Greetings and Salutations. This is where the plot starts thickening a bit. Questions answered, problems solved and, most importantly, the sequel set up. Yes, I'm planning a sequel, detailing the girls search for their parents. Hopefully, people won't get to sick of the idea. Thanks to everyone who reviewed, I appreciate it. Thanks to Manticore Gurl for the challenge, much appreciated.
Angel opened his eyes. His hands were chained to a wall. "Ah. You're awake." The souled vampire looked up.
"It's you." He said, recognising the GSA agent from that night a week a go. "You're a glutton for punishment, aren't you?"
"We'll see, vampire." He said. "As soon as I have your girlfriend wrapped up and ready for delivery, you'll become another one of Walsh's experiment's."
"Well, how about a proper introduction?" Angel asked.
"Why? So you can curse my name while the doctor's are cutting you open?" The agent sneered.
"No. So we have a name for you tombstone when Buffy rips your spine out and feeds it to you." Angel said smoothly. At that moment, Riley walked in, Professor Maggie Walsh right behind him.
"So you did grab him?" Riley said. "Are you insane? Do you want us to get caught?"
"Frankly, I don't care." The agent said. "All I want is the girl."
"Yeah, well you'll get her alright. She knows he's gone." He told him. "And she has my scent."
"So she's a feral?" The agent mused. "At least now I know what she's capable of."
"You have no idea." Angel informed him, a grin playing on his face. "But you will. When she busts in here and hands you your ass on a silver platter, you'll know."
"I doubt she's much better than any other feral I've run up against." The agent said confidently. Angel looked at Riley and Walsh.
"Tell me." He said. "Have either of you ever heard of the Slayer?"
"A myth." The professor said. "A story told to keep the demons in line."
"She's real." Angel assured her. "I've faced them every once in a while, before some gypsy's cursed me with my soul. For a while, we thought Buffy was one. She's had all the training, knows all the techniques. She even beat me once."
"Then why are you still here?" The agent asked smugly. Slayer? What rubbish.
"Long story." Angel said. "Basically, there was a condition to the curse that I didn't know about. That condition was met, and I turned bad again." He looked over at Walsh. "You think your pet demons are bad?" He asked. "They're nothing compared to the Scourge of Europe. After I lost my soul, I tried to send the world to hell. Buffy stopped me, but not before her friends restored my soul. I was trapped there for centuries before I made my way back. For her, to help her." He turned back to the agent. "You think you can beat her?" He asked. "You think you know what she's capable of? You don't have a clue. But I'll tell you one thing. I can't wait for her to enlighten you." Suddenly, the lights went out. Angel grinned, looking at Riley and Maggie. "She's here. The question is what side do you want to be on? Her good side, or her bad side?" Riley looked at Professor Walsh. He knew what side he wanted to be on, and it wasn't her bad side.
"Orders, ma'am?" He said formally.
"Find her and bring her here." Maggie said. "Of her own free will if possible. And arrest this…" He gestured to the GSA agent.
"Why you…" Suddenly he found a pair of legs wrapped around his throat.
"Thing about vampires." Angel said, game face in place. "When you restrain them, make sure you do it properly. Now, I believe she said something about 'a rest'." He slammed the agent against the wall, knocking him cold. "You look like you could use one." He returned to his human visage. He looked up at Riley.
"Remind me not to stand near you." The soldier joked, moving off. I really detest him, Angel thought. He's just the kind of pretty boy that could take Buffy away from me. On second thoughts…
"I'm going to undo the cuffs." Walsh told him.
"Relax." He said. "I'm not going to bite you. A have sweet deal going with the local butchers. I keep the vamps off their backs, they give me the extra pigs blood." Walsh wrinkled her nose as she undid the cuffs. "Better than biting necks."
"There is that." Walsh said as Buffy came in.
"Angel!" Buffy rushed past her, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Are you alright? Did they hurt you? If they did I'll…"
"I'm fine." He said, holding her. He berated himself for his earlier thoughts. No matter what, he couldn't let her go. They'd figure something out. Somehow.
Buffy turned to Professor Walsh. "I warned your people not to get involved with the GSA." She said. "I told them to stick to hunting demons, and that Angel was off limits. Are you planning to ignore all of my warnings?" The professor stood there, stock-still. Riley had said that she had a commanding presence that, she could make a girlish grin seem threatening, and now she understood why. There was something about her, something other than her being a new mutant that gave her an air of superiority.
"I had no idea what was going on." She assured the feral. "He pulled rank on my people."
"The dangers of working with military." Buffy said. "Make sure this doesn't happen again." She looked over at the unconscious GSA agent. "I presume something's being done with him."
"We can't do much." Walsh said. Buffy nodded.
"Not surprising." She muttered. She turned back to her psych lecturer. "Consider this the final warning. This happens again, I shut you down. Permanently. And if you're wondering how, I have ways of making sure every demon in Sunnydale knows where you are." Walsh looked at her in horror.
"You wouldn't dare."
