Title: Over The Next Horizon
Author: Karen
Email: karen@klewis91.fsnet.co.uk
Disclaimer: Not mine and never will be. Just the story I'm afraid.
Feedback: Yes please.
Pairing: A/C, W/S, Fr/Gu,
Timeline: After season six
Spoilers: Seasons 5/6, Angel 2/3
Archiving: If you want it take it just tell me where it ends up.
Synopsis: Three months after Angel has been rescued from the deep, Cordy
has floated back down and Spike has been souled; Cordelia, Willow and Fred
are faced with a difficult choice. The lives of the people they love or
working for the dark side and life on the run. Guess which one they
choose?
Rating: Overall an R I think?
Summary: Humour, Angst, Romance and lots of bloody bits of other people's
bodies if Spike gets his way. (Let's face it he will. Who could refuse
that man anything?)
Dedications: As always to Jen, the best beta in the world ever! I didn't
know she existed a month ago and she very kindly threw herself into my
endeavours with no thought for her own personal safety (or sanity!) and
completely blew me away with her enthusiasm and dedication. Thank you
honey! Also Ina and Mel, thanks muchly for the feedback and happy
comments!
Over The Next Horizon. Part 2.
Las Vegas. One month later.
Lorne was having a blast. Centre stage and firmly in the centre of the spotlight and best of all not a brooding vampire and his 'blowing up every damn thing in sight' friends to be seen. He threw back his head as he hit the high note in the chorus of 'Thriller' and rolled his hips happily.
Life was great. He was a headliner for an honest to goodness Vegas show and pulling in crowds of up to seven hundred a night. Ok, so it was a Vegas show that wasn't exactly mainstream what with the crowd being ninety percent other than human and it was definitely hidden from most human eyes courtesy of a major league glamour but still.Vegas!
He grinned as the audience broke into enthusiastic applause and waved to some select members of the audience
"Thank you, Thank you. Always a thrill. Now while I take a well-earned break and do a little schmoozing put your hands together for someone very special.Angel's Bane!"
He turned to his left and led the applause as a young man walked onto the stage clutching a guitar and wearing denim and a scowl. He stood alongside Lorne as the audience applauded loudly and gave a halfhearted smile whilst he hissed out of the side of his mouth
"Will you stop calling me that? They'll think they're here to see David Lee Roth. Tell them my goddamn name."
Lorne threw an arm around the shorter man's shoulders and grinned widely
"Lindsey, darlin', don't you want a bit of mystery? A little bit of ambiguity never hurt anybody. Look at the ladies, practically wetting on the upholstery."
Lindsey obediently looked to the front row where three ghouls waved excitedly at him and oozed some kind of green fluid as his gaze roved over them. He swallowed nervously
"Oh Christ."
Lorne laughed and stepped backwards leaving the spot light to the now vaguely nauseous lawyer. The kid would be fine but just to make sure he might have a little word with security and get them to keep an eye on the ghouls. The last lot they'd had in had become so hot under the collar one of their hands had fallen off and in a moment of sheer ecstasy they had thrown it onto the stage. He was fairly sure the audience had believed that Lindsey's high-pitched scream had been an attempt for a high note especially as the lady had chosen to throw her appendage in the middle of a particularly down and dirty rock number but he didn't want to take the chance of it happening again.
He made his way through the club smiling and waving, stopping at some tables to exchange more personal greetings and then finally made the bar
"Ricardo, Seabreaze if you will hon."
The werewolf behind the bar grinned and obligingly ignored at least three paying customers to pour a large measure of Lorne's favourite tipple. The demon took it with a sigh and sipped rolling his eyes in appreciation
"Ricky, sweetie, one of these days I may have to snatch you up and lock you away and keep your talented hands all for myself."
The dark haired man winked and batted his eyelashes
"Just say the word Lorne and I'm all yours."
Lorne laughed and blew the man a kiss as he moved away
"Promises, promises cupcake."
He smoothed the sleeve of his purple silk suit and glanced idly around the club his red eyes taking in everything. Lindsey sat on stage singing his little heart out eyes down on his guitar strings trying desperately to tune out the increasingly drunken offers from the front row. Lorne frowned and then saw the two female vampires who were providing that nights security moving swiftly through the closely packed tables and relaxed secure in the knowledge disaster had been averted. The rest of the clientele were either focused on the human on stage or quietly chatting amongst themselves making merry with the champers and smokes. Lorne smiled as he turned to see his boss cum friend appear by his side
"Ellie, honey, packed house again. You must be floatin' on a sea of joy tonight."
The nine-foot Toframe demon nodded his massive head and ran a four clawed hand through his yellow, Elvis style quiff
"Thanks to you and the kid. Door sales have gone up fifteen per cent since I put you two on top billing."
Lorne grinned and ran a nonchalant hand over his own immaculate coiffure
"Oh stop. You'll make me blush."
Ellie laughed and gestured to the dimly lit cavern draped in red velvet with gold candelabras flickering on every wall
"Believe me, doll. Before you two arrived I was seriously considering offering a ritual sacrifice every night just to fill some seats. Nothing like a captive audience."
Lorne cleared his throat and looked nervously at his friend "Right. Well, thank the Powers that wasn't necessary."
