Boys and girls, here we are again with another chapter. Thanks for the reviews and be sure to turn those frowns upside down. Just check your magic 8-Balls!
Will things get better for our heroes?
Ask again later.
Uh…yeah. So as you can see, things will improve.
Cordelia drove as hard and as fast as she could and wished she could make it to where those losers who kidnapped her were.
"God, that's stupid of me." Cordelia said, turning and spinning her wheels, "But he was good to me. They deserve to know what happened at least."
At the warehouse, the group was carefully loading up the van again to head out towards the meeting place.
"Um, Mister Giles?" Fred asked, sheepishly, "You DO know where we're going right?"
"Well…uh….yes. I believe I can…find it." Giles replied.
"Don't worry about Uncle Rupe." Wesley chimed in, "He can find it."
Giles rolled his eyes at Wesley.
"I would be extremely happy if you stopped calling me that. It annoys me to no—"
"HEY DAD! LITTLE HELP WITH THESE SUPPLIES WE'RE LOADING?" Faith's ever charming loud mouth bellowed.
"—end. Coming!" Giles sighed.
Fred giggled.
"You guys really enjoy givin' him hell, huh?" Fred asked.
"It's the best way to pass the time on the run." Wesley smiled at the girl.
"He seems nice." Fred replied.
"Oh…he is. He's like the father that could tolerate me."
"You mean the father you never had?"
"No. The father who could tolerate me." Wesley said glumly.
"Ah." Fred stated.
"No worries though. I'm sure that he can find this Hyperion place, given that Angel is running a bit late. It may take some guessing but—"
"I am aware exactly of where it is and where we need to go. City building codes and maps have been downloaded into my mainframe by tapping into a modem." Adam interjected, walking by.
"Well there you have it." Wesley said.
"I don't mean to sound all jumpy and scared, but that thi…guy freaks me out." Fred said.
"Yes he is rather…intimidating." Wesley added.
"He was Professor Walsh's brainchild. He was the first one she was going to build. Makes me worried about what kind of improvements she could have made. I mean he could have problems we don't even know about." Fred explained.
"I suppose that's something we'll never know. Or at least I hope we never know." Wesley whispered.
Adam turned from across the room and smiled at the two of them. It was quite disturbing.
"Yo Ash man! Where we going?" Xander asked.
"It's a secret." Ash replied.
"Maybe I could read your mind." Willow propositioned.
"No."
"Oh come on!" Willow pouted.
"No."
"She's read my mind hundreds of times. Unless you're fantasizing about her in metal bikinis with a D-cup, all is well." Xander said.
"No." Ash deadpanned.
"You're no fun." Willow sighed.
"I aim to please." Ash replied.
"Whatever." Willow sighed, "Bored now."
A Mustang crashing outside brought her back to reality.
"Well, that worked out pretty nicely." Willow nodded.
"Crap that's Angel!" Xander shouted, "He's—"
Cordelia cursed and fell as she got out of the car.
"—gonna be so pissed that the ditz queen cost him a few thousand dollars worth of damage." Xander finished.
"Cordelia, what is the matter?" Giles asked, walking to the girl.
"Looks kinda like she failed the written. And you know, the actual driving test." Faith added.
"Shut up!" Cordelia spat, "I'm just coming back to tell you losers that Angel's in trouble, so get off my case already!"
"Angel's in trouble?" Faith asked in dread.
"What happened?" Wesley asked.
"There was this guy! He attacked us with a sledgehammer and he dragged Angel out of the car!" Cordelia explained frantically.
"What guy?" Ash asked.
Angel slowly drifted back to consciousness. His eyes opened and the first thing he saw was another set of eyes: icy blue in color.
"Rise and shine, buttercup." Spike crooned, taking a step back.
Angel lunged at Spike, but didn't move much further than a few inches. He looked down and observed himself. He was fully restrained. A reinforced straitjacket wrapped around his torso. His legs were chained and manacled together. Worst of all he was gagged and muzzled like a dog. He glared out at Spike.
"Neat little get up isn't it?" Spike said, crouching down beside him, "Personally I think the muzzle was a bit much. Cuts down on our witty repartee'. I mean where's the fun in making grand threats when the other guy can't even reply?"
Spike pondered it and then laughed.
"Guess it's in making the grand threats and the other guy can't even reply." He smiled, before throwing a punch right at Angel.
Angel's head went flying back, and when he snapped back to attention Spike could see yellow vampire eyes glaring at him.
"I was hoping you'd do that." Spike smiled, pulling out a control, "Now I can do this."
Spike pressed a button on the control and Angel spasmed in pain, electricity coursing through him.
"Neat little toy. See, you got a shock collar on too. With the press of a button you're convulsing in pain, and you can't even scream." Spike smiled, "Kind of thing I could do all day."
