Go TeamC/A
“Oh, damn it to hell!”
When Cordelia busted down the bathroom door, she was stunned to find Adele sprawled out on the tile floor. A maroon robe was all that covered her body and a matching towel was wrapped around her head. Cordelia could still smell the apricot bubble bath Adele had used.
Rushing to Adele's side, Cordy nearly slipped on a wet tile. She flipped down the lid of the toilet and helped Adele take a seat. “Adele? What's wrong? Do you see something?”
Adele spasmed as the vision continued to rack through her brain and radiated down her body. Thankfully Cordelia was in front of her and gripping the toilet seat on either side, otherwise Adele might slide into the floor and crack her head. Cordelia, for her part, whispered soothing reassurances to the hurting woman. It was obvious she couldn't console as well as Angel, but she had to try.
“I see a man,” Adele whimpered. She clutched and clawed fiercely at her skull as if trying to extract her brain. Her eyes dilated as she stared past Cordelia with a horrified look. “It's Angel! Chained to a chair. Oh my God, he's hurting. Someone is hurting him!”
Adele bucked violently on the toilet. So hard in fact that Cordelia grabbed her head to keep Adele from smacking it against the tile behind her. The young woman continued to spasm and groan in extraordinary pain. But as concerned as Cordelia was, this whole thing was getting them anywhere. Grabbing a fistful of hair, Cordelia forced Adele to look into her eyes and speak.
“Who is hurting him, Adele?”
“A woman,” she sobbed. “A brunette woman. A tattoo on her right bicep.” Now it was Cordelia's turn to look horrified. She let loose of Adele's hair and slid to the floor. She leaned back against the tub, the back of her jeans getting wet from where Adele didn't wipe the floor.
“We need to get to Giles and the new Watcher,” Cordelia stated. “If the woman is who I think, then Angel is in a whole lot of trouble.”***
“Does anyone say that Buffy should be more like me? No! Because Buffy is perfect and sweet and just the greatest Slayer ever. All I get is labeled as psychotic and violent! What the hell is up with that?”
Angel watched as Faith carved her name into the plaster wall with a butcher knife she found in the kitchen. “You have to admit that your past behavior has been less than stable. I believe that the greatest beef the Council has is your tendency for overkill instead of going for quick and efficient slays.
“As for Buffy, she is hardly perfect. But despite the fact the Council finds her rebelliousness disconcerting, Buffy always handles herself with composure and attempts to resolve situations in the most effective manner. She has proven herself to be a capable Slayer and a model on which to instruct successive Slayers such as yourself. It isn't that everyone wants you to be Buffy. It's that the Council simply wishes you to learn from her. Just because you learn from example doesn't mean you lose your individuality.”
Faith glared at him with distaste. “You sound like a shrink.”
“I was in therapy for a time in the late 50s,” Angel admitted.
“I don't like shrinks, remember?”
“Oh yes. And I suppose this is the point and time in which you remind me how you could hurt me and how evil you are.”
“I am evil.”
“Bullshit. Listen to a man who helped redefine the word. I've done a lot of evil in my day. I touched the darkness and then embraced it. Over the course of a couple centuries, I've seen many do that. Darla. Drusilla. Milton Berle. I've seen beings descend into evil. I know what it looks like. I know what it feels like. The pleasure. The thrill. The arousal. I don't see it in you.”
“You think I didn't enjoy piercing that dude's heart with a stake?”
“I think it terrified you. Or are the dark bags under your eyes and the pale pallor of your skin the newest Hollywood trend?” Faith squirmed under his gaze. He hit the nail on the head. “I bet you've not slept more than two or three hours in a row without the help of alcohol, am I right? I bet the nightmares are a real bitch, eh love? Come on, Faith. Tell Daddy all about how you've woken in cold sweats as your mind replays the murder over and over. Tell me how you scream when you wake up thinking you have blood on your hands. Does that feel good, Faith? Does evil make you feel all warm and safe?”
Angel barely flinched when the butcher's knife imbedded in his chest. It would probably leave a bruise come morning, but then it would just match perfectly will all the others littering his body. It did hurt a bit when Faith jerked it back out and then held it to his throat.
“Do not fucking patronize me! I'll stick this god damn thing in your brain!”
Angel tilted his head back to give her a better shot at ramming it in. “Then do it. One step closer to darkness, Faith. It's what you want, isn't it?” The knife hand trembled. Angel could tell that Faith was willing herself to push it forward. He breathed a sigh of relief when the blade slowly moved away from his neck and hung limply in Faith's hand before dropping to the floor altogether.
“You're not evil, Faith. You're a girl that has done wrong and has wrong done unto her, but you are not evil. And it certainly isn't too late for atonement. I can help you. I want to help you.”
