Cordelia reveled her pregnancy to Angel, Fred, Gunn, Angela, and Wesley, they all stared at her, stunned. Connor walked up to her and stood by her side. "I know it's a bit of a shock. I mean, nobody's more shocked than me." Cordelia said as she rubbed her belly and then looked at Connor. "Except maybe him."
"Um, sorry to be so..." Fred said trying to find words.
"Freaked out, shocked, disgusted... you know the list just goes on and on." Angela said trying to find the appropriate words. Angel walked over to the couch and sat down.
"Yeah cause hasn't it only been like... defiantly shocked..." Gunn mused.
"I haven't been hiding, or ashamed, or anything. It's just with the beast and his psycho master, and then Faith and Willow and all that dramarama, not to mention-" Cordy began.
"Angelus." Angel stated.
"Everything's just been so Clash of the Titans around here. I didn't wanna be a distraction." Cordelia told them.
Lorne walked in from outside and saw Cordy, "Wha? Put me back on the short bus, send me off to clueless school. A mystical pregnancy right under my beak and not even a tingle. Huh." The demon said.
"How long have you known?" Wesley asked.
"Some time after we brought forth Angelus." Cordelia replied.
Angela glanced at Wesley who looked like he was figuring something out in his head. "That's a couple of weeks, looks more like eight months." Gunn said.
"Last time Cordelia was impregnated, she came to term overnight." Wesley told all those who weren't there.
"Ewww, there was a last time? How often do you people sleep around?" Angela asked.
"That was a crawly evil demon thing, this is different." Cordelia told her.
"Still, shouldn't we try to find out... what's in there?" Fred asked.
"We already know. Our baby." Connor told them.
Gunn turned and looked at Angel, "Well, congratulations. You're gonna have a grandspawn." Gunn smiled.
"You don't know what it's like. How scary it is. I'm gonna have a child, and all you can do is joke cause you don't like me. We shouldn't have told 'em." Connor said right before leaving the lobby.
"Well wa wa, little baby. God, go cry about it." Angela mumbled.
"I know, it's hard to understand. None of you ever had a living being growing inside of you. And this- my sweet baby- we're connected. I feel what it feels. I can't explain it, but I sense it's goodness, it's love." She turned away from the group and looked down at her belly as the creature inside writhes visibly under her skin, after it stopped she turned back to the others. "You'll see, My baby will be here soon, and then you'll all see." Cordy smiled.
****
A man stands alone in a plaza while a fountain bubbles behind him. He looked around nervously as people walked by. When he turns around again, Gwen Raiden's standing behind him. "How'd you do that?" He asked.
"I'm a thief... got my stuff?" Gwen asked. The man looked around nervously, "Would you stop it?"
"Stop what?" He asked.
"Acting shifty. You've never done this before, have you?" She smiled and then laced her arm through his, and they started walking. "Let me give you a tip, sugar bear. There are over eight million people in this city, and as far as anyone can tell, we're just two of 'em. Just a normal couple. Nobody's gonna give us a second look if you just stop acting shifty."
The man stopped walking and broke away from her and looked her in the eyes, "Look these are powerful people that you are going up against. If they catch you they'll kill you-"
"I know the risks, but I'm going there with or without your help. And I'm not coming out without Lisa." She told him. Then she pulled an envelope out of her back pocket. "So are we gonna dance or what?" She smiled then slipped the envelope into the man's breast pocket.
The man handed Gwen a 9x11 envelope that he had taken out of his coat. "That's everything. Security, blueprints, background."
Gwen smiled, "There. That wasn't so bad, was it?"
"So is it that obvious?" He laughed. "That I've never done-"
"Trench coat. Definite rookie mistake." Gwen smiled.
"So, I should... dress more like you? You know, maybe when this is all over, you and I could-" He began. But suddenly Gwen was struck by lightning. "Holy, sh-" The man ran away as Gwen lay on the ground talking to him as he ran.
"Really, I'm fine. Thanks for asking."
****
Fred and Lorne sat next to one another on the couch, talking to Wesley, Angela and Gunn who were standing around near the front desk. "Were we too harsh?" Fred asked. Lorne shook his head. "Oh, I was just asking." Fred said.
"No, they were bound to skulk off to neutral corners." Wesley replied.
Gunn began to pace and then he said, "Two vampires hook up, and—for the only time in vamp history—have a kid, our boy Connor. Then Connor grows up, knocks it out with Cordelia, a part-demon former higher-being. And—quick as you can say "Easy Bake Oven"—there's a gigantic bun in hers." He told them then shaking his head, "I don't think we were too harsh."
