A Union of Souls, Chapter Nineteen
There was no evidence of breaking and entering. There was no evidence of anything at all. Aside from the unmade bed, it would appear to the casual observer that a young college coed named Ami Jackson had never been in the apartment. It appeared as though she had vanished into thin air. Which, Angel realized as his attention fell on Adam, might not have been so very far from the truth.
While Giles muttered with Doyle, checking and rechecking solidly locked doors and grates, the vampire approached the young man. He kept his voice low and quiet, but firm. "You know where she is, don't you?"
Adam shook his head. He hesitated a moment before answering the question. "No, I don't."
"I know you don't trust me, and I can't blame you for that. But I can't help her if you won't be honest with me. Where is she?"
"I am being honest," something flashed in the Australian's eyes, a spark of anger mixed with something else that Angel couldn't quite identify. Worry or perhaps embarrassment. Maybe a little bit of both. He shifted, his attention focused on the far wall and for one long and unsettling moment Angel received the distinct impression that somehow the young man was not in the same room with him. The moment passed as quickly as it occurred, however, and Adam looked at him again, releasing a heavy sigh. "I don't know where she is. But I know how she left -- and so do you."
Angel blinked, ready to argue with Adam when the truth of the mortal's words sank in. Ami had told them things -- things that it had been clear that Adam hadn't wanted to reveal -- and while his mind had packed them away for later scrutiny, he hadn't forgotten them entirely. "You're telling me that she -- teleported -- out of here."
"You still don't believe us." Adam shook his head and raked his hands through his hair. "You're a vampire, we're worried about a witch who casts black magick spells and you don't believe we can teleport." He spoke the words with a silent challenge in his eyes.
"Point," Angel said softly. "Why would she leave?"
"If I knew that, I would probably know where she is."
"Have you two found something?" Giles approached the two of them, a hopeful note in his voice.
Angel took a very unnecessary breath and released it. "Not really. Except that Ami left of her own free will."
"I didn't say that," Adam objected. "She wouldn't. She was scared. She wanted to stay here. She didn't have a choice in leaving, I'm pretty sure about that."
"Then you wouldn't mind sharin' with us how she got out of a couple of locked doors?" Doyle asked.
Adam's eyes met Angel's, although he said nothing. The vampire could see the dilemma on the young man's face, could read the questions in his eyes and yet he remained impassive. If Adam didn't want to remind Giles and Doyle about the special skill that Ami claimed the both of them possessed, Angel would -- but he would allow Adam to make that decision first. He simply hoped that Adam realized that every moment wasted was a moment that Ami was slipping through their fingers -- and closer to Giselle.
The former Watcher snapped his fingers. "Giselle."
"Giles?" Angel turned inquisitively to the man, knowing that the full explanation had not yet been given.
Unfortunately, Doyle lacked Angel's patience, and understanding, of Rupert Giles. "You think that Giselle got in here and we never noticed?"
"Maybe it was Whistler," Cordelia chimed in, "He's not back. And I never trusted him."
"No, no, no!" Giles held up his hands in frustration, and looked from one face to another until he was certain that he had everyone's attention. "Think back to last night, everyone. Do you remember what we discussed? Do you remember what had Ami so intensely upset -- aside from her dream about Angel."
"Giselle," Adam whispered.
"Yes, Giselle. What did she say? Giselle was in her head. We all agreed that it sounded like some form of hypnosis, and there is a very good possibility that that is precisely what Ami experienced. Giselle managed to plant a post-hypnotic suggestion inside Ami's head, and when the time was right, she activated it."
Cordelia shivered. "Is that really possible?"
Giles removed his glasses, nodding his agreement. "After living on the Hellmouth, Cordelia, I would say that we should believe that anything is possible."
"So, let me get this straight," Doyle interrupted, "Giselle hypnotized Ami. So while we were upstairs havin' coffee, Ami was forced to leave. That still doesn't explain why all the doors are still locked. That's a little bit too creepy even for me, and I've seen my share of creepy."
Giles removed his glasses, his focus narrowing to Adam. He studied the young man for a long moment, his voice thoughtful when he finally spoke. "She teleported, didn't she Adam?"
"Tele-" Doyle began.
"Yes, she teleported," Adam cut Doyle off with a nod, his words so quiet that Angel thought for a moment that he was the only one who heard the words of affirmation. However, a quick glance at Doyle and Cordelia, who stared at Adam as though he had sprouted a second head, told him that they had heard it as well.
Giles nodded, tapping the arm of his glasses against his lip. "It makes sense. You're teleporters, and Giselle knows it. Therefore, we have to assume that it would have been a simple enough matter for a hypnotic suggestion to have been planted that would cause Ami to teleport when she was alone.
"And at least we know she's only been gone a short time."
"Doesn't matter," Adam shoved his hands in his pockets, his brow furrowing. Angel caught the faintest scent of fear coming from the young man. It wasn't strong, not yet, but there was no doubt that Adam was afraid -- afraid for Ami. "Teleportation is instantaneous."
"But we know that the spell can't be cast until nightfall," Angel reminded him, "That gives us some time."
"Wait a second." Cordelia held up a hand, attracting their attention. "You really don't mean to tell me that you believe that they can really teleport or something? Come on, this is not Star Trek."
"No, but having lived in Sunnydale, you've certainly seen things stranger," Giles pointed out. "You saw for yourself the evidence of telepathy when Buffy had her brief dalliance."
"But that was different. That was Sunnydale. That was right up there with the Mayor turning into a giant demon thingy at graduation --" Cordelia stopped suddenly and drew a sharp breath. Abruptly, she turned to Angel. "Okay, so she teleported right into the belly of the beast. Go do your mysterious rescue thing that you do so well."
"I was planning on it," Angel replied.
"Wait, Angel man," Doyle intercepted his path as he headed for his weapons. "We've had this conversation already. You can't just go barging into Cordovan's fortress. He's got vampire armies and God only knows what else guarding that place. You have to go prepared or its suicide."
"You have a better idea?"
"Yeah," Doyle nodded and squared his shoulders. "Floor plans. We get the layout of the place. Call in some favors, find out everything we can about that place. Then we go in with guns blazing."
"We?"
"Um, Doyle, Angel is good at this," Cordelia said pointedly, "You'll just get your ass kicked."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Princess."
"Whatever the plan, we need to do it quickly," Giles returned his glasses to his face. "Every minute counts so we had better get started."
Angel turned towards the stairs, his eyes falling on Adam who had fallen silent during their discussion. Again, he had that distant look on his face, the one that made Angel think that he was only physically in the same room. However, almost as if feeling the vampire's eyes on him, he looked up, his dark eyes shadowed with worry and a fear so strong that Angel could smell it.
He nodded to Adam, his words a promise. "We'll find her, and we'll bring her back."