Ellie grinned
"Yeah. Anyway, got some people I need you to meet. Want to give you a few bars if you know what I mean."
Lorne resisted the urge to roll his eyes and gave a wide smile
"Of course hon. Lead the way."
He followed his friend through the smoky atmosphere and allowed himself a small grimace. Before he came to the desert he had honestly believed that Angelcake was the only being undead who could murder Manilow so comprehensively but he had learned to fear the nightly readings that were a part of his contract. He saw the two humans waiting uncomfortably by the curtained alcove where he gave out his advice and winced. He was afraid, very afraid.
Ellie held the curtain aside and Lorne swept through with the two humans following him. The green skinned demon made himself comfortable on the red velvet lounging chair and smiled warmly up at the two knuckle draggers before him
"Well sweeties, what can I do for you this evening? A little advice on the sweet mystery of love perhaps? Reveal the mystery of the fairer sex?"
The older of the two men, an overly muscled brute with a grey buzz cut and a faded tattoo of a rat on his neck, glared at the being before him and growled
"Cut the Gypsy Rose Lee crap. We're tracking some prey and we need to find it. Now tell us what we have to do and let's get on with this."
Lorne kept the wide smile on his face
And did we mention the 'tudes sucked as much as the singing?
"Ok, reading the 'move it or lose it' vibe loud and clear. Hum me a few chords and lets see where your pesky little critter is hiding."
He flinched slightly as the man mangled Doh Ray Mi
How is that possible? Three notes for cripes sake!
And then froze as Cordelia and Fred together with another girl he didn't know appeared in his mind. He watched as they battled a group of humans and caught the scent of fear and desperation wafting off the three as they ducked and swung. A motel sign behind them flickered in red letters against the sky showing the words 'Vermont Inn". He focused on the men before him and read their intentions of finding and capturing his girls. They had no idea who was employing them, just a pick up point to leave the girls and collect the money. He started as Cordelia's head snapped up suddenly and she stared wildly around her as though sensing his presence and then he was thrown back by the most powerful force he had ever sensed in his life and came to gasping for breath with Ellie worriedly fanning him with that night's programme.
"Jeepers creepers that's some powerful mojo your prey has going on. Nearly took the top of my head clean off!"
Lorne played up the sense of exhaustion he was feeling as he lay limply on the chair whilst his mind raced. What the hell was going on? Why were these creeps tracking Cordy and Fred and where the hell was Angel? And what the hell were they doing in Vermont? Vermont for chrissakes!
He looked up at the men before him
"They're in Canada. Winnipeg. You need to hurry they'll be going further north soon."
He watched as the men threw down a grimy roll of bills and then grabbed Ellie's arm as soon as he felt them exit the club
"I'm going to my dressing room. Get Lindsey off stage and send him to me as quick as you can. Move!"
He watched as the other demon left him and then drained his Seabreeze in one hasty gulp
"What the hell is going on?"
LA.
Angel followed Connor into the hotel lobby and resolutely kept his eyes away from Cordelia's empty desk. One month since she'd left him and he was still no closer to finding out what the hell had driven her to leave so quickly.
Ok, so he hadn't exactly been in a place where he could pick up and carry on where he'd left before he'd got dropped in the ocean but still.taking off without talking to him and just leaving a cold little note? And hello? It's not like he had a choice in where he'd spent his summer unlike little Miss Higher Being. Swanning off to play god in some other dimension. It was pretty obvious that being made a queen paled in comparison and that a lowly demon just wasn't good enough anymore. He scowled and slammed his axe into the wooden doorframe of his office and went to pour himself a large whisky.
And the sacrifices I made for that woman! Bitch.
Connor stood to one side of the door and watched his brooding father. Angel and he had just started to find some common ground before Cordelia had disappeared and now it felt like they were right back to where they started. He felt the loss of the seer's presence keenly and missed the comfort of knowing that Fred was always in the hotel to act as a buffer between him and Angel. He just couldn't understand why Gunn and his Dad moped around all the time instead of looking for the missing girls. Was he the only one who thought something was off about the whole situation? And these people called themselves hunters.
He turned as he heard footsteps behind him and saw the young black man stomp into the hotel
"All demons dead and gone. I'm goin' on home."
He threw a signed off work order onto the hotel desk and turned to leave his now habitual scowl deepening as the phone began to ring. Connor backed away from it slightly with nervous eyes. Despite living around modern technology for some months he remained uneasy about it and definitely seemed to have inherited his father's touch when it came to anything electronic. Two cell phones, one laptop and a hairdryer had fallen victim so far to his ham handed touch and Gunn had eventually banned him from anything electrical.
The older man sighed and glanced in at Angel who, without taking his eyes off the glass in his hand, picked up a stone figurine from his desk threw it at the door slamming it shut. Gunn rolled his eyes irritably and snatched up the phone
"Yeah? Angel Investigations." "Gunn, sweetie, is that you?"
Gunn raised his eyebrows
"Lorne?" "The one and only, my little drop of black magic. Where's Angel?"
Gunn glanced over his shoulder and muttered
"In the office on the fast track to Deaddrunkville. Again."
Lorne sighed impatiently and snapped
"Well, tell him to get his undead ass out there and put me on speaker. We have a problem."
