SECOND CHANCES
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters other than the ones that I created.
CHAPTER 16-Getting Close To The End
The door exploded inwards upon itself, sending sharp shards of broken wood flying throughout the room. The first thing Faith heard, a second or two sooner than Wesley because of her enhanced slayer hearing, was the sound of spells being cast and their abruptly stopping as the chanting soon turned to shrieks and howls of pain, surprise, and anger. Faith's first glimpse of the robed wizards sent jolts of shock and confusion through her body. But the jolts were not because she was afraid or concerned in the slightest about whether or not she and Wesley would be able to stop these relative few magic wielders. The concern came from the fact that upon seeing the magic user's memories flashed in the back of her mind, but these memories were not of the usual variety. Instead they more resembled the slayer dreams that she had begun having just before she had been released.
At first she had welcomed them, anything to break the cycle of first dreaming about her newfound feelings of love, or at that time she was still confused as to the meaning of the dreams as before she would dream of just fucking some stranger, anything to try and relieve the boredom, even if it was only in her dreams. But then one day that complete stranger had turned to Wesley, and after that first dream the image of the stranger hadn't changed from the visage of her former watcher. And after a short time she actually began to enjoy the dreams and even look forward to them. But almost as soon as those pleasurable dreams had started their alter ego style dreams had begun, with them being some of the most horrible dreams that she had ever had. The dreams would start out like her pleasurable ones but then suddenly as if on cue they'd change to ones as if she were watching herself causing pain and suffering to everyone that had ever trusted her, the ones with Wesley in them had made her, on more than one occasion, caused her to jerk awake, tears flooding down her face and her hands shaking so bad that she found it next to impossible to even hold a glass of water long enough to drink without spilling most of it all over herself.
She still had those dreams for the first couple of days after being released. But they had ended after the night that she spent with Wesley, and ever since then she had found herself dreaming normal dreams again and actually enjoying them for once. With a vigorous shake of her head Faith cleared those memories from her mind and focused completely on the mission at hand. Wesley had tackled the first magic user that he had come to and was now in the process of rendering him unconscious. Faith started to go to his aid when she sensed an attack coming from her right and she barely had time to drop her head as a knife with a rune covered blade ripped through the air where her head had just been.
"Watch it asshole," Faith growled angrily as she stood back up and checked to see that none of her hair had been cut off before she leveled the magic user wielding the knife with a swift kick to his stomach. She took a small bit of pride out of how fast the man went down and how much pain he seemed to be in. But she didn't have too much time to revel in her actions as across from her Wesley smashed the butt of his gun into the nose of another of the magic users. But this particular magic user had found the time to pick up and aim a small crossbow at Faith's head. He had just been about to fire the bolt when Wesley attacked. And that attacked caused the bolt to veer slightly off course, but its trajectory sent it skimming so close to Faith's head that she felt the breeze ruffle a few stray strands of hair that had fallen out of place.
The rest of the robed wizards could only stand there in shocked silence as Wesley and Faith came after them, with the final one going down after receiving a well placed kick from Wesley. The triumphant pair, who were now more wet with sweat than from the wall of water that they had encountered earlier, staggered back to their feet and exchanged a quick congratulatory hug before they turned back towards the door, just in time to see a furious Fyarl demon charged through the destroyed doorway.
* * * * * * *
Back in the old kitchen Buffy and Spike had spent the rest of the fight there making sure that none of the mercenaries got anywhere close to Dawn, who for her part managed to take down a couple of them. Overall the rest of the fight didn't take very long and soon Buffy led Spike and Dawn back through the hallways and back into the lobby. Just as they entered the lobby the myriad of portals seemingly vanished into thin air. The first sight that greeted them upon entering the lobby was the sight of Angel helping Anya and Xander back to their feet with a confident looking Willow standing nearby. Anya was first to notice that the portals were gone and that Buffy, Spike, and Dawn were back in the lobby.
"Hey look.the portals are gone and.Buffy.Spike.you're back, and you found Dawn.you know it's not smart to run away at a time like this, what with all of the.," Anya started to say with at first a very happy smirk on her face before her demeanor changed to more of a scolding manner as she shook her finger menacingly at Dawn.
