Go TeamC/A
Title: Sojourn
Author: Liam
Posted here: 08/15
Rating: R
Category: for violence, language, and suggestive dialogue
Content:
Summary: In the aftermath of the battles against the Beast, Angel winds up in Sunnydale. Hoping to work out his problems and his conflicting emotions concerning Cordelia, his sojourn is interrupted when an old enemy arrives in town. Together with the Scoobies, Angel must stop this new evil before he becomes a threat to mankind.
Spoilers:
Disclaimer: The characters in the Angelverse were created by Joss Whedon & David Greenwalt. No infringement is intended, no profit is made.
Distribution:
Notes: Howdy everyone. It's been a while since I posted a story. Anyway, I now present to you Sojourn.
Thanks/Dedication: I cannot give enough props to argentlife and canadia. They proofread this sucker and told me what was good, what was bad, and what was just plain illegal. Thanks guys!
Feedback:
Part 1THURSDAY
Sunnydale
“I mean, she was a really pretty girl. No, she was a hottie girl. I mean, her hair…”
The bartender just looked at Angel in sympathy as he poured him another shot of bourbon. The bartender didn’t look very interested in the story, so Angel turned to the insect looking thing sitting to his left.
“Her hair was so pretty. Didn’t matter what color it was that week. Her skin, and God, her eyes. Such pretty brown eyes. I really thought I meant something to her. I mean, she was my best friend. She was my link to the world. There were times in the past few years where she was the only thing keeping me sane.”
The demon next to him blinked all three eyes and clicked his mandibles in a sympathetic manner.
“I made mistakes, I know that. I was pure evil. I killed so many people. But despite all that, I thought she accepted me. She always told me to embrace the demon. It’s a part of what I am. She always said there was a difference between the soulless version and the version that was her Champion.” Angel downed the shot of bourbon in a quick gulp.
“I wonder if that was a lie. She told me she loved me, you know. Then guess what happens after that.” Angel took that series of clicks as curiosity. “She sleeps with another man. Hardly even a man. You know who he was? My goddamn son, that’s who. Good God, I loved this woman so much, and she turns around and betrays me. This is a woman I would have gladly given my life for. Without hesitation, I would sacrifice my existence and spend an eternity in hell if it meant she could live.” Angel sighed heavily. “I wonder if it was all a lie.”
Bug-man patted his shoulder sympathetically with a claw. A series of morose clicks conveyed his feelings. Angel gave a slightly drunken smile and patted the claw. “Thanks for listening. I needed to get it out.”
“Does that mean you’ll stop your bitching?”
Angel turned back in his seat and saw four young vampires sitting at a table and playing poker. Another three sat around watching the game. “I’m sorry, was I boring you?”
“Boring? Nah. Just making me sick.” One of the vampires stood up and slowly walked over to Angel. The vampire looked like he was a redneck as a human. Cowboy boots, dirty blue jeans, flannel shirt, wicked twang of an accent. This guy definitely was better off dead. “You’re a vampire. A demon. And you’re here moping about some stupid human bitch. You’re a disgrace to your species.”
“Is that right?”
“Yeah, that’s right,” the vampire spat back. “And I have half a mind to put you out of your misery. How do you like that idea?”
“Well, Cletus,” Angel drawled. “I think you need to mind your manners.” With a snap of the wrist, Angel produced a stake and drove it into Cletus’ heart. “I may be a disgrace, but I’m not the one whose gonna get vacuumed.”
Cletus’ friends didn’t take kindly to the staking. Various shouts of anger were thrown at Angel before the six got to their feet and charged.
Angel was on his feet in moments and started backing towards the door. Passing by a pool table, he grabbed a stick and prepared for the assault. “You guys have two choices,” Angel warned. “Ya’ll can sit down and enjoy your game, or I can kill each and every one of you.”
The vampires laughed at the threat. A small Hispanic looking vampire spoke for the group. “You got some balls on you, hombre. But there are six of us, and only one of you. I say there is a serious disadvantage here.”
“You’re right,” Angel admitted. “Should I put the stick down so you guys have a chance?”
The vampires fanned out and waited for an opening. Angel seriously didn’t like the cramped quarters of the bar. Without turning from his opponents, he kicked the door down behind him and moved into the street. Now he liked his odds.
The vampires charged forward, but now they had to attack single file as they attempted to get through the door and onto the street. Angel quickly jammed the pool stick through the heart of the lead vamp. The dark dust was a sharp contrast to the pink neon sign labeling the bar as “Willy’s”. Angel was able to deliver a kick to the gut of the next vamp before staking him as well.
“It’s only four on one now boys. You guys can still back out if you want.”
Angel backed further out onto the street. Despite having a couple shots of hard liquor coursing through his veins and a four on one disadvantage, Angel knew he had this battle won. And a couple blocks away, a small group noticed the vampires circling a man with a pool stick. Four of them wanted to rush in, but the fifth held them back.
The remaining vampires circled around Angel until they faced him from all four directions. Angel gave a sly smirk and winked at the lone female of the group. This was going to be fun.
The attack was launched.
The vampires in front and back leapt first. Without turning around, Angel estimated where his back attacking vampire’s heart would be. With a twist of the pool stick and an easy thrust, the vamp was turned to dust. The vampire in front of him was dropped to his knees when Angel delivered a vicious kick to his gut. A violent knee to the face sent him flying backwards.
The final two vampires charged from the sides. With a swift pivot, Angel twisted in place and nailed both vamps with a shot to the head. With a quick jab, Angel staked the female and turned his attention to the others.
“Two on one,” Angel taunted. “Odds are dwindling for you guys. I hope this is worth it.”
The two vampires stood up side-by-side and prepared to attack. They would never get the chance. Angel snapped the pool stick in half over his knee and hurled the pieces directly into their hearts. As Angel watched the clouds of dust drift to the ground, he reached into his leather jacket and pulled out a flask. He took a long swallow and turned to find his car.
“Haven’t you heard that you shouldn’t drink and drive?”
Angel didn’t have to turn to know whom the voice belonged to. “I have. But that isn’t the question that should be asked.”
“And what is?”
“Do I care?”
“That’s a sucky attitude.”
“Sucky attitude for a sucky life.” Angel took a deep breath and closed his eyes. “Don’t be silent. Willow. Xander. Giles. Dawn. Say hello.” Angel turned to greet the group. “Long time no see. Dawn, you’ve gotten big. Just shot right past sis, didn’t you?”
