Disclaimer: I do not own Marvel Cinematic Universe, Buffyverse or anything else you may recognize

Finally, Part 7 of this series, my version of Angel Season 5, which is my favorite Season in the whole Buffyverse and one of my most favorite Seasons on all of TV.

Obviously some stuff will go differently since here we will have 5 characters for this arc who were not there in canon- Cordelia, Lilah, Faith, Matt and Groo.

4 from Buffyverse, 1 from MCU.

Now Matt and Faith won't be there from the start, they will come soon though, but some stuff will be done without them to show how Cordelia and Groo handle working here, and how it goes with Lilah still around and still in a relationship with Wesley as well.

I'd also like to thank Brainstorm Sorcerer a lot for his help with the story, like usual.

And here we go.

Chapter 1- It's the job now

A young woman was walking through an empty alley in the dark when a Vampire jumped out at her. She screamed.

Angel heard her scream from his vantage point atop a high-rise building.

The girl backed in fear. "Please, you don't have to do this. I can get you money. You don't have-" the vampire grabbed her; she screamed. "Somebody help! Aah! Aah!"

Angel ran across the high-rise's rooftop, grabbed hold of a rope, and jumped off. He swung to the alley between the buildings ala Spider-Man. As he neared the ground, Angel kicked the vampire in the face, knocking him down. Angel did a back flip in the air as he touched down, his black leather coat billowing around him like a cape.

He turned around and sauntered toward the Vampire.

"Doesn't sound like the lady's interested. Maybe you're coming off as too needy."

The Vamp flipped up as Angel blocked and dodged 2 kicks, then blocked some punches before decking him, and ducked to avoid a punch, before being kicked back, then kicked the Vamp back before decking his face twice and in a spin motion, kicked him back but the Vamp flipped back up.

Angel dodged, then grabbing his arm, decked his face before spinning and kneeing him down. The Vamp tried to sweep his feet from under him but Angel leapt to avoid and tossed him into some trash cans before using a stake to dust him.

"What ju - I don't understand."

Angel turned to the girl. "Look, don't try. Just get yourself home and stay out of dark alleys. You'll be all right."

He smiled and walked off as the girl asked. "But...who are you?"

"It doesn't matter."

Cars screeched. A group of armed men dressed completely in black gather suddenly came at the end of the alley, pointing guns in Angel's direction.

"Angel" He said into his CB. "Area's secure. Angel is unharmed. Hostiles contained. Sweep area and confirm." He pulled off his ski mask and greeted Angel. "Angel, sir."

Several cars pulled up to the end of the alley, all with their headlights pointing at Angel. Several people got out and walked toward him.

"Angel!"

"We got report of your movement and came for backup."

"But –"

"I'm Agent Hauser. I run your operations team."

"Angel!" A lawyer was out of breath. "Hi. Glad we caught you. Really would –" He turned to a notary. "Get the forms from her." He turned to Angel. "Really would prefer it if you didn't leave a rescue scenario until we had a chance to control the scene. Of course, that is your decision, sir, but –"

Angel was confused. "How did you guys –"

The lawyer pointed at Angel's collar. "Tracking monitor in your lapel. And what a time-saver, too, huh?" He looked at his watch.

The notary spoke to the girl. "This is to confirm that you have been rescued by Angel, C.E.O. and President of Wolfram and Hart", a page flip, "and this is to indemnify Wolfram and Hart –"

The lawyer pushed Angel in the girl's direction. "If we can just get a couple pictures of you two, that would be great." He whispered. "Now, uh, the Vampire that you terminated, he actually did work for one of your clients." He smiled. "So, but, hey! First week, no one will squawk, ok?" He patted Angel's shoulder.

The girl asked Angel. "You run a law firm?"

Angel innocently replied. "No. I mean... well, sort of." A camera flashed. "Well, just lately."

The notary told the girl. "I need you to initial here concerning your immortal soul."

She signed while looking at Angel in disgust. "You did this for publicity?"

"No! I help..." He realized he sounded silly, "the helpless."

The lawyer asked. "Would you like me to bring your car around, sir? Or anything at all? Mocha? Latte? Decaf?"

Angel looked around at the array of dozens of people in utter disbelief.

The mail clerk pushed a basket full of office mail down the hallway. The top package was an envelope addressed to Angel. As the clerk passed the elevator, the elevator bell pinged and it opened as Fred stood there confused, holding a box of papers and personal belongings, looking out the wrong side.

Wesley walked up to the elevators from the lobby, holding a coffee mug.

"Fred?"

"Wesley!"

Wesley held the doors open as Fred walked out toward him. "Oh! I'm always getting turned around." She looked at the lobby in awe.

"Can I help you with any of that?"

"It's so big."

"It does take some getting used to."

