When the smoke lifted Angel stared with his game face at the mage.
"God, it's so good to be back," he exclaimed happily and tried to stand up, but still he couldn't move.
"Yes, I thought that you might say something like that" Ethan said and placed the orb back into his back. He took a syringe out of it and placed it at Angelus' forearm.
"This will take only a few seconds before the antidote is going to kick in," he explained while he emptied the content in Angelus' bloodstream.
As promised Angelus got the feeling back into his body and stood up.
"Like I said it's good to be back" he said and looked at the mage. "So, it was the Mayor's idea to turn me back into Angelus?"
"Your guess is right," Ethan told him and handed him a sheet of paper. "This a map of City Hall's sewer entrance. The Mayor wants to speak with you as soon as possible."
Ethan looked around. "Well I guess my work here is done. I'd better leave before the slayer finds out that I was responsible for your change of heart," he said and turned in the direction of the exit.
But before he could take a single step Angelus grabbed him by the shoulder and turned him around.
"Not so fast Ethan. I have to ask you for another favour," Angelus told him.
"And that is?" the mage asked, a bit annoyed.
"You see, I have been out of the loop for quite some time. Getting a soul can do that to a man," the vampire explained. "I just want to see if I'm still as good as I was."
Before Ethan could react, Angelus had already grabbed his head and twisted it until his neck broke. He let the lifeless corpse of the mage fall to the floor.
Angelus sighed contently. "They are right. It's as good as sex," he said into the empty room and walked to the sewer entrance of the mansion. "Let's see what the big boss wants."
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"Hi guys," Xander greeted his friends when he entered the library. Buffy and Faith both muffled a short response.
"So Giles, how are things working," he asked the librarian, who was busy stuffing books into a box.
"Well, we almost have all the books out of the library and we have enough weapons for the students," Giles told him. "But Xander don't you think there are a bit much explosives. With all that stuff you can blow the whole school up," Giles said and motioned for his office where the boxes with the label 'explosive' were placed on each other.
"That's the plan," Xander said and shrugged which earned him a glare from the watcher. "Oh, come on Giles. We only have one chance, okay. We have to be sure that we blow him up with this one," he said and sat down besides Faith.
"So, everyone's here?" he asked the dark haired slayer, while he examined the sword lying on the table in front of him.
"Nope, Cordy still is at April's fools, but she should be here in an hour," Faith answered his question.
"Great. We have the Apocalypse ahead and all she can think of is to shop," Xander groaned.
"Come on Xander, you know she is not there to shop," Buffy said. But Xander could only look confused at her. "You don't know?" she finally asked.
"Know what Buff?" Xander asked.
"Well, her parents had a little encounter with the IRS and now she has to work there," the blonde slayer explained a bit uneasy.
Xander blinked twice. "Excuse me? I could have sworn that you said that Cordy is working,"
Buffy nodded, confirming his question this way.
"Okay, that's another sign that we are all going to die," Xander said and went to the exit. "The next thing you see that pigs will fly."
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"Ah, Angelus. I'm glad you could make it," the Mayor greeted his guest.
"The Pleasure is mine Mr. Wilkins," the vampire said and sat down on the chair in front of the politician. He placed both his feet on the desk.
"Hey, the feet on the floor," the Mayor ordered him. With an annoyed look on his face Angelus obeyed and placed his feet on the floor. "Now, did the change proceed as planned?"
"Yeah, this pesky soul is gone," Angelus exclaimed.
"That's good to know," the Mayor told him with as smile "I guess you can think that I didn't do you this favour without a reason."
"I already figured that out myself. So, what am I supposed to do," the vampire asked with anticipation.
"You see Angelus, you know that my Ascension is near," the mayor started. "But your little slayer is taking out my business and especially my men faster than I can replace them. And I need my vampires for Graduation day."
"So, you want me to kill her?" Angelus asked with an evil smile.
