Go TeamC/A
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Title: Into the Past
Author: (Only)Anne
Posted here: 08/05
Rating: N-17
Category: Time travel
Content:
Summary:
Spoilers:
Disclaimer: The characters in the Angelverse were created by Joss Whedon & David Greenwalt. No infringement is intended, no profit is made.
Distribution: please ask
Notes:
Thanks/Dedication:
Feedback:Feedback is always appreciated ( how was that for an understatement )
In spoiler font. Highlight to read: - After everything...but also, before everything. ... The WB 'offcial site' says that by 1880, the fanged four were in London. Then after becoming well acquainted (what does that mean and how long does that take.)_ Anyway from London, they went to Yorshire, then we jump to 1898- And the soul thing..etc. Well, since the WB was vague on how long the fanged 4 stayed in London, I've imagined...and now you all are suffering for it...
Chapter One“Does Angel know?”
“I showed him.”
“Great, he went all broody, didn’t he?” Cordelia glanced up the stairs, which led to Angel’s suite.
“He seemed to be in a contemplative mood about it.”
“Like I said, he went into dark brood mode.” Cordelia shook her head. She scrunched up her face. “I know prophecies come from up high, but they don’t actually have to come true, right.”
“Forewarned, they can be prevented.”
“Well, there you go then. We got the coming attraction, now we just need to do the prevention thing. It can’t be that hard. It’s not like Buffy pops into visit every day. So, we will just make sure that she stays in Sunnyhell where she belongs.” Cordelia said.
“Cordelia, we don’t know that the Prophecy meant Buffy.”
Cordelia rolled her eyes. “The vampire with a soul will be damned, his redemption lost, when the mate of his soul, is torn asunder by the demon that lies within? Buffy, duh. Soul mate, love of ‘grr’ guy's life, that’s Buffy. And the demon within, well duh to that to. The way I see it is, Buffy stays where she’s at and we make sure that there is no way Angelus comes a creepin. - Viola, bad stuff averted.”
“Where are you going?”
“To make sure that Angel realizes that there will be no more sneaky side trips to Sunnydale.” Cordelia bounded up the stairs.
“You don’t think she is right.” Gunn asked.
“Do you?”
“You know me, English. I’m just muscle you’re the brain.”
“Angel loved Buffy, that’s true, but his soul mate? No.”
“I was afraid of that. So, what are we going to do?”
“She won’t leave him. Even if we tell her. Hell, she won’t believe it.”
“Angel could tell her, make her go.”
“That would assume that Angel would believe it. Both can be extremely blind and stubborn.”
Gunn nodded. “So, like I asked. What are we going to do?”
Wesley shrugged. “Make sure that there is no chance of Angelus appearing.”
Gunn's brows rose. “How could that happen anyway, I thought the two three- letter words were needed.”
“No, it can be done by artificial means. Abet it is only temporary, but it wouldn’t take long for Angelus to kill Cordelia.”
Chapter Two
Angel sat in his armchair. Thinking, or as Cordelia would say, brooding. The prophecy had scared him. The idea that Angelus could return and harm…..
“Knock, Knock, Mr. Brood guy.”
“Cordelia, I…”
“I know…You want to be alone with your ‘thoughts’. Fine I’ll let you get back to them, after we get a few things straight.”
Angel brows rose at the beautiful girl’s demanding tone. A slight smile started to form. Angel took a deep unneeded breath and forced his frown back in place. “And they would be?”
“No more sneaking off to Sunnydale. You, Buffy, temptation, pelvic action, love…Angelus…then where would we all be, I'll tell you where, Buffy torn asunder and you really damned. Not going to happen, not while I’m here. But you got to do your part, no more sneaking.”
“Cordelia I don’t sneak off to Sunnydale to see Buffy.”
Cordelia arched her brows. “Really?”
“I didn’t sneak”
“You didn’t tell. You snuck.”
“Buffy’s mother died, then Buffy died, and came back. That’s why I went to Sunnydale, and since you know about those trips, I didn’t sneak.”
“Hmmph, what about Thanksgiving? Remember?”
“Cordy, that was over two years ago, and you sent me there. You had a vision, remember,” he said in the same tone she had.
“Right, well. After that. You definitely snuck then.”
