Author: Buffy 21
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Same as usual.
Chapter 10
It was sunset when Angel and Cordy checked out of their hotel and headed back to LA. They vowed that they would return one day seeing more than their hotel room. Cordy joked that she would beat Angel at one of the games of chance like craps or roulette and win all of the money, Angel scoffed at her.
It was eleven o'clock when they arrived at the Hyperion. Walking in with all of their luggage, they were greeted by Lorne.
"Hey kids, how was the honeymoon?"
"Perfect," Cordy replied.
"Where is everyone?" Angel inquired.
"They're gone out on a mission for a client," Lorne replied.
"Oh," Angel said.
"How's Connor?" Cordy asked.
"Fine. He's been a little angel. Um, no pun intended."
"I'm going up to see him. Angel are you coming?"
"Yeah, I'll be up in a minute, honey."
"Alright," Cordy replied.
Having said that, Cordy went up the stairs.
"Which client?" Angel asked.
"I don't know. I think this is a new one, they said something about a vamp problem on the other side of town," Lorne explained.
"New client, huh."
"Yeah. How was Las Vegas?" Lorne inquired.
"It's the same," Angel said.
"Ah, good old Vegas."
Days later . . .
While Cordy was in the middle of giving Connor his bath, she had a vision of a demon terrorizing a community on the other side of town, near the docks. She quickly wrapped the child in a towel, then went to Angel to tell him what she saw. As Cordy dressed Connor and put him to bed, Angel held a meeting with the others and told them about her vision.
Lorne identified the demon as a Mishlak demon and told them of its strength and the possibilities of defeating it. Making themselves battle ready they headed out to find it.
Moments later, Angel, Gunn, Fred and Wesley arrived at the docks seeking their prey. Looking around, the group walked towards one of the warehouses near by. Angel's sensitive hearing picked up the sounds of breathing, not human. Opening the door of the warehouse the sound became louder, at least for Angel. They walked around with a flashlight, shining it at the crates and on some of the darker corners.
"Well, there's nothing in here," Gunn stated.
"Shh!" Angel said.
"What? . . . I don't hear anything," Gunn replied.
The broody vampire fell silent and so did everyone else, listening for the slightest sound.
"Angel, what do you hear?" Fred inquired.
"I hear something. Breathing and it's not human," Angel replied.
Just then a huge figure came out of the darkness and attacked the group; Fred was knocked down in her attempt to strike out at the creature.
"Fred!" Gunn called out and got no response.
Angel, Gunn and Wesley began attacking the creature. Gunn swung his axe at the demon and missed him, Angel raised his sword to strike, and hit the armor that covered the monsters' shoulders. Wesley fired an arrow from his crossbow at the beast also hitting its armor; he then felt himself being thrown and slammed into some crates. Not wanting to face defeat, Gunn came back swinging his axe and managed to injure the monster, angering it; before being shoved into a corner.
Angel came back in game face and began punching and kicking the beast in a fit of rage. The demon backhanded the vampire dropping him to the floor, and then picking Angel up, threw him across the room. Wesley managed to stand long enough to fire a shot from his crossbow striking the demon in its right arm. Pulling the arrow from its arm and throwing it to the ground, the demon walked over to Wesley, grabbed him by the front of his shirt and slung him into some boxes.
Angel got back up on his feet and started moving towards the demon ready to attack again, but when he raised his fist to hit the creature, it was caught by one very large hand.
Then it spoke, "This isn't over vampire."
Having said that, the Mishlak demon tossed Angel in the direction of where Fred still lay unconscious and then left the warehouse. Angel was the first to stir and Gunn sat up from where he lay a minute before, rubbing his head. Getting to their feet, Angel and Gunn went to attend to the other members of team Angel making sure they were alright. Gunn checked on Fred, lifting her from the floor.
"Fred! Wake up!" he said.
As he smoothed her hair back from her face, Fred's eyes snapped open and she looked up into his face.
"Hey, are you alright?" Gunn asked.
"I think so. Oh, my head," she said, putting her hand against her head.
Gunn held up two fingers and placed them in front of her and asked, "How many fingers am I holding up?"
"Two," she replied.
"Right. You had me worried," Gunn said.
Gunn helped Fred to her feet, putting his arm around her for support. Angel had already helped Wesley up from the floor; then they came together, full circle.
"I think that we're going to need help with this one," Angel said.
"Whom are we going to get help from, Angel?" Wesley inquired.
"Some old friends," Angel said.
TBC . . .