"The first time Connor tried to attack Angelus, Lorne's sanctuary spell knocked him halfway to Abilene." Fred told Angela.
"Which means Connor is at least part-demon." Wesley explained.
"Yeah, well that was before my spell went all Flop-a-palooza." Lorne smiled.
"Having two part-demon parents might could explain the..." Fred began then made a gesture like a growing belly, "woosh factor" She finished.
"Not gonna be long until woosh turns into pop." Gunn added.
"Speaking of "pop," don't you think our re-ensouled leader should be a part of this little confab?" Lorne asked.
Angel walked out of his office and into the lobby, "Easy Bake. Flop-a-palooza. Woosh. Pop." He pointed at Wesley, "I don't skulk. I've been thinking...about the past few weeks and Angelus-"
"Angel, you can't feel guilty for anything Angelus did." Fred told him.
"I know. I knew the risks. We all did." He looked at Wesley. "And some of us paid a higher price than others. Angelus didn't kill Lilah. She was already dead, killed by the Beast." He told Wesley. Wesley looked pained and upset and confused.
"Well, that's...less terrible." Fred said. Wesley didn't say anything, his mind was racing off into his past thinking of what he used to be like and what happened to him one night that had made him want to become a watcher and stay out of field work but now here he was right back in it. Angela looked at him, she could tell what he was thinking because she told him that he didn't get that expression for no reason. Wesley snapped out of it when Angel began to talk to him again.
"There's no excuse for...what Angelus did to her, but... I'm sorry for your loss." Wesley looked down but Angel continued.. " We've got two pressing matters: figuring out what we can about Cordelia's pregnancy, and destroying the Beast's master. Lorne you're-"
"Reliable as a cheap fortune cookie?" Lorne finished.
"I was gonna say a guy with good contacts. There have to be rumblings around town about this new player. Talk to your sources. See if anyone knows anyone who might know anything." Angel replied.
"I'm your demon." Lorne answered.
"Right. Wesley, if there's experts on mystical births, we're it." Angel gave out orders.
"Uh, we'll pull all the files on Darla and her pregnancy and see what we can find." Wesley replied.
"Gunn, I want you to sit tight for now. It never hurts to have some muscle on deck." Gunn just glared back at Angel. "In the mean time, there has to be a reason why the Beastmaster wanted Angelus. I'm gonna piece together everything I know—things he said to me when he was in my head, everything he's done. Maybe something will-"
"Strike you?" Came Gwen's voice from the front door of the hotel. Everyone turned and looked at her. "Careful what you wish for." Gwen smiled.
Angela looked around and then at Gwen, "What are you supposed to be this isn't Halloween?" Angela asked referring to Gwen's all leather outfit.
"Ha, ha, very funny. What are you Angel's long lost broody little twin?" Gwen replied.
"Actually I'm Wesley's evil twin." Angela growled as her eyes became a deep brown.
Fred figured that if someone didn't say something soon that the other two females would be ripping each other apart. So she stood up and said, "Well, look who's back now that the lights are on."
Gwen looked over at Fred and said, "Aw, missed you too, babe."
"Gwen, it's really not a great time for a social call. We're pretty swamped. You know, uh... apocalypse." Angel told Gwen.
"Thing is, there's a girl. She's in trouble. It's what you guys do, right?" Gwen asked.
"Well, yeah." Angel replied.
"So, I'm in a jam. I can't get out of it alone. I need someone suave, a guy who can handle himself in a tight spot." Gwen told them.
Angel swaggered for a moment then said, "Gwen, I'd love to help-" He began.
Gwen gestured toward Gunn, "I meant him."
****
Cordelia walked into a dark room at the hotel where Connor was sitting in a corner, thinking. "I've been looking all over for you. Connor, what they said...you can't let it bother you." She told him.
"I don't care what they say." Connor retorted.
"Really? Is that why you retreated to the Fortress of Solitude?" Cordelia asked.
Connor looked up at her, "It doesn't make sense." He said and then stood up.
"Freaking out over pregnancy's pretty much the M.O. with the gang around here." Cordelia told Connor.
"Not them. You. All that stuff you said about Angelus. And Willow...she—she didn't open a gate to evil. She put back Angel's soul. I almost killed him." Connor replied.
"But you didn't. Angel's back. Everything worked out. Everything happens for a reason, even if it doesn't always seem that way." Cordelia smiled.
"How can you say that?" Connor asked.
"Think about it. You sinking Angel to the bottom of the ocean. Getting kicked out of the house. Me not knowing who I was and coming to you for help. All of those moments and a million others led to this miracle." Cordelia smiled.