"Have you seen my lab? It's ginormous. And I'm in charge."

Wesley started. "I'm sure you'll have no trouble –"

"I don't even understand half of what they're doing. There's this machine, 6 feet tall, it makes this noise - whoompa! whoompa! phhht! Not a clue."

Wesley shrugged. "Well, I'm still stuck back at, "Why on earth are we here?""

Fred tried to explain. "What, because we're crusaders against evil and now the law firm that represents most of the evil in the world has given us its L.A. branch to run however we want, probably in an attempt to corrupt, divide, or destroy us, and we all said yes in, like, 3 minutes?"

Wesley breathed deeply and nodded. "Your run-on sentences have got a lot less pointless."

"Oh, that's so sweet. And a tad condescending."

"Uh, you sure I can't help you –"

Knox ran to Fred. "Ms. Burkle!"

"Hi!" Fred turned to Wesley. "Oh, um, Wesley, this is Knox. And I told you to call me Fred."

"A-any minute now, I'm gonna start. Ha! That's a promise from me to you", he pointed to the box. "Can I help you with that?"

Fred smiled. "Oh, thank you."

"So, Knox, how long have you been, uh, evil?" Wesley asked.

"Oh! Heh! I just mix the potions, you know? And now that I'm taking orders from "el jefe" here, I'll probably be saving the world on a weekly basis."

Fred giggled.

"Good for you."

"Do you know how to get to your office from here?"

Fred asked back. "Why, did somebody eat my breadcrumbs?"

"Heh! It's not that hard. I'll show you."

"Thanks, Knoxy", they started up the stairs as Fred turned around to Wes. "Oh! See ya!"

Knox added. "Oh, it was nice to meet you."

Wesley watched Fred leave as Lilah passed by with an assistant on her way to her office, and then getting close to Wesley whispered. "Save the look, lover, I'm taking a long lunch break." She winked and walked off as Wesley looked a mix of exasperated and amused and turned on.

Gunn then arrived with a basketball which he'd have thrown at Wesley had Lilah not arrived, and said. "I've made up my mind. How's Fred doing?"

"I'm sure Knoxy will take wonderful care of her. Don't you think it's a bit unseemly adding y's to the ends of people's names?"

Gunn quipped. "Does that mean I have to call you "Westle"?"

Wesley frowned and asked. "Made up your mind about what?"

Gunn pulled Wesley to the offices. "Oh! I want the one on the left. This one makes me feel a little bit less completely out of place. I'd say 17% less. Plus..." he gestured to the windows, "a little bit of a view of the mountains. Lived my whole life in L.A., now I find out there are mountains. A brother should be told."

"It's very nice."

"So's yours. I mean, if it works for you", they walked to the adjoining office. "We can switch if you don't like the - you know, the kung pao or whatever."

"Feng shui."

"Right. What's that mean again?"

"That people will believe anything. Actually, in this place, feng shui will probably have enormous significance. I'll align my furniture the wrong way and suddenly catch fire or turn into a pudding."

"You having second thoughts?"

"You're not?"

Gunn made a point. "Man, do I look like I belong here? You got the mystical creds at least. I just hit stuff. I mean, even if this works, and we can turn this place around, use it to do some good, it's gonna be a long, long while before any of us gets anywhere near comfortable here."

Lorne walked through the lobby, talking on a cell phone, accompanied by a man holding three binders. "Oh, sweetie, it's perfect! Yes, it's perfect. It's the project you've been waiting for. Yeah, it's "Joanie Loves Chachi" meets "The Sorrow and the Pity." It's "Joanie Loves Pity." And you're –" he put the phone to his shoulder and nodded at one of the binders the man beside him was holding out, "yeah, that carpet's great because I want our clients to become dizzy and vomit. Keep flipping, huh?" He said to the phone. "Yeah, you're a shoo-in. The part's yours. Yeah, I've got a whole freezer full of horses' heads downstairs. No, I'm just kidding. But listen, the producer's a client, so read it and we'll talk", he turned to binder guy. "OK. Better. Horrible and pathetic, but better."

After that, Cordelia entered in a pantsuit, with an assistant on either side, a phone between her ear and shoulder, a hand with a pen signing something from one assistant, and Connor in her other arm. She talked to someone on the other end. "We are no longer insuring that," a pause as the other assistant gave something for her to sign.

Cordelia suddenly pushed the contract and pen into the assistant, "Because eating kids is wrong!"

Connor got fussy as the assistant offered. "I can take care of him."

But Cordelia held him close, and gave a scary look to the girl. "Touch the baby, and die."

The assistant paled as Cordelia spoke back into the phone. "And that goes double for you, buddy!"

She hung up, tossing the phone to the female assistant, and Wesley and Gunn stared at her.

Wesley started. "You're quite good-"

"At your jobs", Gunn finished.

