Shapeshifter Part Two
By Alison (margali67@bust.com)
Setting:
Sometime at the end of the first season before the office blew up.
Disclaimer:
This is a work of fiction based on the wonderful characters owned by the Real Powers That Be; Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, the WB, etc.. No infringement was intended and no profit desired or sought. Just wanted to play around with the Angel crew.
Oh yeah:
If you'd like to send someone into an apoplectic fit of joy throw some constructive criticism my way by emailing me at margali67@bust.com. Do that email thingie, also, when asking permission to distribute this story.
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Cordelia pulled out a page from the printer and handed it to Wesley. "See, there's a pattern. Ole jawbone went missing over 40 years ago and then all of these other dudes from that neighborhood disappeared, one every ten years. I'm betting they all met the same fate." She said pointing at the pictures spread out in front of Wesley. He looked down on the photos of four men. "But none of them is the squealer from my vision."
Returning to the printer she pulled out one last sheet. "Until I found out who was the detective on each case." Putting that sheet down upon the other pages Cordelia tapped her finger on the picture. "This is the guy and he's still very much alive."
"And perhaps is willing to answer a few questions." Wesley said as he picked up the telephone book.
"What are we going to say? Excuse me, detective sir, but why are a band of malicious little tykes out to eat you?" She said as she grabbed the book. "No, I don't think he'll be very giving with the info especially to a bunch of unlicensed PI's. We're going to do the legwork and solve this thing before he becomes lunch. I just get the feeling like we missed something back there."
"You can't possibly want to go back out there while it is still storming?" He said indicating the rain still beating hard outside the office window. "You're not still in the throes of PVS?"
"I'll ignore that comment because I am a rational, level-headed woman. And because I'm so ready for whatever Mother Nature throws my way. Check it out, Angel's galoshes, guaranteed against mud-suckage." She said as Wesley finally noticed the big rubber boots that seemed to swallow Cordelia's legs.
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Despite being in another dimension, the dreams were still the same. Horrible visions of all the people he had tortured, maimed and killed played vividly in his mind. The memories and attendant guilt passed through him as he tossed on the couch. The blankets were already in a pile on the floor.
He woke in searing pain as the curtains were flung wide open, mid-day sun blazing across the room. Just as quickly they were closed again. But by then he was already crouched in the dark safety of the hallway.
"
I forgot," David said sheepishly from across the room. Behind him his dog was pawing at the sliding door, tail wagging in circles. "She was whining and jumping all over my bed, really desperate to get out that I completely forgot you were here. Really, it'll just be a sec." He opened the door, the whooshing sound it made followed by the frantic scurrying of pawed feet on a deck. David followed, sliding the door behind him. As the curtain fell back, the room was once again in muted darkness. Angel decided it would be safer to wait in the hallway until they returned.After the dog was fed the two men sat down in the living room. There was a long silence as both stared off at different parts of the room. Angel grabbed a magazine off the coffee table and stared at the date.
"Is this current?"
"Nah, its last month's. Why?"
"Nothing, just trying to get the conversation going." Angel lied. According to the magazine it looked like he had gone back a couple of months in time. With what he had to do it didn't seem to be an important fact but could present problems with returning home.
"So, you up for helping me find my bad guy?" He asked, putting the magazine back. "Nothing dangerous, just point me in the direction of a computer and we'll check police reports, see if he was up to anything last night."
"Kind of hard to do that, no computer. But there's TV!" David said cheerfully, flicking it on with the remote. Images flashed rapidly as he zapped from one station to another. It was all sports, court-TV, talk shows and soaps. He clicked the TV off.
"Guess it'll be awhile till the news comes on. So," David said, "You're a vampire."
"We established that last night."
"I know, but it's still so strange. You're a paler me. And a younger-looking me. Here I am heading off to thirty-something land and I have to play an eternally twenty-something vampire. It'll look ridiculous if I'm still playing this role in my forties."