"Hey.I didn't run away, one of those mercenaries grabbed me and I had to fight them off," Dawn stated indignantly as she stomped her foot lightly and crossed her arms.
"Angel.what's going on here," Buffy asked with a look of both confusion and hope on her face, confusion as to exactly what was going on and hope as to her having hope that Angel knew what was going on.
"I don't know.what about you," Angel said back with an unhappy smirk on his face before he was interrupted by Willow.
"Uh guys we got problems here.of the incendiary kind," Willow said with a touch of fear and apprehension in her voice as she took a few steps back before pointing across the room.
"Bloody hell," Spike mumbled angrily and dejectedly as he hung his head and then shook it in dismay. Buffy was not comforted by the fact that both Angel and Spike wore the same expression on their face. So when she turned to look at what Willow was pointing at she expected the worst and therefore wasn't completely surprised to see that the remaining mercenaries were setting fires all throughout the lobby.
"Oh this can't be good," Anya mumbled sadly but in a way in as if she wasn't scared at the amount of fire now turning the lobby into a tinderbox.
Without so much as a word Angel leapt into action, with his main goal seeming to be to try and take out as many of the mercenaries as he could as quickly as he could, but all in all not kill any of them in the process. Spike seemed to be on the same train of thought as his grandsire and before Buffy could turn and look his way he had charged the nearest mercenary and tackled him to the ground. "Stay here," Buffy said with a strong and strict glare back at Dawn before she ran off to join Angel and Spike in their attempts to stop the mercenaries from setting fire to the entire lobby. Xander was just about to throw caution to the wind and join the fire fighting trio when he noticed Giles kneeling beside someone on the other side of the lobby. At first he couldn't recognize who the person was but as he pushed through his fear and remembered what everyone was wearing the realization shocked him.
"Oh no.Cordelia," Xander gasped out with a fearful look on his face before he grabbed Anya's arm and pulled her along as he rushed across the floor of the lobby, much to her initial chagrin.
Ever since Giles had sent Connor away to try and find something that could be used as a backboard to transport Cordelia out of the hotel he had spent the time trying to both keep himself and her hidden and to try and assess her injuries as best he could. He almost didn't even notice when all of the portals disappeared suddenly with a sound as if someone had quickly ripped apart two pads of Velcro. He was readily aware however when the mercenaries began setting fire to the various portions of the lobby and when Buffy, Spike, and Dawn came rushing back into the lobby. He thought for a second of calling to them but quickly decided against it as doing so would alert the mercenaries to his position and Cordelia certainly wasn't well enough for that eventuality. He was glad to see that apparently everyone was still alive, and that fact alone gave him hope that whatever or whomever was behind the attack at the party could be thwarted and his friends saved. He was about to make his first move when he noticed a frightened Xander making his way towards him, with an angry Anya on his arm.
"Giles.Cordy.what," Xander stammered out with a fearful scowl on his face as he and Anya got to Giles' side.
"Don't worry Xander, Connor went to get something to use as a backboard, and he should be," Giles started to say with a small bit of contempt in his voice as he knew that the young man standing in front of him was legendary for doing stupid things and he had to make sure that he didn't entice him to do anything stupid at this point in time.
"Ah.Giles.your beard fell off.and it's all black.and burnt.you'll never get your security deposit back now," Anya pouted with her bottom lip stuck out as she knelt down beside Cordelia and picked up the remnants of the beard that Giles had been wearing when he first stepped foot into the lobby. Leave it to Anya to find the smallest shred of humor in a landscape so previously devoid of it was the common thought that ran through both Giles and Xander's minds as they both tried their hardest to not roll their eyes and sigh.
"That's not important now Anya.Xander go and see if you can expedite Connor's search for something to use as a backboard.bloody hell.just go," Giles said with at first a very commanding tone to his voice and look on his face as he pointed towards the door that Connor had gone through earlier. He changed his tone quickly when he saw the completely blank look on Xander's face and guessed the question forming in his mind. Luckily Xander seemed to understand the instructions and nodded his head with a cheesy smile on his face as he soon took off through the door that Connor had disappeared through earlier.