"I'm good at everything, or have you forgotten?"

The elevator doors opened as Angel was there with Groo, who was facing the wrong side.

"It's this way", Angel said as Groo turned and walked with him.

"The training of the guards is quite a rewarding occupation. It reminds me of when I was king in Pylea, only more punching, and less politics."

Gunn called to Angel. "You lost boss?"

"On a lot of levels", Angel gestured with wide hands. "Did you hear what happened to me last night?"

He walked across the lobby, flanked by Cordelia, Wesley, Gunn and Groo.

Gunn looked between Cordelia and Angel and joked. "You two did it and now she's pregnant somehow magically."

Cordelia quipped. "With how much you're talking of pregnant, I guess you are."

Gunn had a lame look as Cordelia and Wesley shared a chuckle while Angel took Connor from Cordelia, rocking and cooing at him as well as sharing a quick kiss with Cordelia before revealing. "They put a tracer on me. I was working the town, helping the helpless, which is a thing I like to do. All of a sudden, the entire firm shows up in the alley."

Wesley assured. "We'll make sure it doesn't happen again."

Lilah then walked to them and announced. "This way, boys and girls. We have a guest." She sounded pretty annoyed.

They walked to the office as Angel opened both doors to reveal a young woman in a red suit on Angel's chair.

"Angel, we need to have a discussion on strange women in your office", Cordelia said, with an unimpressed look towards the woman.

"Hi. It's really neat to see you guys", she smiled.

Angel walked up to her, unbuttoning his jacket. "I'm pretty sure this is supposed to be my office."

"Never happen again. Just wanted to, you know, see your face."

"You like to make an entrance."

"You always open both doors when you enter a room?" Angel looked down. "I don't need to make an entrance. I need to make an impression. I'm gonna be your liaison to the firm. I'll help you find your way. My name is Eve. And just so we get the whole irony thing of the way..." Eve picked up a shiny red apple from the desk and threw it to Angel who caught it.

"Who do you answer to?"

"The Senior Partners, and if you're thinking, which, by the way, you are, that you can use me to get to them, let go of the dream. I answer to them. I don't lunch with them."

Wesley noted. "Still... a pretty powerful position for a young woman."

"And she got it", Lilah snorted in contempt.

Eve asked. "How exactly can you be sure I'm either of those things?" She smiled and stood. "OK, let me tell you how this works."

"I thought I was in charge."

Eve started pacing. "Of the Los Angeles offices of a multi-dimensional corporation-"

"Save the speech, hon, I already gave them the rundown", Lilah cut her off as Eve glared, annoyed, while Lilah smirked.

"All right, in that case, to keep it short, just keep the business running", Eve said.

Cordelia quipped. "Wow, come up with that yourself?"

Angel took a bite of the apple with a crisp crunch as Eve told the group. "The client files are all in there. You might want to start going through 'em."

Angel, Cordelia, Wesley, Lorne, Fred, Gunn and Groo were sitting around the conference table going through files. The table was full of papers and file folders, and the gang seemed exhausted.

Angel spoke for them all. "This is unbelievable."

Fred agreed. "I think I've lost my appetite, which is kind of a first."

Lorne read a file. "Hmm, well, this is interesting. Apparently old Joe Kennedy tried to get out of his deal with the firm."

Angel said. "That explains a lot."

Lorne told him. "Yeah, but George, Senior - he read the fine print. There's no one these guys don't have a piece of."

Cordelia was now half-asleep and said. "I have read over a hundred different bedtime stories and none of them have made me this..." She started snoring on the table.

Angel sighed and stood up. "How are we even supposed to start making things right?" He tossed a file down.

Gunn read a file. "Here's a winner - Corbin Fries. On trial for smuggling Asian girls in for cheap labor and prostitution. Been charged with drugs, gun running, nothing stuck."

Wesley added. "And that's one of our human clients."

Gunn read further and said. "Looks like the trial's not going too well this time."

Angel told him. "Hmm, first good news all day."

Gunn closed the file and looked at the table. "I can't even remember which pile is which."

Angel shrugged. "'ll get my secretary to go through it in the morning. Do I have a secretary?"

Cordelia, still asleep, spoke up. "No one prettier than me."

Gunn then told the team. "My impression is a lot of these guys are just opportunistic. They'll go with the flow."

Fred agreed. "You know we're gonna have to check the whole staff, make sure we don't have any die-hard evildoers plotting against us."

Wesley sat back. "And here I was, worrying about the clients."

Angel looked at them all. "We're doing the right thing...right?"

Groo told Angel. "Whatever path you lead us on, Angel, I will follow."

"Well, uh..." Lorne sat forwards. "We're doing it tomorrow, exalted one. My horns are falling asleep."

"Yeah. You guys go get some rest."