“What? When?” Angel thought a moment. Okay, maybe he did sneak then. “How did you know?”
“I came back from my well earned vacation, hearing that Buffy visited and witnessed the whole rescuing of Faith’s soul bit. I figured that you would be all broody, so I stopped by. You weren’t at your apartment, so where else would you be.”
“Out killing demons, saving the world.”
“Were you?” Cordelia’s tone was sarcastic.
“Buffy and I argued, I just wanted to make things okay again. Okay?”
“Maybe, then, but not now. There will be no more running to Sunnydale. Got it. I will not have you risk your soul.”
Angel didn’t know what to say. He just stared.
“Oh, and no, taking drinks from strangers. There will be no artificial Angelus making pills or stuff slipped into your blood or whatever. Got it.”
Angel just nodded.
“Good.” Cordelia relented a bit. “Perk up, gloomy guy, Wesley will look some more, I’m sure there is another prophecy that tells us exactly how to prevent it all from happening. I mean what’s the good of a warning if there is no solution. Or maybe, I’ll get a vision.” Cordelia smiled optimistically.
Angel frowned. He didn’t want Cordelia to get a vision. He hated what the visions did to her.
“Okay, are you all straight on the rules?”
“Yes, Cordelia.”
Cordelia gave a smart nod. “Good, because, I have to go.”
“Where?”
“Audition.”
Angel’s frown became even deeper. He hated that Cordelia willingly put herself in the position to be insulted by those Hollywood jerks.
“Oh, don’t frown so. It’s a dish washing liquid commercial. How bad can they insult my hands?" Cordelia glanced at her nails. “Damn, that Laxus demon, it made me break a nail. I better hurry, if I want to get it fixed. Angel….” She looked at him sternly.
“I will not run off to Sunnydale or accept anything from strangers.”
Cordelia nodded again and smiled. “See ya.”
Angel watched as his seer ran out of the room. Cordelia thought she knew him so well. And for the most part, she did. But on one issue, she didn’t have a clue. Buffy was not in danger or the danger. Wesley and Gunn thought he was blind; he wasn’t, just unsure and scared. And now even more so. Because, Angel knew that his soul mate wasn’t Buffy, but Cordelia, the young beautiful woman that had so completely taken over his life, heart, and soul. Angelus could not, would not touch her, Angel vowed.
Chapter Three
“I don’t know Lilah, it sounds a bit far fetched to me.”
The tall brunette rolled her eyes. “Anymore farfetched than the things we have attempted before. I tell you, the spell will work. It’s been verified.”
“I still don’t see why we just don’t kill her.”
Lilah grimaced. She couldn’t believe that she missed Lindsay. But this new guy was just plain stupid. She spoke slowly. “The prophecy calls for the demon with in Angel to kill the seer, we do it, nothing happens, well nothing but having one pissed off vampire with a soul on our doorsteps. No, Angelus has to kill Angel’s soul mate.”
“Then why not just bring out Angelus.”
“You did read his file didn’t you.”
“Of course.”
“Then you must have seen, we haven’t been real successful on that front. No, this will work.” She turned and faced the senior partner that was present. “It will work.”
“Do it.”
Chapter Four
Cordelia jumped back as a car’s horn blared at her. She glanced up from her newly repaired nail and glared at the speeding off car. Cordelia couldn’t decide if she wanted to get the commercial. Well, of course, she wanted it. But if she got it, then that would mean more time a way from Angel. And as long as the specter of the prophecy was around, Cordelia didn’t want him out of her sight. She thought about it some more as she crossed the street. No it wasn’t worth it, she turned to head back in the direction that she came. Anyway, it was just a dishwashing commercial, not even national. Cordelia would go back and watch over Angel.
Cordelia was forced to jump back again as another vehicle squealed in front of her. Her glare turned to shock as the dark van stopped suddenly and it’s doors opened. In an instant, she was grabbed and dragged into the now moving vehicle.
“What the….who…how dare….” Cordelia stopped her yelling as she recognized Lilah. “You bitch.”
“Shut her up.” Lilah ordered. One of the men that had grabbed Cordelia nodded and stuck a long needle into the side of Cordelia’s throat.
Chapter Five
“What time is it?”