For a minute Angel swore he saw her resolve crumble. The tough bitch exterior was cracking and coming down like the Berlin Wall. And for a moment Angel saw Faith's true essence: A frightened and haunted girl who didn't know what to do. He found it rather unfortunate when her inner defenses kicked in at the last moment.
“You want to help me?” Faith screamed. “Of course you do! Maybe so I'll owe you? So I can fucking turn tricks for you later? Fuck you, Angel! No more! I'm no one's whore anymore! Go to hell!”
The fist slamming into his face sent Angel once more into the depths of unconsciousness.***
Popping the top of her bottle of painkillers, Adele swallowed two more as she followed Cordelia through the halls of Sunnydale High School. She figured she could use the extra medication. After all, in a few minutes, she would be asking Buffy for help in finding Angel. That thought alone nearly intensified Adele's migraine.
“Are you listening to me, Adele?”
“Wha-huh?”
Cordelia rolled her eyes and readjusted the strap of her oversized purse on her shoulder. “I said to be on your best behavior. It doesn't take a brain surgeon to know that you don't like Buffy. What's not to dislike? Miss Likes to Fight gets on my nerves too, but we're gonna need her help, understood?”
“Yes'm,” Adele acknowledged.
“So that means no name calling, no snide remarks, and absolutely no flirting with the sidekicks.” Adele looked ready to object, but Cordy beat her to it. “No arguing. Or am I going to need to make you sit in the car?”
“Okay. I promise to behave. Girl scout promise.”
“Scouts salute with the right hand, Adele. Now behave.”
Cordelia pushed on one of the library doors and entered the room. Adele followed behind obediently. Maybe Cordy would get lucky and Adele wouldn't pick a fight.
The library was full with its normal patrons. Buffy was whipping up on the new watcher Wesley in a staff fight. Willow and Oz occupied the main table as they sorted through and read various tomes. Xander was zonked out in a chair with a half eaten Twinkie protruding from his mouth. Cordelia spotted Giles through the office blinds sitting at his desk. And as luck would have it, Buffy was the first to respond to their presence.
“Well, if it isn't The Girls. And they're here without Angel. I was wondering if he kept you two on a leash.”
“He does. Angel actually uses the one you used on him before he broke away.”
“Adele!” The glare Cordelia sent her way made the young Corsican shush immediately. If the situation weren't so serious, Cordelia might be amused by it all. It was actually she who was urging someone to exercise some tact. Who'd have figured?
Thankfully Giles stepped from his office when he heard the commotion. He placed a hand on his former Slayer's shoulder to hold her back. Buffy looked about ready to snap Adele's neck.
“Cordelia,” he greeted politely. Giles was vaguely surprised when Cordelia smiled and bowed slightly at his greeting. “What brings you and your, uh, friend here tonight?”
“Business,” Cordelia began succinctly.
“What sort of business?” Wesley interrupted. He beamed at Cordelia goofily before dropping the staff on his foot. Grimacing, he hobbled behind Giles and attempted to look important.
“Actually, this bit of business should concern you, Mr. Pryce. It concerns us all. Angel is in danger, and we believe that Faith is responsible for it.”
That perked everyone up. Well, most everyone. Xander was still snoozing at the table and Buffy seemed disinterested. Giles took charge of the cross-examination.
“What makes you say that?”
“When Angel left the Bronze last night he went to stop something from hurting a young man. He didn't come home so we began to worry. Earlier today we got wind that perhaps Faith is responsible for his disappearance.”
Giles looked confused. Both Cordy and Adele hoped that perhaps he would simply take their word on this and not ask questions. The whole visions and Powers That Be angle might create a stir, and neither knew what repercussions might occur from it. They simply didn't want to explain themselves at the moment. But it seemed that fate wouldn't cooperate.
“I'm sorry, but why do you suspect Faith is involved? Certainly the mayor wouldn't have her strike against Angel. I feel that perhaps you are not explaining everything.”
“Leave it to Cordelia to omit the important parts.”
“Hush Buffy!” Cordelia snapped. “Sometimes it's easier to omit certain irrelevant parts.”
“Such as?” Giles asked.
“I get visions,” Adele said softly, “of people in need. Souls that need to be saved. I was drawn to Sunnydale for that reason and to help guide Angel towards his redemption.”
“You work for the Powers,” an awestruck Wesley realized. Giles was equally amazed. Only once before had he met an actual Seer. And that one hadn't been near as attractive as this one. Buffy was not near as impressed.
“Who the hell are the Powers?”
“A mystical force,” Giles explained. “Sort of a balancing act between good and evil. They are very powerful. Typically a connection between the Powers and Champion exists in the form of a Seer. Apparently Miss Adele here is that connection. And you say that Faith is responsible for Angel's disappearance?”
