Starting Over 8 - Unwelcome Offers
"Mr. Harris?"
Xander stared suspiciously at the icily beautiful woman in a business suit barring his way. It was the middle of the day so she couldn't be a vampire, and yet there was something about her that set his 'spidey' sense. "That's me, and you are?"
"Lillah Morgan." The woman flashed him an insincere smile. "Mr. Harris, I'm employed by Wolfram & Hart. We've been watching you for some time and are very impressed with your talents. We feel that your abilities aren't being fully utilised in your current employment. In short, we'd like to offer you a job."
"Not interested," Xander replied flatly. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a grey limo with tinted windows pull up beside him even as he heard a car stop at the corner behind him and saw the two bulky men stepping out of the alley behind the woman to flank her. Of course saying no might not be an option.
Moving quickly, Xander stepped sideways and kicked the opening car door to his left shut, trapping the fridge-sized man climbing out of the limo. Sensing a man coming at him from behind, the young man spun round and drove his forehead into his opponent's face before following up with a knee to the groin. Even before his adversary had crumpled to the pavement Xander was onto his next opponent.
Ducking under a left hook, he came up with a right hook that appeared to bounce off his granite-faced adversary's lantern jaw with literally no effect. "Not good," the young man muttered as he backed away from his remorselessly advancing opponent.
And right into a thundering right to the back of his head. Rocked by the blow, Xander staggered forward and right into another left hook from the man he'd been retreating from. Instinctively he snapped out a kick to the man's left knee. The man screamed as his kneecap shattered, pitching him forward to the pavement.
Suddenly his vision blurred as one of the men encircling him sprayed mace in his eyes. Cursing, Xander saw a blurred shape coming towards him, grabbing at the shape he twisted and threw the figure to the ground. As he straightened he was pounded by blows from half a dozen directions. His knees buckling from the impact the youth fell to the ground. Even as he tried to struggle to his feet a boot to the head sent him plunging into unconsciousness.
* * *
"I understand you brought Mr. Harris in half an hour ago?"
Lillah nodded quickly. Manners was just about the only person who made her nervous. "That's correct sir." "I understand he put up quite a fight?"
"Two men injured temporarily, a third permanently." The female lawyer was used seeing acts of extreme violence perpetrated both by her employers and those who opposed them. But to see a teenager take out three of the eight former Special Forces security men she'd been instructed to take with her had shaken her.
Manners smiled. Lillah resisted the urge to shudder, whenever Manners smiled it invariably meant pain for somebody. "Yes, for a mortal he has a rare talent for violence. But more importantly, his conversion to our cause could also bring with it the Slayer Faith and the vampire William the Bloody. Tell Re-Education to make him their top priority."
"At once Mr. Manners," Lillah hurried away, her face pale. The longest anyone lasted in 'Re-Education' without breaking was six days. Somehow she doubted the boy would last anything like as long. She almost pitied him. Almost.
* * *
"You guys have got a big problem." Faith cast a bored glance from the back of the office to the reception desk where Cordy was dealing with one of their street contacts and occasional muscle, an African-American by the name of Gunn. He was a cutie, but now that she had her Xander she didn't play around any more. Even as a smile formed on her lips at the thought of her man it disappeared with the gang leader's next words. "One of my gang saw her boy being kidnapped."
In an instant Faith was up, covering the distance separating her from Gunn in an instant. Picking up the man she slammed him into the wall. "He saw my Xander being kidnapped? Why the fuck didn't he help him?"
"Put him down Faith. Give him a chance to explain at least."
At Angel's firm but gentle voice in her ear she released her grip and stepped back. "Sorry," she muttered.
"Yeah, right. Your trainer wants to cut down on the amount of raw meat he's throwing you." Faith glared at the gang-leader, he'd got an apology what more did the asshole want? "Way Benito tells it he saw Xander 'cross the street from him. Was about to give him a yell when he saw this woman in her early thirties dressed in an office suit start talking to him. Next thing, these two limos with tinted windows pull up and between 6 - 8 guys the size of NFL players jump out and start beating the shit out of Harris. He gets some licks in too, takes some of them down but eventually they throw him into the back of one of the cars and drive off."
