THREE
Chris and Phoebe appeared in a large, spacious office. It was extravagant. Standing at the window, looking out on the city below, was a lone man. Dressed in dark clothes, he stood with his back to them, his hands behind his back. He didn't move as they orbed in.
"Orbing is for White Lighters," said the man without turning. "It's been a long time since I encountered a White Lighter. What do you want here?"
"We're, uh, looking for someone," said Chris hesitantly. "We understood this was where he was at now."
The man turned to face them. He appeared to be in his mid twenties, but the wisdom behind his eyes belied that appearance. There was no fear in him. He stood looking at Chris and Phoebe as if trying to judge their next moves.
"I'm the only one here," said the man. "And I can't imagine what a White Lighter would want with me. We don't exactly travel in the same circles."
"I'm Phoebe Halliwell," said Phoebe. "And if you're Angel, then you're the one we've come to see."
"I'm Angel," said the man. "And I've heard of you. If you know who I am then you also know what I am. What use does a witch have with a vampire?"
"A vampire with a soul," corrected Phoebe. "And we think you're in danger. Something is coming after you."
"Something is always coming after me," laughed Angel. "Humanity doesn't trust me because I'm a vampire. And demons don't trust me because I have a soul. So as you can see, there's always someone ready to take me out. It's nothing new."
"This is," said Chris. "The person coming after you is not something you're used to dealing with. You don't have the power to fight it. We need you to come back with us so we can protect you."
"He's right," said Phoebe. "My sisters and I fought him yesterday. Trust me, he's a lot more powerful than whatever you're used to fighting. Besides, if you try to fight him, he'll kill you."
"I'm a vampire," said Angel. "I'm already dead. And I can usually hold my own in a fight. I'm not exactly powerless, you know."
"Yeah, we know," said Chris. "But you don't understand what you're up against. This thing has already killed you once. And if you stay and try to fight it, it will happen again."
"What are you talking about?" asked Angel.
Suddenly the door to his office opened and a man with stark white hair breezed in as if he hadn't a care in the world. He was whistling as he entered the office and for a moment didn't notice Chris or Phoebe standing in the corner.
"Thought I'd go out for a bit," said the man to Angel. He had a distinct British accent. "A bit tiresome being cooped up in here all day. Now that I'm meself again I thought I'd...."
His voice trailed off as he suddenly noticed Chris and Phoebe.
"'Ello," he said, looking Phoebe over, "didn't know you had company. Sorry about that, mate. Good looking bird."
"Spike," said Angel, "this is Phoebe Halliwell. And...."
"Chris," said Chris. "Chris Perry."
"Chris is a White Lighter," said Angel.
"Really now?" said Spike. "Never met one of those. Heard of 'em, though. What does a White Lighter want with you? He doesn't strike me as being your type. She might be a different matter, though."
"Actually," said Angel, "they've come about us. You and me. They think someone is coming after us."
"So what else is new?" asked Spike. "Look, love, whatever the big baddy is that's coming after us I'm sure we can handle it."
"Not you, him," said Phoebe, indicating Angel. "I don't know who you are but it's after Angel not you."
"Actually, it could be after either of us," said Angel. He turned to Spike. "They're looking for a vampire with a soul. Naturally they came to me. Guess word hasn't gotten out yet."
"Well, that's an interesting twist," said Spike. "Just what might this horrible evil thing be that's looking for a vampire with a soul?"
"I don't see how it concerns you," said Chris. "It concerns Angel."
"It concerns both of us," said Angel. "You see your information is a bit out of date. Spike is also a vampire. And he, too, has a soul. So you see, if you're looking for a vampire with a soul, you'll have to be a bit more specific. The club has been adding members lately."
Chris and Phoebe just looked at each other. It was obvious Chris had no idea there were two vampires with a soul. Which meant they had no idea which one Wyatt would be coming after.
Chris and Phoebe appeared in a large, spacious office. It was extravagant. Standing at the window, looking out on the city below, was a lone man. Dressed in dark clothes, he stood with his back to them, his hands behind his back. He didn't move as they orbed in.
"Orbing is for White Lighters," said the man without turning. "It's been a long time since I encountered a White Lighter. What do you want here?"
"We're, uh, looking for someone," said Chris hesitantly. "We understood this was where he was at now."
The man turned to face them. He appeared to be in his mid twenties, but the wisdom behind his eyes belied that appearance. There was no fear in him. He stood looking at Chris and Phoebe as if trying to judge their next moves.
"I'm the only one here," said the man. "And I can't imagine what a White Lighter would want with me. We don't exactly travel in the same circles."
"I'm Phoebe Halliwell," said Phoebe. "And if you're Angel, then you're the one we've come to see."
"I'm Angel," said the man. "And I've heard of you. If you know who I am then you also know what I am. What use does a witch have with a vampire?"
"A vampire with a soul," corrected Phoebe. "And we think you're in danger. Something is coming after you."
"Something is always coming after me," laughed Angel. "Humanity doesn't trust me because I'm a vampire. And demons don't trust me because I have a soul. So as you can see, there's always someone ready to take me out. It's nothing new."
"This is," said Chris. "The person coming after you is not something you're used to dealing with. You don't have the power to fight it. We need you to come back with us so we can protect you."
"He's right," said Phoebe. "My sisters and I fought him yesterday. Trust me, he's a lot more powerful than whatever you're used to fighting. Besides, if you try to fight him, he'll kill you."
"I'm a vampire," said Angel. "I'm already dead. And I can usually hold my own in a fight. I'm not exactly powerless, you know."
"Yeah, we know," said Chris. "But you don't understand what you're up against. This thing has already killed you once. And if you stay and try to fight it, it will happen again."
"What are you talking about?" asked Angel.
Suddenly the door to his office opened and a man with stark white hair breezed in as if he hadn't a care in the world. He was whistling as he entered the office and for a moment didn't notice Chris or Phoebe standing in the corner.
"Thought I'd go out for a bit," said the man to Angel. He had a distinct British accent. "A bit tiresome being cooped up in here all day. Now that I'm meself again I thought I'd...."
His voice trailed off as he suddenly noticed Chris and Phoebe.
"'Ello," he said, looking Phoebe over, "didn't know you had company. Sorry about that, mate. Good looking bird."
"Spike," said Angel, "this is Phoebe Halliwell. And...."
"Chris," said Chris. "Chris Perry."
"Chris is a White Lighter," said Angel.
"Really now?" said Spike. "Never met one of those. Heard of 'em, though. What does a White Lighter want with you? He doesn't strike me as being your type. She might be a different matter, though."
"Actually," said Angel, "they've come about us. You and me. They think someone is coming after us."
"So what else is new?" asked Spike. "Look, love, whatever the big baddy is that's coming after us I'm sure we can handle it."
"Not you, him," said Phoebe, indicating Angel. "I don't know who you are but it's after Angel not you."
"Actually, it could be after either of us," said Angel. He turned to Spike. "They're looking for a vampire with a soul. Naturally they came to me. Guess word hasn't gotten out yet."
"Well, that's an interesting twist," said Spike. "Just what might this horrible evil thing be that's looking for a vampire with a soul?"
"I don't see how it concerns you," said Chris. "It concerns Angel."
"It concerns both of us," said Angel. "You see your information is a bit out of date. Spike is also a vampire. And he, too, has a soul. So you see, if you're looking for a vampire with a soul, you'll have to be a bit more specific. The club has been adding members lately."
Chris and Phoebe just looked at each other. It was obvious Chris had no idea there were two vampires with a soul. Which meant they had no idea which one Wyatt would be coming after.