"Don't be so sure." Buffy threatened. "I have my ways. One more thing. I noticed a lot of research happening around here. Stick with hunting and killing on sight. I don't want any Frankenstein monsters running loose in my town." With that, she walked out, Angel hanging off her arm. Maggie Walsh watched her leave, thinking about her warnings. This was one time she was going to listen to someone else's advice. Buffy Summers was not someone she wanted to be on the wrong side of.
"Are you sure you're alright?" Buffy asked for the thousandth time. Angel grinned.
"I'm fine." He said. "It wasn't too bad. That Walsh woman and her pet soldier walked in before he could really start."
"I hope your not suggesting we owe them one." Buffy said. "You wouldn't have been there if they'd spread the word to back off."
"I guess." The vampire said. He sat down heavily. There was only two hours til sunrise. "You should get some sleep." Buffy shook her head.
"Too jazzed." She said. "Can't sleep." Angel nodded and closed his eyes. "Are you…?"
"I'm fine." He said irritably. "What happened with Shalimar, anyway?"
"We made up." Buffy said. "Kicked some ass afterwards. I sent Shalimar to get her friends while watched our way in."
"Then you moved in by yourself?" Angel asked. "She's not going to like that idea."
"I'll make it up to her." Buffy said. "I just couldn't leave you in there any longer than I had to. Besides, Riley invited me in." Angel stared at her.
"You mean you didn't turn the power off?"
"That's why the lights were off?" She said. "I wouldn't have clue how to do that. Too technical."
"Then who did it?"
"That was me." They both looked at the door.
"Whistler?" Buffy looked at him. "I thought you couldn't help. You told me you couldn't do anything other than deliver the message he'd been taken."
"And I'm gonna cop it, kid." He said. "You two owe me big."
"Thanks." Angel said. "I'll make it up to you, somehow." Whistler shrugged.
"No problem." He said. "Besides, I've gotten to like you two." Buffy grinned at Angel.
"Waddaya know?" She said. "We're likeable."
"Already knew you were likeable." Angel muttered. Whistler grinned.
"Glad you feel that way." He said. "'Cause the bosses have decided you two deserve a reward."
"Why?" Buffy asked, confused. "We didn't do anything." Whistler chuckled.
"Don't be so sure, kiddo." He told her. "Your little 'talk' with that Walsh woman made some changes. There was a big danger coming out of that place. You convinced her to cancel certain projects, averting it. Hence, a reward."
"What kind of reward?" Angel asked. She deserved something for her trouble. Whistler grinned.
"You." He said. The two Warriors stared at him. "You'll see in," He checked his watch. "less than two hours." With that, he left.
"What was that about?" Angel asked.
"We seem to ask that question a lot when it comes to Whistler." She said. Angel shrugged.
"You better get home." He said. "You need sleep." Buffy looked over at her. What if someone else came and took him? What if they dusted him? She couldn't live without him; she'd tried. He was her mate and she couldn't loose him.
"I think I'll stay here." She said. "Just in case."
"Buffy…" Angel looked over at her. What was her problem, she knew the dangers.
"Relax." She said. "Separate rooms. You've got enough." Angel looked at her. Something was wrong.
"Alright." he said. Buffy made her way to one of the other rooms. "Sweet dreams." Angel whispered, lying back in the chair. He just hoped whatever reward the powers had for her made her happy.
Angel's eyes flew open. It was dawn and something was wrong. He got to his feet and made his way to where he could hear Buffy's heart beat. He looked into the room. She was still there, sleeping soundly. Odd, he thought. He could hear a second heart beat. But they were the only ones there. Weren't they? He checked all the rooms. Nothing. He walked back the lounge room. On the way, he noticed one of the curtains were open. The sun was shining in. He was standing right in it.
But he wasn't burning.
He stared at the open curtain. This wasn't possible, he thought. Any moment I'll wake up. A moment later he was still standing in the sunlight. This wasn't possible. Then he found the second heartbeat.
It was his.
His mind raced. What was going on here? How was this…
"What kind of reward?" Angel asked. She deserved something for her trouble. Whistler grinned.
"You." He said. The two Warriors stared at him. "You'll see in," He checked his watch. "less than two hours."
Angel nearly fell over. He was Buffy's reward. As in a living, breathing human him.
"Not quite human." Whistler said, stepping out of the shadows. Angel turned to him.
"Why didn't you tell me?" He demanded. "And what do you mean, 'not quite'?" Whistler shrugged.
"You'd find out yourself soon enough." The balance demon said. "And you're a mutant, a feral. Same as the kid." Angel stared. That explained why it took so long to realize what was happening. All his senses were the same as he was used to.
"What does this mean for…"
"Your alive." Whistler said. "Unless you give it up, you can't loose your soul. Figure it out yourself." Whistler walked past him and headed to the door. "Take care of yourself, and her. We'll keep in touch." Angel watched him leave. He stood there a moment, then grinned. He headed back to Buffy's room. She'd be seriously pissed that he woke her this early, but the surprise would make up for it. More than make up for it.
Hahahahaha. Behold, Angel the feral. I am evil, but there's a lot more. A not to Joshua 'the evil guy'. After your unrelenting requests, I am giving Xander a power, but not in the way you think. Ya wanna know what it is?
Stay tuned.
Doc.
