A.N: Hey well I hope my many (or not so) readers enjoyed the last chapter, except for how long it took to post. But anyway, this is the next chapter please enjoy! But it's not too long.
Chapter 7:
It was the strangest thing Connor had ever felt, even though he had grown up in Quortoth, the darkest of the dark worlds, he had never managed to get himself hurt like this. He had been drifting in and out of conscious for the entire ride back to their headquarters. These wounds were probably treating him worse cause of the emotional baggage they carried, he had been through a lot lately, but pain was nothing new.
As Connor's eyes attempted to flutter open he could feel his arm draped over someone shoulder, in a quick breath he could smell Mike helping him back to his room. Amber had let go of him, to allow stronger people to carry him, plus her if any of her skin touched him in his current state the effects could be catastrophic.
"Lay him on the bed," Connor heard Mike's voice clearly as someone took hold of his legs.
They laid Connor on the couch gently and rushed to get any medical supplies they had, for his flesh wounds, but most of them, particularly Amber, could tell exhaustion was the major factor for Connor's current state.
The noise began to die after Connor was treated and the other fighters, who weren't hurt as bad. It wasn't long before the noises around Connor began to fade, with him drifting off, and the post-battle commotion dying. Connor just hoped not everyday of his new life would be like this, and only then did it occur to him that he had entered into this fully now, this was a new chapter in his life and he hoped it would stay that way. This was the least pain he had ever felt.
*****************
A peaceful morning came as a surprise to Amber, with the events of the previous day she assumed things would be just as hectic in the morning, but things as calm as could be. Most of the guys had managed to make their way out that morning; some of them had gone to the markets, others for some quick patrolling, which was a very usual thing around here.
The only noise to be heard was a few girls gossiping in the halls, along with a few guys in the mix, some flirting with the girls, others noticing their priorities and spending their time training. Amber was always shocked that the people who lived here could spend so much of their time on love, sex and relationships when they lived in life or death circumstances everyday.
There were a lot of things Amber didn't understand about humans, though she was, herself, human she found it hard to convince herself she was a part of the human race, as she could never allow herself to get to close to them. Especially with everyone that had happened to her, everything she had done to herself.
Amber had just been to the washing room, though no one expected it of her, she found it gratifying to help people out, even if it was jus washing she was glad to be helping. Plus helping like that gave her something to do when she wasn't out hunting with Mike, though she mostly ended up traveling with the other guys it was always Mike who she planned to, or convinced her, to go with. When he was out she didn't really say anything, she didn't' mean to be rude but she just couldn't communicate well with most of the people she lived with, s she just didn't speak to them, not that she spoke a lot anyway.
Once Amber had put some of the washing back she figured she would go check on Connor, it was already just past midday and he had been sleeping for about twenty-four hours. He had been pretty beaten up but it was minimal compared to the things she could sense in him.
An hour or two went by as Amber continued her routine of work and few spare moments for focusing her powers, and she finally brought herself to visit Connor's room, she paused at the door and she could sense movement in the room, she pushed to door open to see an unexpected sight: Connor training with a sword.
Connor's thin-muscular body moved swiftly with a sort of violent grace, Amber had expected to see him resting no jumping about so violently. It was obvious to any outsider that a great part of Connor's obviously fighting and training but Amber had gifts other people weren't burdened with, and she could sense that violence had been resonant throughout Connor's entire existence.
"Glad to see you're up," Amber said with a mildly raised voice to get Connor's attention. He paused from his training and look back at her. "How are you?" Amber asked in a voice full of concern.
"I'm fine," Connor replied, pulling a black sweater over his sleeveless shirt. "I just needed some rest, I heal fast."
"Yeah," Amber said with a meek smile. "Most people would end up in hospital, or worse, after that."
"Well I heal fast," Connor said, not wanting to mention how un-like other people he was. "Seems quiet today, where is everyone?"
"When most people would want to rest after a battle like that, they tend to want to get some fresh air, or get back into it," Amber casually made her way out of the doorway and took a seat on Connor's bed. "I don't really understand them."
"What do you mean?" Connor asked taking a seat next to Amber.
"I..." Amber wasn't sure why Connor was asking her this, she had stepped into it with her last statement but she still didn't want to answer it. "It's nothing, it's just I don't really... they're not the type of people I general 'hang out' with."
"Then why do you stay here?" Connor knew why he was staying here. Maybe Amber was like him and had nowhere else to be.
