Chapter Twelve

Breakout

The sun was sinking low over the City of Angels as yet another busy day drew to an end at Wolfram & Hart. The blinds cast long shadows over Lilah's pallid skin as she watched through a slit in the blinds that covered her offices enormous bay window as hundreds upon thousands of people scurried about their daily lives below, blissfully unaware of the kinds of things that took place behind the closed doors of the firm. There were times when she felt envious of them. Ignorance in many cases was truly bliss, but the harder she thought about it, the more she realised she much preferred knowing what went bump in the dark than just imagining it.

Slowly the sun sank behind the towering skyscrapers, its harmful rays retreating quickly across the sky as they chased the escaping orb. Grudgingly Lilah lifted the blinds, before turning to stare darkly at the back of the vampire known as Shinji. He was sat, as usual, cross-legged on the floor of the office, three small globes arrayed in front of him.

"Are they still planning their little rescue attempt?" she asked. Shinji didn't even turn.

"Of course they are." He said flatly. "Not only do we have their friend, but my master has finally worked out what is at stake. They will come, and when they do, my children will be ready for them."

"And what about that Slayer you've got trussed up down there," she said nodding in the direction of the buildings basement, "is the Bleeding nearly complete?"

"Not until morning."                                     

"Morning!" said Lilah, plainly shocked. What if Angel and that ragamuffin band of his actually succeeded in freeing Buffy? There'd be no blood for the ritual and probably no ritual! She didn't think her employers would take too kindly to that.

"If we drain her too fast, we risk killing her before the Bleeding is complete. The blood needs to be fresh." Lilah gave a defeated sigh. She'd known all this of course, but she'd been hoping that the process would've been a little quicker.

"When do you think they'll be here?" she asked slowly, craning her neck to try and get a better look at the images floating inside the crystal spheres. The one she could make out clearly was that of the one called Buffy, trussed up like a piece of meat in the vaults beneath the building. She had to admit to feeling a tad concerned about having a Slayer in the building with them. This one especially was notorious. No matter how secure the cell she was locked away in or how diligent the security and vampire guards watching over her were; Lilah wouldn't feel truly safe until the girl was dead.

"They are readying themselves now." Said Shinji. "They will be here by the time darkness has fallen." Lilah frowned. With the sun already down, darkness wasn't far away. They'd definitely be at the building within the hour.

Slowly and gracefully, Shinji slid to his feet.

"We must prepare." He said before slipping out of the office, Lilah in tow.

*****

"So what's the plan again?" Faith shouted over the noise of the engine as Angel's car roared through the streets toward Wolfram & Hart. She'd never really been one for forward thinking and this whole breaking into Wolfram & Hart, finding Buffy and breaking back out reeked of planning ahead.

"Simple really." Wesley yelled back at her. "Willow will be casting a spell with the aid of Cordelia that will partially neutralise the abilities of the vampire detectors used by Wolfram & Hart. You, King and Spike will be causing a diversion, keeping the main body of their security forces busy. In the mean time Angel, Xander and I will be attempting to locate Buffy and bring her safely out." He reached over and tossed her a small black piece of plastic. Faith caught it gingerly, turning it over in her hands. It was a cell phone.

"We use the cell phones to stay in contact." Wesley explained.

"What?" said Faith, grinning impishly, "No walkie talkies?"

"Faith," Said Wesley, his voice scolding, "remember what I told you at the hotel. This isn't a school trip. We're trying to break into a very heavily defended bastion of evil." Faith was amazed at how he could say something so blatantly cliché and yet still sound convincing.

"I want you to stay alert at all times, and," he added dangerously, "remember whose side you're on." Faith's playful mood evaporated in an instant at those words. Well what had she expected, unflinching trust?

"We're here." Said Angel, bringing the car to a grinding halt. Faith turned and stared up at the building, a feeling of dread filling her gut as she remembered the building. A large marble block emblazoned with the firms name in metallic hues stood in front of long sloping walls that teetered up into the black night sky. The glass panelling shone brilliantly in the harsh glare of the street lamps, giving the whole building an eerie glow. It looked almost like an enormous glass pyramid. She shivered at the images it recalled, and glanced at the car that pulled up behind them. King sat in the passenger seat next to Xander, his face stony and unreadable.

