Angel the series was created and is owned by the man behind the curtain, Joss Whedon.
Me? I'm hunched over my keyboard with a liter of Mountain Dew at my side and a cherry Blow Pop in my mouth. Sugar helps me think. And right now I feel like Einstein.
Woooooooohoooooo!
A side note-To all those who have taken the time to review this series I want to say thank you. Also I just wanted to point out when I started this story line Cully and Joshua were not supposed to be this evil. Childlike in their stupidity? Yes. Evil on two legs? No. They have just become this way. And it isn't going to stop. (Cue creepy organ music.)
SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL
(Part Six)
by Lamech
Cordelia rubbed her eyes as she climbed out of the cab. She wanted to crawl back into the car and head straight back home but she knew she couldn't do so. Not at least with Anna climbing out right behind her. Still her body was screaming for sleep. This was the first time in a long time that the girl went without at least six hours of sleep.
No, instead I was only able to steal two hours twenty three minutes and fifty-four seconds of shuteye. She had counted the time down to the second just so she could whine to Angel and Wesley. If she had to suffer so must they.
Anna had kept her up most of the night with her uncontrollable sobbing fits. The moments of still silence where Anna would calm down were filled with stories about her late husband. What he was like. The most charming man you will ever have the pleasure to meet. How they met. Through a mutual friend. An artist no less. His habits. He would surprise me every third Tuesday of the month with a bouquet of flowers. Sometimes roses. Sometimes tulips. What ever was in season at the time. How Wesley reminded her so much of him. Same dark hair and light eyes. But Peter had a crooked smile that made him look like he was always about to laugh at something or another.
Cordelia would just sit and smile through those moments. And every so often she would throw in an, "Uh-huh" and "I understand." But in reality her mind was running on empty and all she could think of was "Blah. Blah. Blah. Sleep already!"
She didn't mean to be so tactless even in her own thoughts. But she had been mentally and physically trained to the point of passing out. Still her better nature made her remain awake and take care of the woman.
Angel would have been so impressed with me. Probably would have given me a gold star of something. The notion of this made Cordelia giggle despite herself. Realizing what she had done and the stupidity of the previous thought she hung her head and sighed. She needed a vacation and she needed it now.
"Do you think they'll be there? It is so early in the morning." Anna said.
Cordelia snapped her head up. Reality check. She looked at the brown brick building in front of her and narrowed her eyes. "Better be."
_______________________________________________________________________________For some reason the office corridor did not feel the same as the day before. Cordelia thought the air tasted stale and it crawled around in her lungs. Also there was a funny smell to the whole place. She couldn't put her finger on it. Maybe it was just that the air conditioning had not been turned on yet. Maybe.
Something else was telling the girl there was a darker reason to why there was a difference. But she did not want to know why. If ignorance was bliss then she wanted to be the village idiot. Every since Doyle had given her his gift her female intuition had grown by leaps and bounds. Before hand she could only get faintest creep vibes from guys. Now vampires that were trying to pass themselves off as human were finding it impossible to fool her. She could see the wolf beneath the coat of wool.
And now something was telling her that something was wrong. Very wrong.
She pulled Anna behind her as she approached the entrance door. The shade behind the door's window had been pulled down and the "Sorry, we're closed" sign was still up. It was like Angel had not bother to open shop.
Cordelia closed her eyes and hoped that this was so because Angel had over slept. And if this was so the vampire was in for the ear thrashing of his undead life. How dare he sleep when she was being forced to play Mother Confessor against her will.
Anna grabbed the back of the girl's shirt and whispered something in Hungarian. It could have been a prayer for all Cordelia knew. But then again the whisper was probably more along the lines of, damn, here we go again.
Cordelia took hold of the door handle and turned. The lock clicked and shifted open. In that moment the girl wondered how she should approach this. Should she peek in to see if the coast was clear? Or should she throw open the door and charge in there like a grunt on Omaha beach?
Well, considering that outside a pitiful cross that I have in my back pocket I have no weapons to speak of and I do lack a certain amount of upper body strength that would give me a decent right hook. I think I'll sneak.
