Title: Deus Ex

Author: Stonewar

Summary: Prequel to "Machina". If the two titles together

don't give you a hint. It was how I resolved the mess

Angel was left in.

Keywords: Connor AU

Spoilers: Minor....Refers to events that happened between Seasons 3 and 4 as revealed in Season 4

premiere.

Timeline: Time is fluid but it starts toward the end of Summer 2002.

Archive: I have a site for XF fic and haven't decided if I'm

going to archive this there or not. http://stonewar.8k.com/

Feel free to archive elsewhere with or without permission.

Author's note: This is a three story series. Starting with "Deus

Ex" then "Machina" (though can be fun to read them out of order

And Third is the not yet written Visitation. I hope no one minds

that I turned Lorne into Watson. more notes at the bottom.

*********************************************

Deus Ex by Stonewar

Las Vegas

Monster's Ballroom Karaoke

Lorne strolled into the club and took in the vibe. He didn't

have a regular gig doing the empath routine now that he had

fairly successful act on the strip. From time to time he would

check in here and hopefully find a lead for Fred.

Leaning an elbow on the bar he gave his drink order to the

bartender. It simply broke his heart every time he heard

Fred's tremulous voice on his voicemail. She-- They sounded

so lost. Angel and Cordy have been missing for months and they

had long since given up hope that it was some spontaneous

lover's getaway. On top of that, Connor seems to be a handful.

It must be difficult to parent someone so close in age and so

much stronger than you. It's not like you can take him over your knee.

On the stage a passable voice chirps out a bouncy Bacharach tune

. She seems be a tourist. A little hyper from a day of gambling and

didn't bother to change for the evening since she was still wearing

a souvenir sweatshirt and jeans. The really interesting thing about

her was the urgent message he was receiving.

He positioned himself to waylay her exit from the stage. As she came

down the steps she nearly knocked him over but was in no way

startled by his green-skinned appearance, though his suit made

her do a double take.

"Excuse me. Can I get by?" She asked trying to slide past him.

"Sure thing, Sweetness. But tell me. Have you manipulated any

timelines lately?"

That made her stop in her tracks. Slowly she turned to face him

again, her eyes wide and face tense. "I haven't so much as looked

at any time spells since I accidentally caused the 1918 flu epidemic.

And They know that." She whispered harshly and gestured toward

the sky.

"Simmer down, Wildfire. I was just told to say that to get

your attention." He soothed. "The Powers have a message for you,

but they want to deliver it personally. Why don't we use Ozzie's office?

I'm sure he won't mind." He informed calmly as he guided her toward the

back of the club.

"But I'm on holiday," she whined as she reluctantly allowed him to

lead her away.

***

Lorne closed the door behind him and ushered her to a chair.

"Sit back and close your eyes." He instructed and placed the pads

of his fingers on her temples.

She inhaled deeply then opened her eyes to find herself seated at a

corner table in a smoky pub.

"Homey. Isn't it?" a male voice with an Irish lilt asked. She looked

up at the speaker and looking back at her was piercing blue eyes

and the most adorable dimples she has ever seen.

"Yes. Quite a departure from the usual white marble columns." She agreed.

"Though not as odd as the endless black expanse and two silver chairs."

"Ye've met Isaac then. Always trying to be different that one." He commented

while trying to wave down a bar maid as he sat down across from her.

"And what do you call this?" She smirked.

"Comfortable." He said succinctly a he continued to try to get someone's attention.

"You control this scenario. You could just make a drink appear in front

of you."

"The slow service is part of the atmosphere." He sighed happily when a

large glass of something dark and foamy was finally set in front of him.

He took an experimental sip followed by several large gulps then set his

glass down. "Our warrior has gone missin'." He announced somberly.

"And you need me to find him?"

"Oh we know where he is. Someone sunk him off the coast of California."

"So, you need me to rescue him. I gotta tell you, I don't have my scuba

certification."

"No, we have something else in mind for you. Something in line with your

special talents." He forestalled her interruption by raising his hand and

continuing. "We are well aware of what happened. You are in no way

to blame. How were you supposed to have known you were incubating

the 1978 strain of Spanish influenza? You had no symptoms. You are a

responsible practitioner and I am confident that you would have never

performed the spells if you had the slightest hint you were under the

weather. They regard it as simply another necessary cullin' of the herd."

"Are you sure I'm the only one who can do this for you. I'm on holiday

from my coven and as I said earlier I haven't so much as looked at those

spells in 24 years."

"24 years. That's a drop in the pan to an immortal like you." He said jovially,

ignoring her incensed look. She obviously did like to be reminded she was

anything less then human. "And what's missed day of a holiday when you

can manipulate time. And you are the only one. Do you see any

Time-Tourists hanging about?"

"Time is tricky and shouldn't be tampered with lightly. I'm sure the Powers

know what they're doing but have all the other options be exhausted." She

argued desperately.

"SahJahn is involved. We want to fight fire with fire."

She deflated in her chair. There was no getting out of it now. She had

witnessed SahJahn's handiwork during her experiments.