Dawn and Willow said cheery hellos. Giles politely responded. Xander remained silent. “So what brings you to Sunnydale?” Buffy asked. “I thought you had your own life in Los Angeles.”
“I thought I did, too. But I guess I’m here on a soul searching trip.” Angel chuckled at his pun. “I needed to retreat to someplace familiar. In the past twenty years, I’ve lived in three places. And I really didn’t want to do the cross country thing to Manhattan.”
Buffy nodded slightly. “I know the feeling. You should have soul searched earlier. Could have used the help to divert this last apocalypse we had a while back.”
Angel gave a lopsided grin that stirred the butterflies in her stomach. “Couldn’t have come anyway. Had my own to deal with. Involved an ancient beast of the underworld, haunted toilets, and a stake jammed into my neck. I’ll have to tell you about it sometime.”
“Sounds like fun.”
“Really? Then I’m telling it wrong.”
Buffy chuckled slightly. “So where are you staying?”
“No clue.” Angel emphasized his comment with another swill of his whiskey. “Preferably a room with an eastward view.”
“Then why don’t you stay at my house? I don’t think you’re in much condition to be going anywhere.”
“Do you now? Well, my coordination was good enough to kill seven vampires.”
“I only saw four.”
“Got me three inside.”
“Still, I’d feel better if you came with me.”
Angel huffed and took another shot. Maybe he shouldn’t argue. He was starting to feel the effects. He reached into another pocket and pulled out his keys. Tossing them to Buffy, he flopped into the back of the convertible. “Take me home, darlin’,” Angel slurred. “You drink and I’ll drive.”
Even Xander couldn’t help but let out a bit of laughter. “How about you drink and I’ll drive?” Buffy offered.
“That’s what I said, but still, it’s a fabulous idea.” Angel slapped the outside of the car door and shouted, “Home James!”
The gang shared some bewildered looks before saying their goodbyes. Giles would hitch a ride home with Xander. Dawn and Willow would go with Buffy. “Sunnydale,” Buffy sighed. “It has it all. A mystical convergence. More cemeteries per square mile than any town in the nation. And it has drunken ex-boyfriends. The party never stops.” Willow hopped in the back next to Angel while Dawn sat shotgun. As Buffy adjusted the driver’s seat, she had to admit it wasn’t all bad.
“Never gotten to drive a convertible before.”***
The group stared in awe at the wreckage that was strewn across the warehouse. Wooden boxes were shattered into splinters. A small forklift was overturned and the gas tank was mysteriously missing. As Gunn turned his attention to a far corner, he discovered the whereabouts of the tank.
“Holy shit,” he said aloud.
The smoldering body of the Beast hung from a chain dangling from the rafters. The burned body had a two-foot long blade jammed through the chest. Underneath the corpse was a small pool of gasoline that was slowly burning itself out.
Wesley and Faith walked up beside him and absorbed the carnage. Finally, Faith looked at the warehouse more closely and noticed something was missing.
“Do you guys notice something wrong with this picture?”
Gunn continued to be fascinated by the Beast’s limp body. “Something wrong? On so many levels in so many ways.”
“Not that, dumbass,” an annoyed Faith retorted. “Did you notice that Angel isn’t here?” Wesley and Gunn finally noticed the fact. “Cordelia isn’t gonna like this,” Faith said confidently. “First the hellspawn disappears and now Angel.”
“Maybe he’s just hiding,” Gunn said desperately. “Yo! Angel! Get your punk ass out here!” Wesley and Faith stared at him as if he were an idiot. “I don’t see you doing anything productive,” he defended.
They all turned at the sound of footsteps. Their hope that it was Angel was crushed when they saw Cordelia. In her arms she clutched her newborn child to her chest. The look on her face was simply pitiful.
“Cordelia,” Wesley began softly. “I thought I asked you to stay outside.”
Cordelia ignored him. Tears trickled down her face as she noticed that he wasn’t to be found. “Wesley? Where’s Angel?”***
It took the combine strength of both Willow and Buffy to drag Angel up the stairs and into the spare bedroom.
“Hold on just a second longer,” Buffy grunted. “Move a little to the left so he’ll flop on the bed. Okay…now!”
Dawn watched as they let loose of Angel. The vampire fell forward onto the bed at a peculiar angle. Buffy tried to turn him to a more comfortable position as Willow pulled his boots off.
“Do you want to take some of his clothes off to make him comfortable, or leave him like this?” Willow asked.
Buffy gave her best ‘Are you kidding me?’ look. “I’m not, but you can if you want. You’re the gay one, it makes more sense for you to do it.”
“Okay, number one: If I were straight, I would so take advantage of the situation. Number two: I was only asking out of politeness. I’m too tired to strip out of my own clothes much less strip someone else’s.”
“Did you guys notice how strange Angel was acting?” Dawn asked. “I mean, besides the whole drunk thing.”
“Yeah,” Buffy agreed. “When exactly did Angel develop such a morbid sense of humor?”
“When did Angel develop a sense of humor, period?” Willow asked.
That was a great point, Buffy admitted. Angel never made too many funnies. “Something definitely is wrong. While it is entirely possible he’s developed a sense of humor in the past four years, he’s never seemed like the type to drink excessively.”
“Should we call Wesley or Cordelia?” Willow asked. “He does still work with them, doesn’t he?”
“From the last that I heard he does. But let him get some sleep. Maybe he’ll talk to us in the morning. If not, then we can call them.”
“Maybe he wouldn’t want us to call,” Dawn suggested. The girls turned and looked at her curiously. “Didn’t you guys get the impression not everything was right back home for him? Maybe he just needs some alone time.”
The three women turned their eyes back to the sleeping form. What the hell could be so bad that Angel would come to the Hellmouth to work out his problems?***
Gordonville
33 Miles East of Sunnydale
“We’re not going to make it!” the redheaded woman shouted. He was coming, and they weren’t going to survive this.
Six people cowered in a storm cellar as they awaited their fates. The three women were huddled in a corner as the men stepped forward with swords drawn. Their eyes were all focused on the steel door at the top of the stairs. It wouldn’t be long before he would come crashing through.
“You girls will make it,” the lead male said calmly. William diverted his attention from the door a moment to gaze at the girls. “Emma, Kayla, you have to make sure Hannah makes it there. When he gets down here, we’ll hold him off as long as possible. When we have him engaged, make a break up the stairs and to the highway. Sunnydale isn’t that far. You have to find him. He is the only one who can protect Hannah.”
“No,” Hannah pleaded. “William, we can all run for it. We can make it. Please, if you stay, he will kill you all.”