Spike pressed the button again and again making Angel convulse and let loose muffled screams.
"And I probably will. God I love this thing." Spike said, kissing the remote.
Angel just glared at him hard.
"Now what's that for mate?" Spike asked sincerely, "Why you giving me the demonic puppy dog eyes?"
Angel just kept glaring harshly at Spike.
"Is it because you're angry with me? Hmm? Maybe it's because of the pain and all the ways you're plannin' on killing me? Or maybe, call me crazy, maybe you feel just the least bit betrayed? Yeah. I think that's the one." Spike stated, "I mean despite the fact that you got a soul swimming in your insides now, I'm still part of the family. And it hurts to have someone that you at least respect, at most cared for, just turning on you doesn't it?"
Spike lowered and stared right back into Angel's yellow eyes with his own yellow.
"Well, now you know how we felt." Spike growled before standing and reverting his features, "I mean it wasn't good enough that you never seemed to give a damn about us anyway. No, you had to go out and desert us after that gypsy chit. Then you came back and tried to be like us before realizing you couldn't and leavin' again. Did you for once ever think about us though? Huh?! No, of course not. You NEVER did. It didn't matter than Dru cried for weeks after you left each time. Didn't matter that Darla snapped at her every damned time she mentioned your name. Didn't matter that I lost the one other person on earth that I could really relate to, no matter how much we tore each other up. Back then I admired you but loved getting on your nerves. A few hours ago I just resented you for leaving us alone for all that time. Now, NOW I bloody well hate you for that soul. Guess we'll just have to see of we can dig it out won't we? I got an electric drill here that I'm just itchin' to use."
That was the first time that Angel had bothered looking at his surroundings. He was in a dark room. Smelled surprisingly fresh. Felt like he was lying on metal. The only light beat in from a small window at Angel's left. He was in a paddy wagon.
"Now then, trust me when I say this hurts you more than it does me." Spike chuckled turning the drill on.
Angel was saved by the backs of the doors opening. He was partially blinded by the light flooding in. It had to be artificial because he wasn't burning. There was someone standing there but he couldn't make them out.
"Now Spike, there's no need for that." A soothingly beautiful voice came.
Angel immediately knew who it was and realized he was in deeper than Spike could ever put him in.
Darla stepped into view, wearing a wonderfully tailored Chanelle suit. She walked past Spike, who merely sighed that his fun was spoiled. She sat down in front of Angel and smiled at him, breathing in his scent and relishing it. Her hand moved out and ran through Angel's hair. She moaned slightly, as did Angel himself. As wrong as this was, there was an element of comfort to it. It was pleasure. Which with Darla of course meant---
She slapped him. HARD.
"Pain's never far behind with us is it Angelus?" Darla asked harshly, "Pleasure and pain seem to blur together for us. It always does. But there was no pleasure in you leaving my side. Just pain. Well now I'm going to repay you in kind for that. And that is going to be a pleasure."
She knelt down beside his ear and he could hear her skull contort and change into her game face. She bit into his ear in a way that made him want to scream and moan all at once. She released it and licked the blood from her lips.
"And in the end, you'll thank me, darling boy. You'll thank me." Darla smiled, standing, "Spike, tell them we're ready."
Spike whirred the electric drill a few times with smile.
"Poor sod. He was better off with us." Spike chuckled, before exiting the back of the van, "Hey! It's time!"
Angel just watched Darla as she stepped back. Men entered the truck…no…not men, at least not all of them. Some were vampires; one even seemed to be a Chaos demon. They gripped Angel violently and dragged him out of the back of the van, Darla following daintily. He was tossed to the concrete floor hard and groaned from the impact.
A moment later, he could feel Spike at his side. Then more pain as Spike violently pulled him up by the hair.
"Welcome to Hell, Peaches." Spike said.
Angel could almost feel him grinning. Still, that didn't keep his attention for long. Not when he was greeted by the sight of a seven foot tall man with black eyes and a mane of blond hair. Walking to that huge man's side was a shorter man, but still with a good build and reasonably tall himself. He was middle aged with a white beard and wild hair.
"This is the one?" the bearded man asked.
"That's him, mate." Spike said rising.
Spike caught the bigger man giving him an evil look. Spike merely chuckled.
"You gonna stare all day or you gonna grow a set, mate?" Spike asked the bigger man.
The large man growled lowly, prompting Spike to do the same.
Darla just sighed.
"Boys, behave." She said, walking between the two of them, "We're all friends here. Am I right Dr. Banner?"
Dr. David Banner smiled at her and nodded.
"Yes ma'am. We are. You'll just have to forgive Mr. Creed." Banner said, turning, "He really doesn't have good social skills."
Sabretooth growled again.