Gunn frowned at the receiver in his hand and then put it back to his ear
"We do? Listen Lorne I really don't think I should go in there. He's pretty cranky at the moment."
He broke off as Lorne interrupted
"I don't care if he's cranked all the way to snapping and then some. Get him out of that office and over to this phone! Our girls have some major league crappola raining down on them and they need our help."
Gunn froze and whispered hoarsely
"Fred? You've seen Fred?"
Lorne hesitated at the other end of the phone and then said slowly
"In a manner of speaking."
His voice became considerably more impatient and he snapped
"And no one told me they were no longer fightin' the fight in the City of Angels because? Jeez, you move a few miles down the road and suddenly the loop vanishes and leaves you to discover two of your best little honeys are fighting for their lives through the readings of some Neanderthal with a bad hair life."
Gun frowned in confusion and opened his mouth to reply then turned as the phone was taken from him and Connor stared up at him
"Go and get Dad. Now."
The older man hesitated and then nodded and Connor lifted the phone to his ear and said carefully
"Lorne?"
There was a long pause at the end of the line and then Lorne spoke
"Connor? Is that you?" "Yes. I.Do you know where they are?" "Sweetie, all I know at the moment is that they're alive and kickin'."
Connor took a deep breath and closed his eyes as sweet relief washed over him and then said quietly
"Will you come home? They'll need your help and I can stay out of your way and go and sleep at Cordelia's apartment."
Lorne frowned at the other end of the phone and said slowly
"Is that what you want?" "Yes. You need to come home and help them." "No, cupcake. Do you want to leave and sleep in the apartment? Cuz I gotta tell you I don't think your Dad will wear it."
Connor frowned at the mental picture of his father trying to wear an apartment the way he'd wear one of his many leather jackets and then said "I thought it would be more comfortable for you if I wasn't here so much. After.the last time."
Lorne laughed and said affectionately
"Cuddlepie, you're a sixteen year old boy. If you weren't awash in resentment and hormones I'd be worried. Now go and make up a bed for me and put your father on. Uncle Lorne's on his way and I'll help your Dad find them and bring them safely home."
I hope.
Connor turned and stared into Angel's eyes and then wordlessly handed the phone over to him. Angel looked back at his son for a moment and took the phone flipping the switch for speaker and replacing the receiver
"Lorne, how are you?" "Cut to the chase, Angel. What's been going on there? I leave town for a few months and it all goes to hell in a hand basket."
Angel closed his eyes for a moment and then began to tell Lorne everything he knew.
Just outside Vermont
So lately, been wondering Who will be there to take my place
When I'm gone you'll need love to light the shadows on your face
If a great wave should fall and fall upon us all Then between the sand the stone, could you make it on your own
Cordelia tapped her ragged nails against the steering wheel and stared at the dark road ahead thankful for the 'me' time now Willow and Fred had finally fallen asleep. The dilapidated truck rattled along the dark road and she sank into the song playing softly on the radio and thought of Angel.
If I could, then I would, I'll go wherever you will go
Way up high or down low, I'll go wherever you will go
Tears filled her eyes as she thought of home and the men she loved. Connor's face hung before her eyes, reproachful and lost in the strange new world he found himself in and the tears spilled over at the thought of the young boy who saw her as the only chance he would ever have to have a mother
And maybe, I'll find out A way to make it back someday To watch you, to guide you, through the darkest of your days If a great wave shall fall and fall upon us all Then I hope there's someone out there
Who can bring me back to you
A month they had been gone and there was still no end in sight and she was so tired of being the strong one. The one that made the decisions and fought and rallied the troops when it all became too much. She swiped at her cheeks roughly and fought for control.
Run away with my heart
Run away with my hope
Run away with my love
I know now, just quite how My life and love might still go on In your heart, in your mind, I'll stay with you for all of time
That's all they thought they had. Time. Time to make things right between them and then, once again, the universe lifted its big stonkin' boot and stomped on them like bugs. Cordelia sniffed and sat straighter in her seat refusing to shed anymore tears.
If I could, then I would I'll go wherever you will go Way up high or down low, I'll go wherever you will go
She fixed her eyes on the horizon and whispered
"Angel."
Las Vegas.
Lorne replaced the handset on his phone and turned to look at Lindsey who had entered a few moments before. Lindsey looked at his obviously shaken friend and frowned
"Problem?"
Lorne stared back at him for a moment unseeingly and then shook his head as though to clear it and moved to pour himself and Lindsey two stiff drinks. He stared at the measures he had tipped into the chunky glasses and then shook his head again and doubled the already generous amount of three fingers of neat whisky. He handed one to Lindsey and then tossed his own straight back and reached for the bottle again ignoring Lindsey's raised eyebrows. He emptied the second glass and stared down into it for a moment and appeared to reach a decision
"Lindsey, darlin', do me a quick favour and hum me a ditty and think of Cordelia will you?"
Lindsey raised his eyebrows again
"Cordelia Chase? What the hell for?"
Lorne threw himself into his overstuffed black velour armchair and rubbed his eyes wearily
"Honey, just humour me."