“Five minutes later than the fifth time you asked.”
Angel stopped his pacing and glared. “Cordelia should have been back by now, she said she was coming back. How long does an audition take?”
“Maybe she got the commercial and they started shooting right away.” Fred suggested.
“That’s not how it works and anyway, she would have called.”
“Angel, I’m sure she is fine. Probably just stopped off somewhere.”
“Why should she be fine, just because the Prophecy calls for Angelus to kill her doesn’t mean there aren't other dangers out there.”
“Oh…”
“I’m not completely dense. I know who my soul mate is.”
“Oh…” Wesley repeated, trying to form a complete thought.
“Something is not right.” Angel growled. “Where was the audition?”
Wesley, Gunn, and Fred looked sheepish and shrugged.
Angel glared at them and went to Cordelia’s desk, looking through her calendar. “Bayside Studios.” Angel tore off the sheet and thrust it towards Wesley. “Find the address.”
Wesley nodded, grabbing the sheet and the phone book. Angel continued his pacing.
Chapter Six
Cordelia’s eyes opened slowly. She took in her surroundings. This was not good. She was obviously a prisoner in the Wolfram & Hart building. Why, though, that was the question. It had to be another one of their lame attempts to capture Angel.
She stared as Lilah sauntered in. Cordelia glared. “It won’t work you know.”
“What won’t?”
“This trap. Angel will save me and you won’t hurt him.”
“Trap? This isn’t a trap. No, you will be long gone before Angel even knows that you are missing, much less that we took you.”
Cordelia scrunched up her face. She didn’t like the sound of that at all. “Why?”
“No reason, not to tell you. We found a prophecy that will ensure Angel’s eternal damnation. We thought we would give it a whirl.”
Cordelia started to speak, then stopped. Obviously, Wolfram & Hart found the same prophecy that Wesley had, but they didn’t know what it really meant. Otherwise, Buffy would be sitting in the chair that Cordelia was now tied up in. Or rather, Buffy would’ve beaten the crap out of them for trying to tie her up. But, as long as the evil lawyers got it wrong, then there was no danger from the prophecy or to Angel’s soul. No, Cordelia wasn’t going to correct their mistake and risk them getting it right the next time.
Cordelia squirmed as Lilah came close, untying the ropes. “Have fun.”
Cordelia glanced up, the questions overcoming her anger. The room darkened and she heard mumbled chanting floating around her. The walls seemed to move, swirling and twirling, creating a black hole. Oh shit, not again, Cordelia panicked as she was sucked through the portal that had formed.
Chapter Seven
“Great, great,” Cordelia mumbled as she got up swiping the dirt off her red silk dress. “Just great. Hmmph,” she grunted. She didn’t want to have to go to the castle and see Groo. “Man…” Cordelia whined. She would have to face him and explain that she hadn’t meant that Love stuff. How embarrassing. But, she needed the stupid priest’s books, if she was going to get back.
Cordelia glanced around. Her faced scrunched up as she noticed the dirty brick walls that surrounded her. She didn’t remember any brick buildings in Pylea. But, then again, she had spent most of her time in the other dimension in a barn, then in a castle. It’s not like she went exploring or anything. Cordelia bit her lip, glancing around, unease growing in her belly. Exploration or not, she just didn’t think that Pylea had any alleys and she was definitely in an alley. Her nose crinkled, it sure didn’t smell like Pylean. Even the barn smelled better than what she getting a whiff of. It was worse than the LA sewers.
Oh no, she whined quietly. She wasn’t in Pylea. And while, LA had some nasty alleys, she was pretty sure she wasn’t in LA, either. Cordelia looked at her feet. Why not? She squeezed her eyes shut and clicked her heels together three times. Still didn’t work. Well, she couldn’t just stand there. OR could she? Angel and gang would be coming after her, right. Cordelia turned and stared at the air, which had once been a swirling black hole. “Come on guys, anytime now. Angel, please.”
Cordelia pouted as nothing happened except her stomach growled. “Great.” Well, she couldn’t just stay here. And Lilah was right; Angel wouldn’t even know Cordelia had been kidnapped, yet. But, he would, and Angel would know that the bitch took Cordelia- then come save her. Cordelia wasn’t exactly sure how, but she knew with a every fiber of her being, Angel would save her. He had to right? “Right,” Cordelia said. But until then, she needed to get out of this gross alley, figure out where she was, and get something to eat. Her stomach growled again.
