**************
Part Two
L.A.
5:15
Angel, Cordelia, and Wesley reached the door of the warehouse, where
Gunn and a few of his closest friends were waiting with holy water
guns, stakes, and crossbows.
They were as soaking wet as Angel and the others were, Cordelia
noticed. She wondered how long they'd been there waiting for the
others.
"Didn't think you cared about this?" Angel challenged. "I thought
that ridding the world of half-demons was something the Scourge could
do, and with your blessing too?"
"Hey, I got bored," Gunn said with a shrug. "And you did say they
might start in on the living citizens of L.A. after they kill off all
the rival demons. So I figured we might as well get 'em now before
they can do that. Of course if you guys don't _need_ my help...."
"No!" Cordelia grabbed him by the arm. "We do, really. Right Angel?
Right Wesley? Now can we get inside before The Powers decide to stop
being so nice with their storms?"
The two men laughed, then stifled it quickly at Cordelia's
glare. "Yes, Gunn, we _do_ need your help," Angel said with a
nod. "Here's the plan. Everyone except Wesley distract them. He will
destroy the weapon."
"Sounds simple enough to me," Gunn shrugged.
"Oh, if you only knew," Cordelia said with a shake of her head, as
they charged into the warehouse.
************
6 p.m.
"ANGEL!" Cordelia screamed as one of the demons pinned her to the
wall, feeling her up in the process. "EEEW! Do you MIND, CREEP?" She
kneed him in the groin and got a backhand to the face for her
troubles.
She heard Angel's roar of anger, and sighed with relief as the demon
fell dead in front of her. She blinked for a moment in surprise at
the realization Angel had let Angelus out to play, but it didn't
frighten her for long. She knew he was still in control. He proved it
as his human face surfaced again, along with the concern in his
eyes. "Cordy? You okay?" he asked.
"Yes," she smiled. "Sore jaw, but I'll live. Did I mention I'm
getting too old for this????"
Angel chuckled, and said, "Yes, Cordy. At least once today. And
yesterday, and the day before..."
Cordelia ignored him and looked over to see Wesley taking aim at the
weapon. "Oh, please don't miss," she pleaded quietly.
A group of demons charged at Wesley, and she and Angel ran over to
stop them short. She caught a crossbow that one of Gunn's friends
threw to her, and shot one of them in the heart. As he fell dead, she
retrieved another stray arrow from the floor and shot a second demon.
She jumped as she heard the gunfire, and shattering of glass.
"Oh thank God!" she exclaimed, and she looked up at the weapon which
was lying in pieces twenty feet away. She heard the screeches of
anger from the remaining members of the Scourge, and then saw them
running for the door. She located another arrow, and felled one more
demon as the rest escaped into the daylight.
Cordelia looked around, surveying the damage. Angel had a bloody
nose, and his shirt was torn, showing a few gashes on his chest. She
wasn't worried about him, though, knowing he'd heal within minutes.
Gunn had a nasty cut above his left eye, and was limping, favoring
his right foot. She...well, other than a killer headache from being
slammed against the wall and the before-mentioned sore jaw, she'd
live. Wesley hadn't even been touched, as they had protected him with
their lives. The rest of Gunn's friends were all going to
survive. "Score one for us," she sighed.
"More than one, Cordy," Angel said, looking around. "And nobody had
to die except them this time," he added. He then abruptly collapsed
on the ground unconscious, the last thing which registered in his
ears being Cordelia's scream.
***************
Part Two
L.A.
5:15
Angel, Cordelia, and Wesley reached the door of the warehouse, where
Gunn and a few of his closest friends were waiting with holy water
guns, stakes, and crossbows.
They were as soaking wet as Angel and the others were, Cordelia
noticed. She wondered how long they'd been there waiting for the
others.
"Didn't think you cared about this?" Angel challenged. "I thought
that ridding the world of half-demons was something the Scourge could
do, and with your blessing too?"
"Hey, I got bored," Gunn said with a shrug. "And you did say they
might start in on the living citizens of L.A. after they kill off all
the rival demons. So I figured we might as well get 'em now before
they can do that. Of course if you guys don't _need_ my help...."
"No!" Cordelia grabbed him by the arm. "We do, really. Right Angel?
Right Wesley? Now can we get inside before The Powers decide to stop
being so nice with their storms?"
The two men laughed, then stifled it quickly at Cordelia's
glare. "Yes, Gunn, we _do_ need your help," Angel said with a
nod. "Here's the plan. Everyone except Wesley distract them. He will
destroy the weapon."
"Sounds simple enough to me," Gunn shrugged.
"Oh, if you only knew," Cordelia said with a shake of her head, as
they charged into the warehouse.
************
6 p.m.
"ANGEL!" Cordelia screamed as one of the demons pinned her to the
wall, feeling her up in the process. "EEEW! Do you MIND, CREEP?" She
kneed him in the groin and got a backhand to the face for her
troubles.
She heard Angel's roar of anger, and sighed with relief as the demon
fell dead in front of her. She blinked for a moment in surprise at
the realization Angel had let Angelus out to play, but it didn't
frighten her for long. She knew he was still in control. He proved it
as his human face surfaced again, along with the concern in his
eyes. "Cordy? You okay?" he asked.
"Yes," she smiled. "Sore jaw, but I'll live. Did I mention I'm
getting too old for this????"
Angel chuckled, and said, "Yes, Cordy. At least once today. And
yesterday, and the day before..."
Cordelia ignored him and looked over to see Wesley taking aim at the
weapon. "Oh, please don't miss," she pleaded quietly.
A group of demons charged at Wesley, and she and Angel ran over to
stop them short. She caught a crossbow that one of Gunn's friends
threw to her, and shot one of them in the heart. As he fell dead, she
retrieved another stray arrow from the floor and shot a second demon.
She jumped as she heard the gunfire, and shattering of glass.
"Oh thank God!" she exclaimed, and she looked up at the weapon which
was lying in pieces twenty feet away. She heard the screeches of
anger from the remaining members of the Scourge, and then saw them
running for the door. She located another arrow, and felled one more
demon as the rest escaped into the daylight.
Cordelia looked around, surveying the damage. Angel had a bloody
nose, and his shirt was torn, showing a few gashes on his chest. She
wasn't worried about him, though, knowing he'd heal within minutes.
Gunn had a nasty cut above his left eye, and was limping, favoring
his right foot. She...well, other than a killer headache from being
slammed against the wall and the before-mentioned sore jaw, she'd
live. Wesley hadn't even been touched, as they had protected him with
their lives. The rest of Gunn's friends were all going to
survive. "Score one for us," she sighed.
"More than one, Cordy," Angel said, looking around. "And nobody had
to die except them this time," he added. He then abruptly collapsed
on the ground unconscious, the last thing which registered in his
ears being Cordelia's scream.
***************