"Yeah, I've seen regurgitating Frovolax demons with less surly dispositions." Spike chuckled.
"Spike." Darla warned.
"Sorry, grandmum. Well, only a little." Spike replied.
Darla smiled and loved the way she could manipulate the men around her with subtle glances and a smile here or a smile there. She could stop Spike from getting into a fight with a particularly dangerous mutant, even if she was a little interested in seeing how that battle would go. She could politely control Dr. Banner with a few kind words or gestures. She was after all very beautiful and very seductive after four hundred years: and he was only a man. The only one she had little sway over lay below her in a straightjacket.
"Take good care of him." Darla said, glancing to Angel, "And I mean that."
"He'll be in very good hands." Banner replied, looking back to Sabretooth, "Victor?"
Sabretooth strode forward and delivered a crushing blow right to Angel's face, knocking him out.
"If that's all he's got, he ain't half as bad as legends make him out." Sabretooth replied.
Darla and Spike shared a conspiratory grin.
"Well just as long as we all follow the agreement. No dusting." Darla said, "Because the one who kills my darling boy will be skinned alive and hung from a rusty meat hook."
"And that's when we bring in the salt." Spike added.
"Healing abilities or no, I imagine that would be quite taxing." Darla said, casting a glance at Sabretooth.
"You have nothing to worry about Darla. He'll get the best care we can offer." Banner replied.
"See that he does, because if I'm not one hundred percent satisfied with the results then I'll be much more creative than just cutting off your skin." The elder vampire explained, "Spike?"
"Mm?" Spike murmured.
"We're going. Good evening gentlemen." Darla said, turning and heading for her limo.
Spike followed slowly.
"Be seeing you Angelus. Watch yourself in the showers." He quipped as he walked away from the unconscious vampire.
Banner watched them go and then looked at Angel.
"Take him in Creed, general population, but keep men watching him at all times." Banner said turning away.
Sabretooth gripped Angel by the hair and began to drag him.
"Welcome to the Crypt, runt."
"Are you certain this is the place?" Wesley asked.
"Affirmative." Adam said, peering out the van window.
"It's pretty." Fred said.
"It's rundown." Faith added.
"It's near perfect." Giles smiled somewhat.
"It's a cryin' shame that I'm still stuck with you losers." Cordelia sighed.
"Come on Cordy, and not have your shrill, disagreeable voice with us, stabbing into our temples, every waking second of everyday? Like we could do without." Xander said.
Willow tried to be more diplomatic.
"You didn't have to come if you didn't want to." Willow said gently.
"And walk around L.A. at night, alone? I'm sticking with the people with the guns thanks. Least I know none of you have the balls to actually kill me." Cordelia rolled her eyes.
"And considering I don't have any balls, you're not far off." Faith mumbled.
"Know what I haven't heard enough of the past few days? Arguing." Ash said, exiting the car, "Fall out. Flanking positions. Watchers and Adam on the outside of the circle with me: kids in the middle."
"Hey! I'm a Potential Slayer here! I don't NEED your protection!" Faith said as she exited the van with the others
"And hey, I'm in charge here. You do what I say or you walk." Ash stated, pushing her inside the newly forming circle.
The group looked up and slowly made their way towards the Hyperion Hotel. It was a large structure, and from Giles estimation was probably built in the 1920's. It was nice though. It looked condemned but upon close examination you could tell it was only meant to appear that way. He wasn't sure if it was just ingenious carpentry or a glamour that had been put up.
"Stop moving." Adam ordered.
The group stopped.
"What is it, Big Man?" Ash asked.
"Yeah, fill us in." Faith added.
"Oh God…we're going to die aren't we?" Cordelia asked, looking around.
Adam's hand shot out and caught the arrow that was about to hit her face.
"If you made less noise, you wouldn't." Adam stated, observing the area and shifting his arm to gun mode.
"You can't use that here! You'll get every Guardsman in the city down our throats!" Ash shouted.
Adam placed something on the end of the barrel.
"Which is why I created a silencer." Adam explained, "To your left by the way."
An arrow whizzed by Ash's head and he jumped at the sight.
"Oh shit!" Ash said, backing up.
"You said it!" a creature shouted as it leapt out of the darkness at him, tackling him into a wall.
"Holy Hell!" Faith exclaimed.
The creature looked up at her. It was covered in blue spines and looked downright hideous.
"Ain't nothing holy 'bout it." The creature spat, producing a handgun.
It was blown out of his hand by Adam.
"Mother of—" the creature began before Ash turned and backhanded it with his metal hand.
"Come on you big spiky freak! Let's play! I'll be Mike Tyson and you can be the idiot people waste forty bucks to see get knocked out!" Ash said, punching the demon again.
It went sprawling back.