"But sending me down to the basement. I had the stake." He walked up to Cordelia, "What was the reason for that?" He asked.
"I thought our baby was in danger, and all my instincts told me that killing Angelus was the only way to protect it." Cordelia told him.
"But you were wrong." Connor replied.
She walked up to Connor, and kneeled in front of him. "What's important is that when I needed help, you were there for me. Now I know I can trust you. Completely. No matter what. See? Everything happens for a reason." She stood. "Connor, before our baby comes, I might ask you to do some things...for us." She held up a baby outfit, and then folded it. "And I want you to remember, there's always a reason."
"I'll remember." Connor said.
****
Gunn is playing with small figurines from a table in Gwen's living room. Gwen's gathering some papers and the envelope that the man in the park gave her. "So, why me?" Gunn asked.
"I told you. I need a suave guy in a tight spot." Gwen replied.
Gunn scoffed, "Suave?" He held the figure out to Gwen, "You been collecting these for a while?" He asked.
"Yeah, I get one each trip. I just brought the dolphin back from Tahiti. You collect anything when you travel?" Gwen asked in reply.
"Uh, yeah. I, uh, I got a big ol' scar on my thigh from Boyle Heights... A piece of vamp stake I picked up a while back in Alhambra... And a couple of burn marks on my hip from Encino... Yep, name a town, I'll show you the souvenir." Gunn smiled.
"I didn't mean to..." Gwen said.
"I'm not complaining. Hell, I've seen more here than most people've seen traveling around the world. Someday, maybe." He walked up to Gwen, "So, what's so big and bad that Electro-Gwen needs my super-suave assistance? Something about a girl in trouble?"
"Yeah. I did a little black-bag deal-eo for this corp. Happens all the time. Two companies vie for a contract. Company A hires me to make sure Company B's thingamabob doesn't so much bob as bust." Gwen explained.
"And Company A gets a multi-million dollar payday." Gunn said.
"Right, but this time Company B fought back," She handed Gunn a picture from the envelope. "They kidnapped this girl. Her name is Lisa. She's the daughter of the guy who hired me to do the dirty work." She explained.
"And nobody can go to the cops 'cause-" Gunn began.
"Of what I did. So, you see? It's my fault. I have to save her, and I have to do it alone." Gunn nodded, then noticed burn marks on the envelope Gwen's holding. "Don't ask." She said then handing Gunn a printout from her envelope. "This is everything I could get on the man who's holding her. His name is Takeshi Morimoto. He's the head honcho of the company I tanked. He's promised to kill the girl if Company A doesn't come clean about what they did." She continued.
"This dude's a serious player." Gunn said then reading from the printout, "Chairman Emeritus, honorary degrees, all kinds of charity work, cancer research, wildlife preservation, the Zoo Committee... Whoa, bank fraud, smuggling, money laundering-"
"And now kidnapping." Gwen added.
Gunn looked up at Gwen, "This guy know about you?" He asked.
"Nope. That's why I think we have a shot of getting to the girl." Gwen replied as Gunn stood, walked over to a table where she unfolded a blueprint. "They're keeping her at his compound. It's gated. Armed guards, infrared surveillance, dogs, the works. If we're gonna have half a chance-" She looked up at Gunn, who was chuckling. "You're gonna have to stop grinning like that and share the joke with the entire class. You think this is impossible?"
"No, I think it's fantastic. Listen, I spent most of this year trapped in what I can only describe as a turgid supernatural soap-opera. The fact that I have a chance to go out and really help somebody...Well, you know, it feels good to be doing good. So, how're we breaking into Fort Knox?" Gunn asked.
"We're walking in the front door." Gwen replied.
****
A limousine pulls up in front of a mansion. Gunn steps out, wearing a fancy suit and nice shoes. He holds out his hand to help Gwen out of the limo; she takes his hand with hers, gloved in white satin. Gwen's wearing a red silk dress that looks oriental in design. "How're you doing?" Gwen asked Gunn.
"You tell me. I'm thinking James Bond never looked this fine." Gunn smiled as She laced her arm through his.
"I'm thinking you're right." Gwen smiled.
"Of course, I'd feel better if we were packing some of his secret weapons." Gunn told her.
Gwen whispered, "Charles, we are the secret weapons. Nervous?"
"Nah. I've gotten into clubs with tighter security than this." Gunn replied.
Gwen steps into a scanner that detects body heat, among other attributes. A man sits behind the computer monitor watching for anomalies as people go through. Gwen goes through without a problem. Gunn goes through it next. The guard nods.
"One down, one to go." Gwen said.
"Hey, how's your electro-thing gonna do with these metal detectors?" Gunn asked.
"Piece of cake." She replied.
