Disclaimer: I do not own Marvel Cinematic Universe, Buffyverse or anything else you may recognize
Thank you to everyone who has favorited, followed or reviewed this fic so far.
And here we go with another one for Angel. Thanks a lot to Brainstorm Sorcerer for his help with this one.
Chapter 3- Luck be a Devil
Los Angeles, Hyperion Hotel
"Where's Winnie? There she is!" Fred said, playing peek-a-boo with Connor, as he laughed, and she gave a smile.
Fred continued playing as the door then opened and in came Angel and Gunn, holding a sword and ax respectively, both covered in green gut slime, making Fred cringe.
"So I'm guessing you won", Fred commented.
"Yeah, but damn this is….eeeugh!" Gunn said, putting his ax back in place. "Man, I'm exhausted."
"You're not wrong, we've been trying to hold up the fort for a while, and it's been really hard", Fred agreed with a nod. "This is getting tiresome."
"How about a retreat?" Angel finally suggested. "I mean, Groo just took a holiday of his own, didn't he? I think that would be a good thing for us all too, what do ya say?"
"So, where are we going? Like some spiritual journey?" Fred then asked.
"Yeah, like when Willow stayed at that Sanctorum to control her magic?" Gunn asked as well.
"Exactly like that", Angel said as he patted their shoulders and walked off.
New York City
Matt got a call and asked. "Yeah, Angel?"
Faith looked at him as Matt nodded. "Oh! All right, yeah, that'd be good."
Matt cut the call as Faith asked. "What happened?"
"Angel has suggested a retreat", Matt told Faith as he put the plates away.
"What, some spiritual journey?" Faith asked, as she'd love to come to that one too.
"No, it's a trip to Las Vegas to meet Lorne, and you know I can't say no to that", Matt pointed as Faith's eyes widened in realization and she nodded.
"Right", she said. "Of course, he's your singing buddy, definitely can't say no to that for sure."
"So, you're coming?" Matt then asked her.
"Nah", Faith shook her head. "Vegas ain't my thing nowadays, would have been 4 years ago though. But anyway, I will still come till LA, I can babysit Connor. He needs to know his fun aunt Faith."
The two chuckled as Matt said. "Sure."
He then walked off to his room and felt Stick appear next to him. "Hello Stick."
"Vegas, eh? Have fun there. Strange is still at it with Nightmare", Stick informed Matt who simply gave a nod.
"Can you watch over Faith and Connor for me?" Matt then requested.
"Oh bloody hell no!" Stick immediately shook his head. "I ain't a babysitter."
"Aw come on Stick, it'll be fun, I mean, you enjoy kids", Matt accused him playfully.
"No I don't, get these illusions out of your head, Matty", Stick told him with a growl.
"I can't get illusions, I can't see", Matt pointed out. "Come on, its not for too long, just a little."
"No!"
"Please?"
"Okay fine, you owe me for this", Stick said with a scoff as Matt chuckled at that.
Later, Hyperion Hotel
The doors opened as Matt and Faith walked in. "Hey guys."
Angel hugged both Matt and Faith, then his nose twitched as he sniffed them. "You two…" He trailed off, now getting uncomfortable as he realized what they had done.
"Well, it was a 3 hour flight, we got bored", Faith said with a shrug as Matt chuckled and Angel groaned, and she walked off, sharing a hug with Fred.
"There they are", Gunn said as he walked down with baby Connor in his arms, and Faith took the baby from him.
"Hey there little kiddo", Faith said, cooing at him. "Today you get to know your fun aunt Faith", she then raised her eyebrow and said in a mock threatening tone. "You better like her."
"Good luck", Faith then said to them all.
"Thanks", Fred said to him with a smile as she, Angel and Gunn picked up their bags. Matt already had his.
"Have fun", Faith said to them while sharing a kiss on the lips with Matt.
"We will, and you have fun too", Matt said as the four walked out, waving to Faith, and Faith also lifted baby Connor's hand to give them a cute little wave.
Later
The group soon reached Las Vegas on their drive, Angel having revealed he had been here before and cryptically adding that he wanted Lorne to set him on his destiny once more as well.
As they went further into the city, Fred and Gunn looked around, awed by the sight of the place, it was even better than what they had imagined, and being part of it would be even more fun for sure.
