Title: Temptation Island

Summary: When the reality television show "Temptation Island" guests start disappearing Angel and Cordelia must go under cover to find out why. Special appearances by Xander and Anya.

Disclaimer: In First chapter.

Chapter Two

Wesley and Gunn were looking through every newspaper printed in Los Angeles, for anything on the possible deaths of Linda and Troy. Everyday for the last week they had been disappointed, but today was different.

"'The missing contestants from the reality show "Temptation Island" were found yesterday, dead. Linda Jones and Troy Underwood's bodies were discovered on the exclusive island's beach severely deformed. Police say that the boat they attempted to leave the island in was too small and couldn't keep them afloat. Their untimely deaths have been ruled an accident.' Yeah, I'll bet."

Wesley listened intently as Gunn read the article aloud. "So both couple's died in the same manner and the police didn't even think to question it."

Gunn just shrugged and set the paper aside, "Maybe they don't know about the first accident."

"Or maybe they're being paid not to remember it. For whatever reason these couples are being killed and their deaths are being covered up."

"They might have heard about some plot and were killed. Or maybe they were sacrificed to a demon, since that's more out area."

"Perhaps, but we need to know for sure." Wesley rubbed his chin as he pondered their problem.

"We could always go to their offices. They have them here in LA," Gunn suggested.

"Of course. We'll go in and snoop around and hope to get some hard evidence."

"Are you guys still talking about those missing sex-starved people?" Cordelia asked as she went towards the coffee machine.

"They are no longer missing, Cordelia. They're dead. Their bodies were found yesterday morning," Wes informed her.

That got her attention. She took the newspaper Gunn offered her and read the article. "They died the same way. Is this the show's idea of a publicity stunt, because it's not a good one."

"We believe the police either don't know about the previous deaths or are being paid not to know."

"So were on the case then?"

"Yes, Gunn and I were going to check out their offices. See if there's anything suspicious there."

"I'll go wake up Angel," Cordelia started towards the stairs.

Wesley called after her, "Let him sleep. This is strictly research, no violence. We need to find out who or what killed them before confronting them."

"Okay, that's your call."

Wesley and Gunn gathered paper, pens and a small camera to take to the facility. It was a short drive to the building that housed the "Temptation Island" offices.

They walked into the empty lobby. After a quick glance at each other they decided to proceed further into the main offices.

They were stopped buy a well dressed woman when they opened the wooden door. "May I help you?"

Wesley turned on his English charm, "Hello, my name is Wesley Wyndam-Pryce and this is my assistant Charles Gunn," he ignored Gunn's look and took the woman's arm. "We're suppose to be meeting," glancing behind her to a list of employees he continued, "James Green for lunch. But I guess we're a little early. I don't mean for this to sound like a line, but that outfit is absolutely stunning." Wesley turned the woman so her back was to the wooded door as Gunn slipped through.

Ten minutes of intense flirting later Gunn stepped back into the lobby.

"Here's my phone number," the woman handed him a business card, "Call me sometime."

"I will be sure to do that Elaine," he pushed her hand off of his thigh. "Is today Thursday?"

"No, it's only Wednesday. Why?" Elaine put her hand back on his leg and added the other to stroke his neck.

"I just don't believe this. Charles, isn't our lunch with James on Thursday?"

Gunn pulled out a notebook and pretended to look through the pages. "I'm so sorry sir, it is."

"Damn. I have a lunch appointment with my editor today. I'm so sorry Elaine but I must go." Wesley untangled himself from her grasp, "Charles, I am very upset with you right-" The door closing cut off the rest of their conversation.

The pair walked out of the building and were in the car back to the hotel before Gunn spoke, "I didn't find anything. It all looked legit."

"Then whatever is doing this must be on the island."

"I can give you an answer for that. The show's producer and creator, David Glace, owns the island and any previous unwelcome guests were thrown in the slammer. They don't like people interfering with their show."

"So the only way on to the island is to work for or be a contestant on the show."

Gunn nodded, "Exactly."

"Do they need camera men, or electricians? Not that we know anything about that stuff."

"No. They have extra camera people so they don't miss a thing. The only way we're going to get on that island is if we pose as a couple." At Wesley's weird look, he amended his wording. "Not you and me, but two people from Angel Investigations."

Wesley gave it some thought, "There will be thousands of couples trying to win a spot on the show, how can we be sure that we are chosen?"

"We can't, but what's the harm in trying?"

That evening the A-team gathered around the table eating Chinese food out of the carton.

"Cordelia will have to go. Fred would be too shy to even look at the other men, let alone pretend to be attracted to them." Wesley pointed out.

"No way. I'm not sending Cordelia to an island where she could possibly be killed," Angel argued.