Guards stand on either side of Gwen and Gunn, who are arm in arm. The guards wave wands over Gwen and Gunn's bodies. Gwen and Gunn walk forward. Gwen hands tickets to a man who scans them.
"Now, if we can just get out as easily as we got in-" Gunn said as the guard scanned the tickets, then an alarm went off. "Why did I even say that?" Gunn said rolling his eyes. Security guards surrounded Gunn and Gwen. "Uh, what...seems to be the problem?" Gunn asked.
"The electronic imprints on your invitation's been altered." The security guard told them.
"I can explain that. I was struck by lightning." Gwen said, then everyone looked at her. "Really!" She said and then whispered to Gunn, "See how my life sucks?"
"Step this way, please. Please don't make a scene." The Security Guard said.
"A little late for that, isn't it? What with the beeping and batons..." Gwen smiled.
Gunn whispered to Gwen, "Maybe this isn't our night."
She whispered back, "Then we make it our night. This is my one shot, Gunn, and I am not leaving without you-know-who...and if that means we do it the hard way-" She said as she started to pull off one of her gloves.
He whispered to Gwen, "Ah ah ah. Keep your mittens on, sparky" Then he spoke to Morimoto as he walked past then. "Morimoto-san. Konbanwa." Gunn then bowed.
He turned to face Gunn, "Konbanwa. Okoshi kudasai arigato gozaimas."
"Sorry, didn't follow that last bit. Shot my entire Japanese vocabulary when I said hello." Gunn said.
Morimoto smiled, "The gesture is still appreciated." He turned to walk away.
"Mr. Morimoto, I'm Charles Gunn. We met at the zoo benefit last year. You don't remember me, do you? Your wife held that monkey right after my girlfriend did. Ugly little gray thing—the monkey, not my girl." He chuckles. "Gwen, you remember Mr. Morimoto. We met him at the zoo benefit."
She bowed, "How could I forget."
"Mr. Morimoto, in case we don't have an opportunity to speak later, please do me the honor of accepting this humble gift..." He pulled a small oval box out of his breast pocket. "To thank you for inviting us into your beautiful home."
"You're too generous." He smiled.
Gunn held the box out in the palms of both hands, "Please. It's just a trinket." Gunn smiled.
Mr. Morimoto opened the box revealing the small jade tiger inside; Gwen shoots a look at Gunn. "It's beautiful."
"Well, I read somewhere you love tigers." Gunn smiled.
"Truly exquisite. Thank you." He walked away.
The Security Guard looked at Gunn and Gwen, "If you'll follow me, please." He said.
Gwen whispered to Gunn, "OK, we tried it your way-" She began.
Gunn whispered, "Hang on." They watch Morimoto walk away, waiting for acknowledgement.
"This way. Please." The guard said. Morimoto pauses, turns to the security guard and signals that Gunn and Gwen can come in. "All right. Go ahead." The guard said.
****
Inside Angel Investigations Fred, Angela and Wesley are sitting at a desk together, researching amongst piles of papers and books. Fred held up a drawing of a red, spike-covered demon, "That's supposed to be a kid?" She asked Wesley.
"An infant Gatbar demon. The spikes grow to full size in the womb." Wesley replied.
"Ouch. Gross factor aside, these pregnancies all seem to be run-of-the-mill demon lifecycle stuff. Nothing mystical about 'em." Fred sighed, and rubbed her head, sounding slightly ill.
"They're just pictures, Fred." Angela said looking up from her book. "Even more nasty in person. I need to go kill something now, all this reading is making me antsy, I'll be back." Angela handed Wesley her book and left the hotel.
"It's the pictures in my mind that are getting me. I can't stop thinking about Connor and Cordy...hiding up in that room...imagining what they do up there." Fred said as she held her eyelids open. "It's like being stuck in a really bad movie with those Clockwork Orange clampy things on my eyeballs." She said.
"Why imagine? Reality's disturbing enough." Wesley replied.
"Connor's Angel's son. How did he and Cordy get all..." She looked away, "couply?" She finished.
"They were probably as surprised as anyone." Wesley said. Fred turned and looked at him as he went on. "But they were both lost, lonely..." He trailed off.
"No matter how lonely I was, I would never-" Fred began.
"Things happen, Fred. When you're alienated from the people who care about you, you start to look other places." Wesley explained.
Fred looked back down at her book, "Hm. Lilah."
"We were fighting on opposite sides, but it was the same war." Wesley replied.
Fred rolled her eyes and turned to look at Wesley, "But you hated her...didn't you?" She asked.
"It's not always about holding hands..." Wesley replied softly.