"Arrows!" Xander said, hitting the ground, taking Willow with him.
Adam glared at the roof.
"The first barrage came from automated defenses based upon motion sensors." Adam surmised as arrows bounced off his skin, "These on the other hand are being fired by…scanning…two humans."
Adam fired up in the air at the building.
"Taken care of." Adam said, before getting an axe stuck in his head.
"Hey! My sister's up there!" Gunn said, charging, "If you've hurt her!"
He tackled Adam…and bounced off. The cyborg merely regarded Gunn and slowly removed the axe from his head.
"Don't do that again." Adam said, handing him the axe.
Gunn immediately swung again.
"Dirty freakin' monster!" he shouted.
Adam caught the axe in mid-swing, and aimed his gun-arm at Gunn's face.
"I said not to do that again." Adam growled.
Gunn seemed unfazed. He pushed the gun-arm to the side and went to throw another punch, but was stopped by Ash.
"Gunn! Jeez! Cut it out!" Ash shouted.
Gunn turned and looked at Ash.
"The guy from the Intiative…the annoying one?" Gunn asked.
"Yeah, that's me. Ash remember?" Ash asked, "Frankenstein there is with me."
Gunn turned to Adam and looked at him impressed.
"Damn, didn't know ya was bringin' Frankenstein." Gunn said.
"That was…uh…a nickname." Ash replied, "That's Adam. And the rest of these people are with me too."
Willow slowly rose, "Glad things are under control now cause I really didn't feel like filleting anyone."
"Though I hear if you add a pinch of Oregano, that's not so bad." Xander quipped. Given the past few days it was his defense mechanism, "Least everybody's alright."
Gunn's tone changed again as he stared at Adam.
"No things aren't alright. Mr. Stitch here just shot my sister up there!" Gunn said.
"No I didn't." Adam said, converting his gun-arm to just an arm, "I merely destroyed the crossbows in their hands."
"They?" Giles asked, standing.
"My sister, Alanna, and Justine. They're of roof duty tonight." Gunn replied.
"Ah. Yes. I see them now." Giles said squinting upwards through his glasses.
"I imagined any attack upon us would most likely be a misunderstanding on the part of your group at my appearance. Thus I decided to use non-lethal force." Adam explained, "Unless of course someone here were injured. Then I would've killed them."
"Oh, great job, draggin' monsters here for us to deal with Gunn." The spiny creature said standing, "Monsters and metal-handed guys."
"Yeah well you don't exactly pass for good-looking yourself—" Cordelia began.
The spines faded away and the creature was just a man.
"—mister." Cordelia finished, a little flustered and wondering why good looking guys seemed to always want to kill her.
"You okay amigo?" Ash asked.
"My nose is bleedin', my pride's hurt, and my head's ringin', though that last one may just be from a drunken bender I had." The man groaned.
"You're cool, Doyle. Seen you take worse shit than that." Gunn replied, "These are the people I was tellin' you about."
"Hey." Doyle greeted.
"Hello." Wesley said.
"Glad to be here." Giles replied as well.
Doyle just looked to the sky and sighed loudly, "Ya dragged the English here too?! Unbelievable."
"Doyle's cool. He's just melodramatic." Gunn said.
"And has really bad acne, but that cleared up pretty fast." Xander noted.
"He's a demon." Faith said, feeling for her handgun.
"Hey, I happen to be very human." Doyle said holding his nose, "Least on my mother's side."
"Look, let's get inside. Pigs are bound to be comin' round thanks to the noise." Gunn said.
"Is that what you call the Guardsmen here? How…ethnic." Wesley said.
Gunn rolled his eyes.
"No. Real pigs. Big strain of razorback from Australia. They ship the things here 'cause they flush out people squattin' in the projects and maul 'em real bad." Gunn said, "Things are wicked hard to hurt, like they got no nerves."
"Alright, let's go." Ash said.
"You know…I can recalibrate those auto-crossbows out here for you sometime. Your aim was a little off." Fred smiled, trying to look at the bright side of all of this.
Gunn could only smile back and ushered her inside.
"Weapons later, inside now." Gunn said, motioning.
Then he noticed something.
"Hey, where's Angel?" Gunn asked.
"That's another thing—" Ash started.
"You gotta be fuckin' with me." Gunn said, folding his arms.
"No, I assure you we aren't. Apparently, Angel has possibly been captured or killed by this other vampire. Perhaps he escaped, but he hasn't contacted us." Giles said, leaning on a support.
"He hasn't come here either if that's what you're thinkin'." Gunn's sister Alanna added.
"Jesus, Gunn. You invited a vampire here?" Justine practically hissed, "What were you thinking?"
"Easy honey." Doyle said, stroking her arm.