Cordelia hesitated as she moved toward the entrance of the alley.
“Please, let this be a dimension that humans and demons live in peace. Please.”
Cordelia just wasn’t in the mood to go running for her life or go through that slave crap again. With a deep breath, she stepped out and just as quickly stepped back in. It’s okay, those weren’t demons, just people, a lot of unwashed sorry looking people, in bad outfits. Cordelia peeked around the corner. Her eyes stung as a shift in the wind brought even more of the unpleasant stench to her face. Oh, this was just nasty. She was in hell. Dirty, smelly and bad clothes, the flames were missing but everything else she imagined hell to be, was sure there. When Angel saved her, Cordelia was going to kill that lawyer bitch for dropping her into the middle of a cesspool.
Cordelia listened to the voices around her. Yep, English-English, Wesley’s English. Well, not exactly Wesley’s English but definitely not LA English. She stared at the people; she had seen those bad outfits, before. But in the movies, they were cleaner. Somehow, she landed into a dirtier, seedier version of a Dickens’s tale. Why would another dimension copy 19th century England and do it so disgustingly. The street was lined with dilapidated, but occupied tenements. Eww, she grimaced as a woman tossed a bucket of foul looking liquid out a second story window. Well, Cordelia figured out where the stench was coming from, or at least where some of it came from. Gross. Cordelia glanced further down the road. She saw vendors hawking their wares, everything from food, clothes to flowers, she blinked and themselves, she thought, as she noticed a group of woman beckoning and calling to the men that passed by them.
Cordelia’s eyes were drawn back to the flower cart. An old woman was filling a basket with the blossoms. The old woman was wearing a cloak that hid almost all of what had to be fashion disaster underneath. Cordelia looked down to her own bright red slip dress. Appropriate for an audition, not appropriate out there. This was not the time or the place to draw attention. She needed some other clothes, or a least a cloak. Money, Cordelia needed money. If this dimension was a replica of 19th century England, then it would use money. If she couldn’t have Angel and a rescue, then Cordelia would settle for money, for now. Of course, the lawyer bitch didn’t bother tossing in Cordelia’s purse. Cordelia shook her head. Her purse would’ve been of no use; this definitely was the one place that neither accepted VISA nor MasterCard.
But pearls worked in any century, her hand grazed the necklace around her neck, Cordelia would have to just hope that they worked in this dimension. Okay, this neighborhood had to have a pawnshop of some sorts. But, how to get there, without being propositioned or arrested for indecency. Cordelia glanced around, her eyes widened as she saw a make shift clothesline drawn out between two buildings. She didn’t know why the person even bothered; those clothes and rags weren’t clean. But, there was a cloak.
Chapter Eight
“Angel…” Wesley stopped. There was nothing he could say. Angel was right. Cordelia was missing. She hadn’t shown up at the audition, she wasn’t at her apartment; she wasn’t answering her cell phone. Cordelia always answered her cell phone.
“Angel, there was no sign of a struggle in her apartment.”
“So, all that means was that she wasn’t attacked there. Where is she?” Angel growled, pacing. Cordelia had vanished. Fear, rage boiled through out his body. This was unbearable. More frustrating than when Cordy was sucked into Pylea, at least then they knew where she had gone and had a starting point at which to find her. But, now nothing. Angel’s strong fist slammed into the counter, shattering the wood.
Gunn walked back into the lobby, glanced at the counter then at Angel. He gave an apologetic smile at the vampire’s glare and tone.
“Well?”
“Cops still haven’t seen nothing on my truck.”
“You gave them the address of the studio.”
“Yeah, before we went there, but no sign of it in the blocks around the place or anywhere else. Shit, Angel, the cops aren't looking, they arent't going to find it, unless it was illegally parked."
Angel’s fist rose again.
“Angel.”
Angel ignored Wesley and stared at his fist as it unclenched. “Nails, Cordelia said she was going to get her nail fixed before the audition. Where does she get her nails done?” Angel growled.
Wesley and Gunn looked sheepish again.