"What do I do Giles.," Anya asked pleadingly as she crawled over next to Cordelia and looked back and forth between the former watcher and the former cheerleader. Giles pondered the question for a few seconds before responding.
"Stay here and keep her company while I go help Buffy," Giles said with a look on his face as if the idea had sounded really good in its initial stages but then when he realized what the idea meant he didn't know if it truly was such a good idea. Clearing his head of such negative thoughts Giles gave Cordelia and Anya one last quick look before he used his staff to pull himself back up to his feet. Before Anya could utter a response in protest Giles was off, using his staff as a weapon as best he could. Anya watched him fight for a few seconds with a frustrated look on her face before she turned her attention back to Cordelia.
"Don't worry.uh be happy.uh.you'll be okay.think happy thoughts.not like that your back is broken and you'll never walk again and guys won't look at you anymore and you'll have to get those weird.," Anya started to say sincerely at first before her imagination and concern got the better of her and she began to ramble off at the mouth.
"That's supposed to make me feel better.sorry Anya but you have the worst bedside.," Cordelia mumbled with a slightly tired smirk on her face as Anya looked on and lightly patted the former cheerleaders shoulder.
"Really.Xander always said that I was really good in bed.," Anya stammered out with a thoroughly confused and slightly hurt look on her face as she seemed to stop and ponder that thought for a few seconds before Cordelia interjected a few thoughts of her own.
"Ewww.way too much information.I so did not need to hear that," Cordelia said with a mock look of disgust on her face as she scrunched it up and turned away, trying to get at least a look at how the fight in the lobby was going.
* * * * * * * *
Ever since Giles had sent him away Connor had been furiously searching the hotel for anything that could be used as a backboard. However after violently rifling through a few different rooms Connor came to the conclusion that he wasn't exactly sure what a backboard truly was, but if it would help Cordelia then he'd find one, no matter who got in his way or how long it took. The process had been slowed down somewhat by the untimely and rather annoying arrival of a few mercenaries and a robed magic user. But Connor had taken them out quickly enough, and after making sure that he hadn't actually killed any of them, he returned to searching through the room for something to be used as a backboard.
Absentmindedly Connor had left the doors of the various rooms that he had checked open so needless to say it was a pretty easy trail for Xander to follow. Along the way he had many things that could be used to ferry Cordelia out of harms way but in the end he just grabbed an old stretcher and followed after Connor. When Xander found him Connor was just about to smash in another door.
"Whoa.easy there big.door smashing guy.," Xander said with a bit of trepidation in his voice as he gingerly laid a hand on Connor's shoulder. Connor didn't seem to be too happy about someone stopping him from furthering his quest and the fact that it was to him, a complete stranger, didn't help matters any.
"What are you doing.get out of my way," Connor said with a restrained look of anger on his face as he desperately wanted to hurt and even maim this stranger that was getting in his way. Xander quickly got the hint and pulled his hand back before he cleared his throat and nervously stepped in between Connor and the door.
"Easy now.do you even know what you're looking for," Xander asked with a sympathetic look of sullen submission on his face as he brought his hands up in a defensive manner, hoping that Connor wouldn't just decide to use him as a battering ram to open the door.
"Of course I do.now get out of my way," Connor growled angrily and nervously before he grabbed Xander and threw him halfway down the hall. With a short look over at Xander Connor reared back and smashed in the door, and was completely shocked and surprised to find himself staring almost face to face with six angry robed magic users.
