Chapter 43
"Any movement from the Beast while we were gone?" Angel asked as he, Buffy, Gwen, and Manny walked in.
"Not a peep. Just wasting time trying to find ways to kill it.. Which, by the way, there aren't any." Gunn said.
"That doesn't look like Semkhet." Fred said.
"Semkhet's not available, sweetheart." Manny said. "Slight case of being ripped open to death in a cave. Don't suppose I could interest you in a short, stocky orb-keeper?"
"Guys, I'd like you to meet Manny, the last totem of the Ra-tet." Buffy said.
"This.. is a being of supreme power?" Wesley asked.
"You ought to see me in my Armani." Manny said.
"What happened to the second-to-last one?" Lorne asked.
"Somebody already ripped out the toy surprise." Gwen said.
"Good news is, we've discovered the Beast's plan." Buffy said with a shrug.
"Which is?" Gunn asked.
"To blot out the sun for all of eternity." Manny said. "You guys got a john?"
"Right back there." Angel said.
"Thanks, pal." Manny took off towards the bathroom.
"Why did the smelly yucky man say that? He's joking, right?" Cordy said.
"No, apparently there's a ritual using members of the Ra-tet to change day into night.. Forever." Angel said.
"As far as evil plans go, it doesn't suck." Wesley said.
"He's killed four of the five so far. I figure we keep Manny safe, the lights stay on long enough, and we find a way to defeat this thing."
"But where are we going to hide him? We need a small controlled space." Fred said.
"Secure the perimeter? Guards on duty at all times?" Buffy asked.
"Kitchen's got a meat locker." Gunn said.
"Brilliant. Let's store the one thing that will stave off perpetual darkness in the home of the only people we're sure the demon knows." Wesley said.
"You know what? You got a better idea, Einstein?"
"Give me time."
"I know a place." Gwen said.
Buffy looked at her incredulously. Cordy spoke up with her sarcasm though. "Great. As long as it's not some non-descript tenement downtown, with discarded boxes in the stairwells and peeling plaster and.."
"It's not."
Buffy glared at Gwen from around Angel's chest. She was still holding onto Angel only this time she was wrapped around his waist. Partly because of Gwen and the other part was Manny freaked her out with his wondering eyes.
"Let's go." Angel said. "Cordy, Wesley, Lorne, and Fred stay here. Buffy, Gunn, Gwen, and I will take Manny to Gwen's safe haven."
Buffy, Angel, Gwen, Gunn, and Manny walked up some stairs in a broken down old building. Buffy was still holding to Angel's hand. She looked up at him and whispered, "Do you smell the faint odor of dead people?"
Angel rolled his eyes and squeezed her hand. "You ok? You've been kinda clingy since Gwen walked into the hotel."
"Yeah, well.. Can you blame me?"
"Not really. You have every right. That's why I haven't said anything until now. Do you not want to be here?"
"Oh, I do. You think I'm leaving you here with slut-oh-rama up there?"
"Rather here than back at the hotel plowing through them annoying books with the symbolic manifestos and the 'Brilliant!'" Gunn said.
"Never trust the books or the bookies, kid. Real juju takes place on the q- t. That's why you can't find this Beast. He's too powerful. I mean, taking out the Ra-tet.." Manny said.
"Yeah, speaking of, ain't you Tet folks supposed to be all mighty and colossal?"
"The midday totem is man, the neutral totem, the potential of every human soul."
"So, you're just a guy then?" Buffy asked.
"Well, there's more to me than meets the eye. For example, I'm immortal. Unless I'm ritually murdered, of course."
"Oh, well it's too bad we came here, then." Buffy said. Gwen stopped before an iron door in a particularly seedy hallway and placed her bare hand on the lock. With a flash of blue electricity, the lock released and the door started to swing open. "Cause if you're going to be ritually murdered it's probably going to be in a hellhole like.." Gwen stepped inside and flipped on the lights to reveal a lavish and spacious apartment. "This." Buffy finished.
