Starting Over 11 - Old Friends
Travers slammed the motel door shut, the muffled sobs of the fourteen year old prostitute he'd just beaten sweet music to his eats. She'd just been disciplined just like those bloody Slayers needed to be.
A smirk on his face, he raised the cigar he'd used on the girl's naked body to his mouth. Suddenly a fist flew out of the darkness and slammed into his jaw. His legs wobbly, he staggered away from his unseen attacker only for a pair of firm hands to grab the front of his jacket and throw him into the wall of the motel room, driving the air from his body. "I have money," he wheezed even as his eyes desperately searched the darkness for help.
"Don't bother," his attacker laughed harshly. "Your bodyguards have been taken care of, haven't they?"
"Yes."
His blood froze as he recognised the broad-shouldered man who'd stepped out of the shadows. "Angelus," he whispered in terror.
His remark got him a slap across the face. "He goes by Angel now and he hates you Council guys. But," his breath shortened as his assailant pulled out a gleaming knife and held it to his throat. "Not as much as I do. You're going to cancel the snatch teams you've sent after Faith -."
"And why should I?" he attempted a sneer. "You'll pay for meddling in Council business!"
His attacker let out a cold laugh. "I'll tell you why you bastard. Because," he whimpered as the knife pricked his neck, drawing blood. "If you kill Faith I won't have anything to live for. And if I don't have anything to live for I'll have to come to merry old England, kill every member of your family and then torture you to death."
"Harris?" Travers whispered in incredulity. Intelligence reports had indicated that for the first time the slut was actually in a relationship with Harris. But nothing the youth's file indicated the buffoon was capable of what he was doing now or what he was threatening. "You haven't got the st-, argh!"
"The nerve? The balls?" Harris pressed the blade into his cheek, making him squeal in pain. "Don't press me. The only reason I haven't killed you for what you did to her in the past is because than I'd have to come to England to find the new Council Head. So what's the answer?"
"I..I'll cancel the contract," he gasped, he shuffled uncomfortably as his bladder loosened, hot urine running down his leg.
His attacker nodded. "Good. Now there's just the question of your treatment in there. Hand me your wallet."
"My wallet?" Seeing the youth's eyes darken, he pulled out his wallet and watched as the youngster rifled through it. "Eight thousand dollars, murder and treachery must pay well. Now for the pain part of your punishment."
He doubled up as the youth slammed a fist into his belly, forcing the air to explode from his lungs. Before he had a chance to straighten up, the side of his head erupted in pain as the teen drove an elbow into his head. Falling to his knees, he felt his arm being grabbed and yanked, he let out a scream as his shoulders dislocated as his arm was pulled back his elbow broke.
The last of his air left his lungs when a boot from behind connected with his balls. His agony ended with a boot to the head that sent him falling into unconsciousness.
* * *
"You enjoyed that."
Xander heard the accusatory note in Angel's voice and shrugged. "So what if I did? I've read enough of the Watcher Diaries to realise what total bastards the majority of them are. Add to that the girl I love one of their damn tools and this bastard," he kicked the unmoving body at his feet, "is a child abuser. I don't have a problem with what I've done."
"Well I do," the vampire replied coolly before sighing. "Xander, evil people always have a justification for what they do. Do you think Faith didn't justify her actions to herself when she was working for the Mayor?"
Xander glared at the vampire. "Don't you dare bring her into this!"
The vampire sighed again. "Xander, god help me but over the past sixteen months you've become a friend, someone I respect, I don't want to have kill you if you turn evil-."
He dropped his gaze for a second, the simple sincerity in his friend's tone had touched him. When he looked up his trademark goofy smile was back in place. "Friends eh? Does that mean we have to exchange manly hugs."
Angel shook his head and chuckled. "No we don't," his tone turned serious. "Are you going to deal with the girl?"
Xander swallowed and nodded. "Are you going to dump Travers in his car?" the vampire nodded. "Is Kate in?"
"Yes," Angel shook his head, "I just wish we could have got here in time."
"Yeah," he turned an anguished face towards the vampire. "I just hope she'll accept our help."
Angel placed a comforting hand on his friend's shoulder. "You'll have to do your best, you always do."
