FIVE
"How's it coming?" Leo asked Piper in the kitchen.
"Slow," said Piper. "I have figured out what ingredients is in this potion. From what I can tell it would do exactly what Cole claimed. It's a very powerful sedative. Not strong enough to kill someone but powerful enough to put them in a near-coma for a while."
"Which means they would be defenseless against possession," finished Leo.
"I would suppose," said Piper.
"What's on your mind?" asked Leo.
"What do you mean?" Piper asked.
"Come on, Piper," said Leo. "We were together for a long time. I can read your moods. Something is on your mind and it isn't the potion. Is it Wyatt or The First?"
"Actually," said Piper, "it's Cole right now. Did he seem different to you?"
"Different how?" Leo asked.
"I don't know," said Piper. "Before he was always kind of defensive around us. Even when he was helping us he still seemed just a little nervous. Like we didn't really trust him or something."
"We didn't," said Leo.
"That's beside the point," said Piper. "I didn't get that impression this time. He seemed relaxed almost. It's hard to explain."
"I didn't notice," said Leo. "But then, I wasn't really worried about his mood at the moment."
"I know," said Piper. "I just sensed something different about him, that's all."
"I thought Phoebe was the empathy?" Leo asked, smiling.
"It wasn't like that," said Piper. "It was more his body language and the tone of his voice. I think that since Phoebe became an empath she might rely on it a little too much. She forgets there are other indicators of what a person is thinking and feeling."
"You might be right," said Leo. "Well, I'm going to check in with the Elders. I'll let them know what Cole told us and see if we can find out anything. If you need me, just call."
"Okay, sweetie," said Piper as she went back to work on the potion.
Leo smiled as he orbed out. It had been a long time since Piper had called him that. He had missed it. And it wasn't just Cole that seemed to be changing. The tension that had existed between Piper and him seemed less intense this time. Maybe things were beginning to change.
* * *
Angel and Spike went out just after sunset as they usually did. Searching the demonic underground was tedious work. No demon wanted to talk with a vampire that had a soul. But even after more than one hundred years, Angelus' reputation still permeated the underground. And more than a few demons knew Spike. They had just entered a demonic "bar".
"What do you think, mate?" Spike asked. "Play it cool or should we just start busting heads?"
"That bartender," said Angel. "I remember him. It was about one hundred twenty years ago. We met in a little place just outside of Paris. If I remember correctly, he was pretty well connected with some higher-level demons. Let's play this one cool. He's bound to be more cooperative that way."
They headed for the bar. The bartender was a rotund demon with a yellowish hue to his skin. His eyes were bright green and seemed to glow against the backdrop of his head. He had only three fingers on each hand and those were long and spindly. As Angel and Spike walked up to the bar, he was cleaning a glass.
"Angelus?" questioned the bartender as the two walked up to the bar. "Well, as I live and breathe, it is you."
"You aren't alive and you don't breathe," said Angel, smiling.
"True enough," said the bartender. "Still, it's only a figure of speech. It's been a long time, my friend. Much too long."
"Spenger," said Angel, "this is Spike."
"Not the Spike?" questioned the demon, a broad smile on his face.
"You sure you're a demon?" asked Spike.
"Reclamation demon," said Spenger. "Though I've been retired for about sixty years. You've heard of us, haven't you? We reclaim souls that have escaped the underworld. Pretty easy work, to be honest. Now, what can I get you boys?"
"Just looking for some information," said Angel.
"For my friend, Angelus, anything," beamed the demon.
"It's Angel now," said Angel.
"Yes, of course," said Spenger. "I heard about that nasty business with the gypsies. Shame, really. You did some fine work when you were Angelus. Now, what kind of information are you looking for?"
"Information on The First," said Angel, his voice lowered so no one would overhear him.
"The First Evil?" questioned Spenger. "Now there's a nasty piece of work. Been vanquished a few thousand years I believe. Why would you be interested in that?"