****
Arm in arm, Gunn and Gwen walked into the main ballroom where the party was located. "So, when did you become Mr. Japanese Ambassador?" Gwen asked.
"Well, you watch enough Samurai movies, you learn a couple of things about the culture. The first is Reishiki, which is a fancy way of stressing proper etiquette at all times. The other is never underestimate the value of a thoughtful gift." Gunn smiled.
"You mean that gift you stole?" Gwen nodded.
"Yeah, sorry about that. Hope it wasn't too valuable." Gunn chuckled.
"Let you in on a little secret?" She smiled and then opened her pocket to allow Gunn to look inside; the jade tiger was in her pocket.
"You stole it back?" Gunn asked.
"It's not like eighteenth century jade is falling off trucks." She replied. She looked around the room, and then stared toward the corner.
"What?" He asked as a little Japanese girl walks up to the edge of the ballroom; she was surrounded by guards. "Is that her? Shouldn't she be tied to a chair or something?"
"Tied up or dressed up, she's a prisoner. Look at the muscle around her. I'm gonna go see if I can get a better look." Gwen said as she started to walk away, Gunn started to follow, but Gwen stops him. "No, keep an eye on Morimoto." She commanded.
****
Angel is sitting in a chair in his room, drawing. There's no knock at the door, but he calls out from his chair anyway. "Come on in, Cordelia."
She opened the door and walked in, "You know, that never stops creeping me out." She said as she closed the door.
He didn't look up, "Yeah? I'm kind of creeped out myself."
"Can we not do this right now?" Angel asked.
"OK by me. I'm kinda in the middle of something anyway." Angel replied.
"Anything coming to mind?" Cordelia asked.
"Not really." Angel replied.
"Nothing?" Cordy asked.
He put down his sketchpad, stands, walked to the window, " Look, to be honest, I'm almost pining for the halcyon days of the Beast."
"Right, 'cause it's not like he slaughtered hundreds of people with his bare hands…" Cordelia said.
Angel looked out the window, "The Beast was just a flunky."
"Who did his master's bidding…" Cordelia said.
"Killing Manny, stealing my soul, murdering Lilah...those were surgical strikes. Not the smash-and-trash style of the Beast." Angel replied.
"But if lava boy didn't do all that, who did?" She asked.
Angel faced Cordelia, "His master."
"I'm his master. I'm his all-powerful master, and I'm gonna break into a guarded room, steal your soul from a safe—not by ripping it open, but by using the combination—then I'm gonna hunt and kill Lilah right under this very roof. Sure. Evil geniuses live for that playing with fire stuff." Cordy said seriously.
"You don't understand. This thing was in my head. I've heard him, and he's insane enough to pull those kinds of stunts." Angel said in reply.
"When you say "insane," you mean, like, diabolical?"
"No, I mean like deluded and demented. He spoke to me in this cheezy, self-important voice. I bet he doesn't even have a master plan—he's just making it up as he goes along." Cordelia frowned. "Hey, don't worry. We'll figure it out. Come on, anybody as daredevily as this guy will slip up sooner or later. When he does, he's dead." Cordy smiles a fake smile.
****
In Morimoto's place the party continued when a woman wearing too much jewelry spoke to Mr. Morimoto and a few other guests, "Meteor showers, earthquakes, that strange thing with the sun. I find it an exciting time to be in Los Angeles." She said excitedly.
"I couldn't agree more. I can't help but feel something wonderful's coming, don't you, Mr. Gunn?" Morimoto asked Gunn.
"Well, something seems to be coming, all right, just ain't so sure I'd call it wonderful." He smiled. Everyone laughed then Gwen tapped Gunn's shoulder… Then he said to the guests, "If you'll excuse me..." The he turned to Gwen, "Gwen, you're not gonna b—What is it?"
She looked up at him, "They're gonna kill her...tonight."
"Not gonna happen…" Gunn replied.
"We have to act fast. You need to get Lisa and get out." Gwen said beginning to devise a plan.
"You mean "we" need to?" Gunn corrected her.
"No, I mean "you." I'm going over to the other side of the room to create one hell of a distraction. By the time they've figured out what hit 'em, you'll have her half-way to my place. This is our one shot." Gwen replied.
"Like I said when I signed up, it feels good to be doing good." Gunn said.
Gunn looked toward the girl, "OK, work your way over there. Wait for my signal." He said, then walks away.
Gwen walked up to a coffee table while Gunn sneaked around behind a column near the little girl. Gwen pushes over the coffee table. Gunn grabbed the little girl, putting a hand over her mouth and carrying her off. "Oh, my God! Somebody's trying to hurt that little girl." Gwen screamed pointing to Gunn and the little girl.
