn’t such a big deal, now was it?” he asked.
“I guess not,” she begrudgingly admitted. She more than willingly accepted the vampire’s kiss.
“Do I get a goodbye smooch, too?” Faith quipped. The recently paroled slayer had a duffle bag all set.
Cordelia pulled away and glared at the vampire. Angel had the good sense to look embarrassed. “I might have told her I might be able to, uh, you know, let her come with you.”
Smiling would ruin the death look she sent him. “If I didn’t need to go real soon, I’d take the time to stake you.”
“What about my smoochie?” Faith asked again.
Angel rushed over to the newly employed slayer and gave a peck on the cheek. It was an excuse to get away from Cordelia. He thought she was only pretending to be mad, but he knew best not to chance it.
“Come on, Faith,” Cordelia called. “Looks like a road trip.”
****
The head mechanic looked to be about fifty. With calloused hands and a smile missing a few teeth, he wasn’t the prettiest thing either woman had ever seen. They also didn’t like what he was saying.
“I’m sorry, Miss,” Henry said, rubbing the stubble at his chin. “But it’ll probably be three, maybe four days before we can get a new radiator in for ya.”
“I don’t believe this,” Cordelia said.
“I’m sorry,” Henry apologized again. “This is a small town. There’s no need to carry around parts for a 1960’s Plymouth.”
Cordelia was, to say the least, very upset. She felt a hand on her arm and turned to face Faith. “C’mon,” Faith said. “It won’t do any good to get upset. Let’s just get a hotel room and get some rest.”
When did Faith become the voice of logic? But still, Cordelia had to agree. Losing her temper would not help matters. “Fine. Sir, we’ll be back tomorrow to discuss this further. Is there a hotel around here that we can stay at?”
“Sure is,” Henry nodded. “Just down the road here about half a mile.”
Resignedly, Faith and Cordelia gathered their bags and began to trudge off in the direction Henry had pointed. They had gone only ten feet or so when they saw another young woman arguing with a second mechanic. The young blonde woman walked away, realizing the argument was going nowhere.
“Can you believe this town?” she asked when Cordelia and Faith approached her. “Four days ago they told me it’d take 72 hours to get me a new carburetor. Now they’re telling me it might be another two days. I can’t believe this damn town.”
“We know the feeling,” Faith sympathized. “They just told us maybe four days for a new radiator.”
“I swear they’re trying to run some scam,” the blonde huffed. “You girls heading to the hotel?”
“Yeah. Mechanic said it’s about half a mile?”
“That’s about right,” the woman said. “Don’t worry, there will be plenty of room. Surprise, surprise, but this place doesn’t seem to be a big tourist spot. I feel like I’m in Deliverance or something. By the way, my name is Andrea Ballinger.”
“I’m Cordelia Chase, this is Faith Burton. Pleased to meet you.”
The three women walked slowly back towards the hotel. None noticed the sheriff car that pulled up at the repair shop. The sheriff rolled down his window and called Henry over.
“I don’t believe I’ve seen those two before.”
“Their car broke down outside town. Radiator. Told ‘em it’d be a few days before I could get the part.”
“Good,” the sheriff said. “That’ll give us time to watch them.”
“You don’t want to just grab them all tonight?”
“No. We performed the ceremony just last week. We should wait a few more days. Don’t want any eyebrows to be raised.”
“Well, that one has already been here a few days. I don’t know how much longer I can stall before she tries to find another means out.”
The sheriff turned a pair of cold blue eyes on the mechanic. “If she asks, say the part will come in day after tomorrow. We’ll have a meeting tonight. We’ll prepare her for tomorrow night.”
“And those other two?”
“We will deal with them,” the sheriff said. “Just like the others.”
****
“No, Angel, we’re fine. Just an unforeseen delay.” Cordelia tucked the cell phone to her shoulder as she tossed some jeans into a drawer. “They say it could be a few days before we get a radiator. I know it’s bullshit, but we’re not exactly in a bustling metropolis. Things apparently take time around here. No, Faith is fine. Ya wanna say hi?” Cordelia held the phone out.
“Hi, sugar daddy!” Faith called. The slayer claimed the single bed furthest from the door as her own. “Cordy’s being mean to me!”
Cordelia tucked the phone back to her shoulder. “Just ignore her. She doesn’t know mean until I try to smother her with a pillow. Angel, I’m sure we’re fine. Just call Davidson and tell him we can’t get there until Friday. I know he’ll be upset, but tough cookies. Who else will exterminate an infestation of Vocklar demons? I can see Animal Control trying to deal with them. Bunch of guys in white overalls with butterfly nets trying to catch a couple dozen Vocklars. Listen, we’ll call if something goes wrong, right Faith?”