"Well, that would be a nice side effect," the Mayor told him. "But basically I want you to spread chaos in her group. They will certainly argue what to do with you. And that will take them time. Time they won't have to prepare for the Ascension."
Angelus shrugged. "Well, I'm better with the killing part, but I think I'm also able to play a match of hide and seek with the slayer."
"Wonderful," the Mayor exclaimed happily. "But I'm curious. Most men would expect a reward for that kind of work."
"Yeah, but I'm not like most men. To see the slayer suffer and the fact that you will kill all her friend sonce you are a demon is enough reward for me," the vampire explained.
"Well, that's good to hear," the Mayor said and placed a small box on the desk. "Here, I think you will find this one useful."
Angelus stood up and took the box in his hand. He opened the lid and looked in the inside.
"Is it what I think it is," he asked the politician.
"Yes," the Mayor confirmed his suspicion.
"Good," Angelus said with a smile on his face. He placed the box in his pocket and looked outside. "It's already getting dark. I think I will start," he said and left the office.
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When Angelus entered the library, Buffy and Faith were still preparing the weapons. Giles was busy running from one end of the room to the other and carrying boxes filled with books. His vampiric senses told him that Willow, Oz and Wesley were in the stacks, doing the same as Giles.
"Hey," he greeted them. "So, are we ready to face the Mayor?"
"Yeah, we are almost finished," Buffy responded. "Still evacuating all the expensive books. Once we have them out we can start to place the explosives."
Angelus nodded. Giles came out of his office and seemed to notice Angel for the first time.
"Oh, Angel" he greeted the vampire. "Could you please help me," Giles said and walked to the weapons cage. Angelus shrugged and followed the librarian.
"I selected my best weapons for you, Buffy and Faith," he explained and opened the cabinet. Angelus stood in the doorway and looked at the watcher's actions. Giles handed him a sword which the vampire took in his hands. Angelus looked over his shoulder, but neither Buffy nor Faith could see the two, because they were sitting with their backs to the cage.
"Now, where is that damn battle axe?" Giles asked himself.
Behind him the vampire lifted the sword over his head and aimed at Giles' head.
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"I can't believe that you didn't tell me," Xander exclaimed while he and Cordelia were walking through the corridors of Sunnydale High.
"Well, it isn't really a secret," Cordelia explained. "Everyone in the group knows."
"Cordy, I have been undercover for the last few months, okay? You don't get that kind of information if you are working for the other side," Xander told her and sighed. "So your parents really have nothing left?"
She nodded. "The IRS took everything with them. I'm glad they allowed us to stay in the house for the rest of the school year, so I could finish high school."
"So, if we survive Graduation, what are you gonna do?" Xander asked.
"Don't know," Cordelia admitted. "Without money I can't even get into UC Sunnydale. I thought that I might work the summer here and then maybe head to LA to become an actress."
"Don't you think that's a bit unstable," Xander asked while they rounded the corner.
"I know," she told him. "But that's the best I can up with."
"Look Cordy," Xander started when they entered the library, but stopped when he saw Angel with a sword over his head, ready to cut Giles' head off.
"Giles, get down," Xander shouted while he drew his USP from under his jacket. The watcher immediately dropped to the ground, Angelus' sword missing his head only by an inch.
Startled by the sudden activity in the room, both Buffy and Faith jumped up from their seats.
But before anyone of them could react, Xander already fired a single round into the vampire's shoulder.
Angelus was thrown back by the impact of the 45 cal. hollow point and let the sword fall to the floor. Not risking his luck in a situation like this, he turned around and ran to the direction of the stacks.
Xander continued firing, most of the bullets missing their target. But one hit Angelus in the back, but it didn't stop the vampire.
Angelus jumped and crashed through the nearest window, leaving the library and his enemies behind him.
Willow, Oz and Wesley came out from their position in the stacks. Giles stood up from the floor and joined where Buffy and Faith were standing. Each one of them looked confused at Xander, waiting for an explanation for what had happened just a few seconds ago.
Xander looked at each of them before he answered. "Guys, I think we have problem."