The door creaked like old bones as it gently moved forward. There was just enough space for her to look at her desk. The lights were still off and the back window shades were still drawn. But bright sunlight that made the flimsy linen fabric of the shades glow lit a simple illumination throughout the room. She opened her eyes wider her trying to make her sight clearer. A familiar bulky shape was sitting at her desk and in her chair. The details had been lost in the dim light of the office but Cordelia knew that person anywhere. And right now that body at her desk was barely awake. He was half hunched over with his right arm propped up and the other hand wrapped around something. A pile of papers rested between the two. He looked like he was trying to sleep and work at the same time. But sleep had won.
A wicked smile grew across the girl's face. Her fear and anger had turned into mischievous glee. Suddenly she threw open the door so hard it slammed into the wall behind it. The crash bounced off the walls like an echo.
"AH-HAH!" Cordelia yelled as she leaped into the room and pointed an accusatory finger at the vampire. "I've got you!"
Angel's body jerked to his feet in a violent motion. His left hand swung out in front of him bringing the object that was being held into the light. A gun. A loaded gun. The first bullet roared past the girl's ears and lodged itself in the wall behind her.
Cordelia screamed and slammed down on the floor. Anna did the same.
The second bullet flew above them and made its home just a few feet away from its sibling. Then the sound of metal dropping followed.
"Cordelia? CORDELIA!" Angel yelled, as he shook free from the veil of sleep that rested over him. He ran to the girl's side and pulled her up. His face was a mess of worry and guilt. "I-I didn't mean to. I th-thought you were….. did I get you?"
The shock made Cordelia shove Angel away with a strength she didn't knew she had. He fell to floor and lied like there like a turtle on his back. One of Cordelia's clogs made its home on Angel's chest. The girl placed her weight on the vampire making sure he was not going anywhere fast. Scared brown eyes glared down at Angel. "JUST WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!?"
Angel didn't bother to struggle free from under his prison. He knew he deserved this. With a deep expression of remorse shifting over his face he answered, "Wooden bullets."
"Wooden bullets?" Cordelia had yet to budge.
"Yes, wood from Ash." He looked over at Anna who stood a healthy ten feet away from the vampire. She looked terrified. The vampire didn't blame her.
Cordelia leaned in. The clog sunk deeper in Angel's chest. "And why the hell were you firing at us?"
"I thought you were someone else."
"And who were you going to fire at then? I know the mailman is late from time to time but, sheesh, can we say harsh factor here?" Realizing that Angel had regained his sanity Cordelia got off of him and stuck out her hand in help. He took it and climbed to his feet.
A big gray clog print stained his black shirt. Looking at his shirt, then at the girl he sighed and wiped off the dirt. He then motioned for Anna to come in and for the two women to sit down. They obeyed. Setting his gun back down on Cordelia's desk he began.
"Last night," he paused not sure how to go on. Should he say suspect? Well, after what he had done the vampire from last night wasn't a suspect any longer. Angel carried on. "Last night the vampire from the attack somehow got the permission from Wes's landlady to enter his apartment. Then the vampire decapitated the woman and murdered her grandchild."
"Oh, God, Wesley!" Cordelia interrupted as she rose to her feet in shock. Her eyes were already watering.
Taking the girl by the shoulder Angel tried to calm the girl down. "He wasn't there at the time. But the vampire made sure that Wesley understood his message. He left the bodies behind for Wesley to discover and had painted the walls with threats of murder."
Cordelia bit her bottom lip in worry, "Then Wes is okay?"
Rubbing the back of his neck Angel shrugged his shoulders. "Physically, yes. But mentally?" He sighed, "He and I have been talking to the cops all morning. In fact they just left about an hour ago."
Anna leaned in with her hands clutched to her chest, "And where is Wesley now?" Her voice betrayed her deep concern. She was just as worried as Cordelia.
Angel pointed behind him. His movement was sluggish and clumsy. His nerves were shot. "He's asleep in my bed."
"He went through all that and he could still fall asleep?" gasped Cordelia. She laughed in disbelief, "Well, eat your heart out Rip Van Winkle."
The vampire rolled his eyes at the girl's crack. "I gave him a Valium for his nerves."
"Wow, you have Valium?"
Angel sighed again, "Yes, Cordelia, I have Valium. I also have powdered Ogre livers, jellied hydra skin, pickled pooka eyes, canned troll bile, demon saliva in pill form and an assortment of other occult medicine goods that the FDA doesn't even know exist."
"Guy, when you put it that way." The girl's voice trailed off when she watched Angel snatch an armload of papers of her desk.
"Come with me," he said as he walked out of the office.