* * * * * * * *
Sitting in the back seat of her parked car behind the Hyperion Lilah had at first been receiving almost constant updates on the progress of the different teams, from the small army of mercenaries as well as from the robed magic users. But now she was having trouble raising too many of the mercenaries and there was one cell of robed magic users that she couldn't get a hold of. All in all thoughts that she didn't want to think began to creep into the back of her mind. As the new head of the Los Angeles branch of Wolfram and Hart she was a very powerful woman with an almost unlimited amount of money and resources at her disposal, nothing frightened her, well almost nothing. Two things, neither of which she would ever admit to, scared her to death every time her thoughts even brushed their surface. One thought was if the senior partners became unimpressed and unsure of her ability to serve them in her current position. The other one, much to her horror, was being fully realized, that the man she loved had most likely switched sides and allied himself fully now with the prey that she was hunting that night. She scowled in anger and some fear as she decided to try and contact that silent cell of robed magic users again.
* * * * * * *
Throughout most of the fight Gunn had stayed hidden behind the tables, making sure that Fred, who had initially tried to stand up but then had become dizzy and crumpled back to the floor before Gunn caught her, was alright. He dared not leave her side for fear that one of the many mercenaries, or one of the few remaining demons, would come across her and recognize her. He could only dream of what their orders were that involved the woman that he loved more than the world to him. Sure he had dispatched a mercenary or two during the fight but Gunn could feel the anger rising in him, the anger at not being able to be out there helping his friends, and so there he was, using a broken off table leg as the only weapon standing between him and whatever came his way. For her part Fred had pushed herself further into the smashed and twisted pile of tables and broken furniture, hoping to use it as cover. She had reassured Gunn more than once that she was okay enough for him to leave her and help Angel and the others, but as to his nature Gunn was to stubborn, and loyal, to leave her side.
"Charles please.I'll be fine, go help Angel.and the others.," Fred sputtered out through pained winces as she brought her feet in closer to her and hugged her knees to her chest.
"I don't care Fred.I'm not leaving you here all.a.lone," Gunn started to say with a stern but yet soft tone to his voice and look on his face before he was interrupted by what sounded like an earthquake. But he, and all of the others in the lobby, soon found out that the sound had nothing at all to do with an earthquake as seemingly half of one of the lobby's walls exploded in a shower of plaster and wallpaper before a massive shape could be seen through the haze. The last thing Fred saw before Gunn threw himself on top of her was the massive cloud of debris screaming towards them across the lobby's floor.
END OF CHAPTER 16
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters other than the ones that I created.
CHAPTER 16-Getting Close To The End
The door exploded inwards upon itself, sending sharp shards of broken wood flying throughout the room. The first thing Faith heard, a second or two sooner than Wesley because of her enhanced slayer hearing, was the sound of spells being cast and their abruptly stopping as the chanting soon turned to shrieks and howls of pain, surprise, and anger. Faith's first glimpse of the robed wizards sent jolts of shock and confusion through her body. But the jolts were not because she was afraid or concerned in the slightest about whether or not she and Wesley would be able to stop these relative few magic wielders. The concern came from the fact that upon seeing the magic user's memories flashed in the back of her mind, but these memories were not of the usual variety. Instead they more resembled the slayer dreams that she had begun having just before she had been released.
At first she had welcomed them, anything to break the cycle of first dreaming about her newfound feelings of love, or at that time she was still confused as to the meaning of the dreams as before she would dream of just fucking some stranger, anything to try and relieve the boredom, even if it was only in her dreams. But then one day that complete stranger had turned to Wesley, and after that first dream the image of the stranger hadn't changed from the visage of her former watcher. And after a short time she actually began to enjoy the dreams and even look forward to them. But almost as soon as those pleasurable dreams had started their alter ego style dreams had begun, with them being some of the most horrible dreams that she had ever had. The dreams would start out like her pleasurable ones but then suddenly as if on cue they'd change to ones as if she were watching herself causing pain and suffering to everyone that had ever trusted her, the ones with Wesley in them had made her, on more than one occasion, caused her to jerk awake, tears flooding down her face and her hands shaking so bad that she found it next to impossible to even hold a glass of water long enough to drink without spilling most of it all over herself.
She still had those dreams for the first couple of days after being released. But they had ended after the night that she spent with Wesley, and ever since then she had found herself dreaming normal dreams again and actually enjoying them for once. With a vigorous shake of her head Faith cleared those memories from her mind and focused completely on the mission at hand. Wesley had tackled the first magic user that he had come to and was now in the process of rendering him unconscious. Faith started to go to his aid when she sensed an attack coming from her right and she barely had time to drop her head as a knife with a rune covered blade ripped through the air where her head had just been.