Fred asked. "What about you?"

"I'll work a while yet. Go on."

Cordelia lazily picked herself up and shared a kiss with Angel before walking along with the rest as Connor was in a small area behind Angel, playing with some toys nearby.

Angel went through the files and papers for a good while before pressing a button on his phone. "Um...can I get a cup of coffee or something?"

"You have reached ritual sacrifice. For goats, press one, or say "goats.""

Angel hastily pressed the button, paused, then tried again by pressing a different button. "Hello?"

"This is Angel's office. How can I help you?"

"This is Angel."

"No, this is his new assistant."

"No, this is Angel."

"Are you sure?"

Angel scoffed. "Less and less. Can I get a cup of coffee? Or if there's blood –"

"Oh! Right away."

Angel pressed the button to hang up, but he'd switched to the previous line.

"To sacrifice a loved one or pet, press the pound –"

Angel hastily pressed the button to hang up, holding it down longer this time. He stared at the phone, disgusted, for a moment, then went back to his papers.

The phone rang, and Angel answered it on the speakerphone. "Hello?"

"It's Wesley. Can I stop in? We might be into a situation."

Angel's secretary brought him a mug and placed it on his desk in front of him.

"Uh, sure. Come on by." Angel sipped from his mug, then looked up at his secretary. "Harmony."

Harmony Kendall greeted Angel cheerfully. "Hey! Boss."

Angel was in shock. "You're my secretary?"

Harmony was indignant. "Hello! Assistant."

"Explain why I shouldn't kill you."

"Secretary's fine."

Angel now stood up. "No, it's not fine. Where is it fine? You've been working here?"

"Yeah-huh."

"Why?"

Harmony scoffed. "Well, duh! I'm a single undead gal trying to make it in the big city - I have to start somewhere. And they're evil here, they don't judge. They've got the necrotempered glass –" she danced in front of the window, "no burning up - a great medical plan, and who needs dental more than us?"

"This is surreal."

"Now, before you go threatening to fire me –"

"I threatened to kill you."

Harmony backed up slowly. "Don't let's quibble. Before anything, just think - I'm strong, I'm quick, I'm incredibly sycophantic - if that means what that guy said - and I type like a superhero...if there was a superhero whose power was typing. And, hey, we keep the same hours. Creatures of the night..." Harmony held up her fist, "unite." She handed him his mug again. "How do you like your blood?"

"Tell me that's not –"

"It's pig's blood. I'm totally off the human blood. That's not even a thing."

Angel tasted it. "It tastes –"

"Pretty good, right?" Harmony leaned in. "The extra ingredient is otter."

Harmony then looked at Connor and looked like she was going to run to him. "Oh my God, he is super, super cute! Awww!"

But then Angel stepped in between them and added. "Off limits too."

Harmony groaned as there was a knock and then Cordelia and Wesley entered, the latter saying. "Angel, it's one of our cases. It's becoming problematic." He nodded to Harmony. "Harmony."

Harmony was overjoyed to see Cordelia. "Oh my God! Cordy! I-"

"I haven't forgotten last time, touch me and you're a pile of dust", Cordelia said with a smirk as Harmony shut up.

Angel realized something. "You two-"

"Wes is the one that picked me out of the steno pool", Harmony revealed.

"And I gave the okay", Cordelia added.

Harmony started. "Oh my God, Cordy! That is so-"

A look from Cordelia shut her up.

Angel was still confused. "But why... You, uh..." He sighed.

Wesley justified himself. "Well, I thought a familiar face would be just the thing in a place like this."

"Yeah, that's the only reason I agreed, even if familiar face tried to betray us", Cordelia said with a scoff aimed at Harmony.

"Hey! Evil creature of the night! Don't be judgmental!" Harmony defended herself.

"Too late, already judging", Cordelia shrugged.

Angel shook his head. "You two turned evil a lot faster than I thought you would."

"Nonsense."

Harmony agreed there. "We're gonna get along great, boss. The whole gang. All of us, YAY! So, anyway, I really think you should not fire me, and Wes and Cordy do too."

Cordy added. "Yeah, but if she does go out of line she can be dusted."

"Come on!" Harmony said. "It was so long ago now, get over it."

Wesley gave an order. "Harmony, would you ask the men in my office to join us, please?"

"Righty-ho", Harmony nodded and exited.

"What's the case?" Angel asked.

Wesley handed folder to Angel. "Corbin Fries. The lowest piece of pond scum I've met in, oh, hours. He's about to get 20 years for kidnapping, pimping –"

"I saw the file", Angel handed it back to Wesley."

"I think Gunn mentioned it when I was sleeping", Cordelia remembered.

"Yeah, how do you remember?" Wesley asked.

"Guess I hear in my sleep", Cordelia shrugged.