"I'm sure the show will be over by then."
"Thanks for the ego boost." He said with a smile. "But enough of my fragile self-esteem, I just came up with an idea."
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"Ok, see anything?" Cordelia asked from the shelter of the one and only umbrella that they could find at the office.
Wesley was deep in thought as he paced up the sidewalk. "Can you remember anything else from the vision?" He asked turning back towards Cordelia. "Anything that stands out?"
"No, nothing, just the kids and the guy. And plaid," she paused as her face lit up. "The girls were wearing plaid!"
"Cordelia, fashion is not a thing to focus on whenoh," His voice trailed off as he noticed the large church with attached school down the block. "Uniforms."
"Good work, Wesley. In no time you'll get your junior PI badge." This time it was Cordelia pulling Wesley along by the elbow. "See, we were meant to do this case. No way could our cross-phobe get into that den of holiness." She said as they made their way across the street.
Walking around the building they found an open door near the church. Steps led up to a dark hallway. They made their way to what looked like the front of the school. Along the walls were pictures of each year's students and faculty. Wesley pulled out a flashlight and started peering into a classroom. Cordelia followed him using a little key-chain light and bent down to look under a desk.
"Wesley, what's the plan if we run into them?"
"I don't think we will, not in here, we're just looking for clues right now."
Lights went on with a definite click as someone from behind cleared their throat.
"What clues?" asked an extremely tall nun.
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"This is your brilliant plan?" Angel asked doubtfully from the direction of the back seat, his voice muffled.
"You need weapons, you need access to a computer. Two birds with one stone. Now stay quiet or security will hear you." David said, pulling the car up to the booth. While he spoke with the guard Angel slowly stretched out his leg that was starting to cramp and inadvertently kicked the tire iron against the side of the trunk. The loud clang was followed by the car jerking forward suddenly and just as quickly stopping throwing Angel against the hood of the trunk. From up front he heard David mumble some excuse about his brakes with the guard making sympathetic noises.
The car accelerated again and he was thankful that David was now forced to drive at a relatively normal speed. There were bruises on Angel forming on top of bruises from all of the sharp turns left and right. Once the car slowed down to a stop Angel closed his eyes in thankful relief.
"Coast is clear. I'm going to open the trunk, are you ready?" David asked.
Angel let out a small moan and then said yes, pulling a wool blanket over his self.
"Door is right in front of you." David said as he helped Angel out of the trunk, unaware of the angry glare Angel was throwing at him from under the blanket.
Once inside Angel tossed the blanket to the side and ran his hand over his matted hair. "I feel like I've been tossed around in the trunk of a speed-demon's car. No, wait, I have."
"Oh come on, I didn't drive that fast." David said with a mock hurt expression.
"You never braked on the turns and don't even get me started with how you slammed on the brakes at every stoplight." Angel said as he tried to shake feeling back into his right arm.
"Maybe I was a little nervous with a vampire in my trunk."
"Listen, let me just calm down a bit. I'm really grateful for all of your help, I'm just not fond of being forced into small, cramped spaces."
"Well, it was your idea to leave before sunset."
"That's because this creature used up a lot of energy shapeshifting, it'll need to rest. We've got to find it before it kills someone."
"Cool, so I'll be helping you kill this thing?"
"No," Angel said in exasperation. "How many times do I have to explain to you that"
"I know, I know, that this could get dangerous and that this isn't some TV show where no-one gets hurt." He said before tripping over a small, jewel-encrusted box.
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Sheepishly they followed the woman back out into the hallway. Folding her arms she stared down at Cordelia and Wesley. "Now I know how Angel feels in a place like this." Cordelia muttered under her breath.
"Pardon?" The nun asked loudly.
"Uh, now I know" Cordelia said as Wesley rolled his eyes. "Uh, how my little angel would feel in a school like this." She said, her voice getting stronger as she gained more confidence. "We've been looking all over for a place just like this."