"Oh that's rich. You don't like vampires but you're all over demon guy." Cordelia said.
Justine glared holes at Cordy.
"Shut up you little rich bitch." Justine spit, "You live in your little upscale world where you never question Dracula's control just so long as you still have Prada to put on. Doyle here is part human. Vampires are pure evil."
"Yeah, well considering Angel's the only one of these losers I can stand, then count me in the evil boat." Cordy shot back.
"A vampire murdered my sister you little bitch." Justine said, stepping closer, "And the moment your little pal stepped into this room his ass would be dust because I DON'T WORK WITH FUCKING VAMPIRES!"
That last bit was directed at Gunn.
"You think I was crazy about it either?" Gunn defended, "I like vamps about as much of you, HELL Alanna almost got ate by one more than once. But these people ain't vamps Justy. I don't know what the hell that is—"
Gunn gestured to Adam.
"—but I'm helping these PEOPLE 'cause they need it and you best belee that!" Gunn shouted.
"You just watch it Charlie. If these people are friends with a vampire I'd watch my back. A pat on the back's just six inches from either a kick in the ass or a bite on the neck." Justine said, storming upstairs past Gunn and Alanna.
"I'll go talk to her. Try to calm her down…" Doyle said.
"No, I'll go. You stay here with Charles." Alanna said, heading up after Justine.
"Look, I'm sorry 'bout that. She's touchy and we don't exactly get counselin' here." Gunn said, "But she's right about a lot of stuff. I don't like or trust this Angel guy. Once a vamp, always a vamp. But you can stay here provided you keep the big sewed together guy away from most of the people here. At least till people get used to him."
"Xenophobia." Adam mused aloud.
"That's cool, but we need to find Angel." Ash said.
"Look, I can't help ya there man. We got lots of kids and some demons here but we ain't never brought in a vamp. Things are like pit bulls. You turn your back on them and they tear into ya." Gunn said.
"Good lord, there are more people here?" Wesley asked.
"What? Ya thought it was just the four of us?" Gunn asked, "Some are out on the streets, some are sleepin', and I'm pretty sure more than a few's at the pool."
"You have a pool?!" Willow asked, smiling.
"Chlorine here we come!" Xander said.
"Look man, I understand your deal with Angel bein' a vamp. He's different though. He has a soul." Ash said.
That got more looks than Ash had anticipated.
"You heard me!" Ash said, "He was cursed and has a soul. He's a good guy and we need to find him. He's a friend."
"Look, maybe, just maybe this guy's different than most vamps. But he's still a vamp. Vamps are all the same everywhere." Gunn said.
"I could have sworn that's what they used to say about blacks." Giles added.
Gunn tossed Giles a look.
"You some kind of racist?" Gunn asked
"Furthest thing from it. I had an "old flame" I suppose you could call it who was black. I was just pointing out that you were stereotyping. I'm not that fond of vampires myself but this Angel seems different. He's at least helpful to us and has helped save our lives a few times in the last few days." Giles explained, "And if what Ash says is true and he…has a soul then…the consequences of that are extraordinary."
Gunn thought back to his night in Sunnydale.
"Okay, tell you what. I'll put word out that we're looking for him. Get descriptions of him to some people, and while we're at it a descrip of the vamp he was fightin' wouldn't be bad either. We'll keep an eye out for him, but he still ain't setting foot in here." Gunn ordered.
"Well who would! I mean the color scheme is terrible and…I'm not really helping am I?" Cordy asked.
Resounding no's.
"Good. I'll just keep complaining then."
Alanna kept pounding away at the door.
"Justine! Justine open the door!" Alanna yelled, wrapping her fist against it, "Hey, we ain't got no reason to be fightin' here! Charles is still on our side."
No reply. Alanna sighed.
"Justine don't be like this!" Alanna shouted through the door.
She was unaware she was being watched though, by something creeping along…the ceiling. It glared at her with yellow eyes and slowly crawled towards her, making no sounds. Smiling sadistically the creature leapt down behind Alanna quietly and stood behind her, mouth opening to reveal small fangs. Raising a three-fingered hand the creature grabbed Alanna's shoulder and turned her around hard. Alanna's blood went cold when she came face to face with the demon.
"Boo." The demon smirked.
Alanna pushed it away and then laughed.
"Damn you Kurt!" she shouted.
"Don't say that. Don't say that to anyone." The demon replied with a German accent, almost a little hurt by her words.
Alanna couldn't help but smile. Here was a six foot blue demon with yellow eyes, three fingers and toes on each hand and foot, who could cling to ceilings and disappear when he wanted, but was also deeply religious. This right here was one screwed up world.
"Sorry Kurt." Alanna apologized.
"The Lord and I forgive you for that." Kurt replied, "Waking me up on the other hand I'm sure is not so easily forgiven."