"I can hear the neon", Matt commented as he turned his head here and there. "A lot of it."
"Who the hell hears neon?" Gunn asked at that point.
Matt said with a smirk. "Luke actually asked that once."
"No way!" Gunn went fanboy briefly for that moment.
"Oh God", Fred groaned before telling them. "The place Lorne is singing at is called the Tropicana."
Gunn was surprised to hear that. "The Tropicana? The Tropicana? That can't be right."
Fred was confused at Gunn's reaction. "Why not?"
Angel explained to her. "Ah, the Tropicana is a pretty high profile casino, not some low-key, out-of-the-way dive."
"Yeah", Matt added with a nod. "It's not a place one would expect to see supernatural stuff, because in that case it would be exposed to the whole world."
Angel then finished. "And looking the way Lorne does, you have to go some place a little more, you know, discreet."
Fred focused on something up the road. "Uhm, how discreet, exactly?"
Angel stopped beside a huge billboard advertising Lorne, the green, velvet fog and his exclusive engagement at the Tropicana.
"Definitely not that much", Gunn said lamely.
There was applause as scantily clad girls in green makeup and red horns pranced across the stage fluttering huge fans made out of fluffy white feathers. They put the fans together and Lorne slowly rose up out of the middle of them.
Matt, Gunn, Fred and Angel were sitting at one of the tables just off the stage stare as Lorne began to croon.
"It's not that easy being green. Having to spend each day the color of the leaves. When I think it could be nicer being red or yellow or..."
Gunn noted to the rest of them. "No one seems to be bothered by the fact that he's a demon."
Fred was grinning: "They must think it's all makeup - like the blue man group." She then turned to Matt and Angel. "You don't think the blue man group..."
Angel supplied to her. "Only two of them."
"Yeah, guessing Demons here can blend in by using makeup as an excuse", Matt agreed with a nod.
"Oh, but green's the color of spring, and green can be cool and friendly like. Oh, and green can be big like an ocean, or important like a mountain, or tall like a tree. Oh, when green is all there is to green it could make you wonder why, but why wonder why wonder. I am green and it'll do fine. It's beautiful and I think it's what I want to be."
"This is great, his singing is still as amazing as before", Matt said as the whole crowd applauded, Team Angel included, though Angel joined somewhat hesitantly.
"Thank you! Thank you so much! You know, I got to tell you folks, I got to tell you, you are by far the kickingest crowd that I had the privilege of performing to here at the Tropicana."
There was even more applause.
"Yes! Yes, that's right. Give it up for your sweet selves. Alright!" Lorne then loosened his tie. "Now, you know what? Just for you guys, I think it's time we cranked things up a notch. What do you say?" There was cheering. "Here, you go, honey." Lorne dropped his tie down into the crowd. "Yeah. Maestro, give me some drums, si'l vous plait." Drums played. "Ah, that's it! That's it! Paco, give me a little bass! Ah, merci, merci! Now all I need is a little help from my Lornettes!"
The stage curtain opened to reveal the dancing girls from earlier, and the crowd cheered. "Yeah! Strut it, girls! Yeah. Come on girls!" Lorne jumped off the stage launching into "Lady Marmalade."
Fred let out a scream and clapped wildly. Gunn and Angel turned to stare at her. Fred brushed her hair back behind her ear. "He's very good."
They all turned back to watch Lorne perform, though Matt now had a frown on his face, because he could Lorne's heartbeat, and it was beating really fast, as if he was scared.
Why?
At one point Lorne held the mic in front of a guy wearing a suit, who complied by singing the next line, and Lorne's heartbeat rose at that in panic.
The crowd cheered.
A little while later Lorne offered the mic to a middle-aged lady to sing another line as he worked his way through the crowd, and his heartrate rose at that once more.
Fred then said excitedly. "Oh, here he comes! He's gonna plotz when he sees us."
"Huh-uh", Gunn nodded before adding a warning. "He better not stick that damn mic in my face. Best to do it to Matt."
"Oh, come on, Charles. It's all in fun. Besides, you have a nice voice", Fred assured him. "Though yeah, Matt's is much better, right Matt?"
Matt didn't respond as Angel commented. "He's gone."
