A Wrong turn
Don't spend an extra minute in LA. That town will steal your soul….
Sandy Cohen. Episode 22, The LA.
The glamour of Los Angeles was slowly but surely loosing its effect on Ryan Atwood. After their narrow escape from the club, he heartily agreed with his step father, Sandy Cohen. He walked back to the car, glad to finally be heading back to Orange County the next day. He walked hand in hand with his girlfriend Marissa Cooper, and next to his step brother Seth, and his girlfriend Summer Roberts.
"I hope your Aunt Hailey's gonna be ok," Summer was saying to Seth. "Things must have gotten pretty bad for her if she's, you know…working there."
"If you can call that work," Seth muttered. "Let's just hope mum doesn't ever find out."
"Aren't you being optimistic Seth?" Ryan laughed. "Since when do things stay a secret for us?"
Marissa nodded in agreement. They had just reached the hotel entrance, when Ryan groaned in frustration. "Damn, forgot to get money for on the way back tomorrow."
"Just use the machine in the hotel?" asked Marissa. Ryan shook his head. "It was out of order last time I checked."
"You know…I think I saw one back by the club we can just…" started Seth, but Marissa interrupted him instantly. "No way. Ryan can't afford anymore trouble ok? What happened back there was close enough…they could have called the cops Seth…"
"Its fine," said Ryan. "We'll just find someplace else. Bound to be one round here somewhere. We'll be right back…."
"We'll meet you guys in there?" asked Marissa doubtfully and Ryan nodded.
Half an hour later, Ryan and Seth were still walking and even worse they were lost.. "Ok, when you said we'll be right back I stupidly believed you," Seth complained. "I've even been here bfore, can't believe I got lost . If you ever tell anyone…"
Ryan didn't even look at him. "I don't remember asking you to come with," he said absently. He was getting worried about the new surroundings they found themselves in…but there was no way he'd ever admit that, least of all to Seth. They had left the busy nightlife behind them and now found themselves walking down quiet back streets with alleyways leading off in all directions. They had even passed by empty or closed warehouses…the traffic a dim noise in the background. "I think we took a wrong turn somewhere…" he said a while later.
"We? Since when is there a we? I've been following you!" exclaimed Seth, continuing their usual banter.
"Quiet a sec, you hear that?" said Ryan suddenly, coming to a halt abruptly. The sounds of fighting were coming from a nearby dark alleyway to their left.
"Look out!" the voice came from nowhere, but it was too late. Ryan saw someone running towards him and the next thing he knew he was being knocked to the ground before he had a chance to act. A sharp pain filled him, his vision blurring.
"Ryan!" he heard Seth calling him, seemingly from far away.
"Get up!" his attacker whispered fiercely, forcing him to stand. He felt waves of nausea washing over him. The guy held him in front of him, his grip tightening on Ryan's arm.
"You don't want to deal with him, you want to deal with me," the voice said calmly. Ryan looked up to see a man dressed all in black, a woman by his side looking at him in concern.
"Like I'd be stupid enough to try that!" his attacker laughed. "Stay back."
"You won't get anywhere fast," the stranger went on. "Let the boy go."
Just when Ryan was about to pass out, he heard the girl calling out again. "Gunn, now!" Ryan heard a cry of anger from behind him, and felt himself falling again. He looked up in time to see just what had attacked him in the first place. It wasn't pretty. The thing had eyes Ryan had never seen before, a dark yellow illuminated by the dim streetlight. Ridges on his forehead and long protruding teeth. Then it exploded into a whirlwind of dust around them.
Seth was by his side, helping him to stand. "You ok?" Ryan nodded. "Sure."
Then he looked up at the three strangers. "What just happened?" he asked in shock.
"My name's Angel…" he started hesitantly, before looking helplessly at the woman by his side. She rolled her eyes and took over.
"I'm Cordelia, that's Charles Gunn. Basically…cliff notes version? Magic is real. What you just saw was a vampire. Everything else you've heard about? Probably out there too."
"So, what's your deal then?" asked Seth, sceptically.
"All you need to know is we help people like you. We fight against them," continued Gunn.
Cordelia nodded. "We help the helpless. Here…" she handed them a card. Seth took it and had to laugh. "Is that really an Angel?"
Cordelia scowled at him. "All you need to do is not tell anyone ok?" she said choosing to ignore the remark. "At least…not the whole world, if you know what I mean."
Ryan closed his eyes briefly. "What were we saying about secrets?"
"So, were are you guys from?" asked Angel as they started to walk away from the area. "We can walk back with you, just in case…" Ryan nodded and told him the name of the hotel.
"I can safely say I'm never coming back here," Seth announced. "The OC may have its problems….but it's not all bad."
"Orange County?" asked Cordelia In surprise. "Hey…I've got a cousin who lives up there. Summer Roberts? Haven't spoken to her in forever…but anyway. Here we we are…"
Ryan watched them walk away in disbelief. "Think she's really Summer's cousin?" he asked. Seth shrugged.
Then they caught Cordelia's last comment as she left. "I can't believe it. You mean I have to put up with a migraine all night just because of a vision to save two rich kids from OC?
"There's a reason for everything cor…" said Angel.
"I know. And i didn't mean it like that, but where's the justice in it?"
"Yep, she's Summer's cousin all right," sighed Cohen with a slight chuckle. "So, how about it. Paris Hilton and vampires. Does this qualify as weirdest day ever?Wait,What did she mean by avision?"
Ryan shrugged. "I've decided i don't really want to know. And i agree with you, Weirdest day ever. She doesn't have to worry. Even if we did tell anyone, they'd never believe us anyway…."
The End.