“The Hair & Nail Gallery. I go there too, well actually Cordy took me there first.” Fred fidgeted, wiggling her nails towards her hair. She gulped as Angel’s gaze focused in on her. “Um, it’s on tenth near the Boulevard.”
Angel was out the door before Fred finished.
Chapter Nine
Cordelia sniffed the coarse wool around her shoulders and grimaced. She was just going to have to accept the fact that she was not going to stay clean in this dimension. Cordelia halted the ‘eww’ that was threatening to explode out of her mouth as her foot stepped into a foul mixture. She gagged as she lifted her foot, the slime oozed through the straps of her sandals. Cordelia just knew that she had stepped into raw sewage. Her shoes were ruined and she was probably going to catch some nasty disease. Oh, she was in hell all right, and Lilah was dead. Cordelia seriously hopped that the Wolfram & Hart lawyer played difficult with Angel when he figured out that the bitch had kidnapped her. Okay, so, Angel wouldn’t actually kill her, but he could scare her plenty. Cordelia hopped the bitch pissed in her expensive designer pants. Cordelia looked down at her feet again, her sandals were ruined. She sighed. Oh well, she would’ve had to get rid of them soon enough, anyway. Strappy red sling backs that exposed her bright red pedicure toes weren’t at all the norm in this place.
Cordelia continued down the street, careful to avoid mucky puddles and eye contact with the passersby. She glanced up now and again to study the wooden signs hanging above the doors. Her eyes widen as she saw three circles hanging from a bar painted on the sign in front of her. Not neon but definitely the universal symbol of a pawnshop. Damn this dimension copied well, if not on the dirty side. Cordelia hurriedly unclasped her necklace and opened the door into the dark shop. Her eyes peered into the dimness.
“What ya selling?”
Cordelia jumped at the deep voice. She handed the beefy man behind the counter her pearls. The man squinted an eye at the necklace, and then rubbed them against his teeth. He blinked looked at the necklace then at Cordelia. He thrust the necklace back at her.
“I run a respectable place. I’ve no plans to end up in Newgate.”
“Excuse me,” Cordelia pushed the necklace back at the man. “They’re real.”
“Aye, there are. You napped ‘em, to be sure.”
“Napped…Oh, I didn’t steal them I swear. They were a gift.”
“Who would be given the likes of you such finery.” The man looked at Cordelia’s dirty cloak.
Cordelia scowled and choked her retort at the man’s derogatory tone. “I didn’t steal it, you big oaf.” Okay, may be she didn’t choke down all of her retort.
“Where do you come from?’
“Uh?” Shit.
“The colonies, you’re a Yank. What’s a Yank doing in the East End?”
Cordelia’s eyes widened. The dimension copied the founding of the colonies and the American Revolution? And the East End of where? “The United States, right.” She nodded.
“Thought so, ungodly land”
“Look are you going to buy this or what? They’re real, I didn’t steal them….” Cordelia paused trying to calm down. More flies with honey, more flies with honey, she repeated to herself and started again. “Sir, I’m sorry to be so rude, but I pretty much was abandoned here with only the clothes on my back and these. I need some money. They were a gift. Please.”
The man looked again at Cordelia’s cloak, then up to her face. “Come to the light, girl.”
“What?” Cordelia just knew she was going to lose it.
“To the light, girl.”
Cordelia moved to the weak light on the counter. She stared at the man as he studied. The Man leaned back on his heels and raised a brow. “Let me see your hands.”
“Uh,” Cordelia lifted her hands at the man’s insistence.
The man studied the long delicate fingers. His eyes widened at the red polish. A sign of a whore. He looked again at Cordelia’s face. But if the girl was a whore, she hadn’t been one for long; either that or the colonies treated their women of trade kinder than England. There were no signs of drink, disease, or hardness to her eyes and she had all of her teeth, in fact, she was quite pretty. “Not one for an hard honest day of work are ya. Maybe you did nap it. Or sold yourself for them.” He watched her expression.
Cordelia’s eyes flashed daggers. Cordelia wanted to hit some thing, mainly the man standing between her and her means to get food.
A small smile formed on the man’s face. Aye, she was a proud one. And if she was a whore by trade, then he was the Queen’s paramour.