"Well when I first came to LA... I wasn't exactly leading a healthy lifestyle, and Mike saved me from that." Amber shut her eyes and breathed in, she didn't want to thin about her darker times.
Connor discretely inched toward Amber and began to move his arm onto her shoulder to comfort her, but flinched at knock on the door. Amber stood up quickly and walked to the door, her long skirt lifted gently from Connor's bed adding to Amber's ethereal presence, and Connor eyes followed her with great allure.
Amber straightened the arms of her black suede jacket before she gently opened the door. An unfamiliar man stood at the door, he was very tall with dark skinned, he wore an overcoat and dark mysterious sunglasses. Amber looked at him with a mild amount of worry and curiosity before he reached out his hand with an envelope with Amber's name on it.
"Someone thought you would want this," the tall man said in a deep voice, before he turned an exited the building.
There was nothing out of the ordinary about the envelope, yet Amber could sense there was something important about it, though the man who delivered it had been focused and obviously indifferent to the situation. Amber opened the letter, and began to read before noticing Connor was still sitting on the bed intently curious.
"What is it?" Connor asked as he stood up.
"I'm not sure," Amber replied turning her attention back to the letter.
The suspense was killing Connor, as Jade read the letter her eyes began to widen in shock before she let out a slight gasp.
"We have to get out of here."
"What?" Connor asked perplexed by whatever had just happened.
"Follow me I'll explain on the way."
*****************
"Professionals are discreet, young lady. You, on the other hand, are a freak. A dangerous freak. Which is why I had them remodel the elevator you're standing in. More of a retrofit, really. Low teched the whole thing with six inches of Plexiglas separating you from any available current."
Gwen clutched the bars concealing her and Angel in the elevator but there was no response, she and Angel were trapped like dogs, as Elliot chuckled to himself.
"Tempered Lucite," Elliot smirked.
"He's gonna seal us in and turn on the gas," Angel said as his eyes searched the elevator rapidly for some sort of escape.
"What are you, Lex Luthor?" Gwen asked not believing this was actually happening to her, this couldn't be the end.
"What do you think, I'm gonna stand here and duke it out with electro girl?" Elliot asked disgustingly proud of himself. "No, don't worry. Uh, I'm told that the gas is very fast acting. You'll be dead within... uh, whoops- Where does the time go?"
The elevator doors slammed shut as the gas began to poor from the veiling ready to kill Gwen and Angel, Elliot walked to the other side of the lobby quite proud of himself. He began to pull out his cell phone and make a call before the lobby doors swung open with two teenagers running in and attacking him men.
"What the hell?" Elliot screamed as the young girl rushed him, punching him in the face and kicking him to the floor.
"Connor!" Amber yelled standing over Elliot. Connor threw her his knife as he fought off Elliot's guards with little effort. "Where's Gwen?" Amber asked kneeling down to Elliot with her knife poked into his neck.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Don't lie to me," Amber warned him giving the knife a slight push into his neck before she punched him in the face.
It was obvious Amber wasn't going to get too much information out of Elliot so she resorted to her powers, sensing for Gwen, it had been a long time since she had seen Gwen, they had only met once since Amber had runaway from the academy but she thought she would still be able to sense someone so close to her. Amber mind rushed into the nearby elevator and she senses Gwen's distress.
"Connor!" Amber called as her companion knocked down two more of Elliot's men. "She's in the elevator!"
Connor rushed toward the elevator and reached out to try and force it open, but before his hands reached the elevator the door shot open and a tell figure emerged quickly swinging its fist toward Connor face to quick for him to counter, and just before contact the fist stop and Connor saw his father standing in front of him.
"Connor," Angel muttered, after a long pause, as he lowered his fist. "What are you doing here?"
The last time Connor had seen his father was one of the hardest moments in his life and now he was in complete shock, even as Angel looked at him for an answer Connor was in far too much shock to figure out what to say.
"Gwen this is..." Angel turned to Gwen only to see she had left his side. A loud smack came from the centre of the room and Gwen kicked Elliot in the face and helped Amber to her feet.
"Long time no see, baby sister," Gwen said to her old friend as the two shared an awkward hug, as neither one could touch the other. "So are you here to save my ass?"
"God knows you need it," Amber teased as the two separate. Amber's eyes headed back toward Connor and Angel who seemed to have some issues between the two of them. "Gwen who's?" Amber looked back to see Gwen walking toward a frightened Elliot who was crawling backward toward a corner.
"I expect to get screwed," Gwen said as she headed toward Elliot, who was now backed into a wall.
