An American Vampire in London, Chapter 6
'So. You had the girl from your dream, in front of your face, and you didn't have a clue who she was? Great! Just great! You've just gone and lost us a major case! We could have saved that girl and got money. Lots of money. Especially if she's loaded. I mean anyone with a bodyguard had to be rich. Or scared. Or both. Did you get anything about her?' Cordelia sat, watching Angel, who was busy attending to the cuts and bruises he'd got from the fight.
He winced as he touched a large bruise on his upper arm even though the thing wouldn't be there for long since he healed quickly as a vampire.
'No. So she escaped me? I was hurt.'
'Yeah. So? I mean, you could have still stopped her.'
'She was running too fast for me to catch up.'
'He was also injured and probably concussed,' Wesley piped up, busy typing on the computer, and getting a rapid succession of beeps coming back at him.
Angel, grateful for the support, spoke, 'Yeah. Look Cordelia, I'm sure we'll find her.'
Wesley added, 'Yes. And from what Angel has said, we can do that by going to all the local schools and look for a girl with an absent bodyguard, who looks the sacrificial type.'
Angel frowned at Wesley, who shrugged. Cordy was about to speak, when Angel, not wanting another dressing down, cut her off.
'So Wesley. Found anything about the people…I mean gods, I dreamt about?'
'A lot. I contacted an old friend of mine- non-Watcher's Council connected. He used to be a Classical Civilisation fanatic. Sent me some information. Fascinating, but familiar all the same. Here's what he says about Osiris.' He began to read off the screen. 'Osiris. Connected with fertility, king of Egypt, killed by his jealous brother Seth who dismembered his body.'
'Remind me never to have two sons.' Cordy spoke.
Wesley, ignoring her, continued. 'Osiris' sister-wife…' he looked up at Cordelia, his eyes flashing her a warning not to say anything, '…gathered the pieces and reassembled them as the first mummy with the aid of Anubis, breathing new life into his corpse as goddess of magical powers and conceiving from Osiris a son, Horus, through her function as fertility goddess. Osiris, magically revived, ruled the dead in the Underworld as king of the dead, symbolising resurrection and regeneration, whilst his son Horus ruled the living.'
Angel shook his head. 'That's what I remember. Nowhere have I heard of Osiris killing people especially his own worshippers. Then again, I didn't actually believe in Osiris, so… I mean, Seth I could understand, what with him being the evil brother. But Osiris is, I mean was, a good guy.'
'Exactly. It doesn't add up. Eugene, the classics fanatic, said there was more to come. Some 'real interesting stuff' as he put it. I'm waiting for it to come. It might hold the key to everything.
'Ok. What does he say about Anubis?'
Cordelia, getting bored by all this work talk, began to wonder whether her nails would look better in Maybelline Arctic Blue or Emerald Green. Choosing the blue, she got up, telling to two she was going to go rehearse her part in the play her agent back in America, had secured for her. The play was terrible, but she was being paid to work in London. A beautiful city unfortunately filled with demons and monsters.
Aren't they all? she thought.
'Oh. Ok. 'Wesley answered, engrossed in his reading. 'You need the practice,' he muttered under his breath.
'What?' Cordy asked. She'd heard something but whether it was good or bad, she couldn't tell.
'Oh! Erm… Just saying, you really don't need the practice. The play is already terrible anything you do wouldn't make a difference,' he said as an afterthought. Angel arched an eyebrow.
'What?'
'Just go.'
'Ok. I don't need the practice do I? I'll go and paint my nails instead, I think. Have some quality time for myself.'
She swept out of the room, leaving the bemused vampire and ex-Watcher together. Angel remembering what had happened last time, he and Wesley had lied about Cordelia' s acting, frowned.
'You shouldn't lie to her. Remember last time?'
'Relax, Angel. She doesn't need any practice. That play is so bad anything she does won't make a difference. Poor girl, actually thinks she's gonna make it big.' He shook his head.
'Still. You shouldn't say stuff like that.' Angel began to pace the room. 'So. What does your kooky freaky friend have to say about Anubis?'
Wesley, suddenly tired, took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. He'd been doing this for four hours flat. He needed a break. A long one. He sighed. Angel, detecting this, looked at his friend.
He noted the hunched shoulders, the rumpled shirt, and the uncombed hair and felt angry with himself. He'd been pushing Wesley and Cordelia lately, trying to make up for the fact that the girl had been in front of him and he'd let her get away. It was his mistake and he'd moved his frustrations onto his friends.