Lindsey shrugged and chugged back his own whisky and spluttered as it seared his throat on the way down and then croaked out a few chords of "Maneater". Lorne grinned as he recognised the song and then waved his hand to cut Lindsey off
"Ok, first, ewwwww. I don't even think that position is possible babe, much less Cordelia compatible."
He smirked as Lindsey blushed to the roots of his hair and then waved a hand for the human to take a seat across from him. He waited for Lindsey to settle into the matching chair to his own and then fixed serious red eyes on his friend
"Ok, cupcake, here's the thing. I had a reading a few minutes ago with a couple of your species that wanted the whereabouts of some prey they were tracking. Gave me quite a turn to see my favourite seer show up on my own personal view screen let me tell you."
Lindsey raised an eyebrow and drawled
"And this has something to do with me because? Call her pain in the ass boss and let him deal with it."
Lorne sighed as he felt the hostility roll off Lindsey in waves and replied
"I have. Cordelia and another little chickie he cared for disappeared a month ago without so much as a fond farewell and he has no idea where they are. They both left work for the day as normal and then sometime that night made the decision to leave town and popped a note into Angel and Gunn telling them not to look for them, it was all over."
Lindsey laughed
"Still not seeing where I come in, apart from calling him and indulging in some seriously overdue taunting and mocking."
Lorne scowled and leaned forward
"Those two little girls mean a lot to me as well Lindsey, so watch what you say."
Lindsey wiped the smirk off his face at the thought of Angel suffering and said soberly
"Sorry."
Lorne accepted the apology with a nod and leaned back
"Obviously they looked for them but Angel and Gunn were both pretty hurt by whatever was in those notes and let it drop after a week or so. From what I can gather they've been festering away indulging in a rousing good pity fest and doing their best to forget the little Chiquitas ever existed."
Lindsey nodded in agreement
"Who does brooding like Angel does brooding?" "Exactly. Now in from what I saw they have another girl with them as well and they're running scared, they need help. That's where you come in."
Lindsey felt his mouth fall open in astonishment
"Me? What the hell can I do?"
Lorne smiled slightly at the horrified tone of voice
"I want you to go and find them. I told the two inbreds that were here the wrong location, obviously, but I saw them fighting and I don't think they've got only the one set of hunters after them. I'm getting the first flight back to LA to get things moving with Angel and I need to know that someone I trust is on it this end."
Lindsey stared at the demon like he'd suddenly grown an extra head and it had just burst into song and his mind raced. When he'd come across Lorne by chance a few months before he had at first been defensive and decidedly prickly at the effusive welcome the demon had offered him.
After leaving LA he had returned to his first love of singing and had gigged his way around some bars finding the uncomplicated lifestyle a refreshing change to the unrelenting pressure and fear of working for Wolfram and Hart all those years. Almost against his will a friendship had grown between the two lonely individuals adrift from friends and family and then when Lorne had offered him a spot alongside him at Ellie's club he had found himself accepting gratefully. He had slowly let his guard down and now the over the top singer was unquestionably the best friend he'd ever had. They complimented each other well and Lorne had forced the shyer Lindsey out into the world again and almost without realising he found himself enjoying life again.
Lorne sighed
"Lindsey, I know this is asking a lot but I need you. Those girls are in way over their heads and for some reason they won't, or can't, tell their nearest and dearest and they need help. Angel's never been one for thinking with his head when his heart is screaming so much louder, we both know that. I need you."
Lindsey cleared his throat and fought the warm feeling around his heart at the thought of being needed, wanted, for anything. He had slowly discovered himself again in the long months on the road and although he performed night after night for the denizens of the underworld he was in no way happy about throwing himself back into the eternal struggle once more
"What if I do go? I find them and I walk up to Cordelia and tell her I'm there to help? What makes you think I'll stand a chance of convincing her I'm on the level?"
Lorne shrugged
"I don't know but we have to do something. I read your feelings just now and I can see that despite all that happened I can trust you to keep Cordelia safe. Before I send Angel and Gunn after them I need to be sure I'm not going to be doing more harm than good."
Lindsey stared down at the floor for a moment and then shrugged
"Ok, where do I start?"
Lorne sighed with relief
"Thank you. Angel's contacting some people to check out the other girl, from the description he thinks he knows who she is. We wait on that and then we leave."
Lindsey stood and rubbed his suddenly nervously sweating hands along his jeans
"What about Ellie?"
Lorne rolled his eyes as he also stood and then flicked a guilty glance at the door
"Well, cherub, considering we've still got another three months of six nights a week to fulfil.I'm thinking we pack what we can carry and then we sneak out the back door."
Sunnydale.
Giles reached absently for the phone when it began to ring, eyes and mind focused on the inventory before him.
"The Magic Box, can I help you?"
He sat upright as he recognised the voice on the end of the phone and removed his glasses to suck nervously on the arm
"Angel? How are you?"
He frowned as he listened to the low voice on the other end of the line
"No, she's not in fact. She needed some time to herself and left to take stock."
He broke off again and raised his eyebrows at the urgent interruption from the receiver
"Well, about a month ago since you ask."
His eyebrows shot further up at the furious swearing that blasted into his ear
"Angel, really! I don't think there's any need for that kind of..what? Good god. When?"
He listened intently for a few moments and then spat a few words that rose Angel's eyebrows in LA.