"It's back," said Angel. "I need to find someone who knows about it. Things that aren't in the books."
"Hmm," said Spenger. "That's a tough one. Not many demons still around from when that thing roamed the land. What with Slayers and witches and Druids and such. And most of the ones who are still around are retired, like me. Or stay in the underworld."
"Anything at all," said Angel. "It's important."
"Yeah, bloke," said Spike. "You might say we're working against a deadline here."
"Well," said Spenger, "the only one I can think of would be Lemmick. He was around back then. But I gotta warn you. He's not the most sociable demon. Keeps to himself pretty much these days."
"Lemmick?" questioned Angel.
"Yeah," said Spenger. "A Revenant demon. Missed his mark after he was conjured. Been hanging around ever since. Seems his mark died before Lemmick could get to him. He's kind of bitter about it."
"I can imagine," said Angel. "Where can I find this Lemmick?"
"Lower levels," said Spenger. "There's a warehouse in the warehouse district that serves as a sort of homeless shelter for disenfranchised demons. He stays in the lower levels there most of the time."
"Thanks, Spenger," said Angel, tossing a fifty dollar bill up on the bar. "You've been a big help."
"Any time, any time," said the demon, picking up the bill. "Don't be a stranger. Next time, the drinks are on the house."
"Friendly fellow," said Spike as he and Angel left the bar. "He seemed to like you well enough."
"Yeah, I did him a favor once," said Angel. "I guess he's still appreciative of it."
"Angelus did someone a favor?" questioned Spike. "How come I never heard about it?"
"Long story," said Angel. "The sun is going to be up soon. We need to get back to the manor. We can go see Lemmick later tonight."
"Right," said Spike. "Never met a Revenant before."
"Not many have," said Angel. "Most don't live more than a few days. Come on. We'd better hurry. I don't want to get caught out here when the sun comes up."
"Good idea, mate," said Spike. "Lead the way."
Angel and Spike headed for the manor as quickly as possible. With luck, they would get there just before the sun rose.
"How's it coming?" Leo asked Piper in the kitchen.
"Slow," said Piper. "I have figured out what ingredients is in this potion. From what I can tell it would do exactly what Cole claimed. It's a very powerful sedative. Not strong enough to kill someone but powerful enough to put them in a near-coma for a while."
"Which means they would be defenseless against possession," finished Leo.
"I would suppose," said Piper.
"What's on your mind?" asked Leo.
"What do you mean?" Piper asked.
"Come on, Piper," said Leo. "We were together for a long time. I can read your moods. Something is on your mind and it isn't the potion. Is it Wyatt or The First?"
"Actually," said Piper, "it's Cole right now. Did he seem different to you?"
"Different how?" Leo asked.
"I don't know," said Piper. "Before he was always kind of defensive around us. Even when he was helping us he still seemed just a little nervous. Like we didn't really trust him or something."
"We didn't," said Leo.
"That's beside the point," said Piper. "I didn't get that impression this time. He seemed relaxed almost. It's hard to explain."
"I didn't notice," said Leo. "But then, I wasn't really worried about his mood at the moment."
"I know," said Piper. "I just sensed something different about him, that's all."
"I thought Phoebe was the empathy?" Leo asked, smiling.
"It wasn't like that," said Piper. "It was more his body language and the tone of his voice. I think that since Phoebe became an empath she might rely on it a little too much. She forgets there are other indicators of what a person is thinking and feeling."
"You might be right," said Leo. "Well, I'm going to check in with the Elders. I'll let them know what Cole told us and see if we can find out anything. If you need me, just call."
"Okay, sweetie," said Piper as she went back to work on the potion.
Leo smiled as he orbed out. It had been a long time since Piper had called him that. He had missed it. And it wasn't just Cole that seemed to be changing. The tension that had existed between Piper and him seemed less intense this time. Maybe things were beginning to change.