"Oh I'm sorry." Alanna apologized, "It's just I'm trying to talk to Justine but she won't let me in her room."
"Any reason she should?" Kurt asked, "If she's angry with one of you, let her be angry. Eventually she'll calm down and realize she was being rash."
"This is Justine we're talkin' bout, Kurt." Alanna replied.
"Ah. Then enlighten me. What set her off?" Kurt asked.
"We got some new recruits. One of 'em's a vamp or something." Alanna replied.
Kurt's eyes went wide. He could still remember the fear he had felt in his youth.
When his particular gypsy caravan was singled out for annihilation by Dracula for not giving him tribute like all the others. How a gang of vampires had attacked them one night. People he loved, people he grew up with, died that night. They were drained. They had necks snapped and hearts torn out.
They had all fought back at first, his father chief among them, plunging his wooden staff into the hearts of the demons making them explode in clouds of dust. Even as a young man…or whatever he was…Kurt found the strength to fight back as well. Using agility he had dreamed would one day allow him to join the Munich Circus, he leapt into the air, up to a tree limb with a bow and arrow. He pulled the cord back and let an arrow fly.
He wasn't especially skilled with the bow, but he managed to hit his targets and gave his people at least some measure of aid in this time of crisis. However, once a vampire leapt into the tree and tackled him out of it…well he wished he could have gotten the heart. Still, the vampire above him crumbled to dust when his father saw his plight.
He had helped Kurt up and the two of them observed that the humans were now actively fighting the vampires and winning. Despite the power of the undead, humans had the numbers and what's more…there was something…something inside them that made them fight back. Some strength that the undead didn't seem to have. Kurt smiled because he was touched on some level. It wasn't something that could be understood; only felt. And the feeling was like…light in his heart.
That light was soon eclipsed because HE came.
The caravan's campfire exploded upwards in a plume of green fire gathering the attention of man and vampire alike. When the pillar of fire came back down and extinguished there was a man standing there: tall, long black hair hanging down, dressed in distinguished black clothing and a long black cloak. And a pair of eyes that chilled Kurt down to the soul and he knew, HE KNEW, that this was the demon his people had snubbed. This was Dracula.
Wagons overturned, men quaked in fear, women fell to their knees in desire, and that light in Kurt's heart faded away. Especially when his father managed to work past his blind panic and charge the master vampire with his staff extended to drive it deep into his heart. Dracula merely regarded him with a slight cock of the head, his eyes glowing slight red. Kurt's father began to burn as he ran towards the demon and by the time he had reached him there was naught but a charred skeleton.
Despite the jelly that had become the boy's legs, Kurt ran. He was more frightened in this moment than in any other. He ran and leapt and desperately wanted escape. He heard the vampires behind him, shouting to him as they pursued him. Kurt leapt over logs and up into tree branches and looked back in terror. Despite his speed that no other man in his caravan could match, the creatures were gaining.
Tears fell from his eyes as he ran. He didn't know what he was. He didn't know his place in the world. And now he never would because soon he would be food and drink for the undead. Crying bitterly Kurt saw the moon overhead like some monstrous eye and he pleaded that he could escape to it, that he could reach out and touch it, to be near it. If he could he would be free, he would be safe, he would....
BAMF!
He was suddenly hundreds of feet in the air, above the tree canopy. For a brief moment he felt the sensation of flying but then young Kurt realized he was falling to his death. He covered his eyes in terror as he had seconds before mind shattering pain.
BAMF!
He hit the muddy ground hard and grunted in pain. Rising slowly, he wondered why he was not yet dead. That was when he saw he was in the shadow of the large, but rundown building in front of him. It was old and had holes in the roof and Kurt knew that no one had been hear in a hundred years or more. He stared at it in awe before his ears picked up the sound of the vampires again.
Fear returned and Kurt ran to the building and forced the wooden doors open. He slammed them behind him and ran the length of the building, hiding behind collapsed wooden benches. He curled into a ball and cried and whimpered, hoping the vampires would not find him. Somewhere in that space of time, Kurt Wagner fell asleep and didn't awaken until rays of sunshine warmed him through the holes in the roof.
They had not found him. They had not come here. And he wondered why they hadn't come and killed him in the night. Why hadn't they come here?
And that's when he noticed something beside of him. Something he hadn't seen the night before in the dark. It was a book. Glancing at it, Kurt reached out with three fingered hands and picked it up. His yellow eyes scanned the pages and found something….words in red that he spoke aloud.
"Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." He read, for some reason smiling.
And on that day, Kurt found something bigger than himself to believe in. Something bigger than anyone. And he smiled. And read.
"A vampire?" Kurt said in surprise.