"I'll contact Buffy and the others. Can you set up a web cam? Good, we can be together in an hour. I'll contact you then."
He slammed the phone down and indulged in another brief moment of vicious cursing and then spun on his heel to bump into an open mouthed Anya
"Giles, I really don't think that kind of language is appropriate for a place of business or for a man as old as you are."
He gave her a brief smile
"Sorry. Could you call the others and get them here as soon as possible? It seems we might have somewhat of a situation."
End of Part 2.
Lyrics by 'The Calling' Song 'Wherever You Will Go' Album 'Camino Palmero' WWW.THECALLINGBAND.COM
Over The Next Horizon. Part 2.
Las Vegas. One month later.
Lorne was having a blast. Centre stage and firmly in the centre of the spotlight and best of all not a brooding vampire and his 'blowing up every damn thing in sight' friends to be seen. He threw back his head as he hit the high note in the chorus of 'Thriller' and rolled his hips happily.
Life was great. He was a headliner for an honest to goodness Vegas show and pulling in crowds of up to seven hundred a night. Ok, so it was a Vegas show that wasn't exactly mainstream what with the crowd being ninety percent other than human and it was definitely hidden from most human eyes courtesy of a major league glamour but still.Vegas!
He grinned as the audience broke into enthusiastic applause and waved to some select members of the audience
"Thank you, Thank you. Always a thrill. Now while I take a well-earned break and do a little schmoozing put your hands together for someone very special.Angel's Bane!"
He turned to his left and led the applause as a young man walked onto the stage clutching a guitar and wearing denim and a scowl. He stood alongside Lorne as the audience applauded loudly and gave a halfhearted smile whilst he hissed out of the side of his mouth
"Will you stop calling me that? They'll think they're here to see David Lee Roth. Tell them my goddamn name."
Lorne threw an arm around the shorter man's shoulders and grinned widely
"Lindsey, darlin', don't you want a bit of mystery? A little bit of ambiguity never hurt anybody. Look at the ladies, practically wetting on the upholstery."
Lindsey obediently looked to the front row where three ghouls waved excitedly at him and oozed some kind of green fluid as his gaze roved over them. He swallowed nervously
"Oh Christ."
Lorne laughed and stepped backwards leaving the spot light to the now vaguely nauseous lawyer. The kid would be fine but just to make sure he might have a little word with security and get them to keep an eye on the ghouls. The last lot they'd had in had become so hot under the collar one of their hands had fallen off and in a moment of sheer ecstasy they had thrown it onto the stage. He was fairly sure the audience had believed that Lindsey's high-pitched scream had been an attempt for a high note especially as the lady had chosen to throw her appendage in the middle of a particularly down and dirty rock number but he didn't want to take the chance of it happening again.
He made his way through the club smiling and waving, stopping at some tables to exchange more personal greetings and then finally made the bar
"Ricardo, Seabreaze if you will hon."
The werewolf behind the bar grinned and obligingly ignored at least three paying customers to pour a large measure of Lorne's favourite tipple. The demon took it with a sigh and sipped rolling his eyes in appreciation
"Ricky, sweetie, one of these days I may have to snatch you up and lock you away and keep your talented hands all for myself."
The dark haired man winked and batted his eyelashes
"Just say the word Lorne and I'm all yours."
Lorne laughed and blew the man a kiss as he moved away
"Promises, promises cupcake."
He smoothed the sleeve of his purple silk suit and glanced idly around the club his red eyes taking in everything. Lindsey sat on stage singing his little heart out eyes down on his guitar strings trying desperately to tune out the increasingly drunken offers from the front row. Lorne frowned and then saw the two female vampires who were providing that nights security moving swiftly through the closely packed tables and relaxed secure in the knowledge disaster had been averted. The rest of the clientele were either focused on the human on stage or quietly chatting amongst themselves making merry with the champers and smokes. Lorne smiled as he turned to see his boss cum friend appear by his side
"Ellie, honey, packed house again. You must be floatin' on a sea of joy tonight."
The nine-foot Toframe demon nodded his massive head and ran a four clawed hand through his yellow, Elvis style quiff
"Thanks to you and the kid. Door sales have gone up fifteen per cent since I put you two on top billing."
Lorne grinned and ran a nonchalant hand over his own immaculate coiffure
"Oh stop. You'll make me blush."
Ellie laughed and gestured to the dimly lit cavern draped in red velvet with gold candelabras flickering on every wall
"Believe me, doll. Before you two arrived I was seriously considering offering a ritual sacrifice every night just to fill some seats. Nothing like a captive audience."
Lorne cleared his throat and looked nervously at his friend "Right. Well, thank the Powers that wasn't necessary."
Ellie grinned
"Yeah. Anyway, got some people I need you to meet. Want to give you a few bars if you know what I mean."
Lorne resisted the urge to roll his eyes and gave a wide smile
"Of course hon. Lead the way."
He followed his friend through the smoky atmosphere and allowed himself a small grimace. Before he came to the desert he had honestly believed that Angelcake was the only being undead who could murder Manilow so comprehensively but he had learned to fear the nightly readings that were a part of his contract. He saw the two humans waiting uncomfortably by the curtained alcove where he gave out his advice and winced. He was afraid, very afraid.