"No." Faith felt her legs go weak, instantly Cordelia had her arm and gently guided her to the reception desk seat. "They got Xander," she muttered shakily Cordelia placed her hands on her shoulders. "But we'll get him back honey. Angel, who's got him?"
"Two limos, woman in a power suit?" Angel smiled coldly. "I'm not looking past Wolfram & Hart."
"Hey man, you need anything, extra muscle, whatever, just tell me," Gunn offered. "I like Harris, lousy choice in women, but I like him."
Angel nodded. "Thanks. You might come in handy."
* * *
Lindsey couldn't believe his luck as he led the stunning red-head dressed in a skin-tight rubber one-piece up to his apartment. His friends wouldn't believe him either when he'd tell them about this flame-haired goddess with the tight ass, slender legs, and perfectly shaped tits. He grinned inwardly, maybe she'd let him take pictures.
"This is it," he said, indicating his front with a nod.
"Good," the girl whispered huskily. She moved closer, her scent intoxicating as her lips brushed against his as she expertly worked her tongue into his mouth. His hands worked their way up the woman's body reaching her tiny waist until she grabbed his wrists with surprising strength given her slightness and pushed him away. "Not in the corridor tiger, I like a bed to lie on. Inside."
After a quick lick of his lips, Lindsey unlocked the door and walked in. He'd barely stepped through the door when his jaw exploded in pain and he was lifted off his feet and thrown to the far side of his apartment. Blinking away the stars circling his head, he attempted to sit up, only for the woman's foot on his throat to pin him to the floor. "You can come in now boys."
Lindsey felt his breath shorten as he recognised the two vampires entering his apartment. Angel and Spike. He glanced again at the woman standing above him and groaned as he watched her pull off a wig. Faith, how could he have been so blind?
"Nice outfit luv."
"Bite me Spike."
"If only babe."
Suddenly the girl removed her foot from his throat, grabbed him around the throat and effortlessly threw him onto his couch. The girl stood in front of him now had none of the seductive beauty she'd shown earlier, now her eyes were filled with a bone-chilling fury. "Ask him your questions Angel."
Despite his situation Lindsey let out a near-hysterical laugh. "Talk? Forget it. Wolfram and Hart would kill me."
"Spike, go boil me a kettle."
Lindsey's eyes boggled as the brunette began to unfasten his trousers. Minutes ago, this would have been his wildest dream. Now it was a nightmare. "What are you doing?" he croaked.
The Slayer didn't look up from her expert ministrations of his treacherously responding member. "I'm going to pour some boiling water on your cock. You know it's the most sensitive part of your body?"
Lindsey felt his blood freeze. "N..no please."
"Then talk." The Slayer's voice was steely, leaving no doubt to her willingness to do what she'd just said.
"What do you want to know?"
* * *
The codes that Lindsey had given them worked. Angel nodded at Faith as he opened the car park entrance to Wolfram & Hart's offices. "Make the call."
The vampire's plan was simple but it wasn't like Angel had had time to think of anything else, the brown-haired Slayer thought as she dialled the number of Gunn's cell. While they stole in the back way, Gunn's people would distract security with a demo out front about corporate greed. "Yeah Gunn, it's me. Time to rock 'n' roll." After putting down the phone, she glanced at Angel. "It's done."
Angel nodded. "You two head for the holding cells. I'll check the re- education chamber."
Faith nodded. Already her blood was pounding; these bastards were going to learn exactly what an enraged Slayer could do.
* * *
Xander groaned as the wooden baton smashed into his already battered ribs. The man wielding it was an expert, there was no doubt about that. Thanks to his recent pounding and the beating he'd already received at the hands of the thugs who'd abducted him he felt like his entire body was being turned into ground hamburger.
After a blow to his left leg, his tormenter stepped back and grabbed his sweat-soaked hair, yanking his head back. "Are you ready to re-consider?"
Xander's only reply was to spit in his assailant's face. The black-robed man didn't react with fury. Instead he simply smiled and wiped the spittle away before turning to the instrument laden table behind him. "I see the truncheon isn't having the desired effect. I'm sure it's the methods of teaching in the schools today that's the fault. No respect. Perhaps the knives? Or the cattle prod? Maybe the -."
The man's taunting was interrupted by the screech of a klaxon. Xander grinned. His friends were here. He looked at the man through his one still open eye. "Boy, are you fucked."