Wesley turned back to Angel. "Personally, I think he deserves to be eaten by weasels, but he's hinting we'd best help him. Threatening, actually."

The door opened as Angel greeted. "Mr. Fries."

Harmony made introductions. "Mr. Fries, this is Angel."

"I've been bringing him up to speed on your case", Wesley gestured toward the couches in the corner of Angel's office.

Fries was flat and also noticed the baby before turning back to Angel. "Terrific."

A guy introduced himself to Angel. "Desmond Keel."

Wesley added. "One of ours."

"Nice to meet you."

"I've heard, uh, things."

"Would anybody like coffee?" Harmony asked.

Fries was in the mood right now. "Oh, yeah, let's all chit-chat and have tea and crumpets and fawn over the baby 'cause I got so much time. Here's the skinny: Tomorrow the D.A. Puts my tit in a wringer for good and all, and that... does not stand with me. Butt-munch here, he got his law degree at dog training school", Harmony giggled, "and the prosecution has everything they've ever dreamed of."

"Because you're guilty", Angel pointed out.

"Of course I'm guilty. What the hell are you changin' the subject for? The point is, when Holland Manners was running things, this would've never got to trial. Now, I bring a lot of money into this firm, more than most, and I don't do that so I can be handed over to the frickin' law." Fries pointed at Angel. "You... gotta get me off."

Lorne was passing by as Cordelia called out. "Lorne!"

"Yeah magnificence?" Lorne asked as he walked to her, and she picked up Connor, handing the baby to him.

"Please take him from here."

"Sure, I'd love to have the little nipper", Lorne said as he took Connor and walked off with a nod.

Angel resumed conversation with Fries. "It's strange, my lack of incentive."

Fries wasn't phased one bit. "You think I give a ferret's anus about your new regime here? Yeah, I know who you are, and I care to the sum of zero. You're my lawyers. And if you don't do every last thing to keep me out of jail, you will regret it."

"Well, we can't dance around this one. We're not in a position to have anyone killed", Angel, Cordelia and Wesley glanced at Keel. "Not that we would. And the jury's, uh, tamper-proof. Literally. I think one of the D.A.'s shamans has conjured a mystical shield around them."

Wesley realized. "So this one has to be won on the merits of the case."

"And there are none", Cordelia finished.

Keel started. "Now, we have top men on this –"

"Who are doing jack! I am not gonna be made an example of. Either you get me off tomorrow –"

"I think you should calm down."

Fries walked to Angel and was in his face. "To hell with calm down. Either you get me off, or I drop the bomb."

Wesley asked. "Bomb?"

"Let me put it this way: If they bring in a conviction, bye-bye, California. I say the magic word, the only people left standing are gonna be the ones that are already dead."

Harmony sighed. "Oh, well, that's a relief." She stuttered. "I mean –" She pointed angrily. "Hey!"

Cordelia was angered by Fries and called out. "Hey!"

He turned to her as she glared and told him in a dangerously calm tone. "It would be hard to say any kind of word without a tongue."

Fries and even the team paled a little, as this little darkness in Cordelia from working here was unexpected by them all.

Lorne opened a notebook and addressed a room full of people, with baby Connor next to him on a high chair.

"OK, well, we all know why we're here. So why don't we get started", Lorne looked at the file and asked. "Uh... Cindy...Rabinowitz?"

Cindy sang off key. "There once was a woman who loved a man He was the one that she took poison for They say that nobody ever loved as much as she But me, I love you more-"

Lorne listened for a bit, then said. "Yikes!"

Connor started crying too as Lorne rocked him and agreed. "My thoughts exactly."

Later, the whole team but Lorne, Gunn and Groo were in Angel's office

"Blow everybody up?" Fred asked.

Angel shrugged. "Well, he said "drop the bomb." We don't know what that means."

Wesley turned to Cordelia. "We very nearly found out."

Cordelia was indignant. "What? I'm not allowed to threaten people?"

"Not people capable of genocide."

Cordelia argued. "Those are exactly the types of people I should be allowed to threaten!"

Lorne came back in with Connor. "Hey, back to the here and now, chickadees. Where do we stand?"

Cordelia took Connor from Lorne as Wesley said. "We need to find out about this bomb and somehow disable it in case that jury comes in with a conviction." Angel nodded. "We think it may have some mystical element."

Angel reminded them all. "Fries said, "I say the magic word." He could mean exactly that."

"Not without a tongue", Cordelia quipped and got weird looks again. "Just saying, no talking, no magic wording, no bombing."

"You know something?" Wesley asked.

"Well, I am head of Special Projects, I noticed people have done jobs for this guy before, one got fired literally for working with him under the table", Cordelia said, shocking all of them.

