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KA-BOOM!
The building formerly known as Wolfram and Hart came crashing down in a pillar of flames, as the four instigators watched on from a nearby building rooftop. Spike had a grin on his face, while Angel was sombre. He wasn't sure if this was entirely the answer, but perhaps now, Wolfram and Hart might send all their resources to attack at once. If they survived, then they would at least have some breathing space and give them a chance to focus on helping others without the threat of Wolfram and Hart breathing down their necks. Turning away from the inferno, Angel dropped off the side of the building, landing on the pavement and began walking back to the Plymouth. He got in, just as the others joined him and they drove away.
"They're going to hit us hard now," Connor stated.
"Whatever they send can't be any worse than the alley," Spike said, "At most, it'll just be a bunch of demons and vampires. Nothing more."
"Still, we have to prepare for anything," Angel broke in, "They're not exactly going to let this one slide."
Racing back to the Hyperion, Angel hurried inside to the weapons cabinet and began handing out weapons to Connor and Spike, while Kate moved to the firearms cabinet she kept in Cordelia's former office, loading up a shotgun, as a yell rang out. Connor whirled around, swinging his sword and decapitated the vampire. Kate heard a noise from her right and whirled around as a demon came rushing out at her from the office. Bringing the shotgun around, she fired a single blast into the demon's chest, bringing it down. Carefully, she inched closer to the demon, as it suddenly lunged from the floor, but Kate instinctively pulled the trigger, this time, hitting it in the head.
"You alright?" Angel asked, joining her side.
"Yeah, I'm fine."
"Uh, incoming," Spike called, "And there's a lot incoming too."
Firing his crossbow, he dusted one of the vampires, as the rest came at him, while a few demons came leaping from the second floor. Kate blasted away with her shotgun, as Angel moved in, swinging his sword. The demon fell dead at his feet, as Spike struck a vampire in the jaw, then kneed him in the stomach. As the vampire doubled over, Spike punched him in the chest, the stake shooting out of his sleeve and into the vampire's heart. Connor fired the crossbow, hitting the demon in the neck, as Angel cut down another two demons. The doors to the Hyperion shattered and seven Mohra demons stepped in, all brandishing their swords.
"Aim for the gem in their foreheads," Angel said, "Only way to take them down."
Kate struck a vampire in the jaw with the stock of her shotgun, before decapitating the vampire with a shot to the head. The shotgun clicked and she dropped it aside, drawing her handgun as the Mohra demons joined the fray. Taking careful aim, she lined up a target and pulled the trigger. The gem shattered and the demon cried out as he was consumed by a flash of light. Two Mohra demons converged on Angel, as he smacked one sword aside and deflected the other, but the first Mohra then stabbed him in the flank. He cried out, as the second Mohra impaled him in the chest.
"Angel!" Spike cried.
He kicked a demon in the stomach, before slicing his sword through the demon's chest, removing the blade as a Mohra demon fell upon him. Throwing his elbow back, Spike knocked the demon back and swung his sword, but the Mohra was quick, easily blocking the weapon. A gunshot rang out, hitting a demon square between the eyes, as a vampire grabbed Kate from behind and bared his fangs. Connor leapt in, tearing the vampire away and rammed a stake into his heart, as more demons arrived.
"Dad! There's too many!"
"So go…to Plan…B," Angel groaned.
He caught the sword coming for his neck, ignoring the pain as the steel bit into his flesh and he shoved the Mohra back, before slugging the second Mohra in the face, the sword getting removed from his torso. Swinging his sword around, Angel sliced a demon in half, as Connor and Kate moved towards the basement, the former smacking a vampire aside, while Angel had grabbed Spike by the back of his duster and dragged him after the others. Once in the basement, Connor opened up the sewers and dropped inside, as Spike jumped in after him. Kate handed Angel a detonator and followed after the two, while Angel looked around the basement with a sad look, viewing the satchels of explosives, as a vampire rushed into the basement. Throwing a bag at the vampire, Angel dropped down into the sewers, before squeezing the button on the detonator. The sewers rumbled as the Hyperion exploded in a shower of rubble and fire, incinerating everyone and everything inside the building. Spike, Connor, Kate and Angel hurried through the sewers, soon coming out into an alley. The elder vampire turned back in the direction of the Hyperion Hotel, sadness crossing his features, but he knew it was for the best.