“Damn right!” Faith called out.
“You don’t have to come out and play knight in shining armor. Okay? I love you and I’ll call again tomorrow. Bye.”
“Oh, I wuv you,” Faith teased. “I’ll call again tomorrow.”
“Shut up, Faith,” Cordelia said, turning a slight shade of red.
“Aw, Cordelia’s blushing! Tell you what, how ‘bout we scream each other’s name and bang the headboards to see if we can freak out the neighbors?”
“Shut up, Faith.”
****
Nearly two-dozen people gathered in the living room of Sheriff Michael Brady. The people talked animatedly to each other, discussing the possibility of having not one, but THREE visitors in their town.
Brady sat in his rocking chair, cold blue eyes surveying those around him. It was time to call things into order. “Ladies and gentlemen.” The room quickly fell silent. “We’re here to discuss what to do about our visitors.”
“We should all take them out to be judged immediately!” one person called out. A chorus of support rang out.
“We will not,” the sheriff said calmly. “We have not had time to observe our two newest guests. Josiah would be displeased if we hurried and made poor judgment. We shall watch them. As for the other, this Miss Ballinger. Tomorrow we shall gather. We shall take her before Josiah. Perhaps she will be The One.”
The crowd enthusiastically agreed. Yes, maybe this girl would be The One.
Part 2
Serenity, California
June 21, 2003
The sun was already extraordinarily bright for 7:30 in the morning. Cordelia slipped off her shades as she entered the diner and brushed back a piece of highlighted hair. Scanning the tables for Faith, Cordelia idly wondered when this place last passed a health inspection.
“Yo! Cordy!”
Cordelia turned and saw Faith sitting at a booth with a view out the front window. Cordelia was pleased to note Andrea was also there. She liked the young woman that she and Faith met the previous day. Cordelia ignored the glances a pair of old farmers gave her and sat down across from Faith.
The women exchanged greetings and Cordelia called to the waitress for a cup of coffee. “The coffee is really great,” Andrea explained. “Perks ya right up. Removes some stomach lining too, but nothing better to wake a person up.”
“It also appears to be a good rust remover,” Faith added.
“Well, if I had some rusted farm equipment, I’d be all set,” Cordelia said.
“Speaking of rusted farm equipment, did ya notice Jim Bob and Bubba Ray checking you out?” Faith asked. Cordelia nodded that she had.
“Those guys freak me out,” Andrea said. “Every morning I come in here, they sit there and stare at me.”
“Just stare right back,” Cordelia explained. “Drives them crazy when you show fear.”
“Isn’t that wolves?” Faith asked.
“Regardless,” Andrea said. “This town gives me the creeps. I feel like I’m in a town full of X-Files extras.”
“I admit, this town does give off a strange vibe,” Cordelia said, “but I think we’re reading too far into it. It’s a small town. They’re kinda far away from the city. They’re entitled to be a bit quirky.”
“I don’t know if quirky is the word I’d use,” Andrea said. The blonde finished off her coffee. “Well, I’m going to check in with Henry and John Boy and the body shop. Maybe good news will actually await.”
“If not, maybe you’d like to drop by our room tonight?” Cordelia suggested. “Play some poker or something to pass the time.”
“That’d be great,” Andrea said. “See you girls later.” Andrea slid from her seat and dropped a five on the table. With a last wave, Andrea left.
“Drop by for poker or something to pass the time,” Faith teased. “You looking for a threesome? Cause I might be game.” Faith licked her lips suggestively.
“You know it, Slayer. If there’s one thing I like more than sleeping with a vampire, it’s sleeping with two chicks.”
“I’ve always wanted to ask about that. Does your screwing a vampire make you a necrophiliac?”
“Does your screwing everyone make you a slut?”
“Touché.”
Cordelia reached into her jeans pocket and pulled out her cell phone. “If Gertrude ever arrives with the java, tell her I’ll be back in a second. I’m going to go call Angel. Anything you want me to tell him?”
“Yeah, tell him to buy me a Playstation.”
“Shut up, Faith.”
****
Angel hung the phone back on the hook. He didn’t like it. He didn’t like it one bit. And what the hell was a Playstation?
“Yo, Angel. Was that Cordy?” Gunn asked.