“Then so be it,” Thomas spoke.
“Yes,” James agreed. “Your survival is all that matters. Without you, our people and our power will die. You must make it to Sunnydale, no matter the cost.”
The first loud crash was heard as he tried to force his way inside. It only took three blows before the steel door flew down the stairs and landed in a crumpled heap at the feet of the warriors.
“Wait until we have him engaged,” William reminded softly.
“William, no,” Hannah sobbed in a final desperate plea. It was only a moment later when he appeared.
“Hello all,” the being said with a smirk.
One would typically expect a demon as vicious and vile as this to have horns and fangs and claws. But despite his human appearance, underneath was the heart of a monster. Standing just over six feet, the being had his shoulder length brown hair slicked back. Piercing blue eyes surveyed the room and sized up the humans. He pulled a cigarette from his black duster and lit up. The being took a puff as he considered the possibilities. “Give me the girl and I shall let you live,” he offered.
“No,” William said simply.
“You can’t protect her from me. You won’t leave this room alive.”
“We understand that,” Thomas answered. “We have fully accepted our fates.”
“You will not get Hannah,” James continued. “He will protect her from you.”
The being let loose with a deep and demonic laugh. “You truly believe that, don’t you? He is nothing. And if he stands in my way, he will meet the fate that you have supposedly accepted.”
“He defeated you once,” William reminded. “He can do so again.”
The being’s laughter stopped. He dropped the cigarette to the ground and stomped it out. “He was extraordinarily lucky,” the being growled. He stepped forward and nailed Thomas with a vicious uppercut that sent the man crashing into the concrete wall behind him. “And as you can see, I am much stronger than I was then.”
“Girls, run!” William shouted. The two standing warriors charged and launched a furious and futile attack. The girls leapt to their feet and ran around the battle and up the stairs. Hannah paused at the bottom to watch James get knocked down with a hard clubbing blow. “Run!” William insisted. “Find Angel! Do it now!”
Crying, Hannah obediently obeyed her brother and hurried up the stairs. The girls had gone no further than twenty feet across the field when they heard the tortured screaming that signaled James’ death. As the girls reached the highway a quarter mile away and tried to hitch a ride, the battle in the storm cellar came to a tragic end.
The being ripped William’s spine from his body before dropping the mutilated corpse to the floor. Hands bloody, he reached into his duster and retrieved another cigarette. “Well, Angel,” he said aloud as he took the first drag. “It looks as if we shall finally finish our little game. And I guarantee you one thing, vampire. Eighty years is time enough to think of several naughty ways I could make you suffer.”***
Los Angeles
Cordelia gazed at the full moon through the window of her bedroom at the Hyperion. She swayed gently in the rocking chair as her child fell into slumber. It had been two weeks since the final battle. Two weeks since the birth of her child. Two weeks since the destruction of the Beast. Two weeks since she last saw Angel.
“Where are you?” Cordelia whispered sadly. “Why won’t you come home?”
Quietly, a figure slipped into the bedroom and slowly approached. Cordelia didn’t even turn to look as he came to a stop several feet away.
“Hello, Wesley,” Cordelia said softly.
Wesley smiled slightly as he moved forward and knelt by the chair. “How did you know it was me?”
Never turning her gaze from the moon, Cordelia answered. “It wasn’t too hard. You wear Brahma boots. They have a distinct sound to the step. Plus, you always have the same length in your stride, so I can listen for the intervals between steps.
“Gunn wears Wolverines most of the time. They have a harder sound and his strides are somewhat erratic. And Angel…” Cordelia paused as she thought of the vampire. “If you were Angel, I wouldn’t have heard you at all. But I would have felt you.” Cordelia closed her eyes and listened to the sounds of the city through the open window.
“Angel and I are connected,” Cordelia stated. Wesley nodded his acknowledgment. “Sometimes, if I tried hard enough, I could reach out and feel him, no matter how far away he was. Do you know what I feel when I reach out for him now?” Wesley didn’t. “I feel nothing.” Cordelia knew what Wesley was thinking. “I don’t mean in the sense that he is dead. No, I would certainly be able to tell that. I meant in the sense that he’s cut himself off. Wherever he is and whatever he is going through, he wants to be alone. He doesn’t want me to find him.” Cordelia began to sob softly at that knowledge.
“That scares me, Wesley. I know that I made a horrible mistake. I betrayed him in the worst way imaginable. But I still love him, and it breaks my heart that he would cut me away.”
“What do you want me to do?” Wesley asked even though he knew the answer.
“I need you to find him.” For the first time, Cordelia turned to look at him. When Wesley looked into her eyes, he saw a woman with a tortured soul. “I need you to find him,” she repeated. “I need him to come home.” She turned her attention back to the night sky. “I don’t want to be alone.”
Part 2FRIDAY MORNING
Angel slowly made his way down the stairs of the Summers’ home. Working though a mild hangover, Angel buttoned up his navy blue shirt and tried to focus on not tripping downstairs.
“Looks like someone decided to join the land of the living,” Buffy greeted.
“Neat trick considering he’s dead,” Xander quipped.
As Angel moved into the living room, he noticed the entire gang was gathered around. Lovely. As if waking up from a bourbon and whiskey hangover wasn’t bad enough, seeing Xander Harris this early only made it worse. Angel vocalized that thought.
“Yeah, and I love you, too,” Xander replied. “So, how are things with you? Still dead?”
Angel ignored him and took a seat next to Dawn on the couch. The room was silent as Angel followed along with the magazine Dawn was reading. “It’s nice to see Justin’s moved on after his breakup with Britney,” he mused.
Dawn looked at him strangely for a moment before turning back to her issue of Seventeen. Buffy reappeared from the kitchen and handed cups of coffee to Xander and Giles. “Can I get you anything?” she asked.
Angel flicked a finger in Giles direction. “Can I have a cup?”
“Sure. Do you take it black?” Angel nodded that he did. Buffy retreated back into the kitchen to retrieve another cup. Angel then leaned back against the couch and closed his eyes. He heard a soft clank from Giles’ direction. The Watcher had put his cup down. He was making slight noises to clear his throat.
“Go ahead and ask.”
“Pardon me?” Giles responded. Buffy came back in and handed the cup to Angel. The vampire took a sip and said his thanks.
“You want to ask me something. Go ahead. Just some fair warning: There’s no guarantee I’ll give a straight answer.”
Upon Giles’ hesitation, Willow spoke up from behind her psychology book. “He wants to know why you’re in Sunnydale.”