Ellie held the curtain aside and Lorne swept through with the two humans following him. The green skinned demon made himself comfortable on the red velvet lounging chair and smiled warmly up at the two knuckle draggers before him
"Well sweeties, what can I do for you this evening? A little advice on the sweet mystery of love perhaps? Reveal the mystery of the fairer sex?"
The older of the two men, an overly muscled brute with a grey buzz cut and a faded tattoo of a rat on his neck, glared at the being before him and growled
"Cut the Gypsy Rose Lee crap. We're tracking some prey and we need to find it. Now tell us what we have to do and let's get on with this."
Lorne kept the wide smile on his face
And did we mention the 'tudes sucked as much as the singing?
"Ok, reading the 'move it or lose it' vibe loud and clear. Hum me a few chords and lets see where your pesky little critter is hiding."
He flinched slightly as the man mangled Doh Ray Mi
How is that possible? Three notes for cripes sake!
And then froze as Cordelia and Fred together with another girl he didn't know appeared in his mind. He watched as they battled a group of humans and caught the scent of fear and desperation wafting off the three as they ducked and swung. A motel sign behind them flickered in red letters against the sky showing the words 'Vermont Inn". He focused on the men before him and read their intentions of finding and capturing his girls. They had no idea who was employing them, just a pick up point to leave the girls and collect the money. He started as Cordelia's head snapped up suddenly and she stared wildly around her as though sensing his presence and then he was thrown back by the most powerful force he had ever sensed in his life and came to gasping for breath with Ellie worriedly fanning him with that night's programme.
"Jeepers creepers that's some powerful mojo your prey has going on. Nearly took the top of my head clean off!"
Lorne played up the sense of exhaustion he was feeling as he lay limply on the chair whilst his mind raced. What the hell was going on? Why were these creeps tracking Cordy and Fred and where the hell was Angel? And what the hell were they doing in Vermont? Vermont for chrissakes!
He looked up at the men before him
"They're in Canada. Winnipeg. You need to hurry they'll be going further north soon."
He watched as the men threw down a grimy roll of bills and then grabbed Ellie's arm as soon as he felt them exit the club
"I'm going to my dressing room. Get Lindsey off stage and send him to me as quick as you can. Move!"
He watched as the other demon left him and then drained his Seabreeze in one hasty gulp
"What the hell is going on?"
LA.
Angel followed Connor into the hotel lobby and resolutely kept his eyes away from Cordelia's empty desk. One month since she'd left him and he was still no closer to finding out what the hell had driven her to leave so quickly.
Ok, so he hadn't exactly been in a place where he could pick up and carry on where he'd left before he'd got dropped in the ocean but still.taking off without talking to him and just leaving a cold little note? And hello? It's not like he had a choice in where he'd spent his summer unlike little Miss Higher Being. Swanning off to play god in some other dimension. It was pretty obvious that being made a queen paled in comparison and that a lowly demon just wasn't good enough anymore. He scowled and slammed his axe into the wooden doorframe of his office and went to pour himself a large whisky.
And the sacrifices I made for that woman! Bitch.
Connor stood to one side of the door and watched his brooding father. Angel and he had just started to find some common ground before Cordelia had disappeared and now it felt like they were right back to where they started. He felt the loss of the seer's presence keenly and missed the comfort of knowing that Fred was always in the hotel to act as a buffer between him and Angel. He just couldn't understand why Gunn and his Dad moped around all the time instead of looking for the missing girls. Was he the only one who thought something was off about the whole situation? And these people called themselves hunters.
He turned as he heard footsteps behind him and saw the young black man stomp into the hotel
"All demons dead and gone. I'm goin' on home."
He threw a signed off work order onto the hotel desk and turned to leave his now habitual scowl deepening as the phone began to ring. Connor backed away from it slightly with nervous eyes. Despite living around modern technology for some months he remained uneasy about it and definitely seemed to have inherited his father's touch when it came to anything electronic. Two cell phones, one laptop and a hairdryer had fallen victim so far to his ham handed touch and Gunn had eventually banned him from anything electrical.
The older man sighed and glanced in at Angel who, without taking his eyes off the glass in his hand, picked up a stone figurine from his desk threw it at the door slamming it shut. Gunn rolled his eyes irritably and snatched up the phone
"Yeah? Angel Investigations." "Gunn, sweetie, is that you?"
Gunn raised his eyebrows
"Lorne?" "The one and only, my little drop of black magic. Where's Angel?"
Gunn glanced over his shoulder and muttered
"In the office on the fast track to Deaddrunkville. Again."
Lorne sighed impatiently and snapped
"Well, tell him to get his undead ass out there and put me on speaker. We have a problem."
Gunn frowned at the receiver in his hand and then put it back to his ear
"We do? Listen Lorne I really don't think I should go in there. He's pretty cranky at the moment."
He broke off as Lorne interrupted
"I don't care if he's cranked all the way to snapping and then some. Get him out of that office and over to this phone! Our girls have some major league crappola raining down on them and they need our help."
Gunn froze and whispered hoarsely
"Fred? You've seen Fred?"
Lorne hesitated at the other end of the phone and then said slowly
"In a manner of speaking."