Wesley added. "We also think this bomb probably isn't an explosive. This isn't the sort of man to risk his own life. So that could mean more magic – "

"Or it could be a virus, Ebola kind of thing", Fred finished for him.

"Right. The main thing is, any of this stuff could've come from right here. Keel, the lawyer, says he doesn't know anything, and I believe him."

"Why?" Fred asked.

"He's terrified."

Lorne nodded. "It's going around."

Wesley gave orders. "Fred, go through the lab records. See if Wolfram & Hart deals in viruses. Lorne, you're in the courtroom. Monitor the case. Let us know how it's going."

"But lunch with Steven Seagal... He wants to renew his contract."

Cordelia triumphantly declared. "I knew it!"

She exchanged a knowing look with Wesley at that.

Harmony told them all. "I paged Gunn 3 times. Still nothing."

Fred asked. "Why isn't he here?"

Lorne gestured to Harmony. "Why is she?"

"Long story."

"Wesley found her, I gave the okay, end of story", Cordelia shrugged.

"Okay, not", Harmony quipped before handing a note to Cordelia. "Oh, and I got Spanky's address."

"Spanky?" Lorne asked.

Cordelia informed him. "Freelance mystic. He's showed up in Fries' files a few times." She gave the note to Angel.

"I'm gonna do some legwork", Angel said as he got up and shared a quick kiss with Cordelia, then kissed Connor on the forehead.

Fred asked. "Can you get there by sewer?"

"Not this time."

The elevator bell rang, the doors opened, and Angel walked out into the dark basement garage. It was full of classic sports cars from every decade.

Angel was unable to decide. "Oh, God, they're so beautiful!" He chose a yellow 1970's era car, opening the door.

"Sir?"

Angel noticed Hauser coming out of the shadows. "Hauser, right?"

"We got word there's a floater you wanted brought in."

Angel walked to Hauser. "How exactly did you get that word?"

"That's my job, sir. You want us to bring him in?"

"I'll take care of it."

"Traditionally, my unit handles all the wet work."

"I know you meant field work."

Hauser smirked. "Of course."

"Mm-hmm. I'll take care of it", Angel walked back to his car. "Later on, you can tell me all about tradition."

Later, Angel was in his office with Cordelia, holding Connor. He'd 'spanked' Spanky and found out exactly where Fries had put his bomb.

"His own son…" Angel trailed off, looking at Connor sadly as he rocked him and kissed his forehead.

And it hit hard not just because he himself had a son, but because the son was called 'Matt'.

"Are we sure we can't cut out his tongue?" Cordelia asked again.

"Honestly, I think we should", Angel now agreed as the two shared a look. "For Matt, the kid, or both of them."

"Wouldn't mind", Cordelia agreed.

That was when Eve walked in as Cordelia quipped. "Oh great, cheap Lilah's here."

"Rough day at work?" Eve asked.

"His son, he took a lethal virus and put it in his son", Angel said sadly with a scoff.

"Hits you where you live, doesn't it?" Eve asked, looking at Connor in his arms. "Due to Connor."

Angel snarled at her. "That's not a name I want passing through your lips."

Eve grinned coyly. "What would you want passing through my lips?"

"Nothing, he loves my lips", Cordelia spoke up as she and Angel smiled at each other, then glared at Eve together.

Eve then told the two. "Here's the news from this sector: If every case hits you this hard, you're not gonna last a week."

Angel snarled. "Now, I don't want you coming into my office again unless I ask for you. I don't want to hear another word right now unless you decide to start helping out."

"How do you know I'm not?"

A while later, Angel was rifling through papers in his office after having been told by Lorne just how badly the case was going this time.

Wesley told Angel. "Fred's got the lab techs on track for an antidote, but it could be days. Same with removing the mystical container, I'm afraid. If we could get them to suspend the trial –"

"Not gonna happen", Angel grabbed his coat. "I gotta get to the school."

"To isolate the boy?" Cordelia asked.

"Yup."

Groo and Harmony then arrived inside as the former said. "Angel?"

"Yeah?"

"The armory is missing some tactical gear, and Hauser's team has not reported in", Groo revealed to him.

"Why would that be?" Angel asked.

"The special ops team already left for the school", Harmony then said. "They left, and they called for the cleaners to meet there. I have it from some of the girls "cleaners" means a big job. Lots of bodies."

"How long ago?" Angel asked

"10 minutes", Harmony and Groo said together.

Wesley told Angel. "You'll never beat them on the street."

"Well, I gotta try."

Harmony called out again. "Um, boss?"

Angel, Cordelia and Wesley asked simultaneously. "What?!"

The agents ran into the classroom, putting on gas masks as they tossed a gas canister inside, but then saw that aside from Angel, the room was empty.

"So it turns out, with this new deal and all, I own a helicopter."