“Thank you, Willow,” Giles said dryly. “But would you care to answer that, Angel?”
“Not really.”
The Scoobies paused as they considered this new attitude that Angel presented. “So how is everyone in LA?” Buffy asked.
“Wesley’s fine. He betrayed me. Joined the enemy. Did the whole ‘minion of hell’ thing for a bit before rejoining the fold to battle an ancient demon who wanted to destroy the world. Gunn is still Gunn, which means he’s still whooping ass with the best of them. Dated Fred for a little while. That fell apart. Fred’s still really smart. Oh, and Lorne’s still green.” Angel began to drink his coffee as if the conversation was over.
“And Cordelia?” Giles asked.
The look that Angel turned on him chilled Giles. “Cordelia’s fine,” was all that he said. It was obvious that no further information was coming. With a sigh, Buffy grabbed her purse from the table and spoke to Dawn.
“You ready to go to school?”
“No.”
“Tough luck. Get your backpack. Xander, can you give us a ride?”
“Sure thing.”
Dawn grunted in frustration and tossed the magazine aside. Angel picked it up as the girl retrieved her backpack. “Will you be okay by yourself?” Buffy asked him. “We all have to go to work now.”
“I think I’ll survive being alone,” Angel answered dryly. “I’ve got tons of practice at it.” He looked up from the magazine at her and curiously asked, “Where do you work?”
“I’m a councilor at the high school,” Buffy said proudly. “Willow’s substitutes there sometimes. That’s where she’ll be at today.”
Angel stared at her blankly. “You work at the high school?”
“The irony isn’t lost on any of us,” Xander assured him. “You girls ready to ride in the Xander-mobile?”
“That anything like a clown car?”
“Shut up, Tall, Dark, and Dead.”
Angel smirked at the fact that he was getting under the boy’s skin. “Why don’t you just take my car? I’m not going anywhere at this time of day.”
A wide grin came across all three girls’ faces. “You mean the convertible?” Willow asked. “In full daylight with the top down and everything?” Angel smiled at the enthusiasm. “Kick ass. Where are the keys? I get to drive. Can I please drive?”
“I wanna drive it,” Buffy pouted.
“You drove it last night,” Willow countered.
“Keys should be in my coat pocket,” Angel tried to interrupt
“But that was at night,” Buffy argued. Willow wasn’t going to back down. “Paper, rock, scissors on three. One, two, three! Damn!” Willow’s rock beat her scissors. “How do you always beat me?”
“Because you’re predictable,” Willow said as she retrieved the keys from Angel’s coat. “You have a fetish for sharp things.”
“Fine. But I get shotgun.”
“I want shotgun!”
“Race you to it!”
In a flash the girls were rushing out to the car. Angel chuckled at their squeals of excitement and flipped through the magazine. “So where are you two heading?”
“I’m consulting for the Natural History Museum. Xander is off to some construction site or another.”
Angel’s brows raised in shock. “I don’t know which is more surprising. The fact that Xander’s job doesn’t involve grilling meat products, or that someone actually trusts him with heavy machinery.”
“Here, here,” Giles agreed softly as he grabbed his briefcase. Xander watched as Giles headed to the car, swearing that the Englishman had made some crack against him. He finally turned a dirty look at Angel.
“I hate you,” Xander stated.
“And I don’t care. Ta ta.” Xander huffed in anger before leaving. With the house now silent, Angel could read in peace. “Holy shit! Destiny’s Child is breaking up? This is a sad day.”***
Lilah barely looked up when the body of one of her ‘security’ guards came crashing through the office doors. The burly man fell in a heap just short of one of the guest chairs. Lilah continued to sign her name to various documents.
“Hello, lover,” she called. “Been a while. You here to pump me for information, or are you just here to pump me?”
Wesley stepped over the unconscious body of Lilah’s Chief of Security and took a seat. He propped his feet on the desk and glanced at his former lover with a strange little smile. He was pleased when he finally unnerved her enough with his staring for her to finally look up.
“What do you want?”
“Want? Lilah, I am shocked and appalled that you would presume to think that the only reason I would visit you is if I wanted something.”
“So why are you here?”
“Oh, I want something.”
“Of course you do.” Lilah tossed her pen aside and leaned back in her plush leather chair. “But first, let us dispense with the pleasantries. So, how are you? Have you been doing alright since that little apocalypse we had?”
“I wouldn’t take that tone with me, Lilah. After all, I did save your life during that little apocalypse. And if I am not mistaken, Angel saved your sorry ass several times as well.”
“Ah, Angel. How is the vampire with the perpetually sloping forehead?”
“I was hoping you could tell me.”
“Wesley, I am shocked and appalled that you would presume to think I would know how he is.”
“Knock off the charade, Lilah. Angel’s been gone for a couple weeks now. He left after defeating the Beast.”
Lilah gave that evil little grin that always seemed to make him hard. “Which, if I’m not mistaken, would be around the same time that everyone’s favorite link to the Powers gave birth. Whatsa matter, soul-boy couldn’t handle the fact that his little bitch was carrying a child that wasn’t his? And I thought he had values.”
“And I thought you had intelligence. You ever call Cordelia a bitch again and I will rip your heart out of that Grand Canyon you call a cunt. Do you understand me?”
Lilah was surprised when she felt an inkling of fear run through her body. “So what do you want from me?”
“Well, Lilah, if you had been following the conversation, you might have been able to deduce that I want to know where Angel is.”
“And what makes you think I would know?”
“Because you’re obsessed with Angel.”
“Oh, pfft! I am not obsessed with Angel!”
Wesley smiled slightly. His expression clearly bore his disbelief. “We both know that I was thinking of another woman when we were together. And we both know you were thinking of another man when we together.” Lilah tried to object. “Don’t lie to me, Lilah. Angel turns you on. The mere thought that he could rip your throat out without blinking is nearly enough to make you come. So as you said, Lilah, let us dispense with the bullshit. Where is your fantasy man?”
Lilah was silent for several moments as Wesley continued to smirk at her in that self-assured manner of his. “I don’t know. I honestly don’t. I’ve sent out feelers to see if anyone has noticed him, but so far, nothing. Wherever Angel is, he apparently doesn’t want to be found.”
Wesley smiled and nodded. He figured Lilah was telling the truth. There was a slight quiver to her voice whenever Angel’s name was mentioned. “You do realize,” he said perfunctorily, “that if I discover that you are lying to me, I will snap your neck. And if that thought turns you on, you are far more disturbed than I imagined.” Wesley stood up with a flourish and bowed slightly. “Good day, Lilah.”