“Yeah,” Angel answered. “They’re still stuck in the middle of nowhere.”
Gunn could tell from the tone of voice that Angel was immensely displeased by the situation. And when the vampire got displeased, something usually lost appendages.
“And you’re still worried about them.” Angel’s noncommittal grunt was his answer. “There’s nothing to worry about. You got two girls, one of them a half-demon with super powers and the other is a sometimes psychotic slayer with a fetish for sharp things. Both of them are big girls. Hell, I feel sorry for the first person that tries messing with them. What do you think Cordy would do to the guy?”
Angel had to smile in amusement at the thought. He certainly taught Cordelia how to take care of business. But the vampire sobered up quickly. But the fact remained, he was here, and she was there.
“I’m going to guess my little pep talk did nothing for you, right?”
Angel’s grunt was his answer.
****
“Full House,” Faith grinned. “Eights and threes. Beat that.”
Cordelia threw away her ninth consecutive losing hand in disgust. “I just remembered why I stick to Monopoly.”
“And I just remembered why I love Vegas,” Andrea smirked. “Four of a kind.” Andrea laid out four nines as Faith’s jaw dropped in shock.
“If we were playing for money, I’d so be beating your ass right now,” Faith said.
“And if we were playing for money, you’d be flat broke right now.”
“Just deal five new ones.”
Cordelia leaned back on her bed and rested for a moment. Clad in her nighttime wear, tank top and sweatpants, Cordelia sighed heavily. She hated this town and she missed Angel.
“So Andrea, where you from?” Faith asked.
“Portland. I was heading to San Diego because of a job offer.” Andrea huffed in annoyance. “I doubt that the job’s even available anymore. I got sixty thousand miles on my Mustang and never a problem until now.”
“Life’s a bitch,” Faith said.
“So what’s the story with you two?” Andrea asked.
Faith fielded that one easily enough. “I just got out of jail and Cordy’s horny because her lovey dovey is back in Los Angeles.”
“Shut up, Faith,” Cordelia groaned.
“Is it my fault you forgot your vibrator at home?”
“Faith, be warned that I will suffocate you in your sleep.”
“Course, there’s always the fingers, but it just don’t have the same feel.”
“Shut up, Faith.”
Andrea just laughed at the two and put the cards back in the box. “You two are very sad. And I also must call it a night. Need to get some sleep before I go out on the road.”
Cordelia looked up. “You got your car fixed?”
“Bubba Carl Ray Bob or whatever said they got the part in early this evening. They’ll install it tomorrow morning and hopefully I’ll be on the road by noon.”
“And leave us alone in Hellburg? You bitch,” Faith retorted in mock anger.
“That I am, but I’m the bitch that’s got a ride outta here.”
Cordelia and Faith were both saddened by the prospect of spending the rest of their time in Serenity without the company of Andrea. They both really liked the woman. “Well, look us up if you’re ever in LA. The Hyperion Hotel is where we run our investigation agency. We can paint the town red.”
“Sounds like fun. Faith an I can pick us up some hunks while you sit in the corner sipping tonic water and telling the barkeep how happy your relationship is.”
Cordelia just grinned. “Faith was right. You are a bitch.”
Andrea stood and stretched her tired muscles. “Meet you chicks for breakfast?”
“Sure thing,” Cordy agreed. The girls said their goodbyes as Andrea left for the night.
“I must be going soft in my post-rehab state. Did I actually go out of my way to be nice to her?”
“You did,” Cordy agreed. “And you know what? You may have made…a friend.”
“Aw fuck.”
“You came out of prison acting almost human.”
****
Andrea made her way down the metal steps to the first floor of the two-floor hotel building. Automatically, her hand went to pat her back pocket to find her keys. But realizing she was wearing pajama pants, she remembered she had the room key in her jacket pocket.
She had just pulled the key out and was about to stick it in the lock when a strong hand covered her mouth. More hands grabbed her waist and arms. Before the young Oregon girl knew what was going on, her hands were bound and she was blindfolded.
“Take her to the field,” a voice ordered. Wasn’t that the guy that worked at the diner?
“Do you think Josiah will be pleased?” an eager voice asked. Didn’t that voice greet her at the dollar store?
“Silence!” the first voice ordered. “Do what you are told. It is not for me to decide if Josiah will be pleased. Only He can make that judgment.”
The second voice obeyed and helped toss Andrea into the back of a truck. Moments later the truck fired up and pulled onto the highway. The half dozen men that were left went to gather their own vehicles and drive out to the cornfield. The first voice, Ernie Connell pulled out his cell phone.