* * *
Xander swallowed hard as he saw the welts, bruises, and burns on the girl's body. He cringed inwardly at the way her face twisted in terror and she flinched away at his approach. As a fellow abuse victim he recognised the sort of fear he saw on her face, although he'd never suffered the type of degradation the girl had suffered.
He forced a smile. "Hi, my name's Xander. I've come to help you." Bending down he picked the girl's clothes off the floor, wincing slightly at their frayed state, and dropped them on the bed beside the girl. "What's your name?"
"April," the girl's voice was lifeless.
"April? That's a pretty name, a real pretty name," Xander forced a smile, he was no good at this social worker shit. "April, why don't you get dressed so I can take you to see a friend of mine who'll help you." He turned his back on the girl. "My friend's a cop, a really good person."
"K..Kenny will kill me."
"Leave Kenny to me." Behind him he heard the rustling sound of clothes being put on.
* * *
"Kate."
"Hi Xander." The cop regarded the girl leaning against the young man, her frightened, doe-like eyes glued to his face. She was a slight little thing, dressed in a worn denim mini and faded to grey halter top, Xander's jacket draped over her slender shoulders, with fine features and an air of timidity surrounding her. Yet somehow the girl seemed to know that Xander would protect her. Kate moved aside to let the two in.
She watched as the young man eased into the bathroom before making his way back into the lounge. She heard the sound of the taps being turned on before the man closed the door behind him. "How is she?" she asked softly.
"Not good," Xander grimaced, Kate noted her friend's face was haggard and weary, years on it that no teenager should have. "Tonight was her first time. And he wasn't gentle," the boy's voice trailed off, his eyes growing haunted.
Kate guessed that the youth was thinking about Faith. From what little she'd managed to piece together Faith had been a victim of her own father from an even younger age. The cop reached up and placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. "I'll look after her," she promised.
"Thanks Kate," the young man dropped a bag on her floor. "That's money from the man who -. Her client, there's eight gs there. Use it for whatever, you need anymore call me."
She nodded, he had a big heart. She watched as he made his way to the door. "Going home Xander?"
"No, I've got to collect some donations for April's care."
* * *
Ken Trent struggled to his feet with a curse. "I'm coming!" he roared at the loud knocking on his front door. If one of his bitches had forgotten her keys, he was going to beat the stupid whore into a fucking coma. He took a second to steady himself, the coke he'd scored today was real grade A shit. "Yeah who is it?" he growled, picking up his Smith & Wesson as he made his way to the door.
"Somebody looking for some action."
"Come back in the fucking morning!"
"Now." Trent glanced through the door's peephole and grinned. It was just a kid, maybe five years his junior, this was going to be fun. He'd take the little prick's money, rough him up some, and kick his ass out. A smirk still on his face, he began to pull the door's deadbolt back.
And was sent flying when the boy hit the door with his shoulder. As he hit the floor ass first, he raised his gun to shoot the bastard only for the shit to kick the gun out of his hand. "Nobody tell you it's naughty to play with guns?" the youth asked before kicking him in the groin.
His eyes watering, he attempted to curl in a ball but his attacker grabbed him by his ponytail, dragged him to his knees, and drove him face-first through the glass coffee table, slicing his face to ribbons. Next he felt the back of his shirt being grabbed and was thrown into the wall opposite, his nose shattering with the impact. His body shaking with pain, he dropped to his knees. "No please."
His opponent ignored his begging choosing instead to drive a bone-breaking punch to his jaw. After dropping forward onto the floor, Trent tried to scramble to his feet only to be doubled up by a sharp kick to the stomach. Even as he got to his hands and knees, his adversary stamped on his left hand, breaking his fingers causing him to shriek in agony. After a foot to his mouth that sent teeth flying, he slumped to the floor and watched helplessly as the intruder strode through his apartment picking up bundles of money as he went.
Finally he worked up enough nerve to speak. "W..who are you?" he lisped through his mangled mouth.
"You've heard of the creatures of the night?"
Trent felt a bowel-loosening terror. As a denizen of L.A.'s teeming underworld he'd heard rumours. "You're a vampire?"
"Nope, I'm one of the SOBs who hunts them." The teen looked down at him, his eyes chilling. "Thanks for the money by the way. Ten K will go a long way for looking after April. I hear you've even looked in her direction and I'll make what happened tonight see like gentle foreplay." The youth picked his mobile up off the floor and threw it to him. "If I was you I'd call an ambulance. Bye now."