“I believe so. In my vision I saw Angel being tortured by a brunette woman with a tattoo on her right bicep. Cordelia and I think that Faith may be acting under the influence of a Los Angeles law firm called Wolfram and Hart.”
“That's the firm where that one e-mail address was routed through,” Willow spoke. Giles looked back at the girl and nodded slightly. He remembered that.
“Do you know where Faith may be holding him?”
“No.”
“Wonderful,” Buffy mocked. “They're here on a hunch that Angel might be, or may not be, in trouble. And even if he is in trouble, they don't know where Faith might be keeping him. Is there anything you two know for certain?”
“How the hell can you be so cold about this?” Cordelia snapped back. “Angel is likely getting the shit beat out of him, and the only thing you can do is mock us. Don't you care that he's in danger?”
“Why should I care? As I seem to recall him saying last night, Angel is his own man. He doesn't need a Slayer to protect him. Besides, it's not my job to look after ex-boyfriends.”
Cordelia just stared at her in awe. “You selfish bitch. You're not going to help because you're pissed he dumped you? Angel's dead, that's why his heart doesn't beat. What's your excuse?”
“You little bitch, I oughta…” Buffy's open palm was about to make solid contact with Cordelia's cheek. But at the last moment, another hand latched onto Buffy's wrist and prevented that from happening. When Cordelia finally opened her eyes after expecting the blow, she found Adele glaring angrily at Buffy.
“A Slayer versus a cheerleader?” Adele admonished. “That's not a fair fight. If you're so anxious to slap someone around, I suggest you go after someone who'll swing back.”
“Oh, like you?”
Adele shifted into her purple demon visage and snarled. “Yeah. Like me.” The momentary look of fear upon Buffy's face was more than enough to rid the last vestiges of Adele's headache. The backhanded slap she delivered to the Slayer actually made her quite giddy.
Buffy rolled away and wiped her hand across her mouth. The few droplets of blood she found enraged her. “Oh, that will get you killed.”
“Will it? How about you prove it?”
Buffy leapt forward and connected with a right cross against Adele's jaw. What then ensued was a quick and furious battle in which both women displayed their knowledge of the martial arts and plain old street fighting.
When Adele head butted Buffy, the ridges on her forehead opened up a gash on the Slayer. But while Adele did manage to get a few more hard blows in, it was clear that she was vastly outmatched. When she missed on a left hook, Buffy used the momentum to whip around Adele and position her arms to snap her neck and deliver the final blow. Needless to say, Buffy was fairly surprised to be greeted by a crossbow in her face.
Cordelia aimed the small crossbow she had carried in her purse at Buffy with remarkable composure. Even Xander, who was now wide awake, was stunned by the fact Cordelia of all people was standing toe to toe with the Slayer.
“You have two seconds to let go of her,” Cordelia warned.
“You're not going to kill me, Cordelia. Who do you think you're fooling?”
“Of course I'm not going to kill you.” The way Cordelia said that made Buffy feel like an idiot for suggesting it. But she began to wonder when Cordelia dropped the sights and aimed at her foot. “But I will make sure you won't be dancing for a while. Now let her go.”
Buffy relinquished her grip on Adele and lightly pushed her away. Adele sent her best scathing glare at the Slayer as she rubbed her bruised neck. She only allowed her demon face to melt away once she was behind the very armed Cordelia Chase.
“You don't want to help Angel, fine. But you will not hurt my friends.” Cordelia lowered the crossbow and motioned to Adele to back away. The girls retreated from the library as the Scooby gang marveled at what they just saw. Buffy got into a catfight with a lesbo demon and had Cordelia Chase expertly aim a crossbow at her.
“Times like this that you can really tell you're living on a Hellmouth,” Xander decided. He looked around to see if anyone would disagree. No one did. But then again, nobody was paying attention.
*
And out in the parking lot, Cordelia was laying it on Adele.
“What the hell is wrong with you? You cannot get into a brawl with a Slayer like that!”
“Well excuse me! After all, she was only trying to hit you when I stepped in!”
“Fine! So she would have hit me! Big deal! But she could have killed you and would have if I didn't have that crossbow!”
Adele glared at Cordelia over the hood of her Lexus. She just wanted Cordy to unlock the door so they could drive out of here. But it seemed that Cordelia wanted to hash things out in the here and now.
“Forget it, Cor. It's over and done with. It was stupid to come here anyway. Angel is our boss and our priority. It's quite apparent that no one in there gives two shits about him. It's up to us to get him back.”
A look of pure disbelief crossed Cordelia's face. “Okay, did you not just listen to what I said five fucking seconds ago? Getting Angel back means squaring off against an even more psychotic Slayer than the one in there! And didn't I say how you can't just get into a brawl with one?”