Cordelia stared at him in openmouthed shock, "You send me off to possibly get killed every other day. It's a part of our job, Angel. I'm willing to take the risk. Plus scantily clad, gorgeous men giving me massages as I lay in the warm tropical sun and get paid to boot. I am so there."

"No you are not." No one was going to be giving Cordelia massages, especially not men dressed in nothing but a thong. He would not allow it.

"Angel it's the only way to get onto the island. If these deaths are more then accidents and we don't do anything about it, would we be able to live with ourselves?" Wesley pleaded to Angel's purpose in life.

"And if Cordelia's the next victim, would we be able to live with ourselves then?"

"Angel, I'm not completely helpless. You've taught me how to fight. And think of this as a paid vacation that you don't have to pay for. They'll be paying for everything, it won't cost you a cent, and I won't bug you about vacations for the rest of the year."

"Fine, you can go," he said defeated.

Cordelia throws her arms around his neck, "Thank you, thank you ."

"But I'm going with you."

Cordelia pulled back as Wesley pointed out the obvious, "Angel, you're a vampire."

"Yeah man, you and the tropical sun ain't gonna mix. Well, you might mix with the sand."

"That won't be a problem," Angel stated.

Cordelia continued to stare at him, "Um, did I miss something. Vampires turn to dust when the sun touches them. How can you think that won't happen to you? That story parents tell you as a kid, about anything happening if you believe enough, doesn't really apply here."

"Yes I know. I sort of didn't destroy the Gem of Amara."

"You didn't?" Cordelia yelled, "Doyle said you did."

Gunn whispered to Wesley, "What's the Gem of America?"

"The Gem of Amara, it makes it's wearer immortal if he's a vampire."

"I told Doyle I did. I didn't want to wear it all the time and forget about what happens during the night."

"You could have worn the ring and still been a night time person."

"Eventually I would have become a day person and neglect the things that go bump in the night. I thought it would be better if I only used the ring in extreme circumstance."

"And this qualifies as one of those?" Gunn asked disbelieving Angel's reasoning. He only wanted to go to keep the other men away from Cordelia. Extreme circumstance his ass.

"Yes."

"Whatever man, but if you really want to do this you need to make a video application right now. They stop accepting them at five o'clock Friday evening."

~*~*~*~

Anya sat up straight on the sofa in Xander's living room. She smiled into the video camera Xander was trying to attach to the tri-pod. When he finally got the camera rolling, he took a seat next to her on the couch.

With a very enthusiastic voice Anya introduced them, "Hello, I am Anya and this is my boyfriend Xander. We are applying to be a couple on your next season of 'Temptation Island'. It's my favorite show. Xander doesn't watch it."

Xander smiled and shook his head. With the way this was going, he wouldn't have to worry about going on the show. "It's just not my type of show. It's just a real life soap opera, and we get enough of that here in Sunnydale."

"Xander!" Anya glared at him then turned back and smiled into the camera. "He's just kidding. We both want to be on your show very much. We think that we will make great contestants because we are both very interesting people. I'm over one thousand years-"

Xander covered her mouth with his hand, "She can trace her lineage back one thousand years. She's a pure bread through and through."

"That is not what I meant, Xander and you know it."

He gave the camera a small smile and lowered his voice so it couldn't hear, "These people will never choose us if you tell them you're a demon. You're right, you should tell them."

She jumped out of her chair and pointed an accusing finger at him. "I knew it! You don't really want to go. You say that you love me and will do anything for me, but when I ask you for one simple favor you try to weasel out."

"I'm not trying to 'weasel out'. You're the one who's going to have them look at us as if we're insane. They will never choose crazy people to go on their very popular television show."

"You're just being mean. You said you'd go and now instead of helping me, you're making fun of me," she pouted.

Xander pulls her down next to him, "You're right. I'm sorry. I will take this seriously from now on. I know this is important to you. We can start from the beginning again."

Anya snuggled closer to him, "Thank you."

He stands up and tries to reset the camera.

~static~

"Hi, I'm Anya and this is my-"

David Glace pushed pause on the remote control he was holding. He's been the producer of 'Temptation Island' for the past two years, and none of the couples he had seen before stand out like these two. They obviously wanted to tape over their little argument, but that's what made him want them. They were real. They didn't pretend to be the perfect couple, well they did in the second take but that wasn't important. The couples on the show were all hand selected by him. "I like them. They have character, and no loyalty. If we put them on next season they'll surely draw a crowd. The girl is sexy and the guy isn't a slacker. So far I'd have to say that they're our best choice."

"I'd have to agree," Robert, the show's host, said. "If they fight like that all the time, they will never last on the island."

~TBC~