As Gwen continued to threaten Elliot Angel shot a quick signal to his son as they both headed to Gwen t stop her.
"What I don't appreciate, Elliot, is being called a freak," Gwen said angrily, as she came to a stop. "That's my word..."
"Oh for god's sake," before Connor and Angel had reached Gwen Amber stepped in front of her blocking her path to Elliot. "What is your issues with the whole freak thing, I thought you'd be over it by now."
"Amber, get out the way."
"And what?" Amber asked sarcastically. "Let you fry this asshole?"
"Well that was the plan," Gwen said, stepping up to Amber. "This guy's a jackass what do you care?"
"You could kill him Gwen."
Gwen paused and looked deep into Amber's eyes, Gwen was one of the few who knew the secrets of Amber's past, and she knew Amber couldn't let her kill this man. Elliot looked so afraid and Gwen actually found it quite funny, but for Amber's sake she'd have to let him live.
"Alright," Gwen sighed. "I wont kill him."
"Okay, go ahead then," Amber stepped to the side then Gwen walked to Elliot and shot a solid kick into his nose, knocking him out.
Both Amber and Gwen linked arms and walked to the other side of the room where they briefly caught up, leaving Connor and Angel alone together.
"So... is she your friend?" Angel asked his son, scratching his head for something to say.
"Yeah," Connor said. "She's a demon hunter, part of a team. I've been staying with them."
"Good," Angel said with a half smile. "So why were you here - for this, I mean."
"Amber told me her friend was in trouble..."
"Right, well that's good, that you came," Angel looked at his sons face and felt proud that he was helping people, if being raised my Holtz in Quortoh hadn't corrupted Connor he was truly strong. "You know Connor, if you want to, you can come back to the hotel."
"Dad..." Connor muttered. "Thank you, but I don't think I should."
"Connor you don't-"
"Stop," Connor yelled. Though he was able to speak with Angel, he wasn't ready to go back to the hotel. "I'm okay."
"Hey Connor!" Angel and Connor both turned to Amber's voice. "I think we should get going and leave these two to their 'Axis of Pythia.'
Connor said nothing and looked to Angel in question.
"It's a mystical thing," Angel explained. "To help me find Cordelia."
"Good luck," Connor wished his father a he and Amber left Angel and Gwen to their business.
"So who was that?" Jade asked curiously.
"My father."
Chapter 7:
It was the strangest thing Connor had ever felt, even though he had grown up in Quortoth, the darkest of the dark worlds, he had never managed to get himself hurt like this. He had been drifting in and out of conscious for the entire ride back to their headquarters. These wounds were probably treating him worse cause of the emotional baggage they carried, he had been through a lot lately, but pain was nothing new.
As Connor's eyes attempted to flutter open he could feel his arm draped over someone shoulder, in a quick breath he could smell Mike helping him back to his room. Amber had let go of him, to allow stronger people to carry him, plus her if any of her skin touched him in his current state the effects could be catastrophic.
"Lay him on the bed," Connor heard Mike's voice clearly as someone took hold of his legs.
They laid Connor on the couch gently and rushed to get any medical supplies they had, for his flesh wounds, but most of them, particularly Amber, could tell exhaustion was the major factor for Connor's current state.
The noise began to die after Connor was treated and the other fighters, who weren't hurt as bad. It wasn't long before the noises around Connor began to fade, with him drifting off, and the post-battle commotion dying. Connor just hoped not everyday of his new life would be like this, and only then did it occur to him that he had entered into this fully now, this was a new chapter in his life and he hoped it would stay that way. This was the least pain he had ever felt.
*****************
A peaceful morning came as a surprise to Amber, with the events of the previous day she assumed things would be just as hectic in the morning, but things as calm as could be. Most of the guys had managed to make their way out that morning; some of them had gone to the markets, others for some quick patrolling, which was a very usual thing around here.
The only noise to be heard was a few girls gossiping in the halls, along with a few guys in the mix, some flirting with the girls, others noticing their priorities and spending their time training. Amber was always shocked that the people who lived here could spend so much of their time on love, sex and relationships when they lived in life or death circumstances everyday.
There were a lot of things Amber didn't understand about humans, though she was, herself, human she found it hard to convince herself she was a part of the human race, as she could never allow herself to get to close to them. Especially with everyone that had happened to her, everything she had done to herself.