Hauser asked. "Where's the boy?"

"You just missed everybody." Angel waved the smoke out of his face. "Oh, I probably don't wanna be breathing that."

Hauser snarled. "Kid's still a threat, which means you have him isolated, probably nearby."

Angel quipped. "I can see why they made you the leader. Do I even have to start with how fired you all are?"

Hauser chuckled and removed his mask. "That's not how it works."

Angel realized. "Oh, right! Tradition. Why don't you show me how that's done?"

Hauser agreed. "Thank you, sir. Take him out!"

The agents opened fire as Angel ran and ducked to avoid, then one drew a knife and walked to where he was hidden, only to be kicked on the face by a fully vamped out Angel.

Angel then kicked another's gun out of his hands and ducking a blow, grabbed his hand, taking off his mask before taking him down.

Another fired but he avoided, then kicked a desk, making two fall down, though one shot still got him on the shoulder. As one got up, Angel grabbed him in a chokehold as the one firing shot him instead and Angel threw him off, then leaping over the desk, kicked another back.

He took out holy water but Angel kicked it out of his hand, then ducked a blow. The guy hit his face, and Angel used the wall to propel himself and spin kick him back.

The agent spin kicked him but Angel ducked the next blow, grabbed his hand, disarmed him, then punched him into the wall twice. The agent grabbed his arm and pinned him to the table but Angel kicked him back, then twisted his arm and kicked him again before taking him out with 2 spin kicks, one to the face and one to the chest. Another roared but Angel pushed him out.

Wesley and Lorne sat nervously on the back row of the court watching the proceedings.

"If there are no more objections, I'll hear final summations."

Someone in a fancy suit and expensive shoes walked through the lobby carrying an alligator-hide briefcase.

"Your honor, the defense requests one more minute to confer."

Wesley and Lorne were shocked to see it was Gunn.

"Honestly, was expecting my lovely Devil", Lorne whispered to Wesley.

"So was I", Wesley agreed with a nod.

"Another defense lawyer. What a joy."

Gunn whispered to Keel who said to the Judge. "Uh, Your Honor, at this point, I'd like to cede the floor to my colleague Charles Gunn."

"So noted."

"Thank you. Your Honor, the defense moves for a mistrial", Gunn immediately said.

The judge stared blankly at Gunn as all others murmured.

"You are, of course, joking."

"Your Honor, that's the second prejudicial remark you've made against the defense since I entered the room", Gunn said, sounding very smooth, since he had all the knowledge and seeing Matt in action (legally) had an effect on him too, so he carried himself and spoke exactly like Matt.

"What are your grounds for requesting a mistrial?"

"You are, Your Honor. I'm asking that you recluse yourself from this trial."

The Judge told Gunn. "The thin ice you are on is over very deep water."

"No judge shall be appointed to try any case concerning a business colleague or employee", Gunn picked up a file. "Permission to approach the bench."

"These are...?" The Judge opened the file. "What are you doing with my tax records?"

Gunn explained to her. "The highlighted portions indicate stock in Oriental Bay Exports, which is owned by Loros, Incorporated, which in turn is owned by a consortium that includes the defendant, Corbin Fries."

"I have brokers who do my –" The Judge asked Gunn. "You submit that I could possibly have known about this connection?"

"I found out, and I've been on the case", Gunn looked at his watch, "6 hours."

"The ice is melting, counselor."

"The defense submits it has learned how to swim", Gunn looked at the jury which laughed. "I withdraw that statement with apologies." He picked up a thick law book. "McCracken vs. The State of Maine,1954: "Any financial dealings shall be deemed the responsibility of the interested party, regardless of number or function of employees unless said party has been judged mentally incapable."" He put the book down. "Permission to approach. And furthermore, the strain on my client's several businesses has forced Oriental Bay Exports to shrink its holdings of late. If Mr. Fries is convicted, the interest your honor has in it would represent a controlling interest. I would prefer not to present the rest of our findings in front of the jury."

The judge was in shock. "I'll see counsel in my chambers. Right now."

Fries turned to Wesley and Lorne with a smirk.

Angel ducked another agent's blow and kicked him down before spin kicking another away. He blocked the next one's blow and grabbing him, ran on the wall, kicking another down, before taking that one down too.

The previous tried to kick but Angel ducked, then blocked his punch and head-butted him down twice. Angel was back in human face. "You know that won't kill me."

Hauser shrugged. "It'll hurt. That part's fun."

Angel snarled. "Agent Hauser, I'm honestly beginning to suspect that you're not part of the solution."

Hauser taunted. "You really think you can solve the problem? Come into Wolfram and Hart and make everything right? Turn night into glorious day? You pathetic little fairy."

Angel countered. "I'm not little."