"Mr. Harris?"
Xander stared suspiciously at the icily beautiful woman in a business suit barring his way. It was the middle of the day so she couldn't be a vampire, and yet there was something about her that set his 'spidey' sense. "That's me, and you are?"
"Lillah Morgan." The woman flashed him an insincere smile. "Mr. Harris, I'm employed by Wolfram & Hart. We've been watching you for some time and are very impressed with your talents. We feel that your abilities aren't being fully utilised in your current employment. In short, we'd like to offer you a job."
"Not interested," Xander replied flatly. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a grey limo with tinted windows pull up beside him even as he heard a car stop at the corner behind him and saw the two bulky men stepping out of the alley behind the woman to flank her. Of course saying no might not be an option.
Moving quickly, Xander stepped sideways and kicked the opening car door to his left shut, trapping the fridge-sized man climbing out of the limo. Sensing a man coming at him from behind, the young man spun round and drove his forehead into his opponent's face before following up with a knee to the groin. Even before his adversary had crumpled to the pavement Xander was onto his next opponent.
Ducking under a left hook, he came up with a right hook that appeared to bounce off his granite-faced adversary's lantern jaw with literally no effect. "Not good," the young man muttered as he backed away from his remorselessly advancing opponent.
And right into a thundering right to the back of his head. Rocked by the blow, Xander staggered forward and right into another left hook from the man he'd been retreating from. Instinctively he snapped out a kick to the man's left knee. The man screamed as his kneecap shattered, pitching him forward to the pavement.
Suddenly his vision blurred as one of the men encircling him sprayed mace in his eyes. Cursing, Xander saw a blurred shape coming towards him, grabbing at the shape he twisted and threw the figure to the ground. As he straightened he was pounded by blows from half a dozen directions. His knees buckling from the impact the youth fell to the ground. Even as he tried to struggle to his feet a boot to the head sent him plunging into unconsciousness.
* * *
"I understand you brought Mr. Harris in half an hour ago?"
Lillah nodded quickly. Manners was just about the only person who made her nervous. "That's correct sir." "I understand he put up quite a fight?"
"Two men injured temporarily, a third permanently." The female lawyer was used seeing acts of extreme violence perpetrated both by her employers and those who opposed them. But to see a teenager take out three of the eight former Special Forces security men she'd been instructed to take with her had shaken her.
Manners smiled. Lillah resisted the urge to shudder, whenever Manners smiled it invariably meant pain for somebody. "Yes, for a mortal he has a rare talent for violence. But more importantly, his conversion to our cause could also bring with it the Slayer Faith and the vampire William the Bloody. Tell Re-Education to make him their top priority."
"At once Mr. Manners," Lillah hurried away, her face pale. The longest anyone lasted in 'Re-Education' without breaking was six days. Somehow she doubted the boy would last anything like as long. She almost pitied him. Almost.
* * *
"You guys have got a big problem." Faith cast a bored glance from the back of the office to the reception desk where Cordy was dealing with one of their street contacts and occasional muscle, an African-American by the name of Gunn. He was a cutie, but now that she had her Xander she didn't play around any more. Even as a smile formed on her lips at the thought of her man it disappeared with the gang leader's next words. "One of my gang saw her boy being kidnapped."
In an instant Faith was up, covering the distance separating her from Gunn in an instant. Picking up the man she slammed him into the wall. "He saw my Xander being kidnapped? Why the fuck didn't he help him?"
"Put him down Faith. Give him a chance to explain at least."
At Angel's firm but gentle voice in her ear she released her grip and stepped back. "Sorry," she muttered.
"Yeah, right. Your trainer wants to cut down on the amount of raw meat he's throwing you." Faith glared at the gang-leader, he'd got an apology what more did the asshole want? "Way Benito tells it he saw Xander 'cross the street from him. Was about to give him a yell when he saw this woman in her early thirties dressed in an office suit start talking to him. Next thing, these two limos with tinted windows pull up and between 6 - 8 guys the size of NFL players jump out and start beating the shit out of Harris. He gets some licks in too, takes some of them down but eventually they throw him into the back of one of the cars and drive off."