Lorne walked right past them, never even so much as glancing in their direction as Matt heard Lorne's heart beat a LOT faster than it had so far when he had briefly glanced at the four of them.
Something just wasn't right here, and now they all needed to find out why.
Fred, not having Matt's senses, was disappointed. "He just went right by."
Gunn was relieved that he didn't have to sing. "Oh. Well - good."
Lorne offered the mic to a cute young lady in a light blue dress and she sang the next few lines before he asked with a laugh. "All right! Well, you're just a tickle-me cutie! What's your name, peach pie?"
The girl introduced herself. "Vivian."
Lorne noted. "Oh, Viv, looks like you got a little celebration going on here."
Vivian revealed to him. "Ah, well, a going away party actually."
Lorne asked as a joke. "Going away? Honey, we just met! Where are you going?"
Vivian said. "Paris. I was just accepted to a culinary school there."
"Oh, well, isn't that great? How about sending a little goodwill to our chef of the future?" The crowd cheered. "Ah, yes, marvelous. Thank you honey." He fake kissed Vivian. "And Vivian, I only have one thing to say to you..." With that Lorne launched into the rest of the song, walking back up onto the stage.
Gunn and Fred were watching and smiling, but Angel looked less enthusiastic, and Matt even less, considering how much Lorne was panicking on the inside while talking to Vivian.
A while later Matt, Angel, Fred and Gunn were waiting among a group of other fans at the backstage entrance as Fred said excitedly. "This was just - wow! Wasn't it? I-I mean the laser lights, the Lornette girls, and hello! Thirty piece orchestra?"
"Yeah, but I still don't know why he dissed us during the sing-a-long", Fred gave Gunn a look. "It's just nice to be asked, is all."
Angel said with a shrug. "Ah, I don't know. I thought it was a little over produced for my tastes. It's like I told Sammy Davis at the Sands: 'when you, Frank and Dean are the meal, you don't need the trimmings.'"
Gunn was surprised once more. "Hold on. You knew the rat-pack?"
Angel revealed. "Know them? No. I met them - once. Twice. For drinks. Maybe it was three times. I did have a life before you guys came along."
Matt so far hadn't responded and told the team. "Lorne was scared."
"Scared of what? Us? Regular folk terrify him from up there or what?" Gunn asked as Matt sighed.
"It's not that Gunn, I've heard the guy's heartbeat enough to know when he's calm, nervous and fearful, and he was really scared right now", Matt told them all. "And when he approached people to sing, it got worse, and when he glanced at us briefly, it was even worse. Something is going on."
Lorne then stepped out of the stage door and the crowd in the hallway begins to cheer and shout.
"Hi! How are you?"
Fred called out to him. "Lorne! Lorne, it's us!"
Lorne signed some autographs for people in the front, but never really looked at any of the gang. "Hey! Love ya."
"We love you t... Wait." Fred then turned to Gunn. "That was him being superficial, wasn't it?"
Lorne turned away towards his dressing room, flanked by two security guards. Angel tried to follow. "Hey, Lorne, wait."
Two more security guards stopped Angel. "Whoa. Easy, okay? I know him. I just wanna say hello."
"You and everybody else, pal."
"Like I said, something is wrong", Matt said again, having heard Lorne's heartrate rise into a panic again when Fred had called out to him.
A while later, the four of them were sitting at the blackjack table as Angel told them. "I'll see what I can do, try to get him a message."
Fred was winning constantly, and Gunn stayed silent, while Matt nodded as Angel got up to do what he'd said.
His senses then picked up something else- the people here around the casino were really monotone. All they did was play the slot machines, that was it. Their heartbeats were dull and slow, and they smelt like some of them hadn't showered, or brushed their teeth, or even ate, in weeks.
He got up and told the two. "I'll be back."
With that, he walked off, turning his head here and there as he felt the people around. First Lorne being afraid, and now these monotone people, he had to find out what was going on here real soon.
He also heard the woman from before, Vivian, being admitted to the 'Spin to Win' game, and then he realized 2 bouncers were following him.
So he held out his hand a little to add to the act that he was a blind man, only to hear Angel being dragged out by 2 more of them.
At that moment, he walked off into a small crowd, losing the bouncers in the process because when they walked into the crowd, he was gone.