His voice became considerably more impatient and he snapped
"And no one told me they were no longer fightin' the fight in the City of Angels because? Jeez, you move a few miles down the road and suddenly the loop vanishes and leaves you to discover two of your best little honeys are fighting for their lives through the readings of some Neanderthal with a bad hair life."
Gun frowned in confusion and opened his mouth to reply then turned as the phone was taken from him and Connor stared up at him
"Go and get Dad. Now."
The older man hesitated and then nodded and Connor lifted the phone to his ear and said carefully
"Lorne?"
There was a long pause at the end of the line and then Lorne spoke
"Connor? Is that you?" "Yes. I.Do you know where they are?" "Sweetie, all I know at the moment is that they're alive and kickin'."
Connor took a deep breath and closed his eyes as sweet relief washed over him and then said quietly
"Will you come home? They'll need your help and I can stay out of your way and go and sleep at Cordelia's apartment."
Lorne frowned at the other end of the phone and said slowly
"Is that what you want?" "Yes. You need to come home and help them." "No, cupcake. Do you want to leave and sleep in the apartment? Cuz I gotta tell you I don't think your Dad will wear it."
Connor frowned at the mental picture of his father trying to wear an apartment the way he'd wear one of his many leather jackets and then said "I thought it would be more comfortable for you if I wasn't here so much. After.the last time."
Lorne laughed and said affectionately
"Cuddlepie, you're a sixteen year old boy. If you weren't awash in resentment and hormones I'd be worried. Now go and make up a bed for me and put your father on. Uncle Lorne's on his way and I'll help your Dad find them and bring them safely home."
I hope.
Connor turned and stared into Angel's eyes and then wordlessly handed the phone over to him. Angel looked back at his son for a moment and took the phone flipping the switch for speaker and replacing the receiver
"Lorne, how are you?" "Cut to the chase, Angel. What's been going on there? I leave town for a few months and it all goes to hell in a hand basket."
Angel closed his eyes for a moment and then began to tell Lorne everything he knew.
Just outside Vermont
So lately, been wondering Who will be there to take my place
When I'm gone you'll need love to light the shadows on your face
If a great wave should fall and fall upon us all Then between the sand the stone, could you make it on your own
Cordelia tapped her ragged nails against the steering wheel and stared at the dark road ahead thankful for the 'me' time now Willow and Fred had finally fallen asleep. The dilapidated truck rattled along the dark road and she sank into the song playing softly on the radio and thought of Angel.
If I could, then I would, I'll go wherever you will go
Way up high or down low, I'll go wherever you will go
Tears filled her eyes as she thought of home and the men she loved. Connor's face hung before her eyes, reproachful and lost in the strange new world he found himself in and the tears spilled over at the thought of the young boy who saw her as the only chance he would ever have to have a mother
And maybe, I'll find out A way to make it back someday To watch you, to guide you, through the darkest of your days If a great wave shall fall and fall upon us all Then I hope there's someone out there
Who can bring me back to you
A month they had been gone and there was still no end in sight and she was so tired of being the strong one. The one that made the decisions and fought and rallied the troops when it all became too much. She swiped at her cheeks roughly and fought for control.
Run away with my heart
Run away with my hope
Run away with my love
I know now, just quite how My life and love might still go on In your heart, in your mind, I'll stay with you for all of time
That's all they thought they had. Time. Time to make things right between them and then, once again, the universe lifted its big stonkin' boot and stomped on them like bugs. Cordelia sniffed and sat straighter in her seat refusing to shed anymore tears.
If I could, then I would I'll go wherever you will go Way up high or down low, I'll go wherever you will go
She fixed her eyes on the horizon and whispered
"Angel."
Las Vegas.
Lorne replaced the handset on his phone and turned to look at Lindsey who had entered a few moments before. Lindsey looked at his obviously shaken friend and frowned
"Problem?"
Lorne stared back at him for a moment unseeingly and then shook his head as though to clear it and moved to pour himself and Lindsey two stiff drinks. He stared at the measures he had tipped into the chunky glasses and then shook his head again and doubled the already generous amount of three fingers of neat whisky. He handed one to Lindsey and then tossed his own straight back and reached for the bottle again ignoring Lindsey's raised eyebrows. He emptied the second glass and stared down into it for a moment and appeared to reach a decision
"Lindsey, darlin', do me a quick favour and hum me a ditty and think of Cordelia will you?"
Lindsey raised his eyebrows again
"Cordelia Chase? What the hell for?"
Lorne threw himself into his overstuffed black velour armchair and rubbed his eyes wearily
"Honey, just humour me."
Lindsey shrugged and chugged back his own whisky and spluttered as it seared his throat on the way down and then croaked out a few chords of "Maneater". Lorne grinned as he recognised the song and then waved his hand to cut Lindsey off
"Ok, first, ewwwww. I don't even think that position is possible babe, much less Cordelia compatible."
He smirked as Lindsey blushed to the roots of his hair and then waved a hand for the human to take a seat across from him. He waited for Lindsey to settle into the matching chair to his own and then fixed serious red eyes on his friend
"Ok, cupcake, here's the thing. I had a reading a few minutes ago with a couple of your species that wanted the whereabouts of some prey they were tracking. Gave me quite a turn to see my favourite seer show up on my own personal view screen let me tell you."