“Well what do you want to do, Cor? Just wait until Faith kills him and then hope the PTB's send him back? That's not gonna happen. So either we can pin our hopes on that improbability or I can fight Faith and hope that you can get him to safety. What's it gonna be?”
“If you fight Faith you'll be cut in half within thirty seconds!” Cordelia cried. “What you're asking me to do is choose between two friends and decide which one gets to live! I can't do that, Adele! Don't ask me to choose.”
The last sentence that Cordelia uttered sounded so pitiful and weak that Adele's resolve was broken. She was right. That was essentially the choice she had been offered.
“I'm sorry, Cor. I'm not a brilliant strategist or a hero like he is. I don't know what the hell I'm doing or saying.”
“The first thing to do,” Cordelia started, “is to find out where Faith is hiding.” Adele nodded in agreement. “She's got a crappy apartment downtown. Want to check it out?”
Adele shook her head. “No. My vision didn't show a cheap hotel. It was a fairly nice apartment.”
“Where would a cheap ho like Faith get an apartment?”
“By taking it. How good are you with a computer?”
“Me? Only fair. The real computer whiz is your would-be girlfriend Willow. Why?”
“I want you to track down the young man from my first vision. I want to know his residency specifically.”
“Sure thing. But what are you gonna do?”
Adele pushed away from the car and forced a smile onto her face. “I'm going to walk around for a bit. There's gotta be something to kill around here and I'm in need of some stress relief. Call me on my cell when you get something.”
Cordelia nodded slightly and watched as Adele went off on patrol. There were so many things going wrong tonight. And these new suicidal tendencies Adele was developing were among the most disturbing of those things. Cordy unlocked the door and slid into the car. Maybe while she was researching that info a plan would come to her so that all three of them could survive. But right now, it wasn't coming to her.Los Angeles
Ian folded his arm behind his head as he rested on his hotel bed at the airport Hilton. They would be moving soon to Sunnydale to deal with the situation. But first it was decided they should take some time to rest from the flight.
He gazed at the photograph he held of the target. Faith Burton. She was certainly and attractive girl. In fact, the last three had all been good looking. A change from the previous six or so. Ian vaguely wondered what the next one would look like after this one was terminated.
This mission was what the Council called a Halo Operation. That meant only a few superior commanders and the strike team knew of the mission. The Council representative in Sunnydale, a bumbling fool by the name of Wyndam-Pryce, would have no knowledge of the fact the Slayer would be targeted.
The bedside phone rang. Ian picked it up as he continued to gaze at the photograph. “Yes? Very well, Douglas. I'll met you in the lobby in ten minutes.” He then hung up the phone. So it was time. On to Sunnydale to fulfill the mission. On to Sunnydale to destroy the most valuable commodity the Council had.
May God forgive them for it.
Part NineA slight clacking sound filled the apartment. Pecking away at the keyboard of Adele's computer, Cordelia typed in a few commands and was able to pull up the records from Sunnydale Presbyterian Hospital. She began digging through recent admissions in hopes of finding the man who matched the one from Adele's vision.
Never let it be said that Cordelia didn't have her ways. She certainly wasn't a computer genius, but Ernest Corwell was. Ernest was a sophomore and a real dork, but Cordelia thought he was sweet enough. All it took to receive instructions in computer hacking was to give him a pair of her panties. Not a bad deal she thought. Especially since now she was actually putting those skills to use.
Cordelia took hold of the mouse and began to click open various files from recently admitted patients. Progress was momentarily halted when a dialogue box indicated Adele had received an e-mail.
“Busty Bitches Newsletter? Adele, what kind of websites do you subscribe to?”
A few clicks later and Cordelia pulled up a file on an Anthony Todd. According to the notes, Todd was admitted two days earlier due to a savage head injury. So savage in fact that Todd was lingering in a coma. He also seemed to match the physical description that Adele had provided. Another e-mail appeared just as Cordelia was grabbing her cell phone.
“Adele? You there? What's all that grunting? Fighting with a vamp? Should I hold a minute? Ok, I'll wait.” Cordelia pulled the phone away from her ear and looked at the new e-mail. She frowned and waited for Adele to speak. “Hey. You there? Good. First off, KoreanKunts dot com is revoking your membership. Second, I think I found our boy. His name is Anthony Todd and lives down in that swanky apartment complex on Hendrix. Where are you so I can pick you up? Fine. I'll be there in ten.”
Cordelia flipped off her cell and hustled over to Adele's weapon chest. A hatchet and a funky looking dagger went into her purse while the crossbow was wrapped up in her coat. Cordelia was about to slam shut the chest when she noticed a short length of rope. An idea began to form and maybe, just maybe, it would be good enough to distract Faith long enough so everyone could survive. But she would need to make a pit stop first.