'Look Wesley, you go take a day of. Take two. I'm sure I can hold the fort here. The computer won't bite; at least I hope it won't. You can't tell nowadays.'
Wesley smiled. 'I might take you up on that. It's been a long time since I've been here in London and a nice walkabout might do me some good. Get a chance to see this Millennium Dome thingummy-jig that's everyone's been talking about. I feel as an Englishman, I must partake in my national duty of bad mouthing the big white, expensive Telly tubby house in the middle of London. You see, you American's can't do that, moan about a national institution like the Statue of Liberty- you say it's unpatriotic. But in England, NOT making a fuss of the Dome would be heresy.'
'Yeah…Wesley, about Anubis…'
But Wesley was too busy thinking about whether going to Marks and Spencer's and grabbing a Chicken Korma microwave meal and some socks would kill him as many a Watcher used M&S as their local supermarket. Would he risk getting killed for some Carte Dior ice cream? Yes he thought, For a tub of Cookies and Cream Carte Dior I will risk it. Bugger the Watcher's Council.
He grabbed his coat, not wanting to be there when Angel changed his mind, patted his trouser pocket to see if his keys and wallet were there, which they were, and walked out the room humming the National Anthem as he passed Angel.
Alone, Angel moved to the computer, sat down and began reading the information on the screen.
'Anubis. The Egyptian dog or jackal god of cemeteries and embalming, also depicted as a dog-headed man attending to a mummy or conducting the dead into the Underworld Hall of Judgement to weigh their hearts in the presence of Osiris.'
Angel stopped. What he'd just read didn't help at all. In fact it made things even more confusing. Anubis helped Isis resurrect Osiris and did all that weighing people's heart and stuff. He wasn't a god who resurrected other gods to kill people. God! Angel realised that he too needed a break as he'd been looking for the girl in his vision since he first had it. He needed some time to himself. To not think about the girl, or Buffy or anything. He needed to get out of the house.
Shouting to Cordelia he was going for a walk, he was about to switch the computer off when he remembered Wesley saying he was waiting for e-mail. He switched off the overhead light, grabbed his keys and closed the lounge door behind him.
What I need, Angel thought, is a good fight as he walked out of the house.
'So. You had the girl from your dream, in front of your face, and you didn't have a clue who she was? Great! Just great! You've just gone and lost us a major case! We could have saved that girl and got money. Lots of money. Especially if she's loaded. I mean anyone with a bodyguard had to be rich. Or scared. Or both. Did you get anything about her?' Cordelia sat, watching Angel, who was busy attending to the cuts and bruises he'd got from the fight.
He winced as he touched a large bruise on his upper arm even though the thing wouldn't be there for long since he healed quickly as a vampire.
'No. So she escaped me? I was hurt.'
'Yeah. So? I mean, you could have still stopped her.'
'She was running too fast for me to catch up.'
'He was also injured and probably concussed,' Wesley piped up, busy typing on the computer, and getting a rapid succession of beeps coming back at him.
Angel, grateful for the support, spoke, 'Yeah. Look Cordelia, I'm sure we'll find her.'
Wesley added, 'Yes. And from what Angel has said, we can do that by going to all the local schools and look for a girl with an absent bodyguard, who looks the sacrificial type.'
Angel frowned at Wesley, who shrugged. Cordy was about to speak, when Angel, not wanting another dressing down, cut her off.
'So Wesley. Found anything about the people…I mean gods, I dreamt about?'
'A lot. I contacted an old friend of mine- non-Watcher's Council connected. He used to be a Classical Civilisation fanatic. Sent me some information. Fascinating, but familiar all the same. Here's what he says about Osiris.' He began to read off the screen. 'Osiris. Connected with fertility, king of Egypt, killed by his jealous brother Seth who dismembered his body.'
'Remind me never to have two sons.' Cordy spoke.
Wesley, ignoring her, continued. 'Osiris' sister-wife…' he looked up at Cordelia, his eyes flashing her a warning not to say anything, '…gathered the pieces and reassembled them as the first mummy with the aid of Anubis, breathing new life into his corpse as goddess of magical powers and conceiving from Osiris a son, Horus, through her function as fertility goddess. Osiris, magically revived, ruled the dead in the Underworld as king of the dead, symbolising resurrection and regeneration, whilst his son Horus ruled the living.'