"Come on in." Gwen said. "My butler's already in Tahiti so we're on our own here. I'll hit the kitchen for supplies later if I can.. Well.. Find the kitchen." She shut the door and disappeared down a long hallway. After a minute, she came back. "Let's get you set up in the study." They followed her into a spacious library with walls lined with bookshelves. She crossed over to one of them and pulled a book out. It triggered a hidden panel, which slid back revealing a steel vault door. "Can never pass up a good cliché." She used her power to activate the lock and the door slid back into the wall revealing a small closet-like room. "It's equipped as a panic room, too. Twelve inches of solid steel, it's own ventilation system.."
"Homey." Buffy said.
"You should be safe here."
"Don't worry. I ain't expecting any miracles." Manny said.
"So guard duty, what do you think? You and me, first shift?" Gwen asked Angel.
"Uh, no." Buffy said. "I think you get Gunn and I get MY husband."
"Makes sense to me." Gunn said, sensing the jealousy in Buffy's voice.
"Okay, then. I'll take Denzel." Gwen said.
"Actually, it's Gunn. Not that I mind the freakishly accurate comparison but you will keep your hands to yourself."
"Four hours on, four hours off. Bunk down off duty. Get as much sleep as we can. We're already tired. Got a long few days ahead of us." Angel said. He took Buffy's hand and led her down the hall to the bedroom. Buffy wondered how Angel knew where it was, but forgot about it when she remembered the hall Gwen had gone done. They found an open doorway directly down the hall. Angel led her in and closed the door. She went over to the big bed and sat down.
"Wow." She said nonchalantly.
"Yeah." Angel came over and sat beside her. "Buffy, I just want you to know that I'm not going to leave you. Not for Gwen, not for anyone. I love you and only you."
"I know. But she's throwing herself at you! If she throws one more time, I'm going to be inspired to throw a punch and a kick her way."
Angel cupped her cheek. "Shh, don't worry. I've been reBUFFing her attempts."
"Ha ha. Very funny." Buffy smiled.
"Knew I could get you to smile." He leaned in and planted a tender kiss on her lips. She responded and moved into him, kissing him deeply. Angel pulled her back on the bed and she rolled off enough to curl up at his side. Half on Angel, one leg between his two, Buffy fell asleep. She had barely slept two hours before she woke up nearly screaming.
"Stop!"
"Buffy! Buffy, what's wrong?" Angel asked.
She took a few deep breaths and then looked around the room. She sighed and relaxed in Angel's arms. "I'm ok. I'm here."
"Yeah, you're ok. You're right here with me."
"Oh God, all those deaths."
"What deaths baby?"
"I was back on the battlefield. I could see the Beast and that man with the long hair. I swear that I know him. Anyway, mom was there with me this time. We started to walk closer to the Beast and the man. Every now and then, mom would stop and tell me how this man died and how that man died and I would feel it. It hurt so bad."
"It's ok. It wasn't real."
"It was! This isn't just a dream Angel, it's a memory of some sort. It's a memory of something that's already happened. I don't know when, but it was all so horrible. This time I could almost taste the blood in the air."
"Shh." Angel stroked Buffy's hair, which was half matted down with sweat. "It's ok. You're safe."
"I know. But I don't want to go back to sleep."
"Ok, we won't. Do you wanna watch some TV?" Buffy nodded slightly. "Ok, we'll just find a movie to watch. I'm sure Gwen has all the movie channels." She smiled dimly, still engulfed in the horror of the dream. Two hours passed and Angel took her into the kitchen just before they had to take up their duties watching Manny. While Angel made them drinks, Buffy went to the bathroom.
"How's Manny?" Angel asked as he and Buffy entered the study.
"Fine. Gave him some magazines about a half hour ago to keep him occupied." Gunn said.