Cordelia barely remembered to close the front door when she rushed out to the car.***
Beatings were something that Angel had received with regularity during his long lifetime. He remembered the whipping he got when he was human when Jacob Mercer had discovered that he was boinking his girlfriend Sophia. Then there was Juarez in 1937. Damn that was a bad beating. And this one at the hands of Faith was climbing up the ranks. Angel had to hand it to her, the girl knew how to inflict suffering.
Angel spat some blood on the floor before him as he watched Faith slam a battery into a powerdrill. “Please tell me you're about to put together a cabinet.”
“I'm about to put together a cabinet.”
“Liar.”
Faith pressed the trigger and a whirring sound was heard. That would be the six-inch drill bit circulating. She looked ready to put it to use when a cell phone began to chirp. Reaching underneath a bloody rag, Faith uncovered one. Sticking it to her ear she answered…
“Faith's House of Cutlery. We slice, dice, and all for a low, low price. How may I help you?” A forced smiled appeared on her face. “Miss Morgan, how are you? Oh, I'm peachy. I was about to try out my new power tool actually. Hold on a second, Angel is yapping at me. He says that he's hurt because you never called to arrange that lunch date you promised at the auction house. Yeah, I'll tell him. Angel, she says fuck you. Yeah, Lilah, I gotta go. So much work and so little time. Yeah. Bye.”
Faith disconnected the phone and tossed it aside. Angel watched as she sat at the kitchen's island counter. In his present state, Angel might not be the best judge, but it seemed that Faith was in bad shape. Besides the dark circles under the eyes, the young woman looked fairly gaunt, as if she hadn't eaten in a few days. All in all, it appeared as if fatigue had long since set in. It didn't seem that the phone call helped matters either. If anything, Faith appeared more run down after hanging up.
“Faith,” he began softly, “you know this isn't worth it. Just look at yourself. You looked like death warmed over. And as bad as you look, I'm sure you feel that much worse. Killing me isn't going to solve anything, Faith. Let me help you. It isn't too late.”
He was answered by a whirring of the drill bit and a sad smile. “Yeah, Angel,” Faith began softly, “it is.”***
“Owie,” Buffy exclaimed.
Giles dabbed a bit more antiseptic on Buffy's forehead wound. It was a nasty looking cut, but with Slayer healing it should disappear quickly and without a scar. Taking a bandage from his First Aid kit, Giles placed it over the cut and smoothed it out to make sure it stuck.
Satisfied of the job, Giles shut the kit and pushed back in his roller chair. He slid the box into his bottom desk drawer before creeping the chair back towards his charge. Buffy had been hiding in his office for the several hours since her brawl with that Adele girl. What's more, Buffy wore the face of someone who had been thoroughly humiliated.
“I think you could have responded differently,” Giles began softly. “I'm actually disappointed with the way you dealt with the situation.”
Buffy sighed and placed a hand over her eyes. Sinking deeper into her chair she answered, “So am I.”
“You let personal problems interfere with duty.”
“I know. I was emotional. I'm sorry.” She lifted the hand from her eyes and gazed at Giles with a look of resignation. “I was upset at Angel for dumping me. I did and still feel that Adele and Cordelia have something to do with that. But despite that I should have listened. They presented us with information on Faith who just so happens to be working for the Mayor who just so happens to be planning some as yet unknown evil scheme.”
“Indeed,” Giles concurred.
“Even though Angel and I are no longer seeing each other, I still should have helped because tracking down and stopping Faith is my duty. Capturing her could give us clues as to the Mayor's plan.”
Giles smiled slightly. It seemed that Buffy was thinking somewhat clearly once more. “So you know what you must do?”
“I should track down Faith. Not for personal reasons, but because it's for the greater good.” Buffy slid to her feet and breezed from the room. Over the sound of the voices of the rest of the crew, Giles heard Buffy rummage in the weapons closet. As she walked past the door, he noticed she had a short sword and a crossbow.
Giles supposed he should be feeling proud at the present time. After all, Buffy was putting aside personal feelings to accomplish the task at hand. That was something he hand preached since the beginning. But now that Buffy was actually adhering to that, Giles couldn't shake his concern. Maybe he was just paranoid. Giles certainly hoped so.***
Now that she was actually in the hallway outside of Anthony Todd's apartment, Cordelia began to put a lot of doubt into how sound her plan was. She looked out the window at the end of the hall and noticed that it had begun to sprinkle in the twilight hour.
Cordelia lifted her crossbow up with her right hand as she reached inside her jacket with the left. Creeping slowly along so as not to make noise, Cordy pulled a ball peen hammer out of her pocket. There sure as hell wasn't any turning back now. If she was right and this was where Angel was being kept, then they had no choice but to face a potentially psychotic Slayer and rescue him. If she was wrong, then she and Adele would be spending the night in jail facing B and E charges and well as destruction of property while Angel was tortured someplace else. And Cordelia had heard horror stories about what happened to pretty girls like her in jail.