Amber had just been to the washing room, though no one expected it of her, she found it gratifying to help people out, even if it was jus washing she was glad to be helping. Plus helping like that gave her something to do when she wasn't out hunting with Mike, though she mostly ended up traveling with the other guys it was always Mike who she planned to, or convinced her, to go with. When he was out she didn't really say anything, she didn't' mean to be rude but she just couldn't communicate well with most of the people she lived with, s she just didn't speak to them, not that she spoke a lot anyway.
Once Amber had put some of the washing back she figured she would go check on Connor, it was already just past midday and he had been sleeping for about twenty-four hours. He had been pretty beaten up but it was minimal compared to the things she could sense in him.
An hour or two went by as Amber continued her routine of work and few spare moments for focusing her powers, and she finally brought herself to visit Connor's room, she paused at the door and she could sense movement in the room, she pushed to door open to see an unexpected sight: Connor training with a sword.
Connor's thin-muscular body moved swiftly with a sort of violent grace, Amber had expected to see him resting no jumping about so violently. It was obvious to any outsider that a great part of Connor's obviously fighting and training but Amber had gifts other people weren't burdened with, and she could sense that violence had been resonant throughout Connor's entire existence.
"Glad to see you're up," Amber said with a mildly raised voice to get Connor's attention. He paused from his training and look back at her. "How are you?" Amber asked in a voice full of concern.
"I'm fine," Connor replied, pulling a black sweater over his sleeveless shirt. "I just needed some rest, I heal fast."
"Yeah," Amber said with a meek smile. "Most people would end up in hospital, or worse, after that."
"Well I heal fast," Connor said, not wanting to mention how un-like other people he was. "Seems quiet today, where is everyone?"
"When most people would want to rest after a battle like that, they tend to want to get some fresh air, or get back into it," Amber casually made her way out of the doorway and took a seat on Connor's bed. "I don't really understand them."
"What do you mean?" Connor asked taking a seat next to Amber.
"I..." Amber wasn't sure why Connor was asking her this, she had stepped into it with her last statement but she still didn't want to answer it. "It's nothing, it's just I don't really... they're not the type of people I general 'hang out' with."
"Then why do you stay here?" Connor knew why he was staying here. Maybe Amber was like him and had nowhere else to be.
"Well when I first came to LA... I wasn't exactly leading a healthy lifestyle, and Mike saved me from that." Amber shut her eyes and breathed in, she didn't want to thin about her darker times.
Connor discretely inched toward Amber and began to move his arm onto her shoulder to comfort her, but flinched at knock on the door. Amber stood up quickly and walked to the door, her long skirt lifted gently from Connor's bed adding to Amber's ethereal presence, and Connor eyes followed her with great allure.
Amber straightened the arms of her black suede jacket before she gently opened the door. An unfamiliar man stood at the door, he was very tall with dark skinned, he wore an overcoat and dark mysterious sunglasses. Amber looked at him with a mild amount of worry and curiosity before he reached out his hand with an envelope with Amber's name on it.
"Someone thought you would want this," the tall man said in a deep voice, before he turned an exited the building.
There was nothing out of the ordinary about the envelope, yet Amber could sense there was something important about it, though the man who delivered it had been focused and obviously indifferent to the situation. Amber opened the letter, and began to read before noticing Connor was still sitting on the bed intently curious.
"What is it?" Connor asked as he stood up.
"I'm not sure," Amber replied turning her attention back to the letter.
The suspense was killing Connor, as Jade read the letter her eyes began to widen in shock before she let out a slight gasp.
"We have to get out of here."
"What?" Connor asked perplexed by whatever had just happened.
"Follow me I'll explain on the way."
*****************
"Professionals are discreet, young lady. You, on the other hand, are a freak. A dangerous freak. Which is why I had them remodel the elevator you're standing in. More of a retrofit, really. Low teched the whole thing with six inches of Plexiglas separating you from any available current."
Gwen clutched the bars concealing her and Angel in the elevator but there was no response, she and Angel were trapped like dogs, as Elliot chuckled to himself.
"Tempered Lucite," Elliot smirked.
"He's gonna seal us in and turn on the gas," Angel said as his eyes searched the elevator rapidly for some sort of escape.
"What are you, Lex Luthor?" Gwen asked not believing this was actually happening to her, this couldn't be the end.
"What do you think, I'm gonna stand here and duke it out with electro girl?" Elliot asked disgustingly proud of himself. "No, don't worry. Uh, I'm told that the gas is very fast acting. You'll be dead within... uh, whoops- Where does the time go?"