Slowly the two cars emptied out onto the sidewalk, Angel dialling a number on his cell phone as he did so.

"Cordelia, we're here. Is Willow ready?" There was a slight pause as Cordelia's tinny sounding voice gave an affirmative. "Then you'd best get started." Angel finished and clicked the phone shut. The two teams split up, Faith making her way across to King and Spike, trying hard to shake the feeling of unease that had settled deep inside her at the sight of the building. She'd forgotten what it looked like. She glanced over as Angel slipped out into the centre of the road and, with seemingly no effort, slid a manhole cover aside before dropping into the sewers, followed shortly by Wesley clutching a sturdy looking long sword, and Xander with a crossbow and set of bolts slung across his back. Instinctively she patted the row of stakes tucked into the back of her pants, feeling her unease subside a little at the feel of the familiar wooden grain.

Slowly the three of them made their way across the tarmac and over the paving slabs that lead up to the buildings front doors. As she walked, Faith felt King fall into step beside her.

"Faith." He said quietly, a touch of urgency in his voice.

"Yeah?"  

"Things are going to get pretty hairy in there." Faith flashed him a confident grin that she didn't really feel as the memories of her dreams flashed through her mind.

"Wicked obvious." She said.

"I just want you to be careful." He sounded concerned. "If you see Shinji, don't fight him." Faith drew up suddenly, turning to face him, a frown spreading across her face.

"You think I can't handle myself?" She said accusingly. King watched her for a moment.

"I know you can handle yourself." He said finally. "I don't think you can handle him." Faith glared at him.

"I don't need a babysitter." She said angrily. "I'm the Slayer."

"I just want you to be careful." Said King, a look of undisguised worry momentarily flicking through his eyes. He turned away, seemingly embarrassed. "After all, you're going to be watching my back in there."

"Are you two finished, or are we gonna be yammering out here for the rest of the night?" Spike hissed back at them. Slowly, the two of them turned and made their way off over the concrete to the building entrance.

The lobby was quiet, a lone security guard lounging in a plush looking office chair behind the reception desk with a tattered looking magazine balanced over his face as he snoozed peacefully. A dark looking figure prowled silently just beyond the desk, obviously a vampire from the way he moved. Faith was certain there'd be more lurking in various corridors, waiting in ambush for anyone to break in. It wasn't the best ambush spot she'd seen though. The lobby was far too open to easily trap and surround someone, and the front entrance provided a simple exit unless the vamps had the presence of mind to cut them off. Even then, the glass frontage to the building was hardly sturdy. An exit made in desperation was still an exit, no matter how you made it. All in all, the odds of an even fight in the lobby were looking good. Quietly she crept up and tried the doors. She wasn't surprised when they rattled locked.

"The doors are locked." She whispered back to King and Spike. King's brow furrowed as he tried to spot another entrance, but Spike simply clambered over the bushes that lined the entrance, grabbing a small potted tree and hurling it hard at the glass doorway. Faith instinctively ducked as the pot sailed over her head and crashed through the glass before smashing on the immaculately polished marble floor of the lobby, spilling dirt across the ground.

"I guess that way was as good as any." Said King as the sound of alarms began to echo through the buildings cavernous hallways. Spike shrugged and leapt through the ragged entrance to intercept the first of the vamps as they spilled into the room. With a grunt, Faith pulled her first stake into her hand and charged through after him.

*****

In the sewers beneath Wolfram & Hart the sound of alarm bells ringing was little more than a distant wail. Xander unslung his crossbow; loading a surprisingly heavy dart into it as he did so and trying desperately not to sniff the rancid smelling air of the sewers. Crouched above, his legs wrapped sturdily round a rusting ladder, Angel clawed hurriedly at the manhole cover. Xander just hoped Willow's spell was working. If not then Shinji and his vamps would know about the second team's more covert infiltration the moment they stepped foot inside the building. The sound of metal scraping against stone filled the air as Angel heaved the manhole cover aside and disappeared up into the harsh neon strip lit glare of the Wolfram & Hart basements. Wesley went next, and finally Xander clambered out of the stinking hole, Angel sliding the cover back into place behind them. The basement of Wolfram & Hart wasn't what Xander had expected. He'd thought of it being more of a dank and dingy dungeon kind of deal, secreted away from the unsuspecting world above. In truth it was just a basement, plain grey walls linking to a plain grey ceiling and, surprise, surprise, a plain grey floor. In many ways he would have preferred to have a dungeon.