Pressing her ear to the door, Cordelia vaguely heard a voice that sounded like Faith. Deciding that was enough confirmation, Cordy tucked the hammer into her belt and retrieved her cell phone. She tapped speed dial two and tucked the phone away. Bringing the hammer back up, Cordelia poised herself and took a cleansing breath. It was time to go.
Cordelia swung the hammer down in a hard motion and broke the doorknob clean off. A swift kick with her slightly overpriced tennis shoes and the door swung wide open. In the center of the living room was Angel bound to a chair with Faith hovering near him with a power drill.
“Well, if it isn't Xander's old flame. How are ya…”
Faith howled in mid sentence when Cordelia expertly let loose an arrow and caught the Slayer in the right outer thigh. As Faith reeled in pain, Cordelia was able to take a moment and catalogue Angel's extensive injuries. The other thing she managed to catalogue was that his clothes were draped on the living room couch. That meant they weren't on his body.
“Hello Salty Goodness,” she murmured absently. Angel's shout drew her attention from his injured nakedness.
“Cordy, what the hell are you doing?” He was actually genuinely confused why she was there.
“I'm part of the rescue party. Duh.”
Faith jerked the arrow from her thigh and prepared to fire it right back at her attacker. That thought was lost when the balcony windows behind her shattered as Adele repelled into the room by swinging down from the roof. Cordelia's phone call was the signal and Adele moved quickly.
The hailstorm of shattered glass offered a few moments cover for Adele to launch an assault. With her leg wound, Faith wasn't able to avoid the first few blows from the purple-faced demon. A right cross to the jaw was quickly followed by a knee to the gut and a high kick to the face.
Faith was just able to avoid the brunt of a down slice from Adele's sword, but still received a nasty slice to her left arm. When Adele attempted to deliver another boot to the face, Faith caught the foot and delivered a quick counterpunch to the belly. The moment's reprieve allowed the Slayer to push away with her good leg and bolt for the door. She elbowed past Cordelia who was trying desperately to pump a new arrow into position. Cordy tossed the jammed weapon away in frustration and moved to Angel as Adele went in pursuit of Faith.
“Cordy,” Angel painfully gasped as the girl rushed behind him. “What the hell were you thinking? Screwing with a Slayer is bad business.”
Cordelia examined the lock binding him to the chair and once again produced her hammer. “Aw, fuck it. We did it once today, why not twice? Besides, am I supposed to feel guilty because Adele and I love you enough to risk our lives for you? Screw that, Buster. Now lean forward.”
Angel dutifully obeyed as Cordelia raised the hammer and smacked away at the lock. Two blows were all it took to break the mechanism.
“Clothes,” Angel grunted. His naked form slid from the chair and fell onto the glass littered floor. “Gotta save Adele.”
“Hold it, Angel. The plan is to get you out of here.” She handed him his black khakis and white t-shirt. “I'll go help Adele. You're in no position to do much.”
“Like a cheerleader is?” Angel snapped back. Seeing Cordelia's hurt look he quickly amended. “I'm sorry, Cor, but Faith will rip you both in half. I can reach her. Just stay out of my way.”***
Adele grabbed a fistful of brown hair and jerked back with all her might. With a hard twist she sent Faith crashing headfirst into the wall and tearing a hole in the plaster. Then in a fashion that would make the most hardened NFL linebacker proud, Adele charged headlong and buried a shoulder into Faith's gut and drove the Slayer back into, and then through, the glass window at the hall's end.
The woman flew through the sky amidst a flurry of glass shards and a heavy thunderstorm of rain. Faith crashed mightily into the windshield of a Ford Taurus on the street with Adele right on top of her. The car alarm blazed as the rain continued to pelt heavily on the girls.
For a moment, neither moved. The sheer force of the landing blow did more that just knock the wind from them. The impact concussed the back of Faith's head while a vicious gash was torn across Adele's nose and cheek.
Blooding pouring from her face, it took all of Adele's strength to push up away from Faith and rear back to deliver a right jab. Faith's head rolled back not once, but several times as Adele gained momentum and began delivering punch after punch. But that momentum was broken as somehow Faith mustered the strength to bring a knee up and trust into Adele's stomach. Adele rocked backwards off the car and onto the pavement below, the back of her head cracking against the solid sidewalk. The pain was so severe that she shifted uncontrollably between human and demon visage.
Not that Faith was in much better condition. She essentially slid from the hood of the car atop of Adele and reached back into an unknown well of fortitude to pummel away at her foe. Each shot sent a glob of blood flying from Adele's mouth, and through the haze of pain and adrenaline, Faith realized she was losing a large amount herself. She paused, dazed, reached back and touched a mat of wet hair on the back of her head. Focusing shakily on her hand, Faith understood it wasn't all rain. There was blood pouring from the back of her head and dripping down her neck and back, staining her white tank top.