"Swimsuit edition. He's occupied." Gwen said. She looked at Gunn. "Come on. I'll show you where you can crash."
Gwen and Gunn left Buffy and Angel alone. Buffy sat down and took a sip of her coffee. Angel sat across from her, a tall glass of blood in his hand. He looked over at her. She was curled in on herself and looking drawn and tired. "You ok?"
"I can't get that dream out of my head." Buffy said, staring straight ahead. "It keeps playing over and over. One guy died after hours of suffering. He had been stabbed so many times, but nowhere where it would kill him instantly. He just laid there for hours and hours bleeding to death, suffering almost unbearable pain."
"Buffy, shh. Don't think about it."
"I'm so tired that I'm afraid that I'm going to fall asleep and be in the dream again. I don't want to hear how those people died. People I couldn't save." She looked down into her coffee for a long moment and then took a sip of it.
She and Angel sat there in silence for about an hour. Buffy's lids felt heavy, so she shut them, but made sure she didn't fall asleep. The next thing she knew, Gunn was in her face yelling at her to wake up.
"Please.. I'm awake!" Angel yelled.
"What the hell are you doing falling asleep on watch?" Gwen asked.
"I wasn't.."
"What's happening?" Buffy asked. Gunn knelt beside Buffy as she groggily came around as well.
".. Asleep." Angel looked around. "Manny!" He leapt up and ran over to the vault door. It slid open to reveal Manny's butchered body. Great swaths of blood and gore covered the walls. "It got him."
"Ugh! You think?" Buffy asked.
Gwen moved away and started to pace. "Was that part of his powers? Extra blood and guts? I mean, that's.. That's a lot of blood and guts in there. No way all that Stephen King came out of a normal guy."
"It was the Beast. It was looking for something Manny had." Angel said.
"How do you know?" Gunn asked.
Buffy held up Manny's hat. The center had been punched out of it. Angel pointed at it. "Emptied out his head to find it."
"Ugh!" Buffy tossed the hat down.
"Wait. Manny said he was an orb-keeper, right? Maybe he kept an orb." Gwen said.
"In his head?" Buffy asked.
"Where do you keep yours?"
"Hold on a second. She's right." Angel said.
"Of course." Buffy muttered.
"Semkhet, the demon in the cave, you said someone already pulled out the toy surprise." Angel said to Gwen.
"Did I?" Gwen asked.
"The Beast is pulling something out of these totems."
"And you knew that." Gunn said.
"Something you're not telling me, Gwen?"
Everyone started at her. Finally she caved. "All right. My client.. The Beast grabbed something out of him, too. A little metal boxy thing."
"And you neglected to mention this fact." Buffy said, standing a little taller next to Angel.
"I don't know, I thought the box might be worth something. Look, the apocalypse was coming, there was a giant killer demon. I panicked. And oh, by the way, I'm still a thief and as a rule, we don't share information."
"Okay, what about this cave demon? You think the big ugly went treasure hunting inside of him?" Gunn asked.
"It's definitely possible." Angel said.
"Yes!" Buffy said. "But what's impossible is thinking that somehow, some way, the Beast found where we were hiding, spiked the drinks we made ourselves, snuck through this unreasonably large apartment on the tippy- toes of his cloven feet right up to the vault and killed poor Manny unseen and unheard."
"Maybe whoever did it didn't have cloven feet." Gunn said. Buffy looked at him, knowing where he was going with it. "'The answer is among you.' I can't be the only one thinking it."
"Don't be ridiculous. Connor doesn't even know where we are."
"You didn't call him?" Angel asked.
"He's with Xander at Merrick's old apartment. That's where Cordy and Xander have been staying since we got back. There isn't a phone there. I can't believe you'd even consider.."
"Even if she didn't call him, last time I checked, that boy could track anybody anywhere." Gunn said.
"But I'd know if he'd been here. I'd be able to smell him." Angel said.
"Same way you smelled whatever it was spiking your blood?"