Cautiously, the trio slipped down the hallway, Angel leading them on a torturous route through the maze of corridors until they finally arrived at an elevator. It surprised Xander as much as any one when the elevator unexpectedly opened, revealing a very attractive, if slightly vampish looking woman in an immaculate black business suit.

Angel's surprise lasted only an instant as his hand shot out, grabbing the woman viciously by the throat. The woman's eyes widened in fear as his knuckles whitened and he began to squeeze.

"So glad you could meet us Lilah!" he snarled, as his face shifted into vamp mode. "We were going to come and see you, but it's all so much more convenient this way. Now, where is she?"

"I don't know…" Her eyes bulged as Angel's grip tightened.

"Wrong answer." He hissed.

"But I hones…" Once again, a squeeze from Angel cut her short.

"Blonde girl, about so high, super strong, goes by the name of Buffy." Said Xander, pointing his crossbow straight at the woman's heart. He was through with all this. Buffy was in danger, and he didn't care if this woman was human or not. "Tell us where she is, NOW!" he finished. The woman's eyes flicked across them; as if she were working out whether or not they'd really have the guts to kill her. Finally she nodded and Angel released her.

"This way." She croaked hoarsely as she massaged her bruised windpipe.

Xander was surprised as the woman lead them back almost the exact route they'd followed through the tunnels, leading them deeper into the depths of the firm. He didn't like this, didn't like it at all. Gradually they emerged into what appeared to be a large open room. A desk with nothing more than a phone and a few scattered pieces of paper sat empty next to one of a series of doors that linked into the chamber. Lilah lead them across the room to a secure looking steel door, and tapped a code into the pad on the wall next to it. There was a series of loud scraping sounds as the dead bolts that held the door closed slid back and the door swung inward. The room beyond was almost completely pitch black, the only light spilling in from the doorway, stretching each person's shadows across the floor, which was pinpricked with tiny holes. A slight draft stirred something within the room. It was Buffy, trussed up in chains and hanging limply from the ceiling like a piece of raw meat in a butcher's fridge. Long cuts ran along the lengths of both her arms, and a little blood had collected on the floor beneath her.

"Buffy!" Angel breathed. "What did they do to you?" She lifted her head to look at them, a look of unrestrained relief passing across her face as she recognised them. Suddenly her eyes gave a warning dart to the right as something else in the shadows moved. Xander could almost hear Wesley's grip on his sword tighten.

"Quite simple really." Slowly a new figure emerged into the column of light that shone through the doorway. The first thing that struck Xander was just how small this person was. He only came up to Xander's chest, but he carried himself with such grace and poise that it was hard to think of yourself as looking down on him. His long dark hair shimmered in the light and Xander was certain he could see a sword at the man's hip. Next to him, another vampire emerged, taller and with a long scar that stretched from one side of his throat to another. He was grinning darkly, something that only looked worse with the scar marking him.

"We've been bleeding her." The small man continued. "As I'm sure my master has told you by now, the blood of a Slayer is necessary for our ritual, and fortunately this girl has been providing us with a generous supply of it."

"You're sick!" Xander hissed at the man. He smiled revealing a row of glistening white teeth, canines sharpened to vicious points.

"And you're human." The taller one sneered. "Need I say more?"

"So you're Shinji." Said Angel, moving closer threateningly. He rolled his neck, his joints audibly cracking. "I've been looking forward to this." Shinji's smile broadened.

"You're welcome to try Angel, but I promise you…" his arm moved like lightning, whipping away his dark coat in a flurry of motion, revealing a lean sinewy form. There was a flash of silver in the light, as a wicked looking katana seemed to leap into his fingers. "I'm more than prepared for you." He finished. Angel barely moved aside in time as the sword lashed out for his neck. The tall vampire keeled into a backward role a fury of rapid sword blows reigning down to the floor around him. As he came back to standing, Shinji drew away, his sword balanced carefully in the crook of his arm.

"Very quick Angel." He complimented. "There aren't many I've met as good as you, and each of those are dead now." He stepped forward and bowed, his legs remaining perfectly straight.