Hauser retorted. "That's exactly what you are. You're minuscule. A dust mote on the shelf of that great institution. Now, you think I'm just a trigger-happy jerk who follows orders, but I am something you will never be. I'm pure. I believe in evil. You and friends, you're conflicted. You're confused. We're not. That is why you are gonna lose, because we possess the most powerful thing in the world... conviction."

Angel told him. "There is one thing more powerful than conviction. Just one. Mercy."

Angel kicked Hauser in the chest, forcing the shotgun to point at Hauser's head. A gunshot sounded, and Hauser and his gun fell to the floor.

A bloody splatter covered the wall where Hauser's head used to be.

The head-butted agent, now unmasked asked. "What happened to mercy?"

Angel walked out.

"You just saw the last of it."

Later, back at the office, Harmony brought a bottle of water to Eve as she chatted with Angel, Cordelia, Wesley, Fred, Lorne, Lilah and Groo about Gunn.

"It's very simple, really", Eve took the water bottle from Harmony. "Thank you." She turned back to the group. "Charles agreed to let us enhance his mind with a comprehensive knowledge of the law."

Gunn used a cigar cutter to snip the tip off of a cigar.

Wesley was surprised. "Without asking us?"

"Mother, may I?" Gunn quipped.

Fred phrased it better. "Without telling us?"

"'Cause I knew you guys would freak. Look, it's me here", Gunn assured them all. "They didn't evil me up. All I got stuck in my head was the law. And for some reason, a mess load of Gilbert and Sullivan."

Eve told him. "Standard. Great for elocution."

"So you got jacked up, huh?" Lilah asked, not sounding pleased about it.

"What? Mad you're not their legal expert now?" Eve asked Lilah with a smirk.

Angel asked Gunn. "How can you possibly know they didn't do anything else?"

"'Cause I saw the man in the white room. He does a lot of scary things, but lying ain't one of them", Gunn assured him.

"You needed a lawyer to get by here", Eve pointed out while gesturing to Lilah. "One who is actually on your side. Charles had the most unused potential. His degrees are all forged, but he's the real deal."

"Since you don't have Matt here to get you through the legal mumbo jumbo, you get me", Gunn said, proudly gesturing to himself, then asked. "You want me to sing for Lorne? I could give him a little "Pirates of Penzance." All of it, actually."

"I would also point out that he did just save the day, without ever resorting to violence", Eve turned to Angel. "How'd you do?" She smiled. "I think you guys are gonna make it work. Yay, team."

"I think I threw up a little in my mouth", Lilah sneered, and now Eve shut up as she exited.

Lilah looked at the group. While she wouldn't ever admit it, she had grown quite fond of them. And unlike Eve, she wasn't going to pretend she was on a different side from the one she was actually on.

"I'll see you around", Lilah said, sharing a kiss with Wesley.

"I look forward to it", Wesley nodded as she walked off.

Lorne sighed. "Of course, saving the day meant getting the scumbag who was ready to sacrifice his own son off on a technicality and then returning said son to said scumbag."

"Yeah, I hate we had to send the kid back to him", Cordelia snarled angrily, stroking Connor who was in Angel's grip, being rocked by him.

Wesley told them. "Fred and I have enough time to disable the charm now. He won't be in danger."

"And Fries is gonna have to dial down the criminal activities 'til this thing comes to trial again. Which I can draw out for months", Gunn shrugged.

"The security team is being reformed as we speak", Groo added.

They realized this was the job now.

Fred wondered. "Is this gonna be our lives now? Fighting our own employees, our own clients? Are we really gonna do any good?"

Angel rubbed his chin. "Yes, we are. We're gonna change things. We came to Wolfram and Hart because it's a powerful weapon, and we'll figure out how to wield it."

Wesley added. "Or kill ourselves with it."

"I prefer the wielding scenario", Cordelia said with a raised hand.

Fred flatly quipped. "Yay, team."

"No, sooner or later they'll tip their hand, and we'll find out why they really brought us here. Its not to keep an eye on their apocalypse, which Lilah told us." Angel said as the whole team looked at him. "Meanwhile, we do the work...our way, one thing at a time. We deal with whatever comes next."

"Not as easy as it sounds, dumbass."

They turned around to see the old man with clouded eyes, and recognized him.

Cordelia asked in surprise. "Stick?"

Wesley greeted his one-time possessor, which was with consent. "Stick."

Harmony popped her head in. "Who?"

And the end here. Not too different but hope the additions of Cordelia and Lilah were enjoyed, the latter will get more to do later. And like the Team, she doesn't like her cheap version aka Eve either.

Matt and Faith will show up in a few chapters, not too late, don't worry, but not at the complete start either, and one more character shall come too.

Since Spike is not around, Stick is now the resident ghost here, hell yeah!

Hope all enjoyed and see you all next time with another chapter.