“Sheriff Brady? We have the first. She is being taken to the cornfield now. Yes, we let the other two be, just as you instructed.” Connell disconnected the phone. It was time to take another before Josiah. He couldn’t afford to be late.
Part 3
Serenity, California
June 22, 2003
Faith slipped on her shades as she held open the diner door for Cordelia. It was 8:30 in the morning, and also bright and hot as hell. As Cordelia appeared, she squinted a moment before finding her own shades.
"I wonder why Andrea didn't come to breakfast?" Faith wondered.
"Maybe the garage got her car fixed sooner than expected," Cordelia reasoned. Both were disappointed that their new friend may have already left. But she knew where they were from, and Andrea seemed eager to get together again sometime.
"That blows," Faith commented earnestly. "Guess it's just you, me, and the Andy Griffith Show rejects. I tempted to see if Floyd the Barber is running a special."
"You have no couth," Cordelia told her.
"And you have no tact."
"Touché."
The pair soaked in the sun's morning rays for a moment before deciding a course of action. They'd go to the garage and get a status report on their car. They could also see if Andrea had left.
They set out on the highway to walk the half-mile to Joe Bob Henry Carl's repair shop. The morning was very hot, and neither looked forward to the afternoon in a hotel room with a shitty AC.
When they finally arrived at the repair shop, Henry sadly informed them it'd be another day or two before the new radiator would be coming in. When they asked if Andrea had left, Henry explained they had installed her carburetor the night before, and she had left early that morning.
"That sucks ass," Faith said. Cordelia grunted in reply. The two turned back towards the hotel, both planning on sleeping the rest of the morning away. They had just about reached the highway when Faith spoke.
"What kind of car did Andrea say she drove?"
"A Mustang I think," Cordelia said. "Why?"
"Does that look like a Mustang to you?"
From their spot, they could see the side of the garage. There was a car, mostly covered by a blue tarp. But the one part that wasn't covered was the most telling. The Mustang emblem on the front grill was exposed.
Cordelia and Faith stared at each other for a few moments. Both tried to calmly rationalize the situation.
"It's probably another person's car," Faith reasoned.
"Yeah," Cordelia agreed. "Or maybe it belongs to a mechanic. He fixes it for a hobby or something."
"Yeah," Faith readily agreed. "That's probably it. I mean, there are tons of Mustangs in the world, right?"
"Sure, probably millions of them in fact."
They stared at each other for a few minutes longer. Faith was the first to speak. "I'm wigging big time. You?"
"Same."
"Aw fuck," Faith cursed. "This isn't gonna be like that X-File where the townsfolk were cannibals, is it?"
"I sure as hell hope not." Cordelia brushed back a few strands of hair before speaking. "Maybe we're overreacting. It's a small town. The folks are quirky. But they are NOT cannibals."
"Right," Faith agreed, trying to retain some composure. "And even if they are psychos, we are two young women, more than capable of taking care of ourselves in a fight."
Cordelia puffed her chest up in pride, as did Faith. "Damn right. I'm a demon, you're a Slayer. We kick ass."
Both women deflated at the same instant. "Aw fuck."
****
Faith certainly had to give her props to the Los Angeles County Penal System. She learned all kinds of useful things in jail. For instance, she was more than capable of making an oak cabinet, wicker furniture, and even sew a throw rug. Of course, the technological age hadn't passed her by either.
Faith had booted up Cordelia's laptop and used the phone line to get on the Internet. Cordelia found her searching the Web when she returned with lunch for the both of them.
"What are you doing?"
"Honestly?" Faith asked. "I'm starting to wig out. I've been looking around on the Internet at local newspapers. I found out two weeks ago, a woman named Carol Emerson went missing just outside of town."
That freaked Cordelia out just a little bit. The rational side of her brain tried to assert some dominance. "That doesn't necessarily mean anything. People go missing all the time. Law of probability says that a small town would have an unfortunate occurrence or two."
Faith would have liked to agree with Cordelia. "About five months ago a woman named Teresa Newman disappeared. She was last spotted about three miles outside town."
"Two women in the last five months? I'd say that screws up the bell curve." Cordelia pulled a rickety wooden chair by the bed and plopped down on it. Faith looked on, hoping that Cordelia would come up with some plan. Faith might not be the wisest girl on the block, but she knew acting rashly wouldn't be good. And acting rashly was something she had a habit of doing.