"God, it's so good to be back," he exclaimed happily and tried to stand up, but still he couldn't move.
"Yes, I thought that you might say something like that" Ethan said and placed the orb back into his back. He took a syringe out of it and placed it at Angelus' forearm.
"This will take only a few seconds before the antidote is going to kick in," he explained while he emptied the content in Angelus' bloodstream.
As promised Angelus got the feeling back into his body and stood up.
"Like I said it's good to be back" he said and looked at the mage. "So, it was the Mayor's idea to turn me back into Angelus?"
"Your guess is right," Ethan told him and handed him a sheet of paper. "This a map of City Hall's sewer entrance. The Mayor wants to speak with you as soon as possible."
Ethan looked around. "Well I guess my work here is done. I'd better leave before the slayer finds out that I was responsible for your change of heart," he said and turned in the direction of the exit.
But before he could take a single step Angelus grabbed him by the shoulder and turned him around.
"Not so fast Ethan. I have to ask you for another favour," Angelus told him.
"And that is?" the mage asked, a bit annoyed.
"You see, I have been out of the loop for quite some time. Getting a soul can do that to a man," the vampire explained. "I just want to see if I'm still as good as I was."
Before Ethan could react, Angelus had already grabbed his head and twisted it until his neck broke. He let the lifeless corpse of the mage fall to the floor.
Angelus sighed contently. "They are right. It's as good as sex," he said into the empty room and walked to the sewer entrance of the mansion. "Let's see what the big boss wants."
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"Hi guys," Xander greeted his friends when he entered the library. Buffy and Faith both muffled a short response.
"So Giles, how are things working," he asked the librarian, who was busy stuffing books into a box.
"Well, we almost have all the books out of the library and we have enough weapons for the students," Giles told him. "But Xander don't you think there are a bit much explosives. With all that stuff you can blow the whole school up," Giles said and motioned for his office where the boxes with the label 'explosive' were placed on each other.
"That's the plan," Xander said and shrugged which earned him a glare from the watcher. "Oh, come on Giles. We only have one chance, okay. We have to be sure that we blow him up with this one," he said and sat down besides Faith.
"So, everyone's here?" he asked the dark haired slayer, while he examined the sword lying on the table in front of him.
"Nope, Cordy still is at April's fools, but she should be here in an hour," Faith answered his question.
"Great. We have the Apocalypse ahead and all she can think of is to shop," Xander groaned.
"Come on Xander, you know she is not there to shop," Buffy said. But Xander could only look confused at her. "You don't know?" she finally asked.
"Know what Buff?" Xander asked.
"Well, her parents had a little encounter with the IRS and now she has to work there," the blonde slayer explained a bit uneasy.
Xander blinked twice. "Excuse me? I could have sworn that you said that Cordy is working,"
Buffy nodded, confirming his question this way.
"Okay, that's another sign that we are all going to die," Xander said and went to the exit. "The next thing you see that pigs will fly."
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"Ah, Angelus. I'm glad you could make it," the Mayor greeted his guest.
"The Pleasure is mine Mr. Wilkins," the vampire said and sat down on the chair in front of the politician. He placed both his feet on the desk.
"Hey, the feet on the floor," the Mayor ordered him. With an annoyed look on his face Angelus obeyed and placed his feet on the floor. "Now, did the change proceed as planned?"
"Yeah, this pesky soul is gone," Angelus exclaimed.
"That's good to know," the Mayor told him with as smile "I guess you can think that I didn't do you this favour without a reason."
"I already figured that out myself. So, what am I supposed to do," the vampire asked with anticipation.
"You see Angelus, you know that my Ascension is near," the mayor started. "But your little slayer is taking out my business and especially my men faster than I can replace them. And I need my vampires for Graduation day."
"So, you want me to kill her?" Angelus asked with an evil smile.
"Well, that would be a nice side effect," the Mayor told him. "But basically I want you to spread chaos in her group. They will certainly argue what to do with you. And that will take them time. Time they won't have to prepare for the Ascension."
