Cordelia stood near the entryway of the dinning area, waiting impatiently for Angel and Conner. Letting out a long frustrated sigh she checked her watch again. Dinner had started ten minutes ago, and with every minute that passed her aggravation turned into anxiety. Angel wasn't like most males, he never ran late...for anything. He was precise with everything that he did. So him not meeting her on time made her heart beat double time.
She had gotten a bad feeling in the middle of her massage. One moment she was in the lap of luxury, the next her body was tense, as she felt anxiety grip at her nerves. She hadn't thought anything of it really, but now that Angel was late...Could they have let their guard down so much that they hadn't even noticed that there was a threat right under their noses? She was over reacting, she had to be.
In her minds eye she could practically see Angel's blank expression when she found him. That innocent 'What did I do wrong?' look he seemed to always be giving her. She was going to chew his butt out for scaring her. Tell him that if he wished to spend anymore time on this planet he'd never do this to her again.
Taking one last look around, Cordelia headed toward their room. Maybe something was wrong with Conner. Or perhaps Angel was feeding Conner. Then there was the possibility that Conner puked down Angel's back again. Logically she knew that none of these lame excuses could be true, but in a small way they gave her hope.
Going over every reason why Angel would be in their room, Cordelia reached the door and stood with her hand on the handle for a moment. If he wasn't in there then what?
Slowly she swung the door open and felt her stomach lurch as she saw that everything was just as they had left it earlier that day. Something was wrong. A sense of foreboding came over her as her heart started to race and her eyes stung. The feeling was like the one she used to get when she'd get separated from her Mother at the Mall. The kind of panic that threatened to choke, the desperation that ate away at her insides.
But she wasn't at the Mall where her Mother was just a few clothes racks away. She was a grown up, and the two dearest things to her heart where missing.
STOP. Her mind berated. There's a logical explanation as to where Angel and Conner were. All she had to do was calm down and not let her inane fears get the best of her. She needed to start at the beginning. Go to the last place she had seen Angel. Tammy's office, she had walked with Angel to the office before her massage. They had kissed goodbye...
Spinning on her heel she hurried out of the room, barely remembering to close the door behind her. Walking down the halls at a reckless speed, Cordelia told herself to breathe. It would do her no good to start hyperventilating now.
Reaching Tammy's office she gave a short knock and waited. Knocking one more time, Cordy didn't wait long before she opened the door. The sight that greeted her made bile rise in her throat.
One of the heavy wingback chairs was lying on its side. Papers from Tammy's desk scattered onto the floor. A small blanket off to the side was vacant, but from the crumpled look it looked as though not long ago a child sat upon it.
Giving a startled gasp Cordelia looked down at the item near her right foot. Dropping to her knees, she picked up a small teddy bear, Conner's teddy bear. Tears were swimming before her eyes, falling down her checks as she held the bear close to her.
They were gone. Worse, it looked as though they were taken. Letting herself cry for a few minutes she stood, wiping the tears away with the back of her hand. The others needed to know, perhaps Wes could find something out about the resort that could help her. Angel and Conner couldn't have been gone that long, so their trail had to still be fresh.
There was no way she was going to just lie down without a fight. Her son and the man she loved were somewhere, and god help the person that took them.
~~~*~~~
"What are you saying?" Tammy paced, ignoring the questioning glances from the other clan members. It seemed anyone in a hundred-mile radius was present, no one wanting to miss an event of a lifetime. "I thought you said that the potion mixed with the massage oil would knock her out until tomorrow afternoon!"
"I think we may have underestimated her origins." The voice replied calmly over the phone. "I really don't think she's as human as we first thought."
"That's impossible. Do you know how long we've been watching Angelus and the humans he surrounded himself with? I have read and reread all the notes left by Jenny before she died. Cordelia was defiantly human in Sunnydale, perhaps a bitch, but still human. And in LA...there hasn't been a thing that we missed. We would know."
"I don't know what to tell you Tammy. Miss Chase hopped off the table fine as can be."
"So she's now probably tearing the place apart looking for Angelus and his baby." Tammy cursed under her breath. They never thought of Cordelia being a threat in the last phase of the plan. "Get her and bring her here. I can't have her disrupting the other guests." Ending the call before she heard anymore excuses she turned to face her smug cousin. "What is it John?"