"This is impossible." Gwen said.
"Yeah, I thought we were pretty clear on the whole impossible issue." Buffy said.
"Unseen and unheard.. Security cameras!" Gwen walked out of the room. Buffy, Angel, and Gunn were hot on her heels. "Got them in every room. We just gotta rewind the tapes."
"Okay." Angel turned to Gunn. "In the meantime, call the hotel. Tell them about Manny. Tell them about the toy surprises, too. Let's see if we can find out what they're for and how we can stop the Beast from using them."
"Angel, about Connor.." Gunn said.
"We'll check it out later, like we do every other lead. Go."
He headed for the security room as Gunn took out his cell phone and dialed. Buffy was standing in the doorway as Gwen stared at a bank of monitors filled with static snow.
"What's that?" Buffy asked.
"That's nothing. The tapes just go blank. It's like the electrics got cut. Let me check the systems log." Gwen said. She pushed a button and a keyboard slid out. While she typed, Buffy pulled Angel aside.
"We have to talk to him, Angel." Buffy said.
"Who? Gunn? I just did." Angel said.
"Connor, you dolt, and you knew who I meant so why push my buttons?"
"Maybe cause it's nice to make you crazy."
"I'm already crazy. But you can't seriously think he did it.. When there are other more liar-like suspects." Buffy looked over at Gwen.
"Well, so far he's the only one who's got a connection to the Beast."
"I've got the origin of the blackout." Gwen said. "It kicked off in a small subset of the municipal A-14 grid. That's the one under this block. About 10 minutes before your watch."
"What does that mean?" Buffy asked.
"It means that somebody knew when you were going to take over that watch and somebody knew whose drinks to spike. You ask me, this is an inside job."
"Funny how you were inside at the time."
"Look, back off Buffy. Let's just focus on the guy trying to blot out the sun. We'll point fingers later." Angel said.
"Fine. Let's just get back to the hotel." Buffy said, rolling her eyes.
"Any movement from the Beast while we were gone?" Angel asked as he, Buffy, Gwen, and Manny walked in.
"Not a peep. Just wasting time trying to find ways to kill it.. Which, by the way, there aren't any." Gunn said.
"That doesn't look like Semkhet." Fred said.
"Semkhet's not available, sweetheart." Manny said. "Slight case of being ripped open to death in a cave. Don't suppose I could interest you in a short, stocky orb-keeper?"
"Guys, I'd like you to meet Manny, the last totem of the Ra-tet." Buffy said.
"This.. is a being of supreme power?" Wesley asked.
"You ought to see me in my Armani." Manny said.
"What happened to the second-to-last one?" Lorne asked.
"Somebody already ripped out the toy surprise." Gwen said.
"Good news is, we've discovered the Beast's plan." Buffy said with a shrug.
"Which is?" Gunn asked.
"To blot out the sun for all of eternity." Manny said. "You guys got a john?"
"Right back there." Angel said.
"Thanks, pal." Manny took off towards the bathroom.
"Why did the smelly yucky man say that? He's joking, right?" Cordy said.
"No, apparently there's a ritual using members of the Ra-tet to change day into night.. Forever." Angel said.
"As far as evil plans go, it doesn't suck." Wesley said.
"He's killed four of the five so far. I figure we keep Manny safe, the lights stay on long enough, and we find a way to defeat this thing."
"But where are we going to hide him? We need a small controlled space." Fred said.
"Secure the perimeter? Guards on duty at all times?" Buffy asked.
"Kitchen's got a meat locker." Gunn said.
"Brilliant. Let's store the one thing that will stave off perpetual darkness in the home of the only people we're sure the demon knows." Wesley said.
"You know what? You got a better idea, Einstein?"
"Give me time."
"I know a place." Gwen said.
Buffy looked at her incredulously. Cordy spoke up with her sarcasm though. "Great. As long as it's not some non-descript tenement downtown, with discarded boxes in the stairwells and peeling plaster and.."
