Note: Hey, everyone! Sorry for taking so long on this one. I've been feeling kinda uninspired lately. But hey- I was a runner-up at the Barefoot Awards, so thanks to them! Also, does anyone know how to get italics to show up when you upload stuff onto fanfiction.net? If you do, E-mail me please!! Maladroit_dexterity@hotmail.com Thanks!

Chapter 3 - Escape

A light rain sprinkled over L.A., slowly fading away the scent and residual magic left over from the creature. But Angel had stopped following those clues a long time ago. A subtle force had caught hold of him after only a few minutes of following the trail, pulling him along the same path. He knew that there was something strange going on, but he didn't stop it. After all, it was bringing him to where he wanted to go.

He passed by buildings and empty lots... crossed roads full of post-power traffic... walked into an deserted office building surrounded by warehouses and factories... climbed the stairs inside... opened the door at the end of the stairs... bumped into someone standing on the other side of the door.... The collision jolted him out of his almost-passive state.

"Ow! What is wrong with you?"

Angel looked at the person who had just spoken. She was sprawled out on the floor - he had probably bumped into her harder than he thought. Judging by the many layers of clothing she was wearing and the overflowing backpack she was holding, he guessed that she was a squatter in the building. Strange, she only looked about fourteen or fifteen. Definitely not older than sixteen.

He reached down to help her up. "Sorry. Are you o-"

The instant his hand touched hers, the same feeling he had experienced earlier at Wolfram & Hart came back. Again, his eyes rolled up into their sockets, and his body became rigid. The same feelings, sights, smells, and tastes attacked his senses. He lost his sense of time. Power dove down to his soul.

Then it stopped. Just like the first time. His body relaxed. He lifted his head up from the ground to look at the girl, who was unconscious. Now he was convinced that she was the creature he was looking for, even though he was expecting something a little more big and strong looking.

Something new in the room averted his attention. It was a dim, fading light coming from the palm of his right hand. He ran his fingers over it. The light was almost gone, but a scar-like symbol was taking its place.

"Aargh," the girl moaned. She clutched at her head.

...bring whatever the creature is back here alive...

What Fred had said on her previous call interrupted his thoughts. Bringing the girl back was more important than inspecting his hand at the moment.

Angel grudgingly pulled out a tranquilizer gun he'd found in the back of his car. Obviously, someone had seen to it that he was properly equipped. Probably Eve - he hated her as much as he hated guns. But it felt wrong to hit the girl, even one that might not even be a real girl.

Ffflltt.

The tiny dart shot out of the gun's barrel so fast that it would be impossible for humans to see. But Angel wasn't human. He watched it cut through the air like an arrow, expecting it to puncture the skin of the girl's neck.

But it didn't. Only a few inches away from its expected destination, it bounced off something invisible and fell to the ground. Angel stared in confusion.

The girl moaned again. She lifted her head and saw Angel staring at her.

She stared back.

*****

Gunn walked with determination past the line for the nearest elevator. Most Wolfram and Hart employees were already conscious. They peered curiously at him as he boarded.

"Official business," he half-stated, half-explained to the people already inside. They all got out quickly.

He was worried. Lorne had told him that there were people and demons feeling the effects of the power all over L.A., but not in cites around it. That meant it was definitely magical, not natural. Wesley's department was looking into it, using their old books and usual connections, but so far they had no leads.

The silver button appeared almost immediately after the doors closed. He pressed it and waited to be transported to the White Room. He was sure the conduit would be the one with answers to their questions.

The doors opened to reveal a vast, howling, space the darkest shade of black. Gunn staggered back and held onto the bar that went around the elevator's sides. The extreme wind threatened to suck him into the abyss.

He yelled his right hand lost its grip. His other hand was also slipping. He tried frantically to get his right hand back onto the bar. Then the left hand slipped-

*Oh God, this is it. I'm dead.*

-and his body hit the other side of the elevator.

Dazed, he reached up and pressed the 'CLOSE DOORS' button as hard as he could.

The doors closed. The tug and howling of the wind stopped. Gunn nearly passed out from relief.

Then the terrible realization finally hit him - the conduit was gone.

*****

That guy had just shot a dart at her. Her mind was still trying to figure out why she just woke up on the ground when she had been standing up only a while ago.

She stared at the guy. He looked normal, just out of place because of his obviously expensive clothes. And of course, the dart gun he was pointing at her.

"I'm guessing you're not here to give money to the poor," Isabelle said, eyeing the gun. She tried to seem confident, but her voice quavered. "Who are you?"

"He's an idiot," someone new answered, before the man holding the gun could reply.

A man with platinum-blond hair sauntered in. "Hello, Angel," he said cheerfully to the man holding the dart gun. "Did you really think you could shake me off that easy?"

The man holding the gun didn't even look at him. He kept his eyes on Isabelle. "Spike, I'm kinda busy right now. Go away."

Spike scoffed. "'Go away'? I'm not a employee for you to boss around. I'm here strictly to haunt you, and also hopefully get you killed."

Well that was nice to know, Isabelle thought to herself. A plan formed in her head. The Spike guy looked pretty strong, and from the moment he walked in, it was obvious that he didn't like Angel. Maybe if he fought him, she would have enough time to get away. All she had to do was convince him.

On the other hand, Angel looked stronger than him. And he was the one holding the gun. And he probably wouldn't just let her talk Spike into helping her escape. And if he shot Spike before she could get away and then caught her...

She decided to take a chance.

"Hey you, blond guy - Spike."

He turned to her. "What?"

"I-," she hesitated. How was she going to ask him? Should she be straightforward, like -

"Want to punch him for me so I can get away?"

Spike considered it for a moment. He shrugged. "Sure."

Angel was thrown across the room. Spike laughed. Isabelle ran out the door, not pausing to even see if anyone was following her. As she went down the stairs, she could hear Angel yell, "You dumbass! She's the one we have to bring back!" Spike said something she couldn't understand, but by the time she was outside the front doors she could hear two pairs of feet running after her.

She entered an alley that would lead her to a more populated part of the neighborhood. There were more people there that she could blend in with. It wasn't until she was halfway through the alley that she realized that she should have taken the sidewalk route instead. At least there would have been a few drivers she could possibly flag down. In the alley, she was alone. Alone with two big, strong guys running after her.

She stopped and glanced back the way she came. She couldn't see or hear the two men. Maybe they had given up. She relaxed and sighed in relief.

Then in the corner of her eye, she saw a movement. She ducked.

The fist came down and hit her on the side of the head anyway.

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