"Somethin' like that." Alanna replied, "I dunno. I don't think I got the whole story. Charles isn't stupid enough to just make deals with vamps."
"If he were none of us would be here right now." Kurt reasoned, "I only pray that God works in his heart and tells him what is right. In my heart, I know He will."
Alanna laughed slightly.
"What?" Kurt asked.
"I wish I had half of your faith." Alanna replied.
"Faith starts small and grows and blossoms." Kurt replied.
"But how can you believe in something you've never seen?" Alanna asked.
"Three reasons. One, anything Dracula hates must be good. Two, I have seen Him. A thousand times in here." Kurt said, touching his heart, "And lastly, if I don't have faith, I have nothing."
"Point taken." Alanna said, "Could you help me get Justine out here now?"
"You really want to speak to her that badly?" Kurt asked.
Alanna nodded.
BAMF!
Justine's door opened and Kurt walked out of it.
"Ask and ye shall receive." Kurt smiled as he walked down the hall towards his room.
Justine just sat there on her bed looking at Alanna and sighing before looking to the ceiling.
"I am going to kill that elf." She growled.
Then she looked at Alanna, "And you don't have to say anything. I heard everything you two were going on about. I'm fine. I know Gunn will do the right thing. Don't worry and just give me some space like Kurt said."
"Well okay then." Alanna said, turning away, "Next time I'll just send Kurt."
Angel awoke with a pounding head. Luckily though he wasn't in his straitjacket anymore. Though he was in a small cell with artificial lighting. He rose and walked towards the metal wall at the end of the cell that he imagined had to be a door of some kind. He felt it…cold and hard…but with a slight breeze. It was a door alright. That at least made him relax. He wasn't locked in a room with just four walls with a demon.
Angel turned and regarded the demon on the top bunk.
"Hey. You're the new guy here." The demon said hopping off and towering over Angel, "I'll have to explain the rules then."
"I'm no one's bitch." Angel growled.
The demon paused.
"Alright, not what I was gonna say. Also red blooded male here. Demon yes, sodomite no." the demon sighed.
Angel relaxed his body posture just a little and he walked towards the small sink and ran some water. The demon looked at the mirror in front of Angel and grunted.
"Rumors are true then. You're him." The demon said.
Angel turned and glared at the demon.
"Him?"
"Angelus. The Scourge of Europe. He who nails puppies to churches. That him." The demon said, "We'd heard you'd been brought in last night."
"We?"
"Prison folk. Wasn't aware you were going to be my roommate. Gotta admit when I heard the door open last night and Creed toss you in, I was expecting the worst. Nobody wants to be cooped up with Angelus. Not even me." The demon replied, "Name's Sadjahn, by the way."
Angel regarded the large demon. He looked almost human except for the eyes and the face, which frankly just looked heavily marred in ornate patterns.
"Well you know who I am." Angel said, wiping his hands on…"They took my clothes. The bastards took my clothes."
Angel wiped his hands on the new prison jumpsuit he had been dressed in and groaned.
"Well yeah, that's one of the first things they do." Sadjahn replied, "You could be carrying a weapon or something in there."
Angel grunted and seethed.
"So where am I?" he asked.
"You're in the Crypt." Sadjahn replied.
"Shit." Angel replied.
He had heard of this place. It was a prison for the worst of the worst: for all of the threats Dracula either thought could be converted to his side, didn't want killed, or couldn't be killed. And now here he was inside.
"I am going to murder Spike when I get a hold of him." Angel growled.
"Hmm?" Sadjahn asked.
"Nothing." Angel said, observing the walls.
He walked up to them and felt around. There had to be a way out somewhere.
"You're wasting your time." Sadjahn said, "There's no way out of here."
"I've broken out of every prison that ever held me." Angel replied, "I got out of the Tower of London."
"Yeah well, moldy old walls not really comparing to a few billion dollars worth of modern equipment." Sadjahn replied.
"I'm going to get out." Angel said to him, going back to the wall to find a way.
"Don't lose sleep over it. Or better yet do." Sadjahn said, "It beats the nightmares."
"Nightmares?" Angel asked.
"Yeah. Some freak doctor here's got a machine that gets into your head and he plays around with your fears. Now I know he's not going to be able to scare somebody with your rep, but still not a pleasant experience." Sadjahn explained, "All part of the rehabilitation program."
Angel turned and stared at the demon.
"What?"
"Makes ya loyal to Dracula." Sadjahn replied.
Angel turned and more frantically began to look for an exit.
"Oh that just isn't happening!" Angel shouted.
"Don't figure it will." Sadjahn said, "But if that's the case you'd better find a way out soon because the moment they figure out that you're useless to them they'll kill you."
"Great." Angel groaned.
Suddenly there was a metal hissing sound.