"Watch it asshole," Faith growled angrily as she stood back up and checked to see that none of her hair had been cut off before she leveled the magic user wielding the knife with a swift kick to his stomach. She took a small bit of pride out of how fast the man went down and how much pain he seemed to be in. But she didn't have too much time to revel in her actions as across from her Wesley smashed the butt of his gun into the nose of another of the magic users. But this particular magic user had found the time to pick up and aim a small crossbow at Faith's head. He had just been about to fire the bolt when Wesley attacked. And that attacked caused the bolt to veer slightly off course, but its trajectory sent it skimming so close to Faith's head that she felt the breeze ruffle a few stray strands of hair that had fallen out of place.
The rest of the robed wizards could only stand there in shocked silence as Wesley and Faith came after them, with the final one going down after receiving a well placed kick from Wesley. The triumphant pair, who were now more wet with sweat than from the wall of water that they had encountered earlier, staggered back to their feet and exchanged a quick congratulatory hug before they turned back towards the door, just in time to see a furious Fyarl demon charged through the destroyed doorway.
* * * * * * *
Back in the old kitchen Buffy and Spike had spent the rest of the fight there making sure that none of the mercenaries got anywhere close to Dawn, who for her part managed to take down a couple of them. Overall the rest of the fight didn't take very long and soon Buffy led Spike and Dawn back through the hallways and back into the lobby. Just as they entered the lobby the myriad of portals seemingly vanished into thin air. The first sight that greeted them upon entering the lobby was the sight of Angel helping Anya and Xander back to their feet with a confident looking Willow standing nearby. Anya was first to notice that the portals were gone and that Buffy, Spike, and Dawn were back in the lobby.
"Hey look.the portals are gone and.Buffy.Spike.you're back, and you found Dawn.you know it's not smart to run away at a time like this, what with all of the.," Anya started to say with at first a very happy smirk on her face before her demeanor changed to more of a scolding manner as she shook her finger menacingly at Dawn.
"Hey.I didn't run away, one of those mercenaries grabbed me and I had to fight them off," Dawn stated indignantly as she stomped her foot lightly and crossed her arms.
"Angel.what's going on here," Buffy asked with a look of both confusion and hope on her face, confusion as to exactly what was going on and hope as to her having hope that Angel knew what was going on.
"I don't know.what about you," Angel said back with an unhappy smirk on his face before he was interrupted by Willow.
"Uh guys we got problems here.of the incendiary kind," Willow said with a touch of fear and apprehension in her voice as she took a few steps back before pointing across the room.
"Bloody hell," Spike mumbled angrily and dejectedly as he hung his head and then shook it in dismay. Buffy was not comforted by the fact that both Angel and Spike wore the same expression on their face. So when she turned to look at what Willow was pointing at she expected the worst and therefore wasn't completely surprised to see that the remaining mercenaries were setting fires all throughout the lobby.
"Oh this can't be good," Anya mumbled sadly but in a way in as if she wasn't scared at the amount of fire now turning the lobby into a tinderbox.
Without so much as a word Angel leapt into action, with his main goal seeming to be to try and take out as many of the mercenaries as he could as quickly as he could, but all in all not kill any of them in the process. Spike seemed to be on the same train of thought as his grandsire and before Buffy could turn and look his way he had charged the nearest mercenary and tackled him to the ground. "Stay here," Buffy said with a strong and strict glare back at Dawn before she ran off to join Angel and Spike in their attempts to stop the mercenaries from setting fire to the entire lobby. Xander was just about to throw caution to the wind and join the fire fighting trio when he noticed Giles kneeling beside someone on the other side of the lobby. At first he couldn't recognize who the person was but as he pushed through his fear and remembered what everyone was wearing the realization shocked him.
"Oh no.Cordelia," Xander gasped out with a fearful look on his face before he grabbed Anya's arm and pulled her along as he rushed across the floor of the lobby, much to her initial chagrin.