"Angelus has awoken."
"And?"
"Thought you'd like to know that he's beating the holy hell out of his little prison." He gave a lazy shrug that had her wanting to slap him silly.
"Don't worry your pretty little head over it. Angelus can't break out, no matter how hard he tries. There's no turning back now, this is going to happen whether you like it or not." Not having anymore time to put up with his irritating looks or snide comments, Tammy turned and hurried off to find the Elder's. They were going to need to know that Miss Chase would be here soon. They weren't going to like it, but what else could they do?
~~~*~~~
Rage, pure dark rage poured over him as he pounded on the metal walls of his confinement. His knuckles were bleeding, raw from the force of his fists continually connecting with the only door that led out of his small cell. He had to get out, find Conner and Cordelia.
He'd been awake now for what seemed an eternity. Kicking and pounding, trying to escape. It had been Conner's distant cries that had brought him out of his haze, making him see red the moment he opened his eyes. At first he had tried to logically figure a way out. But when that failed he snapped, desperate to get out of his prison,
Pushing himself up against the back wall of the tiny cell, Angel ran full speed at the metal door. Slamming his entire length up against the hard surface with all the strength he could muster. The unrelenting door didn't even dent from his impact. Trying again one more time, Angel found himself sprawled on the floor, blood flowing from the huge gash on his forehead.
Rolling over to push himself up off the floor, he let out a loud curse as he started to kick out in frustration.
"Well, well. Look at the caged animal." A muffled voice came from behind the door. "Amazing how far the mighty Angelus has fallen."
Angel balled his fists at his side, just waiting for the door to open so he could tear into whatever fool was behind it.
"It doesn't matter how I feel about you.... You don't deserve what they are planning. So I'll tell you what. I'm gonna open this door and make sure the coast is clear. All you have to do is leave." A moment later the sound of the lock being unbolted rang through the small cell. Not wasting a second, Angel sprung from the room, stopping in front of a familiar face of one of the employees from the resort.
Grasping the young man by the throat Angel crushed his captive up against the wall. "I'm going to ask only once, and you are going to answer me. Where's Conner and Cordelia?"
"You're...free." His eyes wide, as he gasped to breathe, the young man not even realizing his near fatal blunder.
"I see that we're not communicating here. Let me try it another way. I'm not leaving here with out my son and Cordelia. Now be a good little boy and point me in the right direction." Giving a harsh squeeze to the young man's throat, Angel glared into terrified eyes.
"Enough." A strong female voice commanded from behind. "Angelus drop the foolish boy." Not letting go of his victim, Angel looked over his shoulder at the large audience gathered.
~~~*~~~
"Wes, you're not understanding me here. They...are...gone. As in was once here but not anymore. I think they were taken." Cordelia paced as far as the cord on the phone would let her. After standing in Tammy's office with the teddy bear crushed in her grasp, Cordelia had run back to their room.
"Yes I checked everywhere... No Wes I didn't try his cell...Why?! Well for one I'm holding it in my hand...No...No...Yesss..."
"WESLEY shut up. I checked everywhere and I refuse to stand here wasting time going over everything I've already explained to you twice. Conner and Angel are gone. I need help figuring out who and why." Feeling a little bad at losing her patience, Cordelia wouldn't let the guilt get to her. "I'm going to see if I can get a hold of any security tapes. I need you guys to find out more about this place."
Her eyes came to rest on the teddy bear that stared back at her from the bed. That urge to sink to the ground and bawl her eyes out was back, but she didn't have the time to give into it. She had to be the adult here.
"I understand Wes. Okay I--." The door to the room opened interrupting her. Her heart jumped to her throat, as she spun around half expecting Angel to be standing there holding Conner. Instead two very large and intimidating man stood just inside the room. "Wes I think there's going to be a small problem."
Both men advanced on her, blocking any escape. She wasn't about to let all those hours of training with Angel, go down the drain. As soon as the first male got within striking distance, Cordelia lashed out, kicking him in the abdomen. Giving he time to turn her attention to the other guy.