* * *
Angel and Spike went out just after sunset as they usually did. Searching the demonic underground was tedious work. No demon wanted to talk with a vampire that had a soul. But even after more than one hundred years, Angelus' reputation still permeated the underground. And more than a few demons knew Spike. They had just entered a demonic "bar".
"What do you think, mate?" Spike asked. "Play it cool or should we just start busting heads?"
"That bartender," said Angel. "I remember him. It was about one hundred twenty years ago. We met in a little place just outside of Paris. If I remember correctly, he was pretty well connected with some higher-level demons. Let's play this one cool. He's bound to be more cooperative that way."
They headed for the bar. The bartender was a rotund demon with a yellowish hue to his skin. His eyes were bright green and seemed to glow against the backdrop of his head. He had only three fingers on each hand and those were long and spindly. As Angel and Spike walked up to the bar, he was cleaning a glass.
"Angelus?" questioned the bartender as the two walked up to the bar. "Well, as I live and breathe, it is you."
"You aren't alive and you don't breathe," said Angel, smiling.
"True enough," said the bartender. "Still, it's only a figure of speech. It's been a long time, my friend. Much too long."
"Spenger," said Angel, "this is Spike."
"Not the Spike?" questioned the demon, a broad smile on his face.
"You sure you're a demon?" asked Spike.
"Reclamation demon," said Spenger. "Though I've been retired for about sixty years. You've heard of us, haven't you? We reclaim souls that have escaped the underworld. Pretty easy work, to be honest. Now, what can I get you boys?"
"Just looking for some information," said Angel.
"For my friend, Angelus, anything," beamed the demon.
"It's Angel now," said Angel.
"Yes, of course," said Spenger. "I heard about that nasty business with the gypsies. Shame, really. You did some fine work when you were Angelus. Now, what kind of information are you looking for?"
"Information on The First," said Angel, his voice lowered so no one would overhear him.
"The First Evil?" questioned Spenger. "Now there's a nasty piece of work. Been vanquished a few thousand years I believe. Why would you be interested in that?"
"It's back," said Angel. "I need to find someone who knows about it. Things that aren't in the books."
"Hmm," said Spenger. "That's a tough one. Not many demons still around from when that thing roamed the land. What with Slayers and witches and Druids and such. And most of the ones who are still around are retired, like me. Or stay in the underworld."
"Anything at all," said Angel. "It's important."
"Yeah, bloke," said Spike. "You might say we're working against a deadline here."
"Well," said Spenger, "the only one I can think of would be Lemmick. He was around back then. But I gotta warn you. He's not the most sociable demon. Keeps to himself pretty much these days."
"Lemmick?" questioned Angel.
"Yeah," said Spenger. "A Revenant demon. Missed his mark after he was conjured. Been hanging around ever since. Seems his mark died before Lemmick could get to him. He's kind of bitter about it."
"I can imagine," said Angel. "Where can I find this Lemmick?"
"Lower levels," said Spenger. "There's a warehouse in the warehouse district that serves as a sort of homeless shelter for disenfranchised demons. He stays in the lower levels there most of the time."
"Thanks, Spenger," said Angel, tossing a fifty dollar bill up on the bar. "You've been a big help."
"Any time, any time," said the demon, picking up the bill. "Don't be a stranger. Next time, the drinks are on the house."
"Friendly fellow," said Spike as he and Angel left the bar. "He seemed to like you well enough."
"Yeah, I did him a favor once," said Angel. "I guess he's still appreciative of it."
"Angelus did someone a favor?" questioned Spike. "How come I never heard about it?"
"Long story," said Angel. "The sun is going to be up soon. We need to get back to the manor. We can go see Lemmick later tonight."
"Right," said Spike. "Never met a Revenant before."
"Not many have," said Angel. "Most don't live more than a few days. Come on. We'd better hurry. I don't want to get caught out here when the sun comes up."
"Good idea, mate," said Spike. "Lead the way."
Angel and Spike headed for the manor as quickly as possible. With luck, they would get there just before the sun rose.