“Abandoned, said he was a gentleman did he?”
Cordelia’s frustration turned to hope as she heard the sympathetic tone.
Cordelia thought quickly. “It’s all so horrifying,” Cordelia let a small tear trickle down her cheek. “He said he would be there, take me to his family, marry me. What am I to do?” Thank god for romance novels.
“There, there girl. Had me daughter of me own. Men can be bastards that for sure.” The man took the necklace. “At least, he gave you some valuable treats. Sad, how many times that tossed aside skirts come in with paste or a death shroud. Sad.”
Cordelia decided to let that comment slide and accepted the coins gratefully. She glanced at the heavy gold coins; she brought them under the light, studying them. An monarch’s head was engraved in the coin, as well as the words, ‘God Save the Queen’. She wasn’t sure, but they looked real, too real in fact. With some trepidation, she looked up. “Not to sound to crazy, but what year is it?”
The man stared. “1889.”
Cordelia shot him a big smile. “Thought so, that sea voyage and all made me start to think that I fell off the world. But no, I'm here in England…in …”
“London. Whitechappel. Don’t you know where you are girl?”
“The Sea air, I’m from the States, feeling really not myself, right now. Whitechappel, the home of Jack the Ripper, wonderful.” Cordelia’s stomach clenched.
A dark scowl descended on the man’s face. “The bastard won’t a East Ender, some say he was a society doctor playing games, some say a Jew, I say he was Satan personified. “
Cordelia’s stomach clenched. She was getting the horrible suspicion that this wasn’t just some dimensions copy of 19th century England, but the real thing. How in the hell, did Wolfram & Hart send her back in time and why? Cordelia couldn’t think about it. Dimension, time it made no difference, between Angel’s powers of persuasion and Wesley’s smarts, they would figure out how to save her. She just needed to remain calm, inconspicuous and unfortunately stay in Whitechappel, until they could. Her thoughts were interrupted by the man’s last words.
“Satan he was, spreading his evil, then returning to hell where he belonged, but not before he took me Mary.” The man’s eyes were filled with anger and sorrow.
“Mary?”
“Aye, me daughter.”
Cordelia closed her eyes. Cordelia wasn’t one to study serial killers; she got enough blood and terror through her visions. But she knew about Jack the Ripper, everyone knew about the first serial killer, or at least the first reported one, famous for his brutality and elusiveness from detection. Wesley had told her once that some in the Watcher's Council believed the Ripper to be a demon, possibly a vampire, but they didn’t even know. It was just speculation. Cordelia thought it just a bunch of humans expounding excuses, humans that couldn’t accept that another human could be so evil. Which was stupid considering all of the glorious examples of evil that the human race could boast of. Cordelia held up a hand and caressed the gruff’ man’s face. “I’m truly sorry for you. She didn’t deserve that horror, no one does”
The big man blinked and jerked away, clearing his throat. “Aye.”
Cordelia smiled. “Thank you.”
“Aye.”
Cordelia turned to go.
The man watched her. A thrown away fancy piece, maybe, but a lady definitely. His Mary would’ve never been considered a lady, but she was- before the streets and the devil took her. He would not let it happen to another, not if he could help it.
“Child.”
“Hmm,” Cordelia paused. She didn’t know why but the man’s attitude had done a complete 360 towards her.
The man saw the question in her big eyes. He smiled. She really did remind him of his lost Mary.
“You will need a place to stay and a job. Those coins will get you only so far, then the streets will be your only option.”
Cordelia looked at the coins in her hand. She didn’t even know how far they would get her. An overwhelming, helplessness washed over her. She was lost, really lost. Please, Angel, she begged.
“Gerty runs an Inn down the road, on the edge of the East End. It’s as respectable as you’re going to get in the Stews. Tell her Pa Kelly sent you, she’ll put you up in a real room with a real bed, and give you a job, but lass, don’t be going upstairs, that’s where the light o skirts ply their trade. You don’t need to be doing that.”
Pa’s eyes widened as Cordelia filled the room with a bright smile. Lordy, the child could take the wind out of any man’s sails.
“Don’t be letting them drag you up those stairs.” He warned. “And the Ripper as been silent for almost a year, but don’t you be going out after dark.”