"Oh shit. Get away from the door, man!" Sadjahn said.
"Why?" Angel asked.
The metal door opened and Victor Creed stood on the other side. Angel turned and looked up at the much larger man.
"Oh." He said.
And suddenly Angel felt electricity again. He fell to his knees and got a boot from Creed to the face.
"Stay away from the door when it opens." Creed growled, petting his huge nightstick in his hand, sparks of electricity arcing off of it.
Angel rose in pain.
"That…hurt." Angel glared.
"Was supposed to runt." Creed hissed, "You watch yourself because I don't think you're half as bad as your rep makes you out to be."
Angel rose.
"And I think that I'm going to shove that stick up your—"
Angel's blood splattered against the wall as he fell.
Creed patted the bloody nightstick and had a sadistic smirk on his face.
"Gonna keep your mouth shut now?" Creed asked.
Angel stood again and shot Creed a yellow eyed glare. His tongue left his mouth and licked the blood that covered his upper lip. Creed just smirked and walked along.
"Be seein' ya, runt." He growled.
"HOLY SHIT!" Sadjahn said, "I mean I'm not usually one to curse loudly like that but HOLY SHIT! I've only seen maybe two other guys stand up to Creed like that in here!"
Angel staggered, "Yeah well my head is ringing pretty damned loud right now so if you could keep it down…"
"Oh yeah. Sorry about that." Sadjahn said, "But some blood'll fix you right up. Come on."
"Where we going?" Angel asked, rubbing his face and wiping away the blood.
"Breakfast." Sadjahn answered.
The two of them walked through the prison and Angel had to admit it was one hell of a facility. It was huge and surprisingly clean. Very high tech, with tons of vamps and demons as security. They were armed with the same electric nightsticks as Creed. Angel and Sadjahn walked down a flight of metal stairs and Angel noticed quite a few other demons like Sadjahn.
"He uh…I don't mean to pry but what's Dracula got against your kind?" Angel asked.
"Oh, we're time warpers." Sadjahn explained, "Few centuries ago we got a spell put on us that made us non-corporeal to the physical world but we could move through time about as easily as you can swim in a pool. Dracula didn't like that too much considering we could potentially alter time to where we could screw up his big break a hundred years ago so he gathered us all up using that book of his and made us corporeal and instead of putting us in jars somewhere he wants to recondition us into serving him so he can get his fingers in a few more timelines."
"Putting you in jars?" Angel said.
"Don't ask." Sadjahn replied.
Angel nodded and walked along with Sadjahn.
"So uh…you guys like a gang? Are there white supremacists and Muslims and groups like that here?" Angel asked.
"Well there's a few groups. Vamps tend to flock together. Demons of the same kind too, though me, I tend to hang out with everyone. I'm pretty open-minded considering I've visited timelines where demons and humans dance around the May Pole together." Sadjahn said as they entered the cafeteria, "You'd think the Immortals hang out together but they seem pretty edgy around one another, especially that Kurgan guy. Must be the whole cutting off the heads deal."
"I SAID DON'T EVER TOUCH ME!" a woman screamed.
"Speaking of the Kurgan." Sadjahn said.
Angel's jaw dropped when he saw it.
A seven foot tall man had just had a tray broken over his head and just smiled. He regarded the woman in front of him with a sneer.
"If you wanted to play, kitty, then you just had to ask." Kurgan grinned.
"If you ever…EVER touch me again I swear to God I'll find a way to kill you." She said, punching the much larger man, creating a loud cracking sound.
Kurgan backed away then threw a right that hit the woman, but didn't knock her down. She glared back to the Kurgan and sent a foot to his crotch dropping him to his knees. With that she turned and started to walk away from him towards a table where a man with long hair and a large red demon sat laughing. The cafeteria was actually cheering, and a few guards managed to do that themselves.
The Kurgan didn't like that, so he dug into the side of his boot and produced a shiv. He then followed the woman with the intent to stab her in the back. Within an instant Victor Creed was in his path patting his nightstick.
"Uh uh." Creed growled, knocking the shiv out of the Kurgan's hand.
Kurgen just grinned at Creed.
"What are ya gonna do now? Slap me in the head and bash my fuckin' brains out Creed? Careful, I think you're sweet on me." Kurgan grinned.
He was spitting teeth a few seconds later.
"You're meat. Course I'm sweet on ya." Creed growled.
Kurgan just smiled, a gap in his teeth and walked away.
"See, that's one of the others who've stood up to Creed." Sadjahn said.
Angel didn't care. His jaw hadn't dropped because of the scuffle. No, it had dropped because of something much different. Something that made his unbeating heart thud with life. He watched the woman sit down at her table and thought he heard music in the distance. There was only one word to describe her, and that was her name.
"Buffy." He gasped.