Lindsey raised an eyebrow and drawled
"And this has something to do with me because? Call her pain in the ass boss and let him deal with it."
Lorne sighed as he felt the hostility roll off Lindsey in waves and replied
"I have. Cordelia and another little chickie he cared for disappeared a month ago without so much as a fond farewell and he has no idea where they are. They both left work for the day as normal and then sometime that night made the decision to leave town and popped a note into Angel and Gunn telling them not to look for them, it was all over."
Lindsey laughed
"Still not seeing where I come in, apart from calling him and indulging in some seriously overdue taunting and mocking."
Lorne scowled and leaned forward
"Those two little girls mean a lot to me as well Lindsey, so watch what you say."
Lindsey wiped the smirk off his face at the thought of Angel suffering and said soberly
"Sorry."
Lorne accepted the apology with a nod and leaned back
"Obviously they looked for them but Angel and Gunn were both pretty hurt by whatever was in those notes and let it drop after a week or so. From what I can gather they've been festering away indulging in a rousing good pity fest and doing their best to forget the little Chiquitas ever existed."
Lindsey nodded in agreement
"Who does brooding like Angel does brooding?" "Exactly. Now in from what I saw they have another girl with them as well and they're running scared, they need help. That's where you come in."
Lindsey felt his mouth fall open in astonishment
"Me? What the hell can I do?"
Lorne smiled slightly at the horrified tone of voice
"I want you to go and find them. I told the two inbreds that were here the wrong location, obviously, but I saw them fighting and I don't think they've got only the one set of hunters after them. I'm getting the first flight back to LA to get things moving with Angel and I need to know that someone I trust is on it this end."
Lindsey stared at the demon like he'd suddenly grown an extra head and it had just burst into song and his mind raced. When he'd come across Lorne by chance a few months before he had at first been defensive and decidedly prickly at the effusive welcome the demon had offered him.
After leaving LA he had returned to his first love of singing and had gigged his way around some bars finding the uncomplicated lifestyle a refreshing change to the unrelenting pressure and fear of working for Wolfram and Hart all those years. Almost against his will a friendship had grown between the two lonely individuals adrift from friends and family and then when Lorne had offered him a spot alongside him at Ellie's club he had found himself accepting gratefully. He had slowly let his guard down and now the over the top singer was unquestionably the best friend he'd ever had. They complimented each other well and Lorne had forced the shyer Lindsey out into the world again and almost without realising he found himself enjoying life again.
Lorne sighed
"Lindsey, I know this is asking a lot but I need you. Those girls are in way over their heads and for some reason they won't, or can't, tell their nearest and dearest and they need help. Angel's never been one for thinking with his head when his heart is screaming so much louder, we both know that. I need you."
Lindsey cleared his throat and fought the warm feeling around his heart at the thought of being needed, wanted, for anything. He had slowly discovered himself again in the long months on the road and although he performed night after night for the denizens of the underworld he was in no way happy about throwing himself back into the eternal struggle once more
"What if I do go? I find them and I walk up to Cordelia and tell her I'm there to help? What makes you think I'll stand a chance of convincing her I'm on the level?"
Lorne shrugged
"I don't know but we have to do something. I read your feelings just now and I can see that despite all that happened I can trust you to keep Cordelia safe. Before I send Angel and Gunn after them I need to be sure I'm not going to be doing more harm than good."
Lindsey stared down at the floor for a moment and then shrugged
"Ok, where do I start?"
Lorne sighed with relief
"Thank you. Angel's contacting some people to check out the other girl, from the description he thinks he knows who she is. We wait on that and then we leave."
Lindsey stood and rubbed his suddenly nervously sweating hands along his jeans
"What about Ellie?"
Lorne rolled his eyes as he also stood and then flicked a guilty glance at the door
"Well, cherub, considering we've still got another three months of six nights a week to fulfil.I'm thinking we pack what we can carry and then we sneak out the back door."
Sunnydale.
Giles reached absently for the phone when it began to ring, eyes and mind focused on the inventory before him.
"The Magic Box, can I help you?"
He sat upright as he recognised the voice on the end of the phone and removed his glasses to suck nervously on the arm
"Angel? How are you?"
He frowned as he listened to the low voice on the other end of the line
"No, she's not in fact. She needed some time to herself and left to take stock."
He broke off again and raised his eyebrows at the urgent interruption from the receiver
"Well, about a month ago since you ask."
His eyebrows shot further up at the furious swearing that blasted into his ear
"Angel, really! I don't think there's any need for that kind of..what? Good god. When?"
He listened intently for a few moments and then spat a few words that rose Angel's eyebrows in LA.
"I'll contact Buffy and the others. Can you set up a web cam? Good, we can be together in an hour. I'll contact you then."
He slammed the phone down and indulged in another brief moment of vicious cursing and then spun on his heel to bump into an open mouthed Anya
"Giles, I really don't think that kind of language is appropriate for a place of business or for a man as old as you are."
He gave her a brief smile
"Sorry. Could you call the others and get them here as soon as possible? It seems we might have somewhat of a situation."
End of Part 2.
Lyrics by 'The Calling' Song 'Wherever You Will Go' Album 'Camino Palmero' WWW.THECALLINGBAND.COM