"Unfortunately, there is too much at stake here for me to allow this duel to progress in an honourable fashion." As he said that the sound of feral snarls filled the air.

"Watch the girl Grachus." He finished, turning away from them and striding back into the corner of the room. Spinning rapidly, Xander caught sight of an imposing gang of vampires who had flooded into the hall outside and cut off their exit. The woman called Lilah glanced furtively between the two groups facing each other off, before turning and fleeing up the hallway.

"Well this is just great." Xander muttered, as the first vamp flung itself at him. 

*****

Faith barrelled into a heavyset vamp, smashing it to the ground and staking it as she rolled clear. The thing just had time to curse before it exploded in a cloud of dust. Nearby, King had snapped one of the small potted trees into a sharp point and was using it as a makeshift pike, whirling and staking anything that came near him. The fight had been going well for them so far, but she could feel herself beginning to tire. They'd have to make a break for it soon.

Suddenly a vamp grabbed her from behind, bear hugging her tightly as it lifted her into the air. She kicked vainly at it as it squeezed her tightly, causing the air to rush out of her lungs in a muted gasp. Then there was nothing holding her and she found herself falling back to the ground. She tucked and rolled as she hit the floor, bouncing back to her feet almost immediately. She used the moments respite to catch her breath and spot what had saved her. She caught sight of Spike flipping a stake in his hand as he span and caught another vamp squarely in the chest. She smiled slightly, giving him her mental thanks before turning to rush another vamp, when suddenly the cell phone tucked into her leather pants began to ring loudly.  She ducked a punch from an attacking vamp, leg sweeping him as she went low and flicked the phone out of her pants and into her hand.

"Engine Room, HMS Titanic." She said into the receiver as she flicked the phone open, "Faith speaking, we're a little busy right now but if you…"

"Cut the crap Faith!" Angel's voice was loud and desperate. "We're in real trouble down here. We need help and we need it now!" There was a crackle as a vampire snarled too close to the phone on Angel's end. Faith didn't even pause.

"Where are you Angel?" she said, nimbly side stepping and staking a vamp as it barrelled past her.

"In the basement!" said Angel, there was a brief pause as she heard him break off to shout a warning to Wesley. Suddenly there was a loud crack and a whistling sound met by a hiss then a flat dial tone. Angel's phone was gone.

"Hey you guys!" she yelled over the din of the fight, "Get over here! We need to make a move!" It didn't take long for Spike and King to draw up alongside her.

"So what's the problem?" Said Spike, "We've got these wankers on the ropes."

"Angel and the others are in trouble." Said Faith simply. "We need to help them." The other two nodded an affirmative and as one, the three of them turned and fought there way toward one of the nearby elevators. As they reached one, Faith jabbed vainly at the call button as the gang of vamps encircled them. They'd been surrounded. There was no easy way out anymore.

"C'mon, c'mon." she muttered under her breath as the elevator binged its way between floors to meet them. There was a final, cheerful sounding ding as the elevator drew to a stop at their floor, its doors sliding quietly open. Faith was the first one in, jabbing desperately at the button for the basement as she went, followed by Spike and finally by King, using his makeshift pike to keep the attacking vamps at bay.

"This isn't going the way I hoped." He said as the doors slid shut, neatly decapitating a vamp that had made the mistake of thrusting its head through to try and bite at them.

"You think so?" Spike sneered sarcastically as the lift lurched into motion, elevator music tinkling cheerily through the speakers as they moved. "We're in the middle of the devil's own law firm, surrounded by an army of vampires and worst of all, having to listen to this!" he jabbed his finger toward the speaker as they descended. King reached up and punched his hand hard through the speaker box, killing the irritating music in an instance. He turned to face Faith and Spike and shrugged.

"One problem solved." He said simply. Behind him, the elevator doors slid quietly open revealing the desperate looking lawyer woman who'd set Faith free jabbing futilely at the call button. On catching sight of them she rolled her eyes.

"Not again!" she groaned.

"You!" King hissed, stepping threateningly toward her. The woman waved him away.

"Yeah, whatever." She gave a defeated sigh. "I suppose you'd better follow me." It didn't take her long to lead them back to Angel and the others. A large band of vamps had flooded in behind them, trapping them in what looked like a flat walled cell. Faith squinted. She could just make out Buffy dangling from the roof by her arms, swinging out and kicking at any vamps that came near her.