Wesley picked up on the game and pulled Cordelia to his side, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "Oh, yes. We've been looking all over the city. Nothing but the best for our littleangel." He said beaming, his smile only slightly cracking.
"And you like to look after hours without the lights on?" The woman asked doubtfully.
"Checking for rats. Our little dear hates rats, a parent can never be too careful." Cordelia said, hoping she conveyed proper motherly concern. There was absolutely no reaction from the nun. Wesley started to fidget.
"Bull." Said the nun simply. "Almost believed you but then thought what would you be doing with him."
"We might be an unusual couple but I'll have you know we share a chemistry that transcendsbloody hell!" Wesley yelped as Cordelia stomped his foot.
"The jig is up, Wes. Looks like mother superior here wants the truth."
"I'd rather you just leave." She said as she herded them towards the front door.
Cordelia turned around and looked imploringly into the woman's eyes. "Look," she said, walking backwards, as the nun was still ushering them forward. "We're sorry for busting in here without knocking but we're on a case. The truth is that we're detectives."
The nun paused, her interest obviously piqued. With a sigh of relief Cordelia leaned against a wall. "Thank god, it was hard enough walking forwards in these things let alone backwards. Anyway, as I was saying," she said, then stopped as she adjusted one of the frames on the wall. "We're with Angel Investigations andhey, check out the wingspan on the flying nun, Wes." Smiling, she pointed at the photo, indicating a woman standing behind a group of children.
"Cordelia, remember our little talk about thinking before speaking?"
"It's okay, I'm very glad we no longer have to wear starched habits." Said the nun, her previously cold manner warming.
"And just look at the kid's uniforms, just as goofy. If it weren't for that I would've gone to one of these schools. But these kids certainly look happyoh, dear. It's them, Wes."
"Who?" he asked, coming up to look closer at the photo. "You don't mean?" Cordelia nodded her head emphatically. "Look at the year, Cordelia, 1960. Forty years ago."
The nun came up, frowning. "Is this what you're investigating? I thought those murders were solved a long time ago."
"Ah, well, new facts in the case have come to light. You didn't happen to work here at the time?" Wesley asked.
"No, happened way before I started. Still was in school myself. But, we do have clippings about it in the library. Come on, I'll show you." She said as she led them down another hallway.
They reached the library, which was dark save for light coming from an office behind the checkout desk. "Sister Maria, the librarian, is the person you should talk to, she was their teacher. The flying nun in the photo." She said to Cordelia who grimaced slightly. Opening the drawer of a file cabinet she started ruffling through, taking out a folder and handing it to Cordelia.
"They were caught in gunfire?" Cordelia said as she read one of the yellowed pieces of newspaper from the file.
"Some stupid gang fight. The killers were kids themselves, didn't do as much time as they deserved. But they did all go missing years later."
"Did you hear that, Wesley?" Cordelia asked. "Wes, unpeel your eyes from those musty old things and try a little focusing on the case."
"Sorry," He said turning away from the bookshelf he was looking at. "Perhaps we should leave, come back tomorrow to speak with Sister Maria." Wesley motioned his head to the door.
"Yeah, it's late." Cordelia said, picking up on Wes's urgency. "Here's one of our cards. You were very helpful and we're very sorry for the intrusion."
Back at the car and out of the rain Wesley pulled a book out from under his jacket. "Take a gander at what I found back there."
"You stole a book from a nun? Have you any morals? That's very, very bad."
"As you would say, 'pfft.' What's more important is why would a nun have the Cerimonia della fenice?"
"Cherry moaning feng shui? English, por favor."
"It's Italian, Cordy. A very rare mystical text, translates as the Phoenix ritual."
"The big bird that comes back from the dead?"
"To be more accurate it is the bird that is consumed by fire and rises again from the ashes. This ritual does the same thing, more or less. Purpose is strictly revenge. Sister Maria has a lot of questions to answer."
End of Part Two