"What do they want done?"

"Now see that is were you come in. If they wanted to simply want to fold

time and undo something, they could without involving you. In fact they've

done it before. No, you decide what needs to be done then you do it. You

know how fond the Powers are of free will."

"They're leaving it up me!" She screeched then laid her head down on the

table. "I could destroy civilization as we know it or at the very least make

the situation worse."

"Where is your confidence, Eva? Is this the same woman who led her

coven to help with the little dark magic problem we had not 500 miles

from this spot"

"That wasn't my coven, we contributed power but.?. Are we still in

Las Vegas?" She looked up confused.

"You are. At least physically. The powers have run the numbers and?"

"The Powers have bean counters?"

"Everyone has bean counters. As I was saying, anything you do will

improve the situation. Even if you go into this with malevolent intent you

still improve the situation 15%. I like those odds."

"Me too. Ok. Give me the information I need." She sighed, resigning

herself to her mission. Doyle reached over and touched her hand. The

information flooded into her mind. She blinked and asked.

"I have a second mission?"

"Yes. It's been nice chatting with you, Eva." He said as he rose to leave.

"Be sure to talk to your messenger. He was a first-hand witness to some

of this. His perspective might be helpful."

With a blink she was once again looking into her messenger's red eyes.

He removed his hands and stood back. "So, how was your trip?" He asked.

"Informative. I'm Eva Kampfstein by the way." She said holding out her

hand. He shook it and introduced himself.

"Lovely to meet you, Lorne. I was told you could tell me more about

the Angel-Connor-Holtz situation."

***

Outside Las Vegas

Midnight, 3 days later

Lorne pulled off highway and onto a un paved road. Stopping the

car about a mile down the road, he gets out of the car and pulls a

box out of the trunk. Setting it on the ground he starts to measure

out a circle in an area free of desert brush and cacti.

He looks up at the bright headlights of a cab pulling up behind his car.

Eva pays and dismisses the driver and steps out of the cab. She is

dressed in black and her dark hair is pulled back securely.

She smiles as she approaches Lorne. "Thank you so much for doing

this, Lorne. I didn't think I could get all the spell components together

and still make all the preparations I needed to do before leaving."

"No problem. I'm willing to do anything to help fix this mess. Though

I am confused. Since you are traveling through time doesn't that mean

you have all the time in the world?"

"Technically? Yes." She answered as she moved to complete the runes

along the perimeter of the circle. "But I won't be returning to here and

now once my mission is accomplished, so the shorter period of time there

are two of me running around the better."

"Ah I see. I'm not going to think to hard about that. Paradoxes give me

a headache." He said stepping back to watch her complete the

preparations for the spell. "What did you need to do anyway?"

"Kill off Eva Kampfstein." At his confused look she explained. "I'm older

than I look. I was going to have to do it sooner or later anyway. So as far

as the paper pushers of the world are concerned Eva Kampfstein disappeared

on her trip to Las Vegas and Maeve MacNessa suddenly showed up in

southern California 6 months ago."

"Wait, Sugar. You can't change your identity now and have it be available then."

"I know. I have the makings in that bag." She pointed the black backpack

she had set by the car earlier. "Birth certificate, social security card,

education stuff and enough cash to tide me over until I catch up with myself

and can access my accounts without confusing my other self."

"So, are you going to end the suspense and tell me what you finally decided?

A lot happened six months ago so that hint wasn't helpful," He inquired.

"Subtle." He responded when she revealed her plan. "Nobody will any

happier but they will be better off. But will I remember that?"

"I think you might. Some of the aura of the spell will drift over you due

to your close proximity to the circle."

All the preparations were complete. The runes were drawn. The herbs

arranged. She stepped out the circle one last time. Lorne handed her

the black backpack and made sure it was secure. "I can't thank you

enough, Lorne." She says before returning to the circle.

She takes a cleansing breath and unsheathes a short sword from

the nearly invisible scabbard strapped to her thigh. Using it as an

athame she closed the circle and began the spell.

***

Los Angeles

6 months earlier??

The portal to Quortoth burned open beside SahJahn captivating

the attention of everyone present, so no one noticed at first when

the woman in black appeared next to Daniel Holtz.

She raised her sword arm and landed a heavy blow to his jaw. As

he fell to the ground she swooped the infant from his limp arms

and barreled toward Angel.

Lilah, noticing the stand-off falling to pieces, ordered her men to fire

at the new arrival.

The woman in her attempt to escape knocked Angel to the ground

then disappeared in a flash of light.

SahJahn sighed ignoring the hail of bullets and closes the portal to

Quortoth. He shook his head at an unconscious Holtz and took his leave.

"Hold your fire!" Lilah shouted. "What the hell happened?" She accused.

"How the hell should I know?" Angel huffed as he picked himself

off the ground. "Does it look like I got what I wanted?"

***

Angel found himself in a calming green place. No trees or grass or

anything growing. Just a wide open green place. He felt a nudge to

his left. Next to him was the woman in black smiling and holding

his son in her arms. She placed Connor in his arms and he hugged

him close.