Travers slammed the motel door shut, the muffled sobs of the fourteen year old prostitute he'd just beaten sweet music to his eats. She'd just been disciplined just like those bloody Slayers needed to be.
A smirk on his face, he raised the cigar he'd used on the girl's naked body to his mouth. Suddenly a fist flew out of the darkness and slammed into his jaw. His legs wobbly, he staggered away from his unseen attacker only for a pair of firm hands to grab the front of his jacket and throw him into the wall of the motel room, driving the air from his body. "I have money," he wheezed even as his eyes desperately searched the darkness for help.
"Don't bother," his attacker laughed harshly. "Your bodyguards have been taken care of, haven't they?"
"Yes."
His blood froze as he recognised the broad-shouldered man who'd stepped out of the shadows. "Angelus," he whispered in terror.
His remark got him a slap across the face. "He goes by Angel now and he hates you Council guys. But," his breath shortened as his assailant pulled out a gleaming knife and held it to his throat. "Not as much as I do. You're going to cancel the snatch teams you've sent after Faith -."
"And why should I?" he attempted a sneer. "You'll pay for meddling in Council business!"
His attacker let out a cold laugh. "I'll tell you why you bastard. Because," he whimpered as the knife pricked his neck, drawing blood. "If you kill Faith I won't have anything to live for. And if I don't have anything to live for I'll have to come to merry old England, kill every member of your family and then torture you to death."
"Harris?" Travers whispered in incredulity. Intelligence reports had indicated that for the first time the slut was actually in a relationship with Harris. But nothing the youth's file indicated the buffoon was capable of what he was doing now or what he was threatening. "You haven't got the st-, argh!"
"The nerve? The balls?" Harris pressed the blade into his cheek, making him squeal in pain. "Don't press me. The only reason I haven't killed you for what you did to her in the past is because than I'd have to come to England to find the new Council Head. So what's the answer?"
"I..I'll cancel the contract," he gasped, he shuffled uncomfortably as his bladder loosened, hot urine running down his leg.
His attacker nodded. "Good. Now there's just the question of your treatment in there. Hand me your wallet."
"My wallet?" Seeing the youth's eyes darken, he pulled out his wallet and watched as the youngster rifled through it. "Eight thousand dollars, murder and treachery must pay well. Now for the pain part of your punishment."
He doubled up as the youth slammed a fist into his belly, forcing the air to explode from his lungs. Before he had a chance to straighten up, the side of his head erupted in pain as the teen drove an elbow into his head. Falling to his knees, he felt his arm being grabbed and yanked, he let out a scream as his shoulders dislocated as his arm was pulled back his elbow broke.
The last of his air left his lungs when a boot from behind connected with his balls. His agony ended with a boot to the head that sent him falling into unconsciousness.
* * *
"You enjoyed that."
Xander heard the accusatory note in Angel's voice and shrugged. "So what if I did? I've read enough of the Watcher Diaries to realise what total bastards the majority of them are. Add to that the girl I love one of their damn tools and this bastard," he kicked the unmoving body at his feet, "is a child abuser. I don't have a problem with what I've done."
"Well I do," the vampire replied coolly before sighing. "Xander, evil people always have a justification for what they do. Do you think Faith didn't justify her actions to herself when she was working for the Mayor?"
Xander glared at the vampire. "Don't you dare bring her into this!"
The vampire sighed again. "Xander, god help me but over the past sixteen months you've become a friend, someone I respect, I don't want to have kill you if you turn evil-."
He dropped his gaze for a second, the simple sincerity in his friend's tone had touched him. When he looked up his trademark goofy smile was back in place. "Friends eh? Does that mean we have to exchange manly hugs."
Angel shook his head and chuckled. "No we don't," his tone turned serious. "Are you going to deal with the girl?"
Xander swallowed and nodded. "Are you going to dump Travers in his car?" the vampire nodded. "Is Kate in?"
"Yes," Angel shook his head, "I just wish we could have got here in time."
"Yeah," he turned an anguished face towards the vampire. "I just hope she'll accept our help."
Angel placed a comforting hand on his friend's shoulder. "You'll have to do your best, you always do."
* * *
Xander swallowed hard as he saw the welts, bruises, and burns on the girl's body. He cringed inwardly at the way her face twisted in terror and she flinched away at his approach. As a fellow abuse victim he recognised the sort of fear he saw on her face, although he'd never suffered the type of degradation the girl had suffered.
