Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Joss and ME
Chapter 8
5:00pm - London - Mulberry Square
He walked down the street quickly. He was wearing his long black leather coat with a heavy mantle and a hat with the brim pulled down to hide his face. He went into the pub as he had done every night since his arrival into the city, and sat in the corner booth.
A blonde bar maid sauntered over to him smiling.
"And what will you be having tonight?" she made sure to put emphasis on the word 'having' as she leaned over to reveal a less than modest proportion of her breasts. He spoke without looking at her
"Hello Harmony." He sighed. "Three ales." He said coldly. She frowned.
"Expecting company?" she asked
"No, I just don't want you botherin' me for the rest of the night." He looked at her as he spoke his last words. She scowled at him for a moment before turning to walk back to the bar. He took his hat off. His hair was just cut mid way between his shoulders and past his ears and the palest shade of blonde, and when he spent too much time in the sun it became almost white. And his eyes, well, the heavens envied the color of his eyes. So blue and clear. His skin was perfectly smooth. His cheekbones were sharp and well defined, and his nose was a perfect aquiline shape. God was most certainly in a good working mood when he made this man. Harmony came back and set down his ales, looked at him for a moment, narrowed her eyes at him and quickly walked away.
He sat in silence holding the locket and traced the heavily encrusted cover with his fingertips. The diamonds and rubies were in a swirling pattern all around the front. He opened the cover to reveal the face of his salvation. He stared at the picture for a long time. So innocent he thought. If she only knew the affect she had on his life. He was so caught up in her that he hadn't noticed the small young man approaching him.
"Thinking about her again?" asked the young man as he sat down.
"Not up for company tonight mate." He said as he put the locket away and reached for his drink.
"Whether you are or not you've got it. Ethan has been making inquires about us here." Said the young man.
"Bloody hell, I thought we lost him. How the fuck did he find us?"
"You are not exactly hard to find. I heard he's in Italy though." He helped himself to one of the ales in front of him and took a sip. "Probably some job." The other man closed his eyes for a moment. "Spike, we need to go out of here."
"Right, but we, are not going anywhere. You're staying this time. He's looking for me not you." He opened his eyes and glared at the younger man across from him.
"You need me."
"What for? To bloody well annoy me every chance you get? Andrew we are in a dangerous business now. We come across meaner blokes than Ethan these days and you almost got killed last time. I won't have your death on my conscience as well as..." His voice trailed off, he couldn't finish what he was about to say. His head swirled with the memories of who, and what he had once been.
"We do this for the same reasons. I have just as much to answer for. I was part of that world for a long time too Spike. Between the sorcery and what I did while I was with Ethan's gang, I..." his voice started to break, "I can barely live with myself." There were tears in his eyes.
"I know," Spike whispered, and looked down into his dark liquid swirling in his glass hoping he could lose those horrible memories in it, "I know too well." He sighed, "All right then. Since the wanker has somehow managed to find us again, we go see the Spaniard." He took another sip of his ale. Now that he knew Ethan Raynes was closing in on them once again, he wanted to be as far away from London as possible. After a moment Andrew noticed him looking tired and uneasy.
"Are you all right? You don't look well." Asked Andrew.
"Not feelin' well." he shook his head. "I got this strange feelin' earlier, like..." he sat back against the booth's cushion and put his hands to his face and then ran them up through his hair. "Like my soul.. my life.. was being ripped out of my body. I couldn't breath. Damn near fell down the bleedin' stairs." He shook his head and laughed at himself, and looked at Andrew who was looking back at him with confusion
"I should go talk to Federico myself then." Offered Andrew. They had both been under extreme pressure. Spike had taken something from Ethan after their last job and now Ethan wanted it back. Ethan was ruthless. He and his thugs Olaf and the man he only referred to as Travers would hunt them to the ends of the earth. And for what, something as insignificant as a locket thought Andrew. He kept staring at Spike and decided that his friend looked as if he were three days shy of death. Spike smiled and assured him he would be fine. He just needed to rest. They decided to order a food and sat in silence until they finished their meals. When they were done they paid and left the pub. They turned towards the west and headed for the home of Federico Medina.
Spike and Andrew had built quite a reputation for themselves as sort of angels of mercy. Spike was an expert in weaponry, as well as hand-to-hand combats. He was also quite stealthy, which came in handy for the business they were in. Andrew handled to contacts, and the planning. He was also quite the good sorcerer, and when necessary could conjure up any and all matter of distractions.
After a brief walk they reached the home of Federico Medina. Medina had most of his family in Spain. His eldest son's little girl had been kidnapped and Medina's family would do anything to find the girl and bring her home. There had been every indication that the child was still alive, and they were prepared to pay handsomely for her rescue. But however she was found, Medina wanted his grandchild back.
The ship would take them to the port city of La Coruna and they would travel by horse to Galicia where the girl was last seen. The thought of leaving England for a while appealed to Spike. It would also be a good way to get Ethan off of their trail. The plans were made. Medina gave them enough money to procure horses, food, lodging and any other necessities they needed once landing in Spain. When the job was done they would be paid and return to England.
