Copyright (c) 2002 Melrick
Author: Melrick (melrick72@yahoo.com)
Spoilers: None, really.
Synopsis: Set just before a pregnant Darla returned. The gang read about someone locked in an insane asylum, claiming to be a vampire... with a soul.
Note: This story assumes that you've already been following the story of Angel on TV. Because if you haven't then some - perhaps much - of this story will be a tad confusing to you. Also, this is my very first Angel story so I hope it's not too bad. And if I got any facts wrong then I apologise.
Disclaimer: Angel is owned by Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy and no copyright infringement is intended or implied. The character "Jude" IS mine, though. This story may be distributed and archived, but only with the above completely intact and NOT to pay sites.
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Chapter 1
"Oh look," said Cordelia Chase, in a somewhat bored manner, as she glanced through the newspaper, "police arrested a twenty eight year old man yesterday for walking through the streets of LA stark naked. When police stopped him, he insisted that he was simply doing his weekly shopping."
"Are there any pictures?" asked Winifred 'Fred' Burkle. When everybody turned to look at her - mostly out of surprise to hear such a question come from her - she blushed and looked down at her suddenly shuffling feet. "I... I was just wondering, that's all," she stammered.
"No, sorry, Fred, no such luck," Cordelia replied, returning to the newspaper. Charles Gunn couldn't help but let out a chuckle, which made Fred blush even more. Angel was busy sharpening a sword, while Wesley was busy with a book. Neither seemed to pay Cordelia or Fred any notice.
All went quiet again - everybody feeling thoroughly bored - when suddenly, Cordelia let out a squeal. Everybody jumped, making Angel cut his thumb on his sword.
Wesley Wyndam-Price sighed and looked up from his book. "What is it this time, Cordelia? Shoes or dresses?" He knew that sounded bitchy, but the fact was, that's what her squeals were usually about. Why is it women can never have too many clothes? he wondered, and not for the first time. But if he had been paying more attention then he would have realised that it was a squeal of surprise, not delight.
Normally, she would have immediately hit back with some sarcastic or biting reply, but not this time. "I guess none of you are interested in hearing about another vampire with a soul," she said, folding up the newspaper and making to drop it in the trash. It did the trick.
Everyone rushed the table she was sitting at, asking questions all at the same time. "Well if you'll all be quiet, I'll read it to you." She opened the newspaper again to the correct page and began reading.
+++++ "Psychiatrists come across all sorts of disturbed people during a normal working day, but psychiatrists at the Stigwood Insane Asylum have recently been dealing with a case perhaps a little more interesting than the usual. An unknown man - named John Doe by the psychiatrists and appearing to be in his late twenties or early thirties - has been claiming to be a vampire. Not an unusual claim in itself, as it turns out, but his insistence on being a vampire with a soul has got their attention.
"'John Doe' was found a week ago by police wandering around a park in a dishevelled state. His 'warnings' to the police to stay away from him, because he was a vampire, prompted them to take him into custody and deliver him to the Stigwood Insane Asylum for analysis on his mental state. He soon announced to the attending psychiatrist that he was not only a vampire, but a vampire with a soul. His story since has never wavered." +++++
"Well that's not something you read about every day," said Cordelia as she sat up after being hunched over the newspaper.
"Obviously he's just a nutcase," said Charles Gunn. "I mean, there's nothing in the prophecies about there being a second vamp with a soul, is there?" He addressed the questioned to Wesley.
"No, not from everything I've read," Wesley replied. "But prophecies are notoriously difficult to decipher correctly - a single word could be interpreted a dozen different ways. But if we've read article, this then others will certainly read it, including people - or demons - that would happily kill him, just in case. So while ever he's in there, he's in danger."
"So you're suggesting we break out a possibly dangerously insane man from an insane asylum?" said Gunn, a little incredulously.
"We don't know that he is dangerously insane," he replied.
"But if he is a vampire, why wouldn't he simply break out?" asked Fred.
"I don't know," replied Wesley. "Something could have happened to him to cause him to become confused. He could be under a spell. There could be any number of explanations, including simply being an insane man. But if that turns out to be the case then we can find another asylum that will take him, and try and ensure they keep quiet about it this time."
Throughout all this, Angel had kept quiet and watched the conversation to-and-fro. Then finally he spoke. "I'll go tonight," he said before turning away. Wesley opened his mouth to argue, but closed it with a sigh. They all knew it was quite pointless to argue with him in these situations; when he made up his mind about something, it stayed made up.
"Well, that's the end of that discussion," Wesley said quietly. "Would you like any help at all?" He called in Angel's direction. "Perhaps you'd like us to pick out your clothes for you. That shouldn't take long." He was being sarcastic, but it was times like this that made it hard to like Angel.
Angel stopped and turned towards them, only now starting to break away from their huddle. "You can try and find a way to get me inside, and to get access to him," he said before continuing on his way. Angel often had to fight the impulse to just go off on his own and charge headlong into the bad guys. He knew much of that was his darker side coming out, so he did his best to control it. But it was difficult. God knows, it was difficult. Being a team player wasn't something that came natural to him, so every day was a struggle for him to play that game.
"Right, you heard him," said Wesley once Angel had left, "let's get to work. Cordy and Fred, you see what you can find on the 'net. If we can hack into the asylum's system, perhaps we can arrange for a transfer of the patient, and have Doctor Angel pick him up. His credentials don't need to be rock solid, just solid enough to give him time to get him in and out with the patient."
"I know someone who could make up a fake ID," said Gunn.
"Excellent," said Wesley. "First priority, Cordy, Fred, is to create a fake psychiatric doctor in the system. As soon as you do that, give the details to Gunn so he can get the ID made."
There wasn't really much else Wesley could do at the moment, so he just kept an eye on proceedings. Several hours later, with the sun set an hour earlier, everything had been done. A psychiatric doctor named Doctor Edward Lynham was due to pick up the John Doe patient and transfer him to another facility tonight. The other asylum's systems had also been hacked into with information containing his transfer there set in place, so if their asylum checked with them, it would be confirmed. And Gunn's ID was perfect.
"Tell him he did an excellent job," said Wesley, admiring the handiwork.
"Her," Gunn corrected. "And we now owe her a favour."
"Great," said Wesley gloomily. "Yet another person we owe a favour to. I remember the good old days when we used to be able to draw on favours."
With everything set, they called down Angel and gave him the good news. Doctor Lynham was due to pick up John Doe for transfer in two hours time.