Cordelia giggled and smiled. “Don’t worry, I don’t go anywhere I don’t want to…unless I’m drugged, tied up or enchanted, and the after sundown thing, I got that one covered.” She laughed at Pa’s expression. “I’ll be fine,” she smiled, running up a placing a kiss on the man’s cheek. “Thank you, Pa.”
Tears threatened to run down Pa’s reddening cheeks. He was going to have to visits Gerty’s real soon. He would make sure that the beautiful child didn’t end up like his Mary.
Chapter Ten
Angel scanned the city street.
Wesley stopped Gunn, as the black man was about to comment. “Let him be.”
Angel searched the night air for Cordelia’s scent.
They had reached the salon moments ago. Long enough to find out that Cordelia had been there, that she had been talking about the commercial and how she had been debating to drive there are just walk. It wasn’t that far from the salon to the studios and parking in LA could be a bitch. She had decided to walk; it had been a pretty day. The smog was less oppressive than usual.
They found Gunn’s truck quickly. There had been no sign’s of a struggle. So, now Wesley and Gunn were visually scanning the area, while Angel utilizes his more discerning senses to find something, anything that would lead to Cordelia.
Fred watched the men and vampire, impressive, but not very effective. The young woman’s eyes went to a newsstand across the street. She started to cross. Tires screeched as she jumped back. The noise brought Angel, Wesley, and Gunn’s attention to her.
“Fred what are you doing,” Wesley lectured.
“I was thinking that instead of standing here looking and smelling, that maybe we should ask him,” she pointed to the newsstand’s vendor, “if he saw Cordy.” She blinked, nervously. “I mean who doesn’t notice Cordy.”
Angel was across the street in an instant. Wesley and Gunn followed slower dodging the traffic.
Fred pouted for a moment. It was her idea. She shrugged and tentatively crossed the street. She reached the other side in time to hear Wesley tell Angel to put the man down.
There were times that Fred was envious of Cordelia’s beauty, confidence and relationship with Angel, that was until things like this happened. Fred had to give credit where credit was due, sure, Fred knew that Angel wasn’t a beast, but sometimes he could be rather difficult. And Cordelia definitely had the ability to tame the beast. Fred winced at her choice of thoughts. She hadn’t meant the beast part, honest.
“Angel,” Wesley repeated. “Gunn.”
“Right. Angel, not productive, scary. Put the man down.”
Angel growled, but let the man loose.
The old man’s eyes were wide and his body shaking. “What’s the matter with him.”
“He’s a little excitable, not dangerous, just a bit high strung.” Wesley explained.
The wrinkled black man squinted his eyes suspiciously. “High strung, sure.”
“Yes, well, we were wondering, whether you here this afternoon.”
“24-7, that’s what the sign says.”
Wesley nodded at the cardboard sign that proclaimed the newsstand opened 24 hours. “Yes, well then you were here this afternoon.”
“Yeah,” the man narrowed his eyes.
“Did you happen to see a young woman, early 20’s, dark hair, red dress, beautiful?"
“This is LA, come on,”
“She is…” Wesley stalled, how did you describe Cordelia. There was the obvious, but the old man was right, this was LA, beautiful woman were a dime a dozen. So how do you explain that Cordelia was something more, something special?
“She makes time stand still, the breath stops in your throat.” Angel said.
“Oh, her.”
“You saw her.”
“I don’t know. What kind of description is that, except a love sick one. But I did see a very beautiful young girl in a red dress, but she was an actress.”
“An actress,” Wesley asked.
“Yeah, they were filming, the man said it was for a new movie.”
“Filming what?’
“See it was all exciting, at first. Most of the time, you can see the film crews; you know streets blocked off, yellow tape, police telling you to stay away. But this time, none of that. I thought it was real.”
“What was real,” Angel’s voice was low, the growl vibrated in his throat.
The old black man jumped at the sound. “Why does he do that?"
“Nervous condition, please ignore him and continue.” Wesley urged.
“That’s it, I saw a dark van pull up and snatch the pretty actress from the street. Then whoosh, off. It looked real, I was about to call the cops, when the man came up and told me it was all for a movie. The cameras were up there in the windows, he said they wanted to experiment with the shots. “ The old man looked up to where he had pointed. “ Funny, I never saw the cameras go up or down for that matter. Weird.”