Cordelia stood up and looked towards the elevator. "Wait, we're leaving? What about Wesley? Are we just going to leaving him behind?"
The look that Angel gave to her told her the absolute stupidity of her question. His glare was harsh and unforgiving. "No, we are never going to leave him behind."
Cordelia shut up and followed Angel out into the hallway. Last time she had seen Angel that ticked about being asked anything was when Faith came to town and Wes and him had that argument about her. Cordelia did not like that look then and she didn't like it now. Dead Serious Angel scared her.
"Here," Angel said as he shoved the papers into the girl's hands, "I want you to sign at the bottom of every sheet."
The girl flipped over the papers and began to read. Small print filled every inch of the paper with words that were flying over her head. After a few seconds of reading it she blinked as a headache began to form in her skull. She gave up on trying to figure it out by herself. Instead she shook the papers in Angel's face. "What is this anyway?"
"Legal forms."
"Duh. I mean, what type of legal forms are they?"
Angel shoved the papers back in the girl's direction. He didn't have time for this. "You sign while I tell you." The girl smiled and began to write. "Those papers give you sole ownership of the office. And you in turn you declare this site a private residence. The business is closed for the time being and the welcome mat is no longer out."
The girl signed the final dotted line. She shrugged, "And that's going to help us how?"
Walking back towards the entrance Angel commented, "I'll show you. If this works it is going to make keeping Wesley safe just a bit more easier." He stood at the doorway and placed his hand up. Slowly he pushed forward only to stop after a few seconds. His other hand followed and laid flat against the other one. To Cordelia Angel looked like he was showing off his miming skills. She didn't understand what was going on until Angel leaned forward until he looked like he was about to topple over. But he didn't. He stood there leaning at an impossible angle as if he was resting against an invisible wall.
Cordelia jumped for joy, "I get it. Since you're no longer the owner and it is now my private property you can't get in unless I invite you. And neither can the other vampire!" She clapped her hands together at Angel's ingenious idea. "This is so perfect. You really are good at this."
Angel smiled. It was the first time all morning he had done so. "Thank you."
Cordelia returned his smile, "So, you are now the only invited vampire to the office? Great. "
At that moment Angel fell in. He hit the floor hard and a second later moaned an "ow".
Running to his side Cordelia asked what had just happened.
"You invited me in. You said that I was the only invited vampire."
"And that did it?" The girl rolled her eyes and groaned, "Who writes the rules to these things?!"
Suddenly Anna coughed.
In all the mess Cordelia and Angel had forgotten about her. Angel winced as he realized that Anna had just witnessed the whole invite scene. His secret was out. And surprisingly Anna was handling it well. Which only confused the vampire.
"She knows," Cordelia answered the puzzled look on the vampire's face. "She guessed that you were a vampire last night."
Angel climbed to his feet and dusted his clothing off. The still reaction that Anna was giving was still unnerving him. "And you have no problem with this?"
It was Cordelia who answered before Anna could even get a word in edgewise, "Oh, I wouldn't say that." What she could say was an hour-long dialog about the whimpering cry fest the woman had put her through. But the fight was no longer in Cordelia. "Anna just feels that in order to get the vampire another vampire would make the best hunter. You know, fire with fire."
"Don't get me wrong, vampire," Anna said in a low voice as she rose to her feet. The look from her eyes was intense as she approached Angel. "I loathe your kind with every breath. But I am smart enough to know that fighting alone in this case will cost me a great deal." She motioned towards Cordelia, "She has been telling me all these stories about you helping people. And what you just did for Wes proves to me that you haven't just manipulated her. You are good."
Angel remained still. He had a thousand comments running through his mind but he thought silence was the best answer. The two of them stood locked eye to eye. It was Angel who cracked by turning away with a tired sigh.
"I am going to talk to a lead. I want Wes to stay here when he wakes up, Cordy," Angel said as he picked up the gun again and placed it in a holster that hugged around his chest.
"He isn't going to like that," the girl said as she took a seat at the edge of her desk. "He's going to want to go all gung-ho."
"Well, too bad. He stays put." He went over to the file cabinet and opened the top drawer. Pulling out a small crossbow he added, "He's not in the best frame of mind to fight."
"And you are?!"
Angel gave her a confused look.