Ever since Giles had sent Connor away to try and find something that could be used as a backboard to transport Cordelia out of the hotel he had spent the time trying to both keep himself and her hidden and to try and assess her injuries as best he could. He almost didn't even notice when all of the portals disappeared suddenly with a sound as if someone had quickly ripped apart two pads of Velcro. He was readily aware however when the mercenaries began setting fire to the various portions of the lobby and when Buffy, Spike, and Dawn came rushing back into the lobby. He thought for a second of calling to them but quickly decided against it as doing so would alert the mercenaries to his position and Cordelia certainly wasn't well enough for that eventuality. He was glad to see that apparently everyone was still alive, and that fact alone gave him hope that whatever or whomever was behind the attack at the party could be thwarted and his friends saved. He was about to make his first move when he noticed a frightened Xander making his way towards him, with an angry Anya on his arm.
"Giles.Cordy.what," Xander stammered out with a fearful scowl on his face as he and Anya got to Giles' side.
"Don't worry Xander, Connor went to get something to use as a backboard, and he should be," Giles started to say with a small bit of contempt in his voice as he knew that the young man standing in front of him was legendary for doing stupid things and he had to make sure that he didn't entice him to do anything stupid at this point in time.
"Ah.Giles.your beard fell off.and it's all black.and burnt.you'll never get your security deposit back now," Anya pouted with her bottom lip stuck out as she knelt down beside Cordelia and picked up the remnants of the beard that Giles had been wearing when he first stepped foot into the lobby. Leave it to Anya to find the smallest shred of humor in a landscape so previously devoid of it was the common thought that ran through both Giles and Xander's minds as they both tried their hardest to not roll their eyes and sigh.
"That's not important now Anya.Xander go and see if you can expedite Connor's search for something to use as a backboard.bloody hell.just go," Giles said with at first a very commanding tone to his voice and look on his face as he pointed towards the door that Connor had gone through earlier. He changed his tone quickly when he saw the completely blank look on Xander's face and guessed the question forming in his mind. Luckily Xander seemed to understand the instructions and nodded his head with a cheesy smile on his face as he soon took off through the door that Connor had disappeared through earlier.
"What do I do Giles.," Anya asked pleadingly as she crawled over next to Cordelia and looked back and forth between the former watcher and the former cheerleader. Giles pondered the question for a few seconds before responding.
"Stay here and keep her company while I go help Buffy," Giles said with a look on his face as if the idea had sounded really good in its initial stages but then when he realized what the idea meant he didn't know if it truly was such a good idea. Clearing his head of such negative thoughts Giles gave Cordelia and Anya one last quick look before he used his staff to pull himself back up to his feet. Before Anya could utter a response in protest Giles was off, using his staff as a weapon as best he could. Anya watched him fight for a few seconds with a frustrated look on her face before she turned her attention back to Cordelia.
"Don't worry.uh be happy.uh.you'll be okay.think happy thoughts.not like that your back is broken and you'll never walk again and guys won't look at you anymore and you'll have to get those weird.," Anya started to say sincerely at first before her imagination and concern got the better of her and she began to ramble off at the mouth.
"That's supposed to make me feel better.sorry Anya but you have the worst bedside.," Cordelia mumbled with a slightly tired smirk on her face as Anya looked on and lightly patted the former cheerleaders shoulder.
"Really.Xander always said that I was really good in bed.," Anya stammered out with a thoroughly confused and slightly hurt look on her face as she seemed to stop and ponder that thought for a few seconds before Cordelia interjected a few thoughts of her own.
"Ewww.way too much information.I so did not need to hear that," Cordelia said with a mock look of disgust on her face as she scrunched it up and turned away, trying to get at least a look at how the fight in the lobby was going.
* * * * * * * *
Ever since Giles had sent him away Connor had been furiously searching the hotel for anything that could be used as a backboard. However after violently rifling through a few different rooms Connor came to the conclusion that he wasn't exactly sure what a backboard truly was, but if it would help Cordelia then he'd find one, no matter who got in his way or how long it took. The process had been slowed down somewhat by the untimely and rather annoying arrival of a few mercenaries and a robed magic user. But Connor had taken them out quickly enough, and after making sure that he hadn't actually killed any of them, he returned to searching through the room for something to be used as a backboard.