Lilah waited until Wesley had disappeared before losing her temper. Jerking a lamp off her desk, she threw it across the room. Noticing the unconscious body on her floor, she shouted out into the hall. “Will somebody remove this asshole?” Dejected, she buried her face in her hands. “I hate Watchers and I hate fucking vampires.”
Part 3FRIDAY EVENING
With the day done and the sun beginning to set, Buffy pulled the convertible into her driveway. It had been a long day for all three girls. Dawn had three tests, one of which she was sure she failed. Willow’s psychology class that she was substituting for had been less than cooperative. And Buffy had to deal with a sophomore boy that thought fire was pretty.
As they slowly walked up to the house, Willow had to ask the question that had been on her mind since Angel arrived.
“What’s it like to see him again?”
Buffy considered the question a moment. “I won’t lie, it’s really nice to see him. Last night I actually felt butterflies in my stomach. But honestly, it wasn’t some all-consuming sensation like I thought it might be. I suppose it could become that way, but something is keeping it from being that.”
“Is it the new attitude? Don’t get me wrong, the whole dark and brooding thing was definitely sexy, but maybe this lighter feel he has is throwing you off.”
“I don’t think so. I actually find it refreshing.” They paused on the porch so they could finish the conversation. “There is something else. I can’t pin it down though.”
“I know what you mean,” Willow agreed. “Five or six years ago, it was pretty simple to understand what made Angel tick. It was you. But he’s been in Los Angeles four years. Things are bound to change. He gone from a morose and private man into someone with a sense of humor who is evidently capable of making friends.”
“Yeah, about that. Did you notice the way he talked about them? He spoke so affectionately about all of them, even Wesley who he said betrayed him. But when Cordelia was mentioned, it was like there was…” Buffy searched for the right word.
“Nothing?” Dawn supplied.
“Like he was trying to cut himself off from her,” Buffy added.
“Sounds familiar,” Willow observed. Buffy had a good idea what she meant.
“Do you think he was in love with her? That maybe he left because he couldn’t deal with his feelings or that perhaps she didn’t return them?”
“I don’t know,” Willow answered honestly. “Like I said a minute ago, five years ago it was obvious what made Angel tick. But this is an entirely new beast we’re dealing with. None of us can presume to say what makes Angel, Angel. The only thing I could suggest is wait and watch. Let him work out his feelings. And since he seems more open than he was when we first met him, maybe he’ll give us some insight later on.”
Buffy shrugged her agreement. “I guess. At the least it might be nice to have him around to help us deal with this new demon in town. Two fights with him and I’ve gotten my ass kicked both times. I could use some muscle to help out.”
Willow and Dawn both agreed that would be a good thing. Conversation done, they turned and opened up the door to the house. As they entered, shock covered their faces.
“Is it just me,” Dawn started, “or is this place cleaner than when we left?”
Buffy looked around in awe. The place was the cleanest it had been since before mom died. The carpets had obviously been vacuumed. The cabinets and tables had been polished. The bookcase had been straightened. All the little knickknacks decorating the cabinets had been dusted. And if she wasn’t mistaken, there was a subtle hint of potpourri hanging in the air.
“What’s that smell?” Dawn asked.
“Citronella,” Buffy supplied.
“No, I meant that other smell.”
“That would be lasagna,” Angel spoke from behind. A broad grin crossed his face when they all jumped nearly a foot in the air. “Or it could be breadsticks. They should be about done cooking, too.”
“Wait, you cook?” Buffy asked. Angel nodded that he did. “But you’re a vampire.” Angel agreed with that observation. “You don’t eat human food, so how can you cook?”
“First, I do eat human food. It’s just doesn’t do anything for me. Second, you don’t live 250 years without picking up some talents. ‘The Joy of Cooking’ is in my top ten list of most read books. It’s right under “Les Miserables’ and just above the ‘Kama Sutra’. Believe me, I can accurately describe what’s on page 23 in all three books.”
Willow and Buffy both blushed at the implications of that comment. “What’s the ‘Kama Sutra’?” Dawn asked.
“I’ll tell you when you’re older,” Buffy assured. “Like when you turn forty.” She then indicated the incredibly clean surroundings. “So I guess you showed off another talent by doing an amazing house cleaning job, too. You must have been busy all day.”
Angel smiled and shrugged. “I took an hour off to watch Doctor Phil. Today’s topic was about how erectile dysfunction can affect a marriage. Not his best topic, but let me just say, it wasn’t bad either. Course, I kind of feel sorry for all those guys who had to go on national television and admit they can’t get it up unless their wife wears pleated skirts or antlers on their heads. Second thought, I didn’t feel sorry for them, I spent the entire hour making wisecracks about them. And if I can get some good jabs in, you know Letterman will have a field day. Now come in here and sit down so I can go fetch dinner.”
The girls did what they were told and took seats around the table while Angel retreated into the kitchen. While they shared confused looks between each other, all were looking forward to the prospect of a homemade meal that actually tasted good.
As Dawn dug into the bowl of salad sitting in the center of the table, she cracked, “Wow, that lasagna sure smells good. That means he’s already up one on Buffy’s cooking.”
“Shut up, Dawn,” Buffy vocally admonished but secretly agreed.
“Okay, the sense of humor I can overlook,” Willow started, “but when Angel starts doing a damn good Martha Stewart impersonation, that’s when I start peeing my skirt in fear.”
“Hush up and enjoy this while it lasts.”
Moments later, Angel emerged from the kitchen carrying a bowl of breadsticks in one hand and a pan of lasagna in another. The girls barely waited for him to set the food down before they lunged at it. Willow was the first to put a bite of the lasagna in her mouth. Angel hadn’t seen a woman’s eyes roll that far back in her head since…well, you know.
“Oh my God,” Willow moaned. “So good. So very good.”
Buffy was quick to agree. “If we weren’t poor, I would so pay to keep you on staff. Someday you are going to make someone a great wife.”
“Funny Slayer. Listen, just because I have a soul doesn’t mean it’s below me to whoop your ass.”
“But all jokes aside,” Buffy said around a mouthful of bread, “you didn’t have to do this for us.” Two kicks from opposite directions tried to silence her.
“It was the least I could do.” Angel leaned back against the doorframe. “You gave me a place to stay last night and protection from the mean old sun all day. I owed that much to you. And while you three enjoy your meal, I’m going to go fetch me some vampire food from the butchers.”
“You don’t have to do that. Just look in the fridge in the crisper marked ‘Garlic’. You’ll find some packets.”