Angelus shrugged. "Well, I'm better with the killing part, but I think I'm also able to play a match of hide and seek with the slayer."
"Wonderful," the Mayor exclaimed happily. "But I'm curious. Most men would expect a reward for that kind of work."
"Yeah, but I'm not like most men. To see the slayer suffer and the fact that you will kill all her friend sonce you are a demon is enough reward for me," the vampire explained.
"Well, that's good to hear," the Mayor said and placed a small box on the desk. "Here, I think you will find this one useful."
Angelus stood up and took the box in his hand. He opened the lid and looked in the inside.
"Is it what I think it is," he asked the politician.
"Yes," the Mayor confirmed his suspicion.
"Good," Angelus said with a smile on his face. He placed the box in his pocket and looked outside. "It's already getting dark. I think I will start," he said and left the office.
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When Angelus entered the library, Buffy and Faith were still preparing the weapons. Giles was busy running from one end of the room to the other and carrying boxes filled with books. His vampiric senses told him that Willow, Oz and Wesley were in the stacks, doing the same as Giles.
"Hey," he greeted them. "So, are we ready to face the Mayor?"
"Yeah, we are almost finished," Buffy responded. "Still evacuating all the expensive books. Once we have them out we can start to place the explosives."
Angelus nodded. Giles came out of his office and seemed to notice Angel for the first time.
"Oh, Angel" he greeted the vampire. "Could you please help me," Giles said and walked to the weapons cage. Angelus shrugged and followed the librarian.
"I selected my best weapons for you, Buffy and Faith," he explained and opened the cabinet. Angelus stood in the doorway and looked at the watcher's actions. Giles handed him a sword which the vampire took in his hands. Angelus looked over his shoulder, but neither Buffy nor Faith could see the two, because they were sitting with their backs to the cage.
"Now, where is that damn battle axe?" Giles asked himself.
Behind him the vampire lifted the sword over his head and aimed at Giles' head.
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"I can't believe that you didn't tell me," Xander exclaimed while he and Cordelia were walking through the corridors of Sunnydale High.
"Well, it isn't really a secret," Cordelia explained. "Everyone in the group knows."
"Cordy, I have been undercover for the last few months, okay? You don't get that kind of information if you are working for the other side," Xander told her and sighed. "So your parents really have nothing left?"
She nodded. "The IRS took everything with them. I'm glad they allowed us to stay in the house for the rest of the school year, so I could finish high school."
"So, if we survive Graduation, what are you gonna do?" Xander asked.
"Don't know," Cordelia admitted. "Without money I can't even get into UC Sunnydale. I thought that I might work the summer here and then maybe head to LA to become an actress."
"Don't you think that's a bit unstable," Xander asked while they rounded the corner.
"I know," she told him. "But that's the best I can up with."
"Look Cordy," Xander started when they entered the library, but stopped when he saw Angel with a sword over his head, ready to cut Giles' head off.
"Giles, get down," Xander shouted while he drew his USP from under his jacket. The watcher immediately dropped to the ground, Angelus' sword missing his head only by an inch.
Startled by the sudden activity in the room, both Buffy and Faith jumped up from their seats.
But before anyone of them could react, Xander already fired a single round into the vampire's shoulder.
Angelus was thrown back by the impact of the 45 cal. hollow point and let the sword fall to the floor. Not risking his luck in a situation like this, he turned around and ran to the direction of the stacks.
Xander continued firing, most of the bullets missing their target. But one hit Angelus in the back, but it didn't stop the vampire.
Angelus jumped and crashed through the nearest window, leaving the library and his enemies behind him.
Willow, Oz and Wesley came out from their position in the stacks. Giles stood up from the floor and joined where Buffy and Faith were standing. Each one of them looked confused at Xander, waiting for an explanation for what had happened just a few seconds ago.
Xander looked at each of them before he answered. "Guys, I think we have problem."