A security guard starting talking him into his radio, "This is Bravo-9. We have a situation in progress." Gwen smileed as the guard goes after Gunn. Gwen turned and walks in the opposite direction.
Gunn walked down the hallway with the little girl and ducks into a nearby room. He puts the girl down, shuts the door, and turns to the little girl, "Hang in there, we're almost out."
Someone hit Gunn on the head, knocking him out. He fell to the floor. Gunn , stood, grunting in pain, "Oh. Oh. Oh. Ah. Ah." He touched his head where they hit him, Gunn addressed the other men in the room. "Now you did it. I'm gonna have to get your lame-ass blood all over my sweet new suit."
The men swung staffs at Gunn, and they begin to fight. Gunn took the staff from one of the men and defends himself well. The little girl hides in the corner, watching them fight. One of the men grabs a sword and holds it up, staring at Gunn. "You know, I spent the last couple of weeks whacking on a giant lava demon and more vamps than I can count. I almost forgot how good it feels to just let off a little steam." He defeats the last of his opponents, straightening his tie as the man falls to the ground; Gunn goes up to the little girl. "All right, let's get you out of here." The girl stood. "It's OK. I'm here to take you home."
The little girl looked at him funny, "I am home."
He looked at her, confused. "No, you've been kidnapped."
"Get out of my house." She growled.
Gunn stood and thought for a moment. "Your name's not Lisa, is it?"
"I'm Aiko Morimoto, and when my daddy finds out you tried to hurt me, he's gonna kill you." She said pointing at him. Gunn left the room.
****
Gwen's using a stethoscope to listen to a combination lock on a safe door. Someone puts a hand on her shoulder. She gasps and turns around to see Gunn standing there. "It's you." She said in relief.
"It was the scanners, wasn't it? Why you wanted me. Angel, no heartbeat." Gunn replied.
"Security scan of a dead guy might've raised a few eyebrows." Gwen replied.
"You know, for about five seconds, I thought you might actually care about something." Gunn said coldly.
"OK, so what if I didn't tell you about my plan? And so what if I set you up for a fall? When's the last time you had this much fun? I saw your face out there—you were having a great time."
"It's 'cause I thought I was doing good."
"You were. Just not the kind that involves saving a fairy princess from an evil king."
"So Lisa doesn't exist?"
"Yes, she does." Gwen walked back to the safe. "And I've liberated her from this steel tomb by now if you'd stop yapping for half a sec. It's a military acronym: Localized Ionic Sensory Activator. L-I-S-A."
"A weapon? L.I.S.A.'s a weapon?"
"Not a weapon. A covert device worn by black ops. Regulates body temp, heartbeat, body chemistry. Morimoto's company designed it, and I've been hired to steal the beta test."
"God bless America."
"Actually China, or North Korea. Not really sure. Morimoto's selling it to the highest bidder."
"And who are you stealing it for?"
Gwen walked up to Gunn. "Look, there are two things that make me a good thief. I steal what I'm paid to steal, and I don't ask too many questions." Gwen went back to the safe.
"Well, good luck with that." He started to walk away.
Gwen called after him, "Nothing's changed, you know. Morimoto's still a bad guy. You're still a good one."
He stopped, and turned to face her, "You know, I can't believe I actually took time out of the apocalypse for this."
"Even the Pres. takes vacations. Besides, if they need you, they'll call. Come on. We started this together. Let's finish it the same way."
"It's not the same."
"You can keep the suit."
Gunn walked back to the safe with Gwen.
****
Angel sat behind his desk, working on something as Fred, Angela (who had returned not long ago) and Wesley stood in front of him, staring at him as he worked. Fred handed Wesley a cup of gourmet coffee. Angela sipped on some coffee as well. Angel looked up, "You know, this would be a lot easier if you three weren't hovering."
"No Rush"
"Take your time." Fred and Wesley said at the same time.
"You know they lyin' right?" Angela smiled at the vampire.
"I think that's it." Angel said as he pushed his sketch pad forward.
Fred, Angela and Wesley walked up to Angel's desk to look at the sketch pad, and sat down their coffee on the desk.
Cordelia walked into the office, "What's it?"
"The passage from Lilah's Beasty book. The one Angelus destroyed after the big boomy voice threatened to re-ensoul him." Angel replied.
"Angel's been visualizing the text, trying to recreate it." Fred explained.
"Just, you know, a little thing I can do." Angel smiled.
"You think there was something in that book that high-and-spitey didn't want us to know about?" Cordelia asked.
"He's definitely hiding something." Angel said.