"It's not."
Buffy glared at Gwen from around Angel's chest. She was still holding onto Angel only this time she was wrapped around his waist. Partly because of Gwen and the other part was Manny freaked her out with his wondering eyes.
"Let's go." Angel said. "Cordy, Wesley, Lorne, and Fred stay here. Buffy, Gunn, Gwen, and I will take Manny to Gwen's safe haven."
Buffy, Angel, Gwen, Gunn, and Manny walked up some stairs in a broken down old building. Buffy was still holding to Angel's hand. She looked up at him and whispered, "Do you smell the faint odor of dead people?"
Angel rolled his eyes and squeezed her hand. "You ok? You've been kinda clingy since Gwen walked into the hotel."
"Yeah, well.. Can you blame me?"
"Not really. You have every right. That's why I haven't said anything until now. Do you not want to be here?"
"Oh, I do. You think I'm leaving you here with slut-oh-rama up there?"
"Rather here than back at the hotel plowing through them annoying books with the symbolic manifestos and the 'Brilliant!'" Gunn said.
"Never trust the books or the bookies, kid. Real juju takes place on the q- t. That's why you can't find this Beast. He's too powerful. I mean, taking out the Ra-tet.." Manny said.
"Yeah, speaking of, ain't you Tet folks supposed to be all mighty and colossal?"
"The midday totem is man, the neutral totem, the potential of every human soul."
"So, you're just a guy then?" Buffy asked.
"Well, there's more to me than meets the eye. For example, I'm immortal. Unless I'm ritually murdered, of course."
"Oh, well it's too bad we came here, then." Buffy said. Gwen stopped before an iron door in a particularly seedy hallway and placed her bare hand on the lock. With a flash of blue electricity, the lock released and the door started to swing open. "Cause if you're going to be ritually murdered it's probably going to be in a hellhole like.." Gwen stepped inside and flipped on the lights to reveal a lavish and spacious apartment. "This." Buffy finished.
"Come on in." Gwen said. "My butler's already in Tahiti so we're on our own here. I'll hit the kitchen for supplies later if I can.. Well.. Find the kitchen." She shut the door and disappeared down a long hallway. After a minute, she came back. "Let's get you set up in the study." They followed her into a spacious library with walls lined with bookshelves. She crossed over to one of them and pulled a book out. It triggered a hidden panel, which slid back revealing a steel vault door. "Can never pass up a good cliché." She used her power to activate the lock and the door slid back into the wall revealing a small closet-like room. "It's equipped as a panic room, too. Twelve inches of solid steel, it's own ventilation system.."
"Homey." Buffy said.
"You should be safe here."
"Don't worry. I ain't expecting any miracles." Manny said.
"So guard duty, what do you think? You and me, first shift?" Gwen asked Angel.
"Uh, no." Buffy said. "I think you get Gunn and I get MY husband."
"Makes sense to me." Gunn said, sensing the jealousy in Buffy's voice.
"Okay, then. I'll take Denzel." Gwen said.
"Actually, it's Gunn. Not that I mind the freakishly accurate comparison but you will keep your hands to yourself."
"Four hours on, four hours off. Bunk down off duty. Get as much sleep as we can. We're already tired. Got a long few days ahead of us." Angel said. He took Buffy's hand and led her down the hall to the bedroom. Buffy wondered how Angel knew where it was, but forgot about it when she remembered the hall Gwen had gone done. They found an open doorway directly down the hall. Angel led her in and closed the door. She went over to the big bed and sat down.
"Wow." She said nonchalantly.
"Yeah." Angel came over and sat beside her. "Buffy, I just want you to know that I'm not going to leave you. Not for Gwen, not for anyone. I love you and only you."
"I know. But she's throwing herself at you! If she throws one more time, I'm going to be inspired to throw a punch and a kick her way."