"You need to say good-bye to Connor." She said softly.

"No!" He gasped.

"The powers gave me two missions. Would you have me fail?"

"What was your mission?" He asked turning his body away from

her, shielding Connor.

"Change history so their Warrior is not lost. Take Connor to be fostered."

"Fostered by whom?" he asked suspiciously.

"I've decided to do it myself. On top of being one of their Mages

for this dimension, I am also a retired warrior."

"Well I'm an active warrior I can train him just as well." He insisted.

"And you were about to cut a deal to allow Holtz and Justine raise him." She hissed.

"If nothing else he was a good father to his children."

"Yes, he was." She allowed. "Before I intervened Connor did not

want for love, but he was also riddled with hate and intolerance. He

defeated you. He was the reason you were lost."

"Not killed?" He queried.

"That's a long story that is not going to happen now." She dismissed.

"History is changed. He can stay with me now." Angel argued.

"They won't stop coming for him! He is easier to find if he stays with

you. In addition to being an especially vulnerable target for your enemies

who have no idea how special he is."

"I'll go into hiding." He declared.

"You have a mission too," she reminded him. "You can't hide from the powers."

"I won't separated from my son," he growled.

"I didn't have to do this. I didn't have to take you with me and give

you this opportunity. I could have just as easily waylaid Darla before

she left Central America and you would have never known you had

a son." She threatened. "Connor is the catalyst. He has to be removed."

"How do I know you can protect him? I don't even know who you are."

"Names change. From now on, we," She gestured to herself and the

baby. "are Maeve and Connor MacNessa." Angel gave a small smile

remembering his schoolboy history lessons. "But?.Once upon a time

I was Evangeline Bovee."

"The Shepherdess?!" He exclaimed. "Didn't you die in an avalanche in 1865."

"Temporarily," she shrugged. "It was what allowed me to retire as a

warrior and a concentrate on learning the craft. Are you satisfied that

I can protect your son now?"

"I suppose. You did cause the Great European Vampire Exodus of

1863 you should be able to handle a few vampire cults," He allowed.

"Oh god. They named it?" she asked aghast. "How embarrassing." She mumbled.

"Now say your good-byes." She whispered laying a comforting hand

on his shoulder. "You'll see him again soon. We'll arrange a visitation schedule."

"Every other weekend and alternating holidays," he muttered cynically.

"Nothing so structured. More like..?" She paused thinking of alternative.

Putting on a mother's voice she speaks to Connor stroking his downy hair.

"Daddy's away at war and gets away whenever he can. What he does is

important and dangerous so he can't be with us all time, but he still loves

you very much." She glances up into Angel's eyes and sees he has accepted

that this what needs to be done.

"When you are finished I'll put you back when and where I found you.

To the naked eye it will be like you were never gone." She informs him

softly and walks a few steps away to give him some privacy.

"Good bye, Cairin gille darling boy? ." He whispered and kissed his

small head. "I love you. I hope I see you real soon." Inhaled deeply

memorizing in his scent then handed the baby to the woman in black.

***

Angel finds himself on the ground again where just minutes ago he

was in the middle of a four-way stand-off.

"Hold your fire!" Lilah shouts. "What the hell happened?" She yelled at him.

"How the hell should I know?" Angel huffed as he picked himself

off the ground. "Does it look like I got what I wanted?"

She narrowed her eyes at him and sneered as her men started to make

their way back to their vehicles.

The End.

(a/n: I am basing the timeline on airdates. The above-mentioned episode

aired in mid February. So my follow-up fic ?Machina' which takes

place between Older and Far away and Hells Bells would also be in

February according to their airdates.)

(a/n: Connor MacNeasa was the first O'Connor high kings of Ireland

and temporarily married to the legendary Queen Maeve, a contemporary

of Morrigan. It was said the Morrigan relied on magic in battle and

Maeve was all physical prowess. At least according to the websites I

read. I was inspired to use the names after listening to Jacki Lydon's

report on "All Things Considered" about Queen Maeve's March

http://www.npr.org/programs/atc/features/2002/aug/maeve/index.html)

Addendum:

Q: What was Great European Vampire Exodus of 1863?

A: During her tenure as the slayer, Evangeline Bovee (1861-1865)

was a ruthless vampire hunter taking out whole lairs on a nightly basis.

She seemed driven to eliminate all vampires off the face of the earth in

her lifetime. She was so persistent entire Orders packed up lock, stock

and barrel and Immigrated to United States. She earned the nickname

"The Shepherdess." Note: Evangeline Bovee was killed in avalanche

in 1865 pursuing rumors of Alpine vampires. She was succeeded by

Maria Benzoni (1865-1867).

Q: What were the historical repercussions of the mass immigration?

A: There were way too many vampires hanging around the battlefields

of the American Civil War. Fortunately many were killed during

Sherman's march to the sea the following year. The largest number

being destroyed during the burning of Atlanta.

Oh boy someone but way too much thought into the back story.

Wait. That's me.