"I recognize the text. It's early Fallorian code system. Let's see..." Wesley noticed the he started translating "The green cart-like vehicle eats..."
As Wesley translated, Cordelia placed her hand next to the cup of coffee that's on the desk beside the text. She readies her finger to push the coffee cup over at any moment.
"I am not a bucket head." Wesley translated.
Angel threw down his hands. Cordelia pulled her hand back from the coffee. Angela started laughing, "Sorry bucket head…" She said as she stopped laughing.
"Damn it!" Angel exclaimed.
"It's a tricky language. An inverted serif can alter the meaning of an entire passage." Wesley said trying to help.
"What now?" Cordy asked.
"I'll try again." Angel sighed.
Wesley, Fred, Angela and Cordelia still stood around Angel's desk watching him as he goes back to work. He looked up at them, and they all turn and walked away.
****
Gwen turned the dial on the combination safe while listening to it through the stethoscope. When she unlocked the door, she opens it to reveal yet another safeguard inside: a door locked with and electronic keypad.
"Crap!" Gunn exclaimed.
Gwen smiled, "Nah, this is the easy one."
Gwen took off her satin glove, and touched her hand to the electronic keypad, shocking it. Gwen opened the safe door and took out a small metal box from it. She opened the box to show a flat, oblong device inside. She started walking away, "We're outta here. We should split up in case-"
Gunn stopped walking, and turned to face Gwen, "Oh, no, we're not doing that again. Either we both make it out, or-"
She stared toward the door, "Or neither of us do." Gunn turned around to see Morimoto and four security guards standing in the doorway.
****
Angel sketched another page full of unusual characters. When he was done, he ripped the page off of the sketchpad and hands it to Wesley. "Try this one." He commanded.
Wesley read the page, "Something about strangling poultry…"
Angel sighed, and threw the notepad down on the desk, "That's it. I gotta get out of here." He stood. When Lorne walked in.
"Ah ah ah. Easy does it, compadre. No huffy exits before I spill the joyous news." Lorne said in a singsongy voice.
"About the baby?" Angel asked.
"About El Jefe?" Cordy asked.
"Uh, no and no. My sources got nothing on mystical birthin' or the big Kahuna. But Wanda—that demon you recommended—what a peach, by the way. Anyway, she sold me this cleansing abracadabra to clear my muddled mind."
"You're empathic again?" Fred questioned.
"Please..." He began then holding up a long black cloak, "you think this Dungeons & Dragons cloak is a fashion statement? I got to do this whole song and dance-"
"Well, we're getting nowhere. If you need extra hands..." Wesley began.
"Sorry, I can only take my two. Ritual has to be performed solo. Just me and my shadow, secluded in a dark, dusty nowhere land. Ugh. But the upside is, I should be "all systems go" come sunrise." Lorne replied happily.
"Then you'll be able to read me?" She smiled tensely.
"No worries, dumpling. Come morning, I will be a lean, mean, belly-reading machine." He replied.
****
Morimoto and his security guards confronted Gwen and Gunn after they have stolen the L.I.S.A. "Put that on the desk, and step away. Set it down now." Morimoto commanded.
"No." Gwen said.
"I don't think you realize who you're up against." Morimoto smiled.
Gunn gestured to two of the security guards behind Morimoto, "Just those two girls? I already kicked their ass once." He said, then the guards pulled out guns and pointed them at Gunn and Gwen, "But, when you put it like that, maybe we should."
Gwen looked at Gunn, "I won't give it back. I can't."
He looked back to Gwen, "I can. I'm not dying for this."
Then Gwen said out loud, to Morimoto, "I'm finishing the job."
Gunn looked at her and said softly, "Gwen, it's too late. We're busted."
She glared at Morimoto, "I'm not leaving without it."
"Then you're not leaving at all." Morimoto said then to the guards, "Finish it."
"Gwen, give it to him." Gunn commanded.
She shook her head, "No, I need it."
Then Morimoto said to his guards, "I said finish it!"
Then Gwen screamed, "It's mine!"
With the intensity of her outburst, Gwen sent out streams of blue-white electricity through the room toward the guards. This lightning-like energy emanating from Gwen's fisted hands impacted all the guards and Morimoto as Gwen tenses and screams in a desperate rage. Gunn stared at her in shock. Gunn snapped into action, and charged toward Gwen, knocking her down and ending the transmission of energy from her hands. Morimoto and his gang fall to the floor. "Liar." He stood. "You're not stealing it for someone else. It's for you." He helped Gwen to her feet. "You think it'll fix you." They left the room in a hurry while the guards are still passed out.