"I suggest you leave. My friends are calling the police." Giving a startled shriek when the phone was ripped from her hands, Cordelia balled her first and planted it into the smirking expression of her attacker.
Giving a victorious grin, Cordelia was about to strike out again when her arm was grabbed and instead of receiving the blow she was expecting, she felt a sharp prick in her arm.
Looking down at the needle to the she lifted her eyes back to the stranger. Her head started to get fuzzy, the earth tilted, and everything went black.
~~~*~~~
Angel glared defiantly at the old woman, not relaxing his hold. "Where's my son?"
The owner of the voice stepped forward, an aging woman well along in years. Her hair that had once been raven, was now dusted with gray. Her skin almost like leather, her back hunched. But her eyes were alive and bright, giving off strength that couldn't be ignored. "He is safe, and will remain so as long as you don't do anything foolish. John is an imprudent young pup, spoiled and reckless. But he's still a good boy."
Angel looked at the young man in his grasp, seeing the fear now in the young man's eyes. Uncurling his fingers one by one, Angel let John fall to the ground in an ungraceful heap. "I want Conner and Cordelia."
John stood up on shaky legs, one hand to his throat the other pointing frantically at Angel. "I told all of you that he's a beast. You saw what he did to me."
The older woman turned to John, lifting her cane high into the air and rapping the young man over the head. "You idiot. Did you really think he'd leave without his son?"
"So you don't have Cordelia?" Angel questioned, not missing the fact the woman didn't say they had Cordelia.
The woman turned her attention back to Angel and spit in his face. "Can't tell you how long I've wanted to do that. Take him to the circle." With that the woman shuffled away.
Tammy reappeared holding the blue orb in front of her. Angel tried to lash out at the object, but found that his lower body was practically paralyzed. Two large men moved forward, flanking him on each side, dragging him to a post in the middle of the building where a tall pole stood. Chaining him securely, they stepped back leaving Angel alone.
Soon a match was lit, and a circle of flames sprung to life around him. Not close enough to burn, but he could feel the heat. Trying to move his arms he was sickened at what little strength he had. How could he escape if he could barely stand?
Hearing Conner's wails, Angel couldn't help it when his human mask slipped. A collective gasp echoed through his head as the group watching from a safe distance witnessed his change. He was losing control over his body. Trying to lift a heavy head, he looked up at the old woman through the flames.
She stood, swaying back and forth. Her eyes were closed, her lips moving with unspoken words. In her grasp was yet another glass globe, this one was pink. Not having the energy to keep his head erect, Angel let it drop.
~~~*~~~
Cordelia awoke to car doors shutting. Then there was a slight breeze on her face as hands grasped at her. Through her foggy mind she could feel her legs moving but wasn't too sure whether or not there was ground under her steps. He head felt heavy, and trying to rationalize what was happening to her was draining her of the small amount of energy she had.
Trying to remember the last thing she had been doing before the darkness came, Cordelia remembered talking to Wes. Telling him that Angel had been missing. He had been suggesting that she return to Tammy's office and going through the papers on the woman's desk. The next thing she knew here she was all fuzzyheaded walking on air.
Muffled voices floated inside of her head, none were making sense. An odd smell burned at her lungs every time she breathed in.
Shoes, there was lots of shoes. The most hideous shoes she had ever seen. If Cordelia could lift her head without fear that it would fall of she would. But right now it seemed that she was stuck staring at shoes.
~~~*~~~
Tammy watched as her two brothers helped Cordelia Chase from the car. The poor woman looked like she had been on a three day drinking binge. "What's wrong with her?"
"We gave her some Trilite. I guess we over did it." Her older brother shrugged.
"Trilite!? Are you joking? How much?" Tammy stared back at her brothers as though they had seriously lost their minds.
"Don't get all snappy at us! This girl isn't as weak as she looks." Tammy saw proof in the form of a fist size bruise on his upper cheek. "When the oils during the massage didn't work we thought we'd jump it up a notch."
"You're insane. Trilite isn't jumping it up a notch, it can kill her. We have no idea what she is, or how much of it she is. All I do know is if she dies it isn't going to be pretty." Rubbing her forehead, Tammy took a look over her shoulder at Raine, the oldest living clan member, who was standing before the flames in a trance. "She's going to be that way for another hour. Follow me. We need to get Miss Chase coherent before the Elders get a look at her." Tammy led the way as her brother's half drug, half carried Cordelia behind.