"Look at you, Angel," the girl said as Angel slammed the cabinet file shut. The noise made her shiver. "You are walking around like a bull in a china shop. You don't just have bags under your eyes, you have a whole luggage set." She paused with a smile and hummed, "I didn't know vampires could get bags. Anyway, I mean, look at the wall. We now have two bullets lodged there. You know there goes our deposit on the place."
Angel shook his head trying to ignore the girl. But Cordelia was not about to stop. She grabbed the vampire by the arm. "Please, you are wreck."
"I have to find the vampire before…" His voice was soft and low like a whimper. He lowered his head to hide the fear and sadness in his eyes.
Cordelia leaned in. "Before what, Angel?"
"Wes…"
"Wes?" The girl released her grasp. "Is this what you are worried about? Geez, you weren't like this with Buffy even at her worst moments."
Angel glared at the girl for even bringing up her name. A sharp sliver of ice felt like it had struck his spine. "Buffy can handle a three hundred pound Cragis demon with her hands behind her back. She's even stronger and faster than I am. And besides that is her destiny. She knows it and I know it. However Wesley could be off working some pencil pusher job and be good at it. But he didn't. He is right here beside me battling things that want to murder him." He added with a whisper, "And I worry about the same thing with you when ever we go into a fight. I hide it but it's true."
With a softness that barely showed itself, the girl's hands took Angel by the face. "Angel," she whispered.
The vampire melted in her gentle touch. He fought back the tears that wanted to come out. Finally he said what had been eating at his soul all night. "I don't want another Doyle."
"You still are comparing me to a dead man?" hissed a hoarse voice.
Angel and Cordelia looked towards the voice. Wesley stood propped up against the Angel's office door. His eyes were half-closed and glassy. The Valium was still swimming around in his system. The drug was giving him a feeling of cocky bravery that an hour ago had not been there. Dressed in a pair of Angel's pants and one of his shirts, Cordelia could not recall a time where Wesley had looked to so skinny and frail. He looked like a good strong breeze could have knocked him over. However the look on his face warned everyone not to mess with him. He was in the mood to fight.
"Wesley," Angel whispered.
"Wesley!" chimed Cordelia. "How are you? You should be out cold."
"I was. Best hour long coma of my life," he said in a slurred accent.
He was being flippant. Angel couldn't figure out if that was the drug talking or really Wesley. This smart mouth trait of his had reared its ugly head once before when Angel had told Wesley that he couldn't perform an exorcism because the rite may cost him his life. The young man answered this by burning Angel with a cross on purpose. This was not the time or the place for this sort of attitude.
"Don't start, Wesley," Angel said as he glared at the man. "Go back to bed and sleep the drug off."
"No."
"Wesley!"
"Do you think you are my father?" The young man walked forward using anything that was solid enough to take his weight as a crutch. He looked awkward on his feet. He felt the same. Still a twinge of disgust was starting to build in him, "You think you can tell me what to do?"
Angel nodded his head, "Yes, I'm your boss."
"Then I quit."
Angel's mouth fell open in shock much to the amusement of Wesley.
"You threaten me with that once before, Angel." He stumbled up to the vampire and sniffed the air. His mouth curled up in to a drunken smile. "I fell for that then but I won't now. I'll do what I want to do. And you can't stop me."
Suddenly Angel leaned back and sent a right hook flying across the young man's jaw. Wesley's body twisted around from the force. He dropped like a sack of bricks. Out cold with one good punch. Angel winced and shook his fist. Wesley was hard headed in more ways than one. The vampire turned to Cordelia, "When he wakes the drug should be out of his system. Hopefully he'll be in his right mind again. Tell him to sit tight. The cops said they might be calling here again."
Cordelia nodded as she picked up the young man by the shoulders. Groaning as she went along she dragged Wesley back towards the elevator. "How can someone be so bony and be so heavy at the same time?"
Angel grabbed a slip of paper with an address on it and stuffed it into his trouser pocket.
He turned to Anna who stood there in shock. She shook it off when Angel came up to here.
"You said you want to kill this monster yourself?" He said as loaded the crossbow in his hands. "Have you ever killed a vampire before?"
Anna nodded. "Yes, two in Ireland and three in Hungary. Four of them by stake and one by beheading."
"Then you know how to handle yourself. Good." He handed the crossbow to the woman only for her to refuse it.
She grabbed her purse and dug into it. Pulling out a small crossbow she smiled, "I came prepared."
END OF PART SIX