Chapter 8
5:00pm - London - Mulberry Square
He walked down the street quickly. He was wearing his long black leather coat with a heavy mantle and a hat with the brim pulled down to hide his face. He went into the pub as he had done every night since his arrival into the city, and sat in the corner booth.
A blonde bar maid sauntered over to him smiling.
"And what will you be having tonight?" she made sure to put emphasis on the word 'having' as she leaned over to reveal a less than modest proportion of her breasts. He spoke without looking at her
"Hello Harmony." He sighed. "Three ales." He said coldly. She frowned.
"Expecting company?" she asked
"No, I just don't want you botherin' me for the rest of the night." He looked at her as he spoke his last words. She scowled at him for a moment before turning to walk back to the bar. He took his hat off. His hair was just cut mid way between his shoulders and past his ears and the palest shade of blonde, and when he spent too much time in the sun it became almost white. And his eyes, well, the heavens envied the color of his eyes. So blue and clear. His skin was perfectly smooth. His cheekbones were sharp and well defined, and his nose was a perfect aquiline shape. God was most certainly in a good working mood when he made this man. Harmony came back and set down his ales, looked at him for a moment, narrowed her eyes at him and quickly walked away.
He sat in silence holding the locket and traced the heavily encrusted cover with his fingertips. The diamonds and rubies were in a swirling pattern all around the front. He opened the cover to reveal the face of his salvation. He stared at the picture for a long time. So innocent he thought. If she only knew the affect she had on his life. He was so caught up in her that he hadn't noticed the small young man approaching him.
"Thinking about her again?" asked the young man as he sat down.
"Not up for company tonight mate." He said as he put the locket away and reached for his drink.
"Whether you are or not you've got it. Ethan has been making inquires about us here." Said the young man.
"Bloody hell, I thought we lost him. How the fuck did he find us?"
"You are not exactly hard to find. I heard he's in Italy though." He helped himself to one of the ales in front of him and took a sip. "Probably some job." The other man closed his eyes for a moment. "Spike, we need to go out of here."
"Right, but we, are not going anywhere. You're staying this time. He's looking for me not you." He opened his eyes and glared at the younger man across from him.
"You need me."
"What for? To bloody well annoy me every chance you get? Andrew we are in a dangerous business now. We come across meaner blokes than Ethan these days and you almost got killed last time. I won't have your death on my conscience as well as..." His voice trailed off, he couldn't finish what he was about to say. His head swirled with the memories of who, and what he had once been.
"We do this for the same reasons. I have just as much to answer for. I was part of that world for a long time too Spike. Between the sorcery and what I did while I was with Ethan's gang, I..." his voice started to break, "I can barely live with myself." There were tears in his eyes.
"I know," Spike whispered, and looked down into his dark liquid swirling in his glass hoping he could lose those horrible memories in it, "I know too well." He sighed, "All right then. Since the wanker has somehow managed to find us again, we go see the Spaniard." He took another sip of his ale. Now that he knew Ethan Raynes was closing in on them once again, he wanted to be as far away from London as possible. After a moment Andrew noticed him looking tired and uneasy.
"Are you all right? You don't look well." Asked Andrew.
"Not feelin' well." he shook his head. "I got this strange feelin' earlier, like..." he sat back against the booth's cushion and put his hands to his face and then ran them up through his hair. "Like my soul.. my life.. was being ripped out of my body. I couldn't breath. Damn near fell down the bleedin' stairs." He shook his head and laughed at himself, and looked at Andrew who was looking back at him with confusion
"I should go talk to Federico myself then." Offered Andrew. They had both been under extreme pressure. Spike had taken something from Ethan after their last job and now Ethan wanted it back. Ethan was ruthless. He and his thugs Olaf and the man he only referred to as Travers would hunt them to the ends of the earth. And for what, something as insignificant as a locket thought Andrew. He kept staring at Spike and decided that his friend looked as if he were three days shy of death. Spike smiled and assured him he would be fine. He just needed to rest. They decided to order a food and sat in silence until they finished their meals. When they were done they paid and left the pub. They turned towards the west and headed for the home of Federico Medina.
Spike and Andrew had built quite a reputation for themselves as sort of angels of mercy. Spike was an expert in weaponry, as well as hand-to-hand combats. He was also quite stealthy, which came in handy for the business they were in. Andrew handled to contacts, and the planning. He was also quite the good sorcerer, and when necessary could conjure up any and all matter of distractions.
After a brief walk they reached the home of Federico Medina. Medina had most of his family in Spain. His eldest son's little girl had been kidnapped and Medina's family would do anything to find the girl and bring her home. There had been every indication that the child was still alive, and they were prepared to pay handsomely for her rescue. But however she was found, Medina wanted his grandchild back.
The ship would take them to the port city of La Coruna and they would travel by horse to Galicia where the girl was last seen. The thought of leaving England for a while appealed to Spike. It would also be a good way to get Ethan off of their trail. The plans were made. Medina gave them enough money to procure horses, food, lodging and any other necessities they needed once landing in Spain. When the job was done they would be paid and return to England.