“Gunn.”
“Got it.” Gunn answered, dragging at Angel’s arm pulling the vampire away from the old man. “Angel, he is not who you want to kill. Okay.”
Angel grunted. “Let me go.”
“Angel.”
“Gunn,” Angel’s voice was low and deadly.
Gunn shrugged and gave up.
Angel went to the old man. “The person that explained that what you saw was a movie, did he have a name.” Angel said calmly.
“No, but he gave me a card.”
“Really, may I see it?"
The old man’s eyes narrowed again, he didn’t like the dark man’s calm approach either. The calmness was just, if not more scary than the craziness. But, if giving him the card would get rid of him, then it was his.
“Okay.” The old man gave Angel the business card.
Angel looked at it; with a fierce growl, he crumbled up the small card and took off across the street.
“English,” Gunn asked torn between following the vampire and finding out what set him off.
Wesley picked up the crumbled card. “No.” Wesley shook his head. “No.” He repeated. “Wolfram & Hart.” The damaged card fluttered to the ground.
“Shit.”
“Let’s go. It has to be trap.”
“We aren’t going to catch him.”
“Then….”
Wesley’s words were muted by the sound of Angel’s tires squealing against the curb as the black convertible rolled to a stop.
“Angel…” Wesley started and stopped as the car’s engine started to rev up again. “Of course, you’re in a hurry,” Wesley mumbled as he vaulted over the passenger door.
“Fred, take care of my truck.” Gunn tossed his keys as he jumped into the back seat of the now moving vehicle.
Fred stared as the black car sped off. It wasn’t fair; it had been her idea to talk to the newsvendor in the first place. Oh well. Fred gave a nervous smile to the old black man. “Thank you.”
The old man’s nod and look clearly showed that he was glad to be rid of all of them.***
“Angel, you know this has to be a trap.”
Angel remained silent as he gripped the steering wheel. He would level Wolfram & Hart with bodies, blood and stone if he didn’t find Cordelia.
“Angel, the prophecy, Wolfram & Hart may have found it. And they took Cordelia to bring you to them. They may have found a drug or gas or something that could release Angelus.”
“Yeah, then they could just feed Cordelia to you, I mean to him. the evil guy, not to you. Then you're damned and Cordy is dead. Maybe you better let English and I check things out first.”
“I won’t lose my soul by some drug or gas.”
“Angel, I beg to differ, it has happened before.”
“It won’t now.”
“Angel, I know you want to find Cordelia, we all do. But, you can’t let that blind you to the risks. Drugs can create that feeling..”
“My soul is permanent.”
“That simulates the euphoria….What? Your soul is permanent, since when, how, why don’t I know?”
“Epiphany.”
“You never said that your epiphany included soul permanency, did he Gunn.”
“Hell, no. I ‘d have remembered.”
“Are you sure? I mean have you…” Wesley’s eyes widened. “You and Cordelia haven’t…no, she seemed pretty positive that Buffy was your soul mate, and I can’t imagine….I don’t want to imagine it…Did you?”
“Cordelia doesn’t know and no, I haven’t tested it, by any means. Like it would’ve worked without Cordelia.”
“Stop, the mental images…” Gunn winced in the backseat. “You’re talking about Cordy, hey like you’re talking about my sister. She ain’t having sex.”
“What was that Angel?”
“Nothing.”
“Oh, I thought you mumbled or rather growled something.” Wesley shook his head, trying not to laugh. He shouldn’t laugh, this was very serious. But Angel’s growl at the idea that Cordelia wouldn’t be having sex was funny and a bit disturbing when he thought about it some more. Gunn was right; those were not the mental pictures he wished to have.
“I said Lorne verified it. My soul is permanent.”
“That’s good. But the prophecy calls for the demon within to kill Cordelia. That’s Angelus. Good lord, have Wolfram & Hart found a way to take away your permanent soul. Angel, you really should allow Gunn and I to check things out before you walk into a trap.”
“I’m going.”
“And if they have?”
“Then you kill Angelus and save Cordelia.”
“Oh. That sounds like a plan.” Wesley shot a look at Gunn.
Gunn shrugged. “The tranq guns are in the trunk right?”