“Why do you have blood in your refrigerator?”
“It’s for Spike when he’s here,” Dawn remarked offhandedly.
“When Spike’s here,” Angel deadpanned. “You let Spike in your home?”
Pause. “He’s got a soul now,” Buffy defended lightly.
“Spike has a soul?” Angel considered that. He finally reached a conclusion. “Good for him. I’m getting something to eat.”
They all watched as he once again disappeared. “He took that fairly well,” Willow observed. The others agreed. Dinner was interrupted by the sound of the front door swinging wide open. Giles and Xander emerged moments later.
“Saddle up, Buff,” Xander started. “We got trouble at the mall and…is that lasagna?”
“Yup.”
“Kick ass. Can I have some?”
“Sure. It’s really good. Angel made it.” Xander ignored who made it and went to retrieve a plate from the cupboard. Buffy turned her attention back to Giles. “What was Xander saying before he was interrupted by the sight of food?”
“This demon we’ve been tracking is wreaking havoc at Sunnydale Mall. He’s got a dozen vampires with him. They seem to have hit a gun shop. And did you say Angel made that? It smells quite marvelous.”
“Yeah, I made it.” Angel emerged from the kitchen with a packet of blood in hand. He took a drink before continuing. “This demon of yours. Is it about seven feet tall? Has a lot of black and gray colorization and is heavily armored?”
“Yes, do you know it?” Giles inquired. “I haven’t been able to identify it.”
“It’s a Mihara-Matu,” Angel informed him. “They’re nasty sons of bitches. They like to take on vampires as lackeys. I fought one in LA about a year and a half ago that had aspirations of taking over the town.”
“How’d the fight go?” Buffy asked.
“I’m still alive. And don’t even say it, Harris.”
“What?” Xander tried to say in an offended manner. “I wasn’t even thinking of making a crack about your state of deadness.”
“Can you defeat it?” Giles asked.
“If Buffy can keep the vampires off me long enough. I have what I need to kill him in the trunk of my car. He’s got a weak spot. The section of belly just above his pelvis doesn’t have armor.”
Buffy rose from her seat and the others followed suit. “Then I suggest we go before people start getting hurt.”
Giles waited patiently as the others passed him by before grabbing a knife and cutting a slice of lasagna. He gently wrapped it in a piece of napkin before following the others out the door.***
Clayton’s Junction
Three Miles East of Sunnydale
Merrick held the glass lightly in his hand and brought it under his nose. Inhaling deeply, Merrick moaned audibly as the delicate scent invaded him. A quick swirl of the glass was followed by a smooth downing of the amber liquid. As a human might say, the sensation was purely orgasmic.
“Oh, God, this is simply magnificent,” Merrick sighed. “Brandy. Bottled in 1815. And blessed be, a Frenchman made it. The French certainly produce some fine liquors.” Merrick gently waved his foot in the air to the motion of the orchestra playing in the background.
“It’s been so long since I’ve been able to enjoy the pleasures of life. Generations have passed since the last time I had five star Italian cuisine, or gazed upon a rare Rembrandt, or even seen a symphony performed in person. Do you know this piece? I saw the original performance of it. It is Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. An exquisite experience, is it not?” Merrick sighed at the lack of response. “Not a music lover, I take it. Sad. Otherwise this was a perfect evening.”
The lovely young brunette girl might have screamed for help if not for the state of shock her body was presently in. That was due largely to the gaping hole in her abdomen and the incidental loss of her liver. Merrick smiled slightly at the blinking but unseeing eyes. Poor girl. He almost felt sorry for her. Merrick shrugged the feeling away and cut another slice of said girl’s liver from the plate before him and ate.
“I tell you, and I hope you pardon my language, but it very much gripes my ass that I’ve spent eighty years locked away while Angel has spent all that time roaming free to do as he pleases. The son of a bitch denied me what was mine all those years ago. Now I’m free to collect my reward.” The annoyance was plain on his face. “Now I just have to track down the little whore and her two friends.”
Merrick sighed. “Well, I shouldn’t get discouraged. Within the next few days, I will be able to cure myself of two long-standing problems. But first I must attend to an even more immediate dilemma.”
Merrick moved to stand up, but fatigue was setting in. “You must pardon me,” he spoke in the girl’s direction. “I’m not quite feeling up to par at the moment. But thankfully you can help me with that.” Merrick forced himself to his feet and crossed over to the couch on which the girl rested. Her eyes tracked the movement, but her body was unable to respond. She barely registered the fact that Merrick gently placed his left hand on her forehead. A bright white light glowed behind the girl’s eyes as the life drained from her body. Merrick, however, found the previous moment’s fatigue to be lifted.
“Ah, that’s the stuff. Darling, you were just what I needed.” Rejuvenated, Merrick patted the girl’s cheek affectionately. As he went to leave, he tripped slightly over a book. Smiling, he reached down and grabbed the spell book and placed it on the coffee table with a few other similar tomes. Whistling a line from the Brandenburg Concertos, Merrick flipped the light switch and left.***
Angel’s convertible and Xander’s sedan pulled into the parking lot of Sunnydale Mall as tens of other people were rushing to their cars to get away. They quickly exited the cars and assembled at the trunk of the convertible. The Scoobies already carried their own weapons. Angel now had to retrieve his.
“Are you sure you can kill it?” Giles asked once more.
“Fairly sure,” was Angel’s reply. Popping open the trunk, the collective jaws of the Scoobies dropped at the sight before them.
“Wow,” Willow breathed. “You really take the Boy Scout motto to heart, don’t you.”
“Of course.” Angel reached in and grabbed what appeared to be an anti-tank gun.
“I was wondering why the car seemed heavy in back,” Dawn said.
Buffy’s breathing began to come in short gasps as she took in the sight of an impressive piece of weaponry. Angel was fairly sure she was becoming aroused by it. “What is that and where can I get one?” she asked.
Angel slung the leather strap across his shoulder and hoisted the gun up to his hip. The weapon was essentially a long tube connected to what appeared to be a large metal canister.
“Fred made this for me. It fires a two-foot long stake at a velocity just shy of two hundred miles per hour. It uses highly compressed air to launch the projectile. Cool, huh?”
“Giles? Can I have one for Christmas?”
Giles was equally impressed with it. “I was actually going to ask the same thing. Um, this Fred girl, does she do specialty orders?”
“Probably, if you ask nice enough.” Angel handed the gun over to Buffy so he could gather his other tools. He wondered vaguely if he would be able to get it away from her. From his side, Dawn poked her head into the trunk to see what else he had.