"No." Faith felt her legs go weak, instantly Cordelia had her arm and gently guided her to the reception desk seat. "They got Xander," she muttered shakily Cordelia placed her hands on her shoulders. "But we'll get him back honey. Angel, who's got him?"
"Two limos, woman in a power suit?" Angel smiled coldly. "I'm not looking past Wolfram & Hart."
"Hey man, you need anything, extra muscle, whatever, just tell me," Gunn offered. "I like Harris, lousy choice in women, but I like him."
Angel nodded. "Thanks. You might come in handy."
* * *
Lindsey couldn't believe his luck as he led the stunning red-head dressed in a skin-tight rubber one-piece up to his apartment. His friends wouldn't believe him either when he'd tell them about this flame-haired goddess with the tight ass, slender legs, and perfectly shaped tits. He grinned inwardly, maybe she'd let him take pictures.
"This is it," he said, indicating his front with a nod.
"Good," the girl whispered huskily. She moved closer, her scent intoxicating as her lips brushed against his as she expertly worked her tongue into his mouth. His hands worked their way up the woman's body reaching her tiny waist until she grabbed his wrists with surprising strength given her slightness and pushed him away. "Not in the corridor tiger, I like a bed to lie on. Inside."
After a quick lick of his lips, Lindsey unlocked the door and walked in. He'd barely stepped through the door when his jaw exploded in pain and he was lifted off his feet and thrown to the far side of his apartment. Blinking away the stars circling his head, he attempted to sit up, only for the woman's foot on his throat to pin him to the floor. "You can come in now boys."
Lindsey felt his breath shorten as he recognised the two vampires entering his apartment. Angel and Spike. He glanced again at the woman standing above him and groaned as he watched her pull off a wig. Faith, how could he have been so blind?
"Nice outfit luv."
"Bite me Spike."
"If only babe."
Suddenly the girl removed her foot from his throat, grabbed him around the throat and effortlessly threw him onto his couch. The girl stood in front of him now had none of the seductive beauty she'd shown earlier, now her eyes were filled with a bone-chilling fury. "Ask him your questions Angel."
Despite his situation Lindsey let out a near-hysterical laugh. "Talk? Forget it. Wolfram and Hart would kill me."
"Spike, go boil me a kettle."
Lindsey's eyes boggled as the brunette began to unfasten his trousers. Minutes ago, this would have been his wildest dream. Now it was a nightmare. "What are you doing?" he croaked.
The Slayer didn't look up from her expert ministrations of his treacherously responding member. "I'm going to pour some boiling water on your cock. You know it's the most sensitive part of your body?"
Lindsey felt his blood freeze. "N..no please."
"Then talk." The Slayer's voice was steely, leaving no doubt to her willingness to do what she'd just said.
"What do you want to know?"
* * *
The codes that Lindsey had given them worked. Angel nodded at Faith as he opened the car park entrance to Wolfram & Hart's offices. "Make the call."
The vampire's plan was simple but it wasn't like Angel had had time to think of anything else, the brown-haired Slayer thought as she dialled the number of Gunn's cell. While they stole in the back way, Gunn's people would distract security with a demo out front about corporate greed. "Yeah Gunn, it's me. Time to rock 'n' roll." After putting down the phone, she glanced at Angel. "It's done."
Angel nodded. "You two head for the holding cells. I'll check the re- education chamber."
Faith nodded. Already her blood was pounding; these bastards were going to learn exactly what an enraged Slayer could do.
* * *
Xander groaned as the wooden baton smashed into his already battered ribs. The man wielding it was an expert, there was no doubt about that. Thanks to his recent pounding and the beating he'd already received at the hands of the thugs who'd abducted him he felt like his entire body was being turned into ground hamburger.
After a blow to his left leg, his tormenter stepped back and grabbed his sweat-soaked hair, yanking his head back. "Are you ready to re-consider?"
Xander's only reply was to spit in his assailant's face. The black-robed man didn't react with fury. Instead he simply smiled and wiped the spittle away before turning to the instrument laden table behind him. "I see the truncheon isn't having the desired effect. I'm sure it's the methods of teaching in the schools today that's the fault. No respect. Perhaps the knives? Or the cattle prod? Maybe the -."
The man's taunting was interrupted by the screech of a klaxon. Xander grinned. His friends were here. He looked at the man through his one still open eye. "Boy, are you fucked."