She had gotten a bad feeling in the middle of her massage. One moment she was in the lap of luxury, the next her body was tense, as she felt anxiety grip at her nerves. She hadn't thought anything of it really, but now that Angel was late...Could they have let their guard down so much that they hadn't even noticed that there was a threat right under their noses? She was over reacting, she had to be.
In her minds eye she could practically see Angel's blank expression when she found him. That innocent 'What did I do wrong?' look he seemed to always be giving her. She was going to chew his butt out for scaring her. Tell him that if he wished to spend anymore time on this planet he'd never do this to her again.
Taking one last look around, Cordelia headed toward their room. Maybe something was wrong with Conner. Or perhaps Angel was feeding Conner. Then there was the possibility that Conner puked down Angel's back again. Logically she knew that none of these lame excuses could be true, but in a small way they gave her hope.
Going over every reason why Angel would be in their room, Cordelia reached the door and stood with her hand on the handle for a moment. If he wasn't in there then what?
Slowly she swung the door open and felt her stomach lurch as she saw that everything was just as they had left it earlier that day. Something was wrong. A sense of foreboding came over her as her heart started to race and her eyes stung. The feeling was like the one she used to get when she'd get separated from her Mother at the Mall. The kind of panic that threatened to choke, the desperation that ate away at her insides.
But she wasn't at the Mall where her Mother was just a few clothes racks away. She was a grown up, and the two dearest things to her heart where missing.
STOP. Her mind berated. There's a logical explanation as to where Angel and Conner were. All she had to do was calm down and not let her inane fears get the best of her. She needed to start at the beginning. Go to the last place she had seen Angel. Tammy's office, she had walked with Angel to the office before her massage. They had kissed goodbye...
Spinning on her heel she hurried out of the room, barely remembering to close the door behind her. Walking down the halls at a reckless speed, Cordelia told herself to breathe. It would do her no good to start hyperventilating now.
Reaching Tammy's office she gave a short knock and waited. Knocking one more time, Cordy didn't wait long before she opened the door. The sight that greeted her made bile rise in her throat.
One of the heavy wingback chairs was lying on its side. Papers from Tammy's desk scattered onto the floor. A small blanket off to the side was vacant, but from the crumpled look it looked as though not long ago a child sat upon it.
Giving a startled gasp Cordelia looked down at the item near her right foot. Dropping to her knees, she picked up a small teddy bear, Conner's teddy bear. Tears were swimming before her eyes, falling down her checks as she held the bear close to her.
They were gone. Worse, it looked as though they were taken. Letting herself cry for a few minutes she stood, wiping the tears away with the back of her hand. The others needed to know, perhaps Wes could find something out about the resort that could help her. Angel and Conner couldn't have been gone that long, so their trail had to still be fresh.
There was no way she was going to just lie down without a fight. Her son and the man she loved were somewhere, and god help the person that took them.
~~~*~~~
"What are you saying?" Tammy paced, ignoring the questioning glances from the other clan members. It seemed anyone in a hundred-mile radius was present, no one wanting to miss an event of a lifetime. "I thought you said that the potion mixed with the massage oil would knock her out until tomorrow afternoon!"
"I think we may have underestimated her origins." The voice replied calmly over the phone. "I really don't think she's as human as we first thought."
"That's impossible. Do you know how long we've been watching Angelus and the humans he surrounded himself with? I have read and reread all the notes left by Jenny before she died. Cordelia was defiantly human in Sunnydale, perhaps a bitch, but still human. And in LA...there hasn't been a thing that we missed. We would know."
"I don't know what to tell you Tammy. Miss Chase hopped off the table fine as can be."
"So she's now probably tearing the place apart looking for Angelus and his baby." Tammy cursed under her breath. They never thought of Cordelia being a threat in the last phase of the plan. "Get her and bring her here. I can't have her disrupting the other guests." Ending the call before she heard anymore excuses she turned to face her smug cousin. "What is it John?"
"Angelus has awoken."
"And?"