"Angel, we have to keep moving!" Kate called, "Come on!"
Reluctantly, he followed after the former detective up a flight of fire escape stairs, as Spike opened an apartment window and slipped inside. The others followed suit, entering the small apartment that was adorned wall-to-wall with numerous markings and symbols, as Kate moved about turning lights on.
"So this is it, huh?" Connor said after looking around the place, "This is where we're going to be living? We had a hotel and now we've got a hovel!"
"It'll have to do for now," Angel said sternly, "We have to make the Senior Partners think we're dead or at the very least, out of the equation."
Spike snorted, "You know that's quite a far stretch, Angel. It won't be long before the Senior Poofs send their boys here."
"What boys? The ones we just blew up? If anything, it'll be a while."
"I hope you're right, big fella," Spike replied, "I hope you're right."
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Buffy woke up with a gasp, her new surroundings confusing her, but not as much as her trying to catch her breath and there wasn't one coming. Panicking, Buffy fell off the cold steel table, landing gracefully on her hands and knees as she struggled to breathe, but found she was unable to…nor was it important that she couldn't breathe. Her body wasn't suffering from lack of oxygen. If anything, it felt stronger than ever before, much more agile and adept, connected to a chord of evil power.
Buffy took in one final gasp as realisation slammed into her from all sides and she collapsed completely on the floor, her hands running through her now-short hair. She couldn't believe it had actually happened to her. She was now what she killed. Used to kill. She was now a vampire, an evil blood-sucking creature of the night.
"Nonononononono, not like this! It can't be like this!"
Bringing her hands to her face and seeing how unnaturally graceful and clearer they were, she let out an agonising scream, collapsing on her side as she felt tears pricking her eyes.
"Crying? Vampires can't cry. Why would they cry? They're evil! Wait, that means I'm evil too. I'm one of them now. No! I won't! I refuse!"
Buffy was about to get up when the door opened and two vampires walked in. They were wearing their human guises, but she could tell from their scent. They paused in the doorway, seeing that she wasn't on the table, but it wasn't long before one of them grabbed her from behind by her hair, dragging her out into sight.
"Well, well, the Slayer. Up from the dead earlier than expected," a vampire grinned.
"What do you want?" Buffy asked, "What does Angus want with me?"
"It's not for us to know. We just do what we're told. Now, let's take a look at you."
Feeling the coldness of the room, Buffy realised she was only wearing just her underwear and couldn't help the feeling to cover herself from the lustful scrutiny of the vampires. One of the vampires was currently circling her and stopped right behind her, leaning in close and licking her throat. That was the last straw.
Her elbow snapped back into the vampire's face, breaking his nose. Blood spurted everywhere, as the vampire snarled and vamped out, but Buffy whirled around, her fist slamming into his chest and throwing him across the room. The other vampire shifted features and rushed in to subdue Buffy, but she broke out of his grip, spinning around and punching him in the jaw. As the vampire staggered, Buffy slammed him against the wall, before taking one of his pens and jamming it into his eye. The vampire cried out, as Buffy then punched him in the face, jamming the pen all the way into his skull. Stripping him of his coat, Buffy tugged it on and hurried out of the room, entering a short corridor. Two vampires in combat gear rounded the corner, stopping short when they saw Buffy. She snarled and rushed them with amazing speed, even for them. She punched one vampire in the jaw, whirling around to elbow the second in the face, then slammed her leg into the first vampire's stomach, before punching him to the ground. The second vampire snarled and lashed out with his fist, but Buffy caught his arm and twisted it behind his back, before breaking it at the shoulder. As the vampire cried out, Buffy delivered a bone-breaking kick to his knee, then punched the first vampire as he rose up, before grabbing hold of his head and snapping his neck. As both vampires fell to the ground, Buffy took a moment to gather herself, willing the demon to retreat, as her features shifted back to human. She looked down at the broken vampires before her, feeling some sort of satisfaction at their broken states. They were weak, nothing compared to her. Smiling devilishly to herself, Buffy started humming a small tune as she headed into the next corridor.
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