Outside, the guards were beating on Angel when Matt, now in a mask, leapt behind them and kicked both of them on their heads, sending them falling forwards as Angel rolled out of the way to avoid, and as they fell, he stomped on both of their heads, knocking them out at last.
Angel then got up and asked Matt. "You always carry a mask?"
"Never leave home without it", Matt shrugged.
"This place was so much friendlier when the mob ran it", Angel quipped as Matt took off his mask, and then he heard Vivian walking on the street, to a taxi driving past.
Angel grabbed hold of her and swung her out of the car's path as the driver yelled. "Idiot!"
"You all right?" Angel asked Vivian.
"Fine", she muttered.
"Where were you trying to go to?" Angel then inquired.
Vivian simply held up a big plastic cup. ""I've ran out of quarters. I need more quarters. Have to play to win."
She walked off as Matt walked next to Angel said. "The people in there, a good number of them have been doing nothing but playing 'Spin to Win' for weeks, we need to find out what's going."
"Right", Angel said in agreement as they walked in. "You get Lorne, I'll see about this game."
"Good plan", Matt agreed as they split up, and Matt walked to Fred and Gunn. "Come on, we're going to get Lorne."
"Sure", Gunn said as they got up and managed to reach the hallway from before, Fred and Gunn hiding.
"So, what's the plan?" Fred then asked Matt. "Beat up the guards or something?"
"Something like that", Matt said as he put his glasses back on and walked out into the hallway with his cane, holding out his hand.
The guards were confused as Matt said. "This doesn't feel familiar. I think I'm lost."
The two guards exchanged a look and walked to Matt as one asked. "Sir, where were you go-"
Suddenly, Matt head-butted him, breaking his nose as he screamed, and then he stomped on the other's foot with his cane, making him scream too, then whacked him out with his cane, and then tripped the other before kicking his face, taking him down too.
"Nice moves", Gunn commented from where he was as Matt walked to the door and opened it, then getting inside, closed it.
Lorne barely stopped swinging the whiskey bottle he'd been about to throw at the door, and his eyes widened before he shot out of his couch and rushed to Matt, hugging him really tightly while almost weeping tears of joy.
"Oh my Guardian Devil!" Lorne said, his hug getting tighter. "I could just kiss you right now!"
"Maybe later", Matt said with a shrug as Lorne let go. "We didn't know anything was going on, but we came here, and I felt you were really scared, and the people at the game are like zombies, having been playing continuously for weeks."
"Yeah, it's been a real Hell for me, of course you've been to the actual one, but you know what I mean", Lorne said, sighing.
"Who is keeping you prisoner here?" Matt inquired to him.
Lorne explained to him with a groan. "Oh, the creep who owns this place, Lee DeMarco. He used to be some second rate lounge magician until he got his hands on something legitimately mystical. Now he's a first rate psychopath and he's using me to destroy people's lives."
"Using you how?" Matt asked.
"Well, you know how people are just playing the game there?" Lorne asked and Matt nodded. "Well, he uses me to read people's destinies, anyone with a bright future is lured into the game, and they never win, their destinies get stolen away."
"Oh boy!" Matt groaned as he got up and opened the doors to reveal the two unconscious guards, and quickly dragged their bodies inside. "Can't even go to Vegas without getting in trouble."
"Tell me about it", Lorne agreed with him as they started walking out while Matt smashed the guards' communication equipment, then shut the door.
"Hope Faith is having fun babysitting", Matt told Lorne.
Same time, LA, Hyperion Hotel
Connor was looking around with his wide big blue eyes as Faith sat next to him, having just finished reading the story. "And so the wolf drowned, and they all lived happily ever after." She closed the book and smiled at Connor who let out a sound, then drifted off to sleep as Faith smiled. "Works like a charm."
Stick leaned against a wall invisibly and groaned. "God, I'm so bored."
Same time, Las Vegas
Matt, Lorne, Fred and Gunn were making their way when Angel was spotted in front of a one-armed slot machine, and they walked to him as Gunn asked. "Angel, where have you been?"
Angel pulled the lever. "Here", he then pointed. "I was there before. Now I'm here."
"He is not himself, the Spin to Win roulette has got to him too", Matt revealed to their horror.
"Oh no Angelcakes, please don't lose your destiny, its important to us all common folk too, ya know?!" Lorne asked Angel, shaking him by the shoulders.