"Thought you'd like to know that he's beating the holy hell out of his little prison." He gave a lazy shrug that had her wanting to slap him silly.
"Don't worry your pretty little head over it. Angelus can't break out, no matter how hard he tries. There's no turning back now, this is going to happen whether you like it or not." Not having anymore time to put up with his irritating looks or snide comments, Tammy turned and hurried off to find the Elder's. They were going to need to know that Miss Chase would be here soon. They weren't going to like it, but what else could they do?
~~~*~~~
Rage, pure dark rage poured over him as he pounded on the metal walls of his confinement. His knuckles were bleeding, raw from the force of his fists continually connecting with the only door that led out of his small cell. He had to get out, find Conner and Cordelia.
He'd been awake now for what seemed an eternity. Kicking and pounding, trying to escape. It had been Conner's distant cries that had brought him out of his haze, making him see red the moment he opened his eyes. At first he had tried to logically figure a way out. But when that failed he snapped, desperate to get out of his prison,
Pushing himself up against the back wall of the tiny cell, Angel ran full speed at the metal door. Slamming his entire length up against the hard surface with all the strength he could muster. The unrelenting door didn't even dent from his impact. Trying again one more time, Angel found himself sprawled on the floor, blood flowing from the huge gash on his forehead.
Rolling over to push himself up off the floor, he let out a loud curse as he started to kick out in frustration.
"Well, well. Look at the caged animal." A muffled voice came from behind the door. "Amazing how far the mighty Angelus has fallen."
Angel balled his fists at his side, just waiting for the door to open so he could tear into whatever fool was behind it.
"It doesn't matter how I feel about you.... You don't deserve what they are planning. So I'll tell you what. I'm gonna open this door and make sure the coast is clear. All you have to do is leave." A moment later the sound of the lock being unbolted rang through the small cell. Not wasting a second, Angel sprung from the room, stopping in front of a familiar face of one of the employees from the resort.
Grasping the young man by the throat Angel crushed his captive up against the wall. "I'm going to ask only once, and you are going to answer me. Where's Conner and Cordelia?"
"You're...free." His eyes wide, as he gasped to breathe, the young man not even realizing his near fatal blunder.
"I see that we're not communicating here. Let me try it another way. I'm not leaving here with out my son and Cordelia. Now be a good little boy and point me in the right direction." Giving a harsh squeeze to the young man's throat, Angel glared into terrified eyes.
"Enough." A strong female voice commanded from behind. "Angelus drop the foolish boy." Not letting go of his victim, Angel looked over his shoulder at the large audience gathered.
~~~*~~~
"Wes, you're not understanding me here. They...are...gone. As in was once here but not anymore. I think they were taken." Cordelia paced as far as the cord on the phone would let her. After standing in Tammy's office with the teddy bear crushed in her grasp, Cordelia had run back to their room.
"Yes I checked everywhere... No Wes I didn't try his cell...Why?! Well for one I'm holding it in my hand...No...No...Yesss..."
"WESLEY shut up. I checked everywhere and I refuse to stand here wasting time going over everything I've already explained to you twice. Conner and Angel are gone. I need help figuring out who and why." Feeling a little bad at losing her patience, Cordelia wouldn't let the guilt get to her. "I'm going to see if I can get a hold of any security tapes. I need you guys to find out more about this place."
Her eyes came to rest on the teddy bear that stared back at her from the bed. That urge to sink to the ground and bawl her eyes out was back, but she didn't have the time to give into it. She had to be the adult here.
"I understand Wes. Okay I--." The door to the room opened interrupting her. Her heart jumped to her throat, as she spun around half expecting Angel to be standing there holding Conner. Instead two very large and intimidating man stood just inside the room. "Wes I think there's going to be a small problem."
Both men advanced on her, blocking any escape. She wasn't about to let all those hours of training with Angel, go down the drain. As soon as the first male got within striking distance, Cordelia lashed out, kicking him in the abdomen. Giving he time to turn her attention to the other guy.
"I suggest you leave. My friends are calling the police." Giving a startled shriek when the phone was ripped from her hands, Cordelia balled her first and planted it into the smirking expression of her attacker.