"Should we call Angel?" she asked.
Cordelia pondered for a moment. "No," she finally decided. "I wouldn't want to risk him being caught in daylight. Besides, LA needs him. If things start to get hairy, I'll call and get Gunn and Fred to come back us up. Until then, we stay calm and keep from doing anything stupid. Keep researching newspapers. I'm going to put out feelers with the townsfolk. Maybe I can get them to tip their hand on what they know about this last girl, Carol Emerson."
"Right," Faith agreed. See? Cordelia came up with a plan. Now Faith had something to do.
"Did the newspapers make note of what kind of car Emerson drove?"
Faith flipped back to the page that detailed her case. "It says she drove a '97 Grand Am. Black. What are you thinking?"
"I'm thinking maybe I can snoop around the garage a bit." Cordelia stood and peered at the computer screen. A picture of an attractive red head stared back at her.
"Do you think she has a family?" Faith asked softly. "Do you think anyone cares that she's gone?"
Cordelia considered the question for a moment. "She must," she decided. "If she didn't have someone concerned for her, I doubt anyone would take note of her disappearance."
Faith seemed to take some comfort in that. Cordelia marveled how different the slayer was from the girl she knew in high school. "Would you guys care if something happened to me?" Faith asked. "You and Angel, I mean?"
"Yes," Cordelia assured her. "You're apart of our family, whether you like it or not." Faith was satisfied with that answer.
"I'll see what more I can find," Faith said. Cordelia smiled and nodded. Slipping on her shades, she opened the door and walked into the blazing afternoon sun. Faith had a job to do, and now, so did she.
****
Cordelia made sure to duck off the highway a few hundred yards before she got to the garage. Scampering into the brush, she kept low so she could approach the rear of the building without being detected. She finally reached a clearing behind the garage. She didn't know what to feel when she saw nearly two-dozen cars parked there.
"Please, God, just let us be overreacting," Cordelia prayed.
Cordelia slowly made a trip around the clearing, hoping to whoever was listening that she wouldn't find a '97 Grand Am. Her heart sank when she found one. Checking to make sure no one was nearby, she opened up the car to do her investigation.
There was quite a bit of dust inside the vehicle. The panel and seats were coated in a thin film of dirt. Cordelia knew this car had been sitting here for a while, but how long she couldn't determine. She checked behind the sun visors and underneath the seats for some kind of identification. Finally, she popped open the glove box. At first glance it was empty but in the very back was a small rectangle. Reaching for it, Cordelia sighed heavily when she saw what it was.
The photograph showed and older man and woman smiling happily at the camera. They stood side by side as they rested their hands on the shoulders of a young woman. Carol Emerson smiled brightly at the camera. They looked like such a perfect family. Cordelia wondered where her parents were right now. She knew that they must miss their daughter.
The sound of voices made Cordelia startle. She quickly tucked the photo in her pocket and climbed out of the car. Quietly she shut the door and rushed back to the safety of the brush. Moments later one of the mechanics appeared to salvage a battery from Emerson's car. He didn't notice the dust that was swept away inside the car.
****
Faith was surprised when Cordelia rushed through the front door of their hotel room. Cordy looked like she had ran the entire distance back, which she had. Sweat covered her shirt and face as she took deep breaths to feed her lungs.
"Are you okay?" Faith asked.
"Not really," Cordelia answered. "I got a big ass wiggins going on."
"Why? What happened?"
Cordelia reached into her jeans pocket and withdrew the photo. She tossed it to Faith. The slayer glanced at it. Recognition set in instantly.
"Aw fuck."
Part 4
Serenity, California
June 22, 2003
"She was in this town," Faith said. "She was here and the townspeople did something to her." Emotions were a real bitch. Times like this, Faith almost wished she were still a sociopath.
"I think so," Cordelia agreed. "I snooped around back of the garage. God, Faith, you should have seen how many cars were there. If they are doing something, then they've done it several times before."
"I know," Faith said. "At least six times if my research is accurate."
"What do you mean?"
"I dug around in local newspapers some more. In the last thirty months, I found cases of six women disappearing within a few mile radius of Serenity. None have been found."
Cordelia slid against the door as she contemplated that knowledge. Something bad was happening in this town.
"What do you think they did to Andrea?" Faith asked. The fear and sorrow in her voice wasn't lost on Cordelia. The same emotions were playing in her own mind.