He forced a smile. "Hi, my name's Xander. I've come to help you." Bending down he picked the girl's clothes off the floor, wincing slightly at their frayed state, and dropped them on the bed beside the girl. "What's your name?"
"April," the girl's voice was lifeless.
"April? That's a pretty name, a real pretty name," Xander forced a smile, he was no good at this social worker shit. "April, why don't you get dressed so I can take you to see a friend of mine who'll help you." He turned his back on the girl. "My friend's a cop, a really good person."
"K..Kenny will kill me."
"Leave Kenny to me." Behind him he heard the rustling sound of clothes being put on.
* * *
"Kate."
"Hi Xander." The cop regarded the girl leaning against the young man, her frightened, doe-like eyes glued to his face. She was a slight little thing, dressed in a worn denim mini and faded to grey halter top, Xander's jacket draped over her slender shoulders, with fine features and an air of timidity surrounding her. Yet somehow the girl seemed to know that Xander would protect her. Kate moved aside to let the two in.
She watched as the young man eased into the bathroom before making his way back into the lounge. She heard the sound of the taps being turned on before the man closed the door behind him. "How is she?" she asked softly.
"Not good," Xander grimaced, Kate noted her friend's face was haggard and weary, years on it that no teenager should have. "Tonight was her first time. And he wasn't gentle," the boy's voice trailed off, his eyes growing haunted.
Kate guessed that the youth was thinking about Faith. From what little she'd managed to piece together Faith had been a victim of her own father from an even younger age. The cop reached up and placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. "I'll look after her," she promised.
"Thanks Kate," the young man dropped a bag on her floor. "That's money from the man who -. Her client, there's eight gs there. Use it for whatever, you need anymore call me."
She nodded, he had a big heart. She watched as he made his way to the door. "Going home Xander?"
"No, I've got to collect some donations for April's care."
* * *
Ken Trent struggled to his feet with a curse. "I'm coming!" he roared at the loud knocking on his front door. If one of his bitches had forgotten her keys, he was going to beat the stupid whore into a fucking coma. He took a second to steady himself, the coke he'd scored today was real grade A shit. "Yeah who is it?" he growled, picking up his Smith & Wesson as he made his way to the door.
"Somebody looking for some action."
"Come back in the fucking morning!"
"Now." Trent glanced through the door's peephole and grinned. It was just a kid, maybe five years his junior, this was going to be fun. He'd take the little prick's money, rough him up some, and kick his ass out. A smirk still on his face, he began to pull the door's deadbolt back.
And was sent flying when the boy hit the door with his shoulder. As he hit the floor ass first, he raised his gun to shoot the bastard only for the shit to kick the gun out of his hand. "Nobody tell you it's naughty to play with guns?" the youth asked before kicking him in the groin.
His eyes watering, he attempted to curl in a ball but his attacker grabbed him by his ponytail, dragged him to his knees, and drove him face-first through the glass coffee table, slicing his face to ribbons. Next he felt the back of his shirt being grabbed and was thrown into the wall opposite, his nose shattering with the impact. His body shaking with pain, he dropped to his knees. "No please."
His opponent ignored his begging choosing instead to drive a bone-breaking punch to his jaw. After dropping forward onto the floor, Trent tried to scramble to his feet only to be doubled up by a sharp kick to the stomach. Even as he got to his hands and knees, his adversary stamped on his left hand, breaking his fingers causing him to shriek in agony. After a foot to his mouth that sent teeth flying, he slumped to the floor and watched helplessly as the intruder strode through his apartment picking up bundles of money as he went.
Finally he worked up enough nerve to speak. "W..who are you?" he lisped through his mangled mouth.
"You've heard of the creatures of the night?"
Trent felt a bowel-loosening terror. As a denizen of L.A.'s teeming underworld he'd heard rumours. "You're a vampire?"
"Nope, I'm one of the SOBs who hunts them." The teen looked down at him, his eyes chilling. "Thanks for the money by the way. Ten K will go a long way for looking after April. I hear you've even looked in her direction and I'll make what happened tonight see like gentle foreplay." The youth picked his mobile up off the floor and threw it to him. "If I was you I'd call an ambulance. Bye now."