Absentmindedly Connor had left the doors of the various rooms that he had checked open so needless to say it was a pretty easy trail for Xander to follow. Along the way he had many things that could be used to ferry Cordelia out of harms way but in the end he just grabbed an old stretcher and followed after Connor. When Xander found him Connor was just about to smash in another door.
"Whoa.easy there big.door smashing guy.," Xander said with a bit of trepidation in his voice as he gingerly laid a hand on Connor's shoulder. Connor didn't seem to be too happy about someone stopping him from furthering his quest and the fact that it was to him, a complete stranger, didn't help matters any.
"What are you doing.get out of my way," Connor said with a restrained look of anger on his face as he desperately wanted to hurt and even maim this stranger that was getting in his way. Xander quickly got the hint and pulled his hand back before he cleared his throat and nervously stepped in between Connor and the door.
"Easy now.do you even know what you're looking for," Xander asked with a sympathetic look of sullen submission on his face as he brought his hands up in a defensive manner, hoping that Connor wouldn't just decide to use him as a battering ram to open the door.
"Of course I do.now get out of my way," Connor growled angrily and nervously before he grabbed Xander and threw him halfway down the hall. With a short look over at Xander Connor reared back and smashed in the door, and was completely shocked and surprised to find himself staring almost face to face with six angry robed magic users.
* * * * * * * *
Sitting in the back seat of her parked car behind the Hyperion Lilah had at first been receiving almost constant updates on the progress of the different teams, from the small army of mercenaries as well as from the robed magic users. But now she was having trouble raising too many of the mercenaries and there was one cell of robed magic users that she couldn't get a hold of. All in all thoughts that she didn't want to think began to creep into the back of her mind. As the new head of the Los Angeles branch of Wolfram and Hart she was a very powerful woman with an almost unlimited amount of money and resources at her disposal, nothing frightened her, well almost nothing. Two things, neither of which she would ever admit to, scared her to death every time her thoughts even brushed their surface. One thought was if the senior partners became unimpressed and unsure of her ability to serve them in her current position. The other one, much to her horror, was being fully realized, that the man she loved had most likely switched sides and allied himself fully now with the prey that she was hunting that night. She scowled in anger and some fear as she decided to try and contact that silent cell of robed magic users again.
* * * * * * *
Throughout most of the fight Gunn had stayed hidden behind the tables, making sure that Fred, who had initially tried to stand up but then had become dizzy and crumpled back to the floor before Gunn caught her, was alright. He dared not leave her side for fear that one of the many mercenaries, or one of the few remaining demons, would come across her and recognize her. He could only dream of what their orders were that involved the woman that he loved more than the world to him. Sure he had dispatched a mercenary or two during the fight but Gunn could feel the anger rising in him, the anger at not being able to be out there helping his friends, and so there he was, using a broken off table leg as the only weapon standing between him and whatever came his way. For her part Fred had pushed herself further into the smashed and twisted pile of tables and broken furniture, hoping to use it as cover. She had reassured Gunn more than once that she was okay enough for him to leave her and help Angel and the others, but as to his nature Gunn was to stubborn, and loyal, to leave her side.
"Charles please.I'll be fine, go help Angel.and the others.," Fred sputtered out through pained winces as she brought her feet in closer to her and hugged her knees to her chest.
"I don't care Fred.I'm not leaving you here all.a.lone," Gunn started to say with a stern but yet soft tone to his voice and look on his face before he was interrupted by what sounded like an earthquake. But he, and all of the others in the lobby, soon found out that the sound had nothing at all to do with an earthquake as seemingly half of one of the lobby's walls exploded in a shower of plaster and wallpaper before a massive shape could be seen through the haze. The last thing Fred saw before Gunn threw himself on top of her was the massive cloud of debris screaming towards them across the lobby's floor.
END OF CHAPTER 16