And for a time it seemed the world came to a standstill. As Faith's head lolled back and she peered up into the night sky, a sense of complete and utter understanding swept into her soul. This was her life. She was bleeding and dying in a dark, dirty, and wet street fighting a woman she didn't know nor care about. Every dream she ever dream seemed so far away. Here she was, reduced to something less than human in a feeble attempt to survive. Btu why should she? Why should she survive when this was her life?
Faith vaguely felt the body beneath her squirming as she stared up into the sky. She felt and memorized every droplet of rain as it struck her face. When she felt hands wrap around her shoulders, Faith rolled her head back around and first noticed the demon woman resting in the arms of Cordelia. Then she saw Angel, the rain matting his hair and trickling down his nose.
“Angel…help me?”
Angel nodded slightly and brushed the wet bangs from her eyes. “Sure.”
Faith immediately began to weep violently. When she slumped into his arms, Angel had no choice but to hold her as she cried. And as Faith shook in his arms, Angel peered over and found Adele curled in Cordelia's lap, the latter gently stroking the wounded girl's hair. Their eyes locked, and Angel was grateful to see that approval was showing in Cordelia's eyes. And just for a moment, as the last rays of sunlight evaporated and the rain chilled him to the bone, that understanding was good enough for him.***
The puddle rippled when a sneaker quickly stepped in and out. Footsteps sounded lightly as the figure carefully jogged down the street and in the shadows, careful to avoid the detection of the police.
Buffy eyed the scene analytically, coolly, emotionlessly. It was obvious that someone or something was tossed from the third story window and crashed into the windshield of that parked car. Buffy had a pretty good guess at the parties involved.
With the leisurely pace the police were taking, it became apparent there were no bodies to be taken away and examined. That meant that everyone involved had survived the ordeal. Buffy vaguely wondered how that happened. She hadn't expected that to be the case. In fact, she had idly hoped that perhaps the Adele girl got lucky enough to inflict some serious damage to her fellow Slayer. Obviously her luck wasn't that good.
Since it was clear that Faith had cleared the area, it was now essential to track her down. But that presented some difficulty. Buffy knew that she no longer stayed at the hotel since she was now being put up by the Mayor. She could have Willow do some hacking to find out what properties Wilkins owned and then narrow it down. Or maybe there was an easier way.
She was assuming that Angel had survived, so perhaps he knew how to track down Faith. Buffy frowned. But then again, Angel was no longer at the mansion. So that meant he would need to be tracked down through that Adele girl. Buffy wondered why everything had to be so difficult. Life would be easier if a handbook with the vital players' information was handed out. It'd be so simple to find people.
Slinking back into the shadows, Buffy vacated the scene. She intended to find Willow at home and wake the girl up. Buffy needed some voodoo performed on the computer. Then maybe this whole situation could be wrapped up.***
Curled on the couch, Faith fell into a rough slumber. Angel watched her for a few moments and gently wrapped the young woman in a blanket. Faith had actually asked for his help. Should he give it? Angel wanted more than anything to help put her back on the right path, but was it worth it? After all, Faith had several previous opportunities to redeem herself. And since then she had tortured him and nearly killed Adele.
He took a deep breath and slowly rose to his feet. Angel's knees popped loudly, his head pounded, and every single bone in his body ached. Nothing would be more greatly appreciated than a heavy-duty painkiller, a bag of blood, and a few days sleep. Angel knew he'd probably need to settle for the first two.
With a heavy limp in his left leg, Angel hobbled into the dark kitchen and fumbled around for the refrigerator. The bright light when he opened the door caused him to squint and turn away. He grabbed the old Gatorade Fruit Punch bottle that contained pig's blood and drank straight from the jug.
“Didn't your mother tell you not to drink from the carton?”
Cordelia squeezed by him and grabbed a bottle of Sunny Delight. She followed his example and drank straight from the carton.
“Double standard there, love,” Angel murmured. “Besides, we didn't have cartons when I grew up.” He kept the fridge door open until Cordelia flipped on the small light on the stove. The two then leaned against opposite counters and gazed at each other as they guzzled from respective bottles.
“I'm not a doctor,” Cordelia began lightly, “but I'd say that Adele has a very nasty concussion. I know you're not supposed to sleep for 24 hours after receiving one, but I couldn't keep her up. She's also got a horrible cut across her face. I'm assuming that her half-demon state will allow her to heal more quickly and cleanly than the normal girl.” Angel nodded slightly to confirm that thought.