Giving a victorious grin, Cordelia was about to strike out again when her arm was grabbed and instead of receiving the blow she was expecting, she felt a sharp prick in her arm.
Looking down at the needle to the she lifted her eyes back to the stranger. Her head started to get fuzzy, the earth tilted, and everything went black.
~~~*~~~
Angel glared defiantly at the old woman, not relaxing his hold. "Where's my son?"
The owner of the voice stepped forward, an aging woman well along in years. Her hair that had once been raven, was now dusted with gray. Her skin almost like leather, her back hunched. But her eyes were alive and bright, giving off strength that couldn't be ignored. "He is safe, and will remain so as long as you don't do anything foolish. John is an imprudent young pup, spoiled and reckless. But he's still a good boy."
Angel looked at the young man in his grasp, seeing the fear now in the young man's eyes. Uncurling his fingers one by one, Angel let John fall to the ground in an ungraceful heap. "I want Conner and Cordelia."
John stood up on shaky legs, one hand to his throat the other pointing frantically at Angel. "I told all of you that he's a beast. You saw what he did to me."
The older woman turned to John, lifting her cane high into the air and rapping the young man over the head. "You idiot. Did you really think he'd leave without his son?"
"So you don't have Cordelia?" Angel questioned, not missing the fact the woman didn't say they had Cordelia.
The woman turned her attention back to Angel and spit in his face. "Can't tell you how long I've wanted to do that. Take him to the circle." With that the woman shuffled away.
Tammy reappeared holding the blue orb in front of her. Angel tried to lash out at the object, but found that his lower body was practically paralyzed. Two large men moved forward, flanking him on each side, dragging him to a post in the middle of the building where a tall pole stood. Chaining him securely, they stepped back leaving Angel alone.
Soon a match was lit, and a circle of flames sprung to life around him. Not close enough to burn, but he could feel the heat. Trying to move his arms he was sickened at what little strength he had. How could he escape if he could barely stand?
Hearing Conner's wails, Angel couldn't help it when his human mask slipped. A collective gasp echoed through his head as the group watching from a safe distance witnessed his change. He was losing control over his body. Trying to lift a heavy head, he looked up at the old woman through the flames.
She stood, swaying back and forth. Her eyes were closed, her lips moving with unspoken words. In her grasp was yet another glass globe, this one was pink. Not having the energy to keep his head erect, Angel let it drop.
~~~*~~~
Cordelia awoke to car doors shutting. Then there was a slight breeze on her face as hands grasped at her. Through her foggy mind she could feel her legs moving but wasn't too sure whether or not there was ground under her steps. He head felt heavy, and trying to rationalize what was happening to her was draining her of the small amount of energy she had.
Trying to remember the last thing she had been doing before the darkness came, Cordelia remembered talking to Wes. Telling him that Angel had been missing. He had been suggesting that she return to Tammy's office and going through the papers on the woman's desk. The next thing she knew here she was all fuzzyheaded walking on air.
Muffled voices floated inside of her head, none were making sense. An odd smell burned at her lungs every time she breathed in.
Shoes, there was lots of shoes. The most hideous shoes she had ever seen. If Cordelia could lift her head without fear that it would fall of she would. But right now it seemed that she was stuck staring at shoes.
~~~*~~~
Tammy watched as her two brothers helped Cordelia Chase from the car. The poor woman looked like she had been on a three day drinking binge. "What's wrong with her?"
"We gave her some Trilite. I guess we over did it." Her older brother shrugged.
"Trilite!? Are you joking? How much?" Tammy stared back at her brothers as though they had seriously lost their minds.
"Don't get all snappy at us! This girl isn't as weak as she looks." Tammy saw proof in the form of a fist size bruise on his upper cheek. "When the oils during the massage didn't work we thought we'd jump it up a notch."
"You're insane. Trilite isn't jumping it up a notch, it can kill her. We have no idea what she is, or how much of it she is. All I do know is if she dies it isn't going to be pretty." Rubbing her forehead, Tammy took a look over her shoulder at Raine, the oldest living clan member, who was standing before the flames in a trance. "She's going to be that way for another hour. Follow me. We need to get Miss Chase coherent before the Elders get a look at her." Tammy led the way as her brother's half drug, half carried Cordelia behind.