****
Lorne walked into the dark basement and pauses by the door. "Oh, fudgicle." He grumbled. Lorne took out a flashlight and walked forward through the still dark room. He set up white candles on a table and lights them. Unseen by Lorne, Cordelia was watching from a catwalk.
****
Gunn put the jade tiger back in Gwen's collection. "Back where he belongs. I got to give you credit—you are stubborn."
"I know what I want." She smiled as she sat in a cushy chair.
"I get that. At least, I used to. Things aren't always so clear anymore."
"You seemed pretty clear tonight."
"Adrenaline rush—when I was trying to save that girl."
"I meant when you were saving me."
He smiled, then shrugged, "Hey, I'm just the muscle."
"Don't knock the muscle, buddy. Makes the girls go all knocky in the knees. But if that's all you were, we never could've gotten into that party tonight."
He walked toward Gwen, "Oh, you would've gotten in. Of course, the damage would have been significantly higher."
"Thanks to your brains-over-brawn approach."
He sat across from Gwen on the edge of a table, "Well, not so much brains as too many movies."
"Man, they have done a number on you. You really believe this "I'm the muscle" crap."
"This your version of a pep talk?"
"Could be. Need one?"
"Nah."
"Good." She laughed nervously, "It's not my area of expertise. So, why do you stay if that's all they see in you?"
"I'm a fighter. Born and raised. You love being a thief?"
She held up her gloved hands, "I'm a freak. Being a thief makes me a part of something—and not a part at the same time. Tonight?" She grinned, "Yeah, I kinda loved it."
"You know, for someone loving life, you seemed awfully willing to die for this." He said as he held up the L.I.S.A.
"What you saw tonight, that's as bad as it gets, but even at its best... That thing might let me be— well, not normal—but...hold hands, maybe. So, yeah, guess I was willing to die, or even-" She looked away, and shook her head, "you wouldn't understand."
"Sure I do. Brainy, remember?" He looked at the L.I.S.A. "You want to show me how this thing works?"
****
She stood in front of her bed, and slipped her dress off of her shoulder, leaving it gathered around her waist. She pulls her hair forward over her shoulder, exposing her back, and lies across the bed. Gunn walks up to the bed and sits on the edge. He opens the L.I.S.A. and takes it out of the box. He looked at the device, "How do you fire it up?"
"It's not an X-Box. Just put it on." She smiled as Gunn held the L.I.S.A. over the small of Gwen's back. "Careful."
Gunn reached out and touched Gwen's skin, but gets shocked, "Ow."
She rolled her eyes, "Like I said..." Gunn placed the L.I.S.A. on Gwen's back. "It's chilly. "
Gunn leaned over Gwen to observe the L.I.S.A. in action. Text scrolled across the tiny screen as soon as it touched her body. Four small wires come out of the body of the device and touched her skin. Lights on the side light up. Six needle-like probes come out of the sides of the device and insert themselves under her skin. "What's it doing?" She asked Gunn.
"You ever seen one of those body-snatcher movies?" Gunn asked.
The probes continued moving into Gwen's body under her skin. They form a circuit design pattern under her skin for a moment before fading away. "Feel any different?"
"Yeah. Not so much." Tentatively, Gunn reached out to Gwen's back, touching his fingers to her skin, "Think it worked." Gunn ran his hand down her back, "It feels good."
"So...if you couldn't touch, guess that means you've never-"
She sat up quickly, holding her dress to her chest, "Nope. Nope. Anyway, thanks for turning me...off."
He smiled, "Anytime. Thank you."
"For what? The guards? The suit? The almost dying?" She asked.
"The most fun I've had..." He leaned forward toward Gwen, "since..." He kissed Gwen on the lips.
She kissed him back, then pulled back suddenly, "You know, um...that device, um, it's a prototype. It might not hold."
"Well, you've already killed me once. If it happens again, you know where my battery is." He smiled. They leaned in and they kissed.
****
Lorne was preparing potions and incense at the candle-lit table in the basement. He pulled the hood of his cloak over his head and picked up a hymnal. Lorne sung a song that sounds vaguely like a Gregorian chant, except that it has no words, only humming and ooing. Cordelia snunk silently down the stairs, holding a knife in her hand. Just as Cordelia is standing behind Lorne, ready to stab him, someone turned on the lights. Cordelia looked up and Angel is standing in front of her. "Angel..." She gasped. She turned to flee, but Fred, Angela and Wesley are armed, guarding her exit.
Lorne took a white cloth off of a ball—a "Magic 8 Ball"—and shook the ball, "Has Cordy been a bad, bad girl?" He asked.
When Lorne turned the Magic 8 Ball over, the triangle inside reads "Definitely."