“You shouldn't have come for me,” Angel stated. “It was risky and stupid and I never want you to risk yourself for me again, understood?”
Cordelia set the jug aside and raised her chin defiantly. “No. You can't give me that order. You can't give Adele that order. It isn't your decision whether we risk ourselves for you or not. This may come as a shock to you, Angel, but we love you. Did you know that Adele considers you her best friend?” Angel apparently didn't.
“And you're the first person in a long time that I could count on for anything. When you went missing, we worried about you. It felt like losing family when you didn't come home. We made the choice and it was ours to make. So poo on you.” Cordelia stuck her tongue out for added emphasis. Angel smiled slightly before asking…
“Are you okay with this? I mean, trying to help Faith?”
“Let's see. I think helping Faith is incredibly risky, dangerous, misguided, and most likely insane.” Angel lowered his face and stared at the tile floor. “But yeah, I'm okay with it.” The surprised look on his face would have made Cordelia laugh it was any other time.
“You can relate to her. I see that. Horrible crimes. Overwhelming urge to atone. Constant temptation to cross over to the dark side. Yeah, you're probably the one person on this planet who could actually make a dent in that thick head of hers. Putting aside my own feelings of wanting to bitch slap her for hurting you and speaking objectively, yeah, I'll support you on this. The Slayer is supposed to be a good guy, er, chick. Who better to show her the way back than a superhero like yourself?”
“What about Adele?”
“Adele will want to help her. Or kill her. I don't know, it could go either way. But if you believe in this then she will too.” Cordelia crossed the kitchen and wrapped her arms around him, resting her head on his chest. Angel was slightly caught off guard, but managed to wrap his slightly less injured right arm around her. “We missed you.”
“I missed you,” Angel replied softly. Internally he moaned when Cordy broke the embrace.
“I should go to bed,” Cordelia whispered. “I'm sleeping on the floor next to Adele in case she needs something.”
“Do you want me to join you?” Angel blurted out. “I mean, to help you watch Adele, not sleep with you. And uh, I think I'll just watch over Faith tonight. She's not doing too well either. Good night.”
Angel quickly hobbled past and occupied himself with scrounging up some extra blankets and pillows. Sensing a missed opportunity, Cordelia quietly put away the OJ and blood. She silently slipped through the living room and avoided looking at Angel. Maybe that was for the best. With Adele injured and ad hoc therapy about to begin on Faith, any personal business would need to wait.
In the bedroom, Cordy gazed at the bedside floor and the blanket and pillow she had previously laid there. Deciding it had been too long a day to spend a night in uncomfortable settings, Cordelia delicately slipped into the bed so not to disturb Adele's fitful slumber. God she needed some rest. For some reason, Cordelia figured tomorrow might be her second long day in a row.***
When the key rattled in the lock of the Sunnydale Motel, Douglas and Ian halted their rummy game and turned to greet the arrival. James stepped in a moment later with a satisfied smirk on his face. The man quickly shrugged off his coat and slid into a chair and greeted his leader and the newbie.
“What did you find?” Ian asked. “Do you know where the target is located?”
“I will shortly,” James assured. “As for now, I can tell you where she's been and that is an apartment complex on Hendrix Avenue. I worked over a patrolwoman and was able to gleam over the evidence collected. Fingerprints found at the scene match those of Faith Burton.”
“And how does that help us?” Ian questioned.
“Because,” James dutifully explained, “I went to the scene and talked with some people in the area. Shortly after the commotion began, an elderly woman across the street in a neighboring apartment noticed four people climbing into a car. Her articulate memory managed to recall the plates and I'm having them run down as we speak.”
“Wonderful!”
“But that's not all.”
“No?”
“The old woman gave me the description of a man. And if I am not mistaken, I do believe that man just may be the infamous vampire Angelus.”
Ian was stunned. Douglas looked confused. “Who is Angelus?”
“Only the most feared vampire to walk the earth in the past three centuries,” Ian supplied. “His acts of cruelty are unequaled in demon lore. His descendant bloodline has produced some of the vilest creatures imaginable. None of them more vile than Angelus himself, but still.” To Douglas he spoke, “I thought the Summers girl destroyed him.”
“Apparently reports of his demise have been greatly exaggerated.”
“Does that mean we get to kill him too?” Douglas gleefully asked.
Ian glared at Douglas with distaste. Never had he seen a man so eager to destroy. But still, all compromising parties must be removed. “It does. The other two will need to be handled as well. Who were there?”
“Two women. Tall brunettes. The old woman said one had a purple face.”
“One demon, one probable human. Lovely.” Ian squeezed the bridge of his nose in an attempt to relieve pressure. It didn't work. “Fine. Prepare your equipment and get some rest. When James' contact phones in we shall get to work. Let us do this quickly. I do not wish to stay in this town one second longer than necessary.”