“What are these?” she asked. Dawn held up a pair of Angel’s wrist holsters.
“Spring loaded stake holsters. Strap them on the inside of your forearm. When you want a stake to pop out, apply pressure to the trigger using a motion like this.” Angel demonstrated the correct motion. He then helped her put them on. “Have fun with them.”
Angel strapped another holster to his chest that held a pair of hatchets. He then pulled out a briefcase that contained the main item he was looking for.
“So,” Xander started. “If you shoot this demon in the gut with your stake gun, that will kill it?”
“Oh no. In fact, besides only leaving a real big hole in his torso, it will do little more than piss it off.” He pulled a white brick from the briefcase. “This brick of C-4 explosive that I will jam into that real big hole in his torso is what will kill him.”
“C-4?” Willow asked. “Overkill much? And why would you have that in your trunk anyway?”
“Remember that apocalypse I was telling you guys about? Yeah, well, we had some leftover supplies.”
“I like explosives,” Buffy said dreamily. She continued to rub the stake gun in a manner that Angel had only seen a woman rub a…well, you know. Angel took the gun away from her. The soft whimpering sound she made was quite sad.
“Is this really going to work?” Dawn asked.
Angel strapped the gun back on. “It should. The way I figure it, you could see one of two things. Number one would be me dying in a horrible and brutal manner. Number two would be me sticking this explosive in this demon’s chest and creating a bizarre version of modernistic art all along the walls of Starbucks. Either way it should be cool. You guys ready?” All agreed that they were. Well, except for Buffy. She was still pouting over the loss of the gun. “I’ll let you play with it later.”
Buffy instantly perked up at that. “Way cool. Let’s go kill us some demons.”
With Angel and Buffy leading the way, the gang strode confidently into battle.***
Cordelia smiled softly as she looked down at her child. The baby sucked happily on a bottle, seemingly oblivious to the world. Cordelia envied that. Instead, she was stuck with the harsh reality that the man she loved likely didn’t love her anymore.
“He must hate me so much,” she whispered down to the child. “Can’t say that I blame him. I kind of hate me at the moment, too. I harped on him when he slept with Darla. I told him what a mistake it was and how horrible it was. Mommy’s a hypocrite. Do you know what a hypocrite is?” The child gurgled softly.
“You’ll learn eventually. The world is full of them. A hypocrite is someone who doesn’t practice what they preach. I would say that is typical of your average churchgoer, but I’m not into the religion bashing thing. Not when I proved how horrible I could be. I betrayed your daddy. Well, he isn’t really your daddy, but you understand what I mean. I slept with his son. I confessed my love to him and then slept with his own blood. And let me tell you, Mommy’s rationalization wasn’t too rational when I did it either. Not that I’m making excuses. No. I’m prepared to face the consequences of my actions.
“I’m prepared to spend the rest of my life without him. He deserves someone one better. Someone who won’t resort to hanging his past over his head just because she’s scared of what may happen. I’m prepared to spend the rest of my life alone and without love. But God help me. I don’t want to. I need him. I need him to come home.”***
Wounded lined the corridors of Sunnydale Mall. Some of them suffered from bites to the neck. Others were hit by stray bullets. Angel took the lead as they neared the GAP. Some of the vampires were trying on Polo shirts. The Mihara-Matu looked on with a satisfied smirk as his minions created havoc.
“I miss the days when demons just used fangs and claws and weird little things that shoot out of their ears,” Xander stated nervously. He made sure to stay behind Angel since he was fairly bulletproof. “Once the evil things start using gunpowder, that’s when I hide under the bed and reminisce about the good old days.”
Angel cast an annoyed glance backwards. Xander, like the rest of the Scoobies, were armed primarily with crossbows. “Xander, be quiet,” Angel ordered. “These guys have guns, you guys have crossbows. And since I’m the only one hear that is vaguely bulletproof, I would suggest that you guys take cover until I kill this thing.”
“Since when do we take orders from you?” Xander asked. Angel vamped out and snarled at him. “Oh, since then,” Xander gulped. “Right-o.”
“Just keep them busy while I do my thing.” Angel flipped the switch that would build up pressure in the gun. “This shouldn’t take long. Not like some other fights.”***
“You sure about this, dude?” Gunn asked. “Do you really want to do this?”
“Do I want to do this? No,” Angel answered. “Having my soul torn from my body doesn’t rank high on my ‘To Do’ list, but the options are limited.”
The gang was assembled around the hotel counter as they looked over the schematics for the abandoned warehouse. The members of Angel Investigations didn’t much care for the plan. The new members of Faith and Gwen weren’t too hip on it either. Lilah, seeing that there was a good chance that Angel’s death could result from this, gave her full support towards the plan.
“It isn’t worth it, Angel,” Cordelia spoke softly. “I don’t want you to do this.”
“It has to be done, Cordelia. It’s the only way.”
“It won’t work.”
“It has to,” Angel said with a determination she’d never heard before.
Silence reigned for several minutes before Wesley spoke quietly. “Go over the plan again.”
Angel did so. Pointing at the schematics, he outlined his plan for the final battle. “In two nights, we draw the Beast into this building. When he nears, Wesley will perform the soul extraction as the rest of you escort Cordelia down to the basement. From there, head into the sewers to safety. Wesley, I want you to run while I’m still recovering from the spell. I need everyone to protect Cordelia. I don’t know why it wants the baby, but we will make damn sure he won’t get it.”
Angel let that bit of information sink into their heads. Lilah then spoke.
“Okay, now what’s my role in all this?”
Angel reached into his jeans pocket and retrieved a slip of yellow paper. “ I need you to get these items for me.” Lilah took the paper and read the list aloud.
“An Urn of Lordoth. Four fiber-optic night view cameras. Remote video receiver. And…Good God that’s a lot of high explosive. What the hell do you want this for?”
“Plan B,” Angel answered. “The urn is to capture my soul. I want those cameras installed in the building before the fight. It’s fairly simple. You watch to see how it goes. If I can stick him with the Blade of Hefnar then I kill him. If I can’t, then you flick the switch on the detonator and bury him. That should give you time to get to a safe distance.”
Cordelia rubbed her swollen belly as she considered the probabilities. “This won’t work,” she said with finality.
Angel cast her a long and sullen glance before turning away from the group. “I know,” he whispered.***
“Hey! Demon dude!”
The Mihara-Matu turned towards the voice and growled. He then stared in confusion at the tube the vampire carried. Angel clicked a button that primed the firing chamber.