Angel cupped her cheek. "Shh, don't worry. I've been reBUFFing her attempts."
"Ha ha. Very funny." Buffy smiled.
"Knew I could get you to smile." He leaned in and planted a tender kiss on her lips. She responded and moved into him, kissing him deeply. Angel pulled her back on the bed and she rolled off enough to curl up at his side. Half on Angel, one leg between his two, Buffy fell asleep. She had barely slept two hours before she woke up nearly screaming.
"Stop!"
"Buffy! Buffy, what's wrong?" Angel asked.
She took a few deep breaths and then looked around the room. She sighed and relaxed in Angel's arms. "I'm ok. I'm here."
"Yeah, you're ok. You're right here with me."
"Oh God, all those deaths."
"What deaths baby?"
"I was back on the battlefield. I could see the Beast and that man with the long hair. I swear that I know him. Anyway, mom was there with me this time. We started to walk closer to the Beast and the man. Every now and then, mom would stop and tell me how this man died and how that man died and I would feel it. It hurt so bad."
"It's ok. It wasn't real."
"It was! This isn't just a dream Angel, it's a memory of some sort. It's a memory of something that's already happened. I don't know when, but it was all so horrible. This time I could almost taste the blood in the air."
"Shh." Angel stroked Buffy's hair, which was half matted down with sweat. "It's ok. You're safe."
"I know. But I don't want to go back to sleep."
"Ok, we won't. Do you wanna watch some TV?" Buffy nodded slightly. "Ok, we'll just find a movie to watch. I'm sure Gwen has all the movie channels." She smiled dimly, still engulfed in the horror of the dream. Two hours passed and Angel took her into the kitchen just before they had to take up their duties watching Manny. While Angel made them drinks, Buffy went to the bathroom.
"How's Manny?" Angel asked as he and Buffy entered the study.
"Fine. Gave him some magazines about a half hour ago to keep him occupied." Gunn said.
"Swimsuit edition. He's occupied." Gwen said. She looked at Gunn. "Come on. I'll show you where you can crash."
Gwen and Gunn left Buffy and Angel alone. Buffy sat down and took a sip of her coffee. Angel sat across from her, a tall glass of blood in his hand. He looked over at her. She was curled in on herself and looking drawn and tired. "You ok?"
"I can't get that dream out of my head." Buffy said, staring straight ahead. "It keeps playing over and over. One guy died after hours of suffering. He had been stabbed so many times, but nowhere where it would kill him instantly. He just laid there for hours and hours bleeding to death, suffering almost unbearable pain."
"Buffy, shh. Don't think about it."
"I'm so tired that I'm afraid that I'm going to fall asleep and be in the dream again. I don't want to hear how those people died. People I couldn't save." She looked down into her coffee for a long moment and then took a sip of it.
She and Angel sat there in silence for about an hour. Buffy's lids felt heavy, so she shut them, but made sure she didn't fall asleep. The next thing she knew, Gunn was in her face yelling at her to wake up.
"Please.. I'm awake!" Angel yelled.
"What the hell are you doing falling asleep on watch?" Gwen asked.
"I wasn't.."
"What's happening?" Buffy asked. Gunn knelt beside Buffy as she groggily came around as well.
".. Asleep." Angel looked around. "Manny!" He leapt up and ran over to the vault door. It slid open to reveal Manny's butchered body. Great swaths of blood and gore covered the walls. "It got him."
"Ugh! You think?" Buffy asked.
Gwen moved away and started to pace. "Was that part of his powers? Extra blood and guts? I mean, that's.. That's a lot of blood and guts in there. No way all that Stephen King came out of a normal guy."
"It was the Beast. It was looking for something Manny had." Angel said.
"How do you know?" Gunn asked.
Buffy held up Manny's hat. The center had been punched out of it. Angel pointed at it. "Emptied out his head to find it."
"Ugh!" Buffy tossed the hat down.