Angel shook his head. 'That's what I remember. Nowhere have I heard of Osiris killing people especially his own worshippers. Then again, I didn't actually believe in Osiris, so… I mean, Seth I could understand, what with him being the evil brother. But Osiris is, I mean was, a good guy.'
'Exactly. It doesn't add up. Eugene, the classics fanatic, said there was more to come. Some 'real interesting stuff' as he put it. I'm waiting for it to come. It might hold the key to everything.
'Ok. What does he say about Anubis?'
Cordelia, getting bored by all this work talk, began to wonder whether her nails would look better in Maybelline Arctic Blue or Emerald Green. Choosing the blue, she got up, telling to two she was going to go rehearse her part in the play her agent back in America, had secured for her. The play was terrible, but she was being paid to work in London. A beautiful city unfortunately filled with demons and monsters.
Aren't they all? she thought.
'Oh. Ok. 'Wesley answered, engrossed in his reading. 'You need the practice,' he muttered under his breath.
'What?' Cordy asked. She'd heard something but whether it was good or bad, she couldn't tell.
'Oh! Erm… Just saying, you really don't need the practice. The play is already terrible anything you do wouldn't make a difference,' he said as an afterthought. Angel arched an eyebrow.
'What?'
'Just go.'
'Ok. I don't need the practice do I? I'll go and paint my nails instead, I think. Have some quality time for myself.'
She swept out of the room, leaving the bemused vampire and ex-Watcher together. Angel remembering what had happened last time, he and Wesley had lied about Cordelia' s acting, frowned.
'You shouldn't lie to her. Remember last time?'
'Relax, Angel. She doesn't need any practice. That play is so bad anything she does won't make a difference. Poor girl, actually thinks she's gonna make it big.' He shook his head.
'Still. You shouldn't say stuff like that.' Angel began to pace the room. 'So. What does your kooky freaky friend have to say about Anubis?'
Wesley, suddenly tired, took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. He'd been doing this for four hours flat. He needed a break. A long one. He sighed. Angel, detecting this, looked at his friend.
He noted the hunched shoulders, the rumpled shirt, and the uncombed hair and felt angry with himself. He'd been pushing Wesley and Cordelia lately, trying to make up for the fact that the girl had been in front of him and he'd let her get away. It was his mistake and he'd moved his frustrations onto his friends.
'Look Wesley, you go take a day of. Take two. I'm sure I can hold the fort here. The computer won't bite; at least I hope it won't. You can't tell nowadays.'
Wesley smiled. 'I might take you up on that. It's been a long time since I've been here in London and a nice walkabout might do me some good. Get a chance to see this Millennium Dome thingummy-jig that's everyone's been talking about. I feel as an Englishman, I must partake in my national duty of bad mouthing the big white, expensive Telly tubby house in the middle of London. You see, you American's can't do that, moan about a national institution like the Statue of Liberty- you say it's unpatriotic. But in England, NOT making a fuss of the Dome would be heresy.'
'Yeah…Wesley, about Anubis…'
But Wesley was too busy thinking about whether going to Marks and Spencer's and grabbing a Chicken Korma microwave meal and some socks would kill him as many a Watcher used M&S as their local supermarket. Would he risk getting killed for some Carte Dior ice cream? Yes he thought, For a tub of Cookies and Cream Carte Dior I will risk it. Bugger the Watcher's Council.
He grabbed his coat, not wanting to be there when Angel changed his mind, patted his trouser pocket to see if his keys and wallet were there, which they were, and walked out the room humming the National Anthem as he passed Angel.
Alone, Angel moved to the computer, sat down and began reading the information on the screen.
'Anubis. The Egyptian dog or jackal god of cemeteries and embalming, also depicted as a dog-headed man attending to a mummy or conducting the dead into the Underworld Hall of Judgement to weigh their hearts in the presence of Osiris.'
Angel stopped. What he'd just read didn't help at all. In fact it made things even more confusing. Anubis helped Isis resurrect Osiris and did all that weighing people's heart and stuff. He wasn't a god who resurrected other gods to kill people. God! Angel realised that he too needed a break as he'd been looking for the girl in his vision since he first had it. He needed some time to himself. To not think about the girl, or Buffy or anything. He needed to get out of the house.
Shouting to Cordelia he was going for a walk, he was about to switch the computer off when he remembered Wesley saying he was waiting for e-mail. He switched off the overhead light, grabbed his keys and closed the lounge door behind him.
What I need, Angel thought, is a good fight as he walked out of the house.