“Say hello to my little friend!”
A sound akin to a torpedo being shot from a submarine resonated through the halls. The two foot long section of oak hurtled at a velocity well over 180 miles per hour. The trajectory proved true as the stake slammed into the demon’s torso just above his pelvis. The sheer force of the impact threw the demon back twenty feet until a stand of Calvin Klein jeans stopped his progress.
Angel pulled the gun up over his head and tossed it aside. “I’ve always wanted to say that.” He turned a quick glance to the Scoobies. “Fan out and take cover. Do your thing so I can do mine.”
The Scoobies obeyed the order and ducked behind benches, trashcans, and whatever else was handy. Angel strode forward, ignoring the whiz of bullets that zipped past him. Two vampires charged up and tried to flank him. Firing pistols, several bullets imbedded in Angel’s torso.
“You cannot get by!” the first vampire shouted.
“You will be destroyed!” the second screamed.
A flick of his wrists and a pair of stakes appeared in Angel’s hands. Moments later, those stakes were thrusts through the hearts of the vampires that stood in his way.
“Whatever,” was his reply.
The Mihara-Matu was slow to his feet after being hit with the cannon. By the time he stood up and jerked the stake from his chest, Angel’s fist made solid contact with his face. In a blur, Angel whipped the hatchets from underneath his coat and began to deliver some hard blows to the demon’s upper body.
“I’ll tell you what,” Angel began. “I’m going to make this quick.” Angel’s hatchet blows drove the demon backwards towards the elevators. “Because I made a great lasagna dinner, and it’s going to get cold if we don’t get back soon.” Angel hurled one of his hatchets at the elevator buttons. The down arrow promptly lit up. “Plus, I had all the stuff laid out to make pumpkin pie.”
A vicious heel kick sent the Mihara-Matu reeling a few feet away from the elevator. A small ding sounded as the metal doors slid open. “As much as I would like to continue this little altercation, this fight is officially over,” Angel concluded. From his jacket pocket Angel produced the brick of C-4 with metal fuses already implanted.
Angel jammed the brick into the open wound of the Mihara-Matu. Grabbing the demon by the shoulder armor, Angel spun him around and tossed him into the open elevator with a loud crash. The elevator dutifully slid shut with yet another small ding.
“And they had trouble fighting THIS?” Angel shook his head in disappointment. “Maybe I’m just getting too good.” With a small sigh, Angel turned on his heels and moved to rejoin the Scoobies. As he reached an aisle of Hilfiger apparel, a sudden thought occurred to him. Reaching into his jacket, Angel withdrew a small remote. A flick of a switch and the Mihara-Matu met a fiery end. But then again, so did much of the store’s clothing.
When the vampires realized that their employer was dead, they didn’t hesitate to drop their guns to the floor and run to the nearest exits. The Scoobies were tempted to give pursuit, especially since they now held the advantage. But it was clear that Angel had no interest in doing so.
The Scoobies began to pop up from their places of cover and gathered in the center of the court. All were fairly stunned at the brutality and effectiveness of Angel’s assault.
“Well,” Willow started, “Angel was right about one thing.”
“What about?” Xander asked.
“That was pretty cool.” She looked around for confirmation from the others. They all nodded their agreement. That was indeed cool.
“You think anyone will be mad since you blew up the GAP?” Dawn asked.
Angel turned back and observed the fiery ruins of the preppy clothing outlet. “Probably. But really, who buys shit from the GAP anyway beside rich preps and snot nosed punks?” Buffy fiddled with the collar of her shirt so the tag couldn’t be seen. It wasn’t her fault it had been on sale. “Besides, GAP stores are like bacteria and Chinese. They reproduce by mitosis.”
Angel moved to follow the gang out when he realized what he just said. “Okay, that wasn’t an ethnic slur on my part. I like the Chinese.” Pause. “Considering I’m a vampire, that can be interpreted several ways.” Another pause. “Anyone have a cigarette? I could use a cigarette.”***
Wesley leaned back in the metal folding chair calmly. In his left hand was a cigarette. Flicking away the ashes, he calmly brought it up to his lips. In his right hand was a three-quarter inch thick section of rope.
That section of rope trailed upward to the ceiling. Wrapped around a small pulley, the rope trailed back down several feet. The end of the opposite section of rope was tied around a pair of old surplus army boots. Those army boots were attached to the feet of an odd looking creature. Odd, but certainly vicious if that double set of fangs were any indication. However, that didn’t concern Wesley much. Not when this demon was dangling over a vat of water.
Wesley reached over to the small table next to his chair and adjusted the dial on an electric radio. Changing the station from modern to classic rock, Wesley smiled in satisfaction. He then grabbed the bottle of Budweiser sitting next to the radio and took a long swill.
“I do love Led Zeppelin, don’t you?” The demon snarled viciously in response. “Do you have a favorite album? Personally, Physical Graffiti is always among the selections in my CD player.” The demon snapped both set of teeth in anger. “Well, if you want to be that way, then I suppose we can get down to business. And here I was trying to be polite and make light conversation beforehand. Oh well.”
Wesley relaxed his hold on the rope until the demon’s head was submerged underwater. With a totally bored expression, the former Watcher waited nearly a minute before pulling the demon back up. Needless to say, he wasn’t very pleased.
“Oh, be silent,” Wesley admonished. The demon’s roars subsided to soft growls. “Now, it has come to my attention that you deal in facts. The sort of chap that has connections that have connections. In other words, you will have information that could prove useful to me. That being so, I pose you a question. Do you know the location of a vampire known as Angel?”
“Why should I tell you anything, Brit?” the demon snapped.
Wesley sighed and rolled his eyes in annoyance. The demon found himself once more submerged. When Wesley leisurely pulled back on the rope several minutes later, he asked, “Is that enough motivation? I can do this all night.”
The demon stared at him with wide purple eyes. The human seemed serious. “Some town up north. Supposedly a vampire with a soul has been spotted there. It’s called…it’s called…”
“Sunnydale?” Wesley supplied.
“Yeah,” the demon agreed.
Wesley considered that information. It made a sort of twisted sense. “Very well.” Wesley completely let loose of the rope so that the demon went down into the vat of water with a loud splash. Wesley then grabbed the radio, and extension cord and all, tossed it nonchalantly into the water. Sparks flew as the demon was effectively turned to a crisp.
“Smells like chicken,” Wesley mused. He took a long drag from the cigarette before tossing it aside. “Looks like I’m going to Sunnydale. Oh joy.”