"I don't know. But we sure as hell are going to find out." Cordelia stood up and went over to her closet. She grabbed some clean clothes and headed to the bathroom. "I'm going to take a shower. Afterwards, we'll go get some food at the diner. We'll make conversation, maybe get somebody to tip his or her hand."
"Cordy, if we go around and start asking questions, how is that going to look? Wouldn't that put us in danger? I mean, we can't figure out what happened to these girls, what happened to Andrea, if the people suspect we know something."
"I don't know if we really have a choice," Cordelia said.
"What about calling the FBI or something? If there are murders going on, wouldn't they respond to it?"
"Murder's not federal jurisdiction," Cordelia explained. "Besides, who knows how long it would take to get them here, if at all. The only solid evidence we have is a photo in a car. The rest is just conjecture."
Cordelia could easily see that Faith was frustrated by the lack of options. So was she, but they had to play the hand they were dealt. It would have to be them to uncover the mystery surrounding this town.
"I'll just be a second, then we'll go eat. Faith, I promise, we will figure out what is going on."
"I still think we should call Angel," Faith said.
"I tell you what. If something weird happens tonight, we'll call him. I'll have him send backup. Until then, I think we can handle this. Remember, we're a demon and a Slayer."
"We kick ass," Faith smiled slightly.
"Damn right."
****
Sitting at the diner's counter, Cordelia and Faith surveyed the scene. A decent crowd was gathering for dinner. Maybe one of these poor saps would be the one to slip up.
After deciding on what they wanted, both girls handed the waitress back the menus. They had a very simple game plan. Cordelia would take the lead in any conversations. Faith would follow her example and try to reiterate key questions.
Faith sipped on her Coke as she watched Cordelia try to decide whom she would talk to. Faith knew it would be best if she kept as silent as possible. She could admit her temper had a tendency to be short. It would be far too easy for her to make a mistake. Although Cordelia wasn't exactly the most rational mind around, she was the more experienced investigator.
"This is a pretty nice town," Cordelia commented. "You get many visitors around these parts?"
The waitress, Dorothy, set the food down before the girls. Chicken for Cordelia, roast beef for Faith. The slayer dipped a biscuit into her mashed potatoes as Cordelia made with the conversation.
"We get a few," Dorothy replied. "And this is a nice town. Maybe a little small for some people, but we like it."
"I can see why," Cordelia said. "You're away from the hustle and bustle of a big city like LA. It must be nice to not have to deal with the noise and pollution."
"It is indeed," Dorothy agreed. "It makes life a lot easier when you don't have to put up with millions of other people."
"I'll second that."
Faith spoke for the first time. "We were wondering something. We had a friend that came through town not too long ago. Haven't spoken to her in a while, her name is Carol Emerson. Did you happen to see her? Pretty, red hair?"
Dorothy's face went blank, her eyes lost all humor and benevolence. "I don't think so. We normally remember all our visitors. When would she have come through?"
"About two weeks ago," Cordelia said. "Would have been driving a black Pontiac?"
"No," Dorothy said again. "Like I said, we normally remember our visitors. And I don't remember anyone like that coming through. Do you boys remember someone coming through a couple weeks ago?"
A couple of men in their early twenties shook their heads in the negative. Neither Faith nor Cordelia liked the way they were looking at them.
"Our mistake then," Cordelia said. "She told us she would be heading through here. Must have taken the interstate then."
"Must have," Dorothy said with a fake smile.
Cordelia and Faith then began to eat their meals in silence, but now they knew. Dorothy was lying out her ass. The relative peace of the diner was broken when a woman rushed in. She looked to be in her early thirties, and she was very scared.
"Does anyone know where Doctor Johnson is?" she asked in a desperate voice.
"He's visiting family in Oakland," someone called out.
"What's wrong Henrietta?" Dorothy asked
"Annabeth is running a 103 degree fever. I can't get her to keep anything in her stomach either."
The woman seemed quite stricken. Faith elbowed Cordelia to get her attention. "Maybe you should say something," she whispered.
"Say what?" Cordy whispered back.
"Well, you got all those cool demon powers, maybe you could do something for her kid. It couldn't hurt to try."
Cordelia considered for a moment. It was finally the pleading look Faith gave her that broke Cordelia's resolve. "Okay." Cordelia stood to get the woman's attention. "Maybe I could take a look at your daughter. I used to be a nurse," Cordelia lied.
The woman rushed over to Cordelia, the relief evident on her face. "Could you? Please, I need someone to help my daughter!"
Cordelia gave Faith a quick glance before saying, "Sure. Lead the way."