"You two clear a path out of here." She said, "I'm going to help Angel." She didn't wait for a reply, instead charging head long into the fray, staking vamps left, right and centre as she charged through the throng. She caught sight of Angel, Xander and Wesley fighting back to back. Xander had discarded his crossbow and was instead trying to use his bundle of wooden bolts as stakes.

"Here comes the cavalry guys!" she yelled as she charged toward them.

"What took you so long?" Angel yelled back as she staked a vamp that had tried to jump him. Before she could answer him a shape blurred in front of her and suddenly she was rolling on the ground, a long gash opened across her shoulder.

"What the hell…" she began, but she didn't need to finish the sentence. Following the direction of the shape she caught sight of a figure she recognised all too well circling her dangerously. It was Shinji; a katana held in the crook of his arm glinting sharply in what little light there was in the room.

"Now this is interesting." He said ponderously. "The fallen Slayer coming to the aid of those who treated her so badly."

"They're good people." She said defensively. "They deserve my help."

"Indeed." Shinji nodded sagely. "But the question should be, do they want it?" Faith gritted her teeth and tried to ignore him.

"Touched a nerve there didn't I girl." He pressed on, sounding horribly satisfied with himself.

"Shut up." She hissed dangerously.

"I mean these people, they aren't your friends…"

"Shut up."

"They don't love you…"

"Shut up."

"After all, who could ever love a killer?"

"SHUT UP!" Faith screamed at him. "JUST SHUT UP!" With a cry of rage and anguish she flung herself at him.

She never even saw him move as she hurtled toward him. One moment he was standing in front of her, his sword balanced in the crook of his arm, the next he had stepped back, the sword lashing up into a ready position. The movement caused her attack to fall short and in that brief moment of weakness, she was exposed.

The sword shot forward.

For a brief moment, all was silence no noise penetrating her ears. Then suddenly her nerves exploded in pain. Pure white-hot agony shot through her as she fell back to the floor, clutching desperately at her side where the sword had struck, where she had once been stabbed before. Slowly the world around her began to swirl dizzyingly as she fell back into darkness.

*****

King didn't even pause when he saw Faith fall. His mind raced as she collapsed back to the floor, clutching in agony at her side. He wasn't going to lose her! Not again, and not like this! Turning, he hurled his pike with such force that it passed through three vampires. Putting his head down, he charged through the clouds of dust that drifted in the air, straight to her side. Shinji watched quietly for a moment, a small smile spreading across his face.

"That'll do for now." He said, wiping his sword clean with a small rag before turning and melting into the ruckus.

"Faith?" King said desperately. Her eyes moved slightly, but she was already drifting into unconsciousness. He had to do something; he had to get her out of here, but what about their mission? What about what they had come here for? He'd promised her he'd do it for her. Turning, he grabbed a vamp by the throat and hurled him across the small room to the sound of a sickening crunch as it thudded heavily against the wall of the cell. Then he was at Buffy's side, his hands moving with a mind of their own as his desperation wracked him. They reached up, taking hold of the chains that bound her, and with one almighty heave, he wrenched them clear of the ceiling. Buffy collapsed into his waiting arms, her eyes opened wide with surprise at the sight of him.

"What th…" she began, but King wasn't listening. Out of nowhere the vampire by the name of Grachus leapt at him. King barely seemed to move, his hand flicking out and hurling the vampire aside as if he weighed almost nothing. Grachus crashed heavily into the solid wall and lay still.

"Angel!" King roared over the din of the battle. The tall vampire was at his side in an instant, taking Buffy from him, before turning and trying to fight his way back to the exit where the others now waited.

King turned back to Faith, sweeping her limp body up in his arms as he moved for the exit behind Angel. The escape was little more than a blur in his mind as they fled down corridor after corridor, through the sewers and out onto the streets above, all the time pursued by Shinji's children, his army of vampires.

Gently, King laid Faith down onto the backseat of one of the two cars, before clambering into the front alongside Angel. The only other vampire to possess a soul shot him a concerned look then gunned the engine and roared off into the night. Behind them, the glass pyramid of Wolfram & Hart shone dully in the night air.