"Wait. Manny said he was an orb-keeper, right? Maybe he kept an orb." Gwen said.
"In his head?" Buffy asked.
"Where do you keep yours?"
"Hold on a second. She's right." Angel said.
"Of course." Buffy muttered.
"Semkhet, the demon in the cave, you said someone already pulled out the toy surprise." Angel said to Gwen.
"Did I?" Gwen asked.
"The Beast is pulling something out of these totems."
"And you knew that." Gunn said.
"Something you're not telling me, Gwen?"
Everyone started at her. Finally she caved. "All right. My client.. The Beast grabbed something out of him, too. A little metal boxy thing."
"And you neglected to mention this fact." Buffy said, standing a little taller next to Angel.
"I don't know, I thought the box might be worth something. Look, the apocalypse was coming, there was a giant killer demon. I panicked. And oh, by the way, I'm still a thief and as a rule, we don't share information."
"Okay, what about this cave demon? You think the big ugly went treasure hunting inside of him?" Gunn asked.
"It's definitely possible." Angel said.
"Yes!" Buffy said. "But what's impossible is thinking that somehow, some way, the Beast found where we were hiding, spiked the drinks we made ourselves, snuck through this unreasonably large apartment on the tippy- toes of his cloven feet right up to the vault and killed poor Manny unseen and unheard."
"Maybe whoever did it didn't have cloven feet." Gunn said. Buffy looked at him, knowing where he was going with it. "'The answer is among you.' I can't be the only one thinking it."
"Don't be ridiculous. Connor doesn't even know where we are."
"You didn't call him?" Angel asked.
"He's with Xander at Merrick's old apartment. That's where Cordy and Xander have been staying since we got back. There isn't a phone there. I can't believe you'd even consider.."
"Even if she didn't call him, last time I checked, that boy could track anybody anywhere." Gunn said.
"But I'd know if he'd been here. I'd be able to smell him." Angel said.
"Same way you smelled whatever it was spiking your blood?"
"This is impossible." Gwen said.
"Yeah, I thought we were pretty clear on the whole impossible issue." Buffy said.
"Unseen and unheard.. Security cameras!" Gwen walked out of the room. Buffy, Angel, and Gunn were hot on her heels. "Got them in every room. We just gotta rewind the tapes."
"Okay." Angel turned to Gunn. "In the meantime, call the hotel. Tell them about Manny. Tell them about the toy surprises, too. Let's see if we can find out what they're for and how we can stop the Beast from using them."
"Angel, about Connor.." Gunn said.
"We'll check it out later, like we do every other lead. Go."
He headed for the security room as Gunn took out his cell phone and dialed. Buffy was standing in the doorway as Gwen stared at a bank of monitors filled with static snow.
"What's that?" Buffy asked.
"That's nothing. The tapes just go blank. It's like the electrics got cut. Let me check the systems log." Gwen said. She pushed a button and a keyboard slid out. While she typed, Buffy pulled Angel aside.
"We have to talk to him, Angel." Buffy said.
"Who? Gunn? I just did." Angel said.
"Connor, you dolt, and you knew who I meant so why push my buttons?"
"Maybe cause it's nice to make you crazy."
"I'm already crazy. But you can't seriously think he did it.. When there are other more liar-like suspects." Buffy looked over at Gwen.
"Well, so far he's the only one who's got a connection to the Beast."
"I've got the origin of the blackout." Gwen said. "It kicked off in a small subset of the municipal A-14 grid. That's the one under this block. About 10 minutes before your watch."
"What does that mean?" Buffy asked.
"It means that somebody knew when you were going to take over that watch and somebody knew whose drinks to spike. You ask me, this is an inside job."
"Funny how you were inside at the time."
"Look, back off Buffy. Let's just focus on the guy trying to blot out the sun. We'll point fingers later." Angel said.
"Fine. Let's just get back to the hotel." Buffy said, rolling her eyes.