The elevator doors slammed shut as the gas began to poor from the veiling ready to kill Gwen and Angel, Elliot walked to the other side of the lobby quite proud of himself. He began to pull out his cell phone and make a call before the lobby doors swung open with two teenagers running in and attacking him men.
"What the hell?" Elliot screamed as the young girl rushed him, punching him in the face and kicking him to the floor.
"Connor!" Amber yelled standing over Elliot. Connor threw her his knife as he fought off Elliot's guards with little effort. "Where's Gwen?" Amber asked kneeling down to Elliot with her knife poked into his neck.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Don't lie to me," Amber warned him giving the knife a slight push into his neck before she punched him in the face.
It was obvious Amber wasn't going to get too much information out of Elliot so she resorted to her powers, sensing for Gwen, it had been a long time since she had seen Gwen, they had only met once since Amber had runaway from the academy but she thought she would still be able to sense someone so close to her. Amber mind rushed into the nearby elevator and she senses Gwen's distress.
"Connor!" Amber called as her companion knocked down two more of Elliot's men. "She's in the elevator!"
Connor rushed toward the elevator and reached out to try and force it open, but before his hands reached the elevator the door shot open and a tell figure emerged quickly swinging its fist toward Connor face to quick for him to counter, and just before contact the fist stop and Connor saw his father standing in front of him.
"Connor," Angel muttered, after a long pause, as he lowered his fist. "What are you doing here?"
The last time Connor had seen his father was one of the hardest moments in his life and now he was in complete shock, even as Angel looked at him for an answer Connor was in far too much shock to figure out what to say.
"Gwen this is..." Angel turned to Gwen only to see she had left his side. A loud smack came from the centre of the room and Gwen kicked Elliot in the face and helped Amber to her feet.
"Long time no see, baby sister," Gwen said to her old friend as the two shared an awkward hug, as neither one could touch the other. "So are you here to save my ass?"
"God knows you need it," Amber teased as the two separate. Amber's eyes headed back toward Connor and Angel who seemed to have some issues between the two of them. "Gwen who's?" Amber looked back to see Gwen walking toward a frightened Elliot who was crawling backward toward a corner.
"I expect to get screwed," Gwen said as she headed toward Elliot, who was now backed into a wall.
As Gwen continued to threaten Elliot Angel shot a quick signal to his son as they both headed to Gwen t stop her.
"What I don't appreciate, Elliot, is being called a freak," Gwen said angrily, as she came to a stop. "That's my word..."
"Oh for god's sake," before Connor and Angel had reached Gwen Amber stepped in front of her blocking her path to Elliot. "What is your issues with the whole freak thing, I thought you'd be over it by now."
"Amber, get out the way."
"And what?" Amber asked sarcastically. "Let you fry this asshole?"
"Well that was the plan," Gwen said, stepping up to Amber. "This guy's a jackass what do you care?"
"You could kill him Gwen."
Gwen paused and looked deep into Amber's eyes, Gwen was one of the few who knew the secrets of Amber's past, and she knew Amber couldn't let her kill this man. Elliot looked so afraid and Gwen actually found it quite funny, but for Amber's sake she'd have to let him live.
"Alright," Gwen sighed. "I wont kill him."
"Okay, go ahead then," Amber stepped to the side then Gwen walked to Elliot and shot a solid kick into his nose, knocking him out.
Both Amber and Gwen linked arms and walked to the other side of the room where they briefly caught up, leaving Connor and Angel alone together.
"So... is she your friend?" Angel asked his son, scratching his head for something to say.
"Yeah," Connor said. "She's a demon hunter, part of a team. I've been staying with them."
"Good," Angel said with a half smile. "So why were you here - for this, I mean."
"Amber told me her friend was in trouble..."
"Right, well that's good, that you came," Angel looked at his sons face and felt proud that he was helping people, if being raised my Holtz in Quortoh hadn't corrupted Connor he was truly strong. "You know Connor, if you want to, you can come back to the hotel."
"Dad..." Connor muttered. "Thank you, but I don't think I should."
"Connor you don't-"
"Stop," Connor yelled. Though he was able to speak with Angel, he wasn't ready to go back to the hotel. "I'm okay."
"Hey Connor!" Angel and Connor both turned to Amber's voice. "I think we should get going and leave these two to their 'Axis of Pythia.'
Connor said nothing and looked to Angel in question.
"It's a mystical thing," Angel explained. "To help me find Cordelia."
"Good luck," Connor wished his father a he and Amber left Angel and Gwen to their business.
"So who was that?" Jade asked curiously.
"My father."