"What do we do now?" Fred asked.
"You three, go", Matt said, surprising them all.
"Look, Devillicious, we aren't leaving you behind", Lorne said.
"It's all right, I have a plan", Matt assured, and Lorne's eyes widened as he realized it.
"Oh, in that case, be careful Rocky, I ain't losing ya today", Lorne said as Matt nodded, and then the three went off as Matt headed to the direction of 'Spin to Win'.
"What's he doing?" Fred asked Lorne.
"Whatever it is, here's to hoping it works", Lorne simply said.
DeMarco saw Matt on the monitor and squinted, recognizing who he was due to having seen the news. "Things just became interesting."
Matt entered the 'Spin to Win' room, holding out his hand again as he played the blind man. "Excuse me, I think I'm lost, I don't know this place."
Before the croupier could reply, DeMarco appeared and assured Matt. "It's okay, not a problem." He grasped Matt by the arm and said. "I watch the news too, aren't you the lawyer who did the Punisher case?"
"Uh, yes I am", Matt said with a nod. "Why?"
"In that case, you are allowed to play here", DeMarco said, Matt acting dumb as he was led to the table, and a chip was dropped into his hand. "Here, try your luck sir."
"Sure", Matt nodded as he rolled the chip across his fingers, and the side of the chip briefly flashed the same inverted pentagram symbol from Matt's chest, and then he tossed it onto the table.
DeMarco smirked as the wheel spun, but it turned into a frown as the wheel slowed down, because Matt's chip flashed the Hell-Mark symbol again, and the whole roulette erupted into flames.
In DeMarco's room, the glowing sphere that held the people's destinies also erupted into flames, freeing the people.
All the people who had been playing, including Vivian, looked around in shock, now back to their senses, and started leaving.
In the 'Spin to Win' room, all but Matt and DeMarco scattered due to the table burning into a crisp, and DeMarco stared at the fire, confused, only for Matt to sucker punch him to the ground, knocking him out.
"Mephisto is kind of possessive", Matt quipped with a smirk as he straightened his tie and walked out where all were back to their normal selves and scattering here and there.
Then he heard the click of a gun behind him as he realized it was the guard, Spencer, but then the recovered Angel knocked Spencer out from the side, as the two turned to face each other.
"Enjoying yourself?" Matt inquired.
Angel shrugged. "Well, what happens in Vegas, stays I Vegas."
Later
The whole gang, now Lorne joining them as well, drove back to LA as Gunn asked. "So, how did you burn the table again?"
"Me and Abaddon are a package deal, no way in Hell would Mephisto let some low life magician have any control over what he considers his favorite spawn", Matt said with a shrug.
"Well, that's nice, plan worked", Fred smiled.
"How did you know?" Angel asked, and Matt was silent for a bit.
"I was running off a hunch", Matt finally admitted sheepishly.
"Some hunch", Gunn commented.
"Don't forget, this is our good and handsome Devil", Lorne told them all. "Luck be a Devil."
All chuckled as they soon reached Hyperion, and Faith came out to greet them, holding baby Connor in her arms.
"Oh there he is", Angel said, taking him from her as he cooed at his son, and he and Faith shared a hug. "Thanks for taking care of him."
"No problemo, boss", Faith assured as they parted and then she shared a kiss with Matt.
"How was Vegas?" Faith asked.
"Well, interesting", Matt said with a shrug, before she noticed Lorne was back.
"Oh hey, didn't expect to see you back here, how you been?" Faith asked as she and Lorne shared a hug too.
"Vegas, not what I expected", Lorne told her.
"Yeah, but at least we've visited it", Fred said.
"Yup, once was enough", Gunn shrugged, and they all walked inside when Matt's face turned into a frown.
"Oh boy", he muttered.
"What's the matter?" Faith asked as they stepped into the lobby, and now in front of them stood Cordelia Chase, with her back to them.
"Cordelia?" Angel called out in shock, speaking for everyone.
Cordelia turned around and looked at them.
"Who are you people?"
And we're done with this, thanks a lot to Brainstorm Sorcerer for his help once more, and hope all had fun with how DeMarco was taken down.
Now Cordy is back.
Hope all enjoyed and see you all next time with another chapter.