SEVEN
The warehouse Spenger had told Angel about looked totally deserted. As if no one had been around it in several years. Angel explained that was all an illusion. Carefully tended to make it appear to have been abandoned so that no one would inadvertently stumble into the place.
"It's sort of a safe house for demons," Angel explained. "Factions that would normally tear each other apart aren't allowed to fight in here. That way any demon can come here and rest up or regain their strength without fear of attack."
"What about us?" Piper asked. "You and Spike should be okay here. But we're not demons. Do we need to worry about demons attacking us?"
"I don't know," said Angel. "The rule is that no fighting is allowed. Anyone who does is permanently banished from here. But then again, nothing but demons has ever come here. I can't honestly say what the reaction will be. They certainly won't be happy to see you."
"Well, we're not really happy to be here," said Paige. "But it's necessary. Let's just mind our own business and hopefully they'll just leave us alone."
Together, the five walked into the building. Once inside it was clear this was anything but an abandoned building. Much of the building had been cubicled off to form sleeping areas. There even appeared to be a kitchen at the back where who knows what was being served. Piper preferred not to think about what the "cuisine" for many of the demons might be.
"Welcome to the Overworld," said man walking out of the shadows in front of them.
Only this was no man. He was clearly a vampire. He had the wrinkled brow, yellow eyes, and fang teeth characteristic of all vampires. And behind him walked two more vampires. Obviously the welcoming committee for this place.
"All are welcome," said the first vampire. "Then he noticed the three humans standing behind Angel and Spike. "What's this? Did you bring us a little something to snack on?"
"Back off, fang boy," said Piper. "I don't want any trouble with you but you start anything and you're going to regret it."
"A witch?" questioned the vampire. "Three witches?" He turned to Angel. "Are you insane bringing them here? Do you have any idea what the residents are going to do when they find out you've brought witches to this place?"
"The rules say no fighting," said Angel. "They're willing to abide by them if no one bothers them. Besides, we aren't here for a fight. We're just looking for some information."
"But they now know of this place," said a second vampire. "What's to keep them from returning later?"
"Listen," said Phoebe, "we don't have any interest in you or your friends. As Angel said, we just want some information. Once we get that we'll forget this place even exists."
"I can't allow that," said the first vampire. "It's too much of a risk."
"That's not your decision, mate," said Spike. "Now, why don't you run along and fetch your master for us. That's a good little demon."
"Why should we?" questioned the third vampire. "Three against two. And I'm sure some of our friends will help us with the witches. Considering how many demons are here at any given time it would seem you're badly outnumbered."
"Maybe so," said Angel, suddenly changing into his vampire form, "but I guarantee the three of you won't live long enough to see it. Now do as Spike says and go get the head demon."
"Spike?" questioned the first vampire. "You're Spike? I heard the Slayer had staked you."
"The new of my death have been greatly exaggerated," said Spike. "And unless you want Angelus to loose his temper, I think you'd better run along real quick like."
"Angelus?" questioned the first vampire, fear in his eyes. "You're Angelus? Hey, we don't want no trouble. Just wait here and I'll get Gangis for you. He runs the place."
Without another word the vampire turned and disappeared down a dark corridor.
"Seems he's heard of you," said Paige.
"Most vampires have," said Spike. "Angelus was something of a real terror in the day."
Suddenly the vampire returned with another demon. This one looked almost human. Except for the glowing red eyes, pale blue skin, and forked tongue, he might even have passed for human. He walked up and stood in front of Angel and Spike.
"Well, well, well, Angelus," said the demon. "It's an honor to have you here. And Spike as well. We've heard of him too. Morgan tells me you've brought witches here." He glanced over at the three sisters. "That's unprecedented. I'm not sure they will be welcome here."
"The rules say no fighting," said Angel. "It doesn't say no fighting for only demons. If no one bothers them, they won't bother anyone else. And once we've left they'll forget about this place so you don't have to worry about them coming back."
"I see," said the demon. "Well, you're right. The rules do say no fighting." He turned back to the first vampire. "Morgan, pass the word. As long as the witches behave themselves I'll expect all of our guests to act appropriately. Angelus' word is good enough for me. Even if he does have a soul now."
"Thanks," said Angel. "Like we told him, we're only here for some information."
"Lemmick, no doubt," said the demon.
"You know why we're here?" asked Piper.
"It wasn't hard to figure out," said the demon. "There's a mysterious human who's been organizing demons for the past few days. And rumor has it that The First Evil is back. Somewhat surprising considering that the Slayer was supposed to have vanquished it in Sunnydale some months ago."
"It's back," said Angel. "That's why we need to see Lemmick. We need to find out what he knows about it."
"That may be difficult," said the demon. "Lemmick stays in the lower levels most of the time. He rarely comes out. And he's never received any guests. He doesn't even like talking to other demons. I doubt he'll talk to a couple of vampires and some witches."
"Just tell him we're here," said Angel. "And also tell him we have a proposition for him. One I'm sure he'd be interested in."
"There's not much he would be interested in," said the demon.
"He'll be interested in this, mate," said Spike.
"I'll pass on the message," said the demon. "You can wait here. I shouldn't be long."
The group waited impatiently while the demon went to deliver the message.
The warehouse Spenger had told Angel about looked totally deserted. As if no one had been around it in several years. Angel explained that was all an illusion. Carefully tended to make it appear to have been abandoned so that no one would inadvertently stumble into the place.
"It's sort of a safe house for demons," Angel explained. "Factions that would normally tear each other apart aren't allowed to fight in here. That way any demon can come here and rest up or regain their strength without fear of attack."
"What about us?" Piper asked. "You and Spike should be okay here. But we're not demons. Do we need to worry about demons attacking us?"
"I don't know," said Angel. "The rule is that no fighting is allowed. Anyone who does is permanently banished from here. But then again, nothing but demons has ever come here. I can't honestly say what the reaction will be. They certainly won't be happy to see you."
"Well, we're not really happy to be here," said Paige. "But it's necessary. Let's just mind our own business and hopefully they'll just leave us alone."
Together, the five walked into the building. Once inside it was clear this was anything but an abandoned building. Much of the building had been cubicled off to form sleeping areas. There even appeared to be a kitchen at the back where who knows what was being served. Piper preferred not to think about what the "cuisine" for many of the demons might be.
"Welcome to the Overworld," said man walking out of the shadows in front of them.
Only this was no man. He was clearly a vampire. He had the wrinkled brow, yellow eyes, and fang teeth characteristic of all vampires. And behind him walked two more vampires. Obviously the welcoming committee for this place.
"All are welcome," said the first vampire. "Then he noticed the three humans standing behind Angel and Spike. "What's this? Did you bring us a little something to snack on?"
"Back off, fang boy," said Piper. "I don't want any trouble with you but you start anything and you're going to regret it."
"A witch?" questioned the vampire. "Three witches?" He turned to Angel. "Are you insane bringing them here? Do you have any idea what the residents are going to do when they find out you've brought witches to this place?"
"The rules say no fighting," said Angel. "They're willing to abide by them if no one bothers them. Besides, we aren't here for a fight. We're just looking for some information."
"But they now know of this place," said a second vampire. "What's to keep them from returning later?"
"Listen," said Phoebe, "we don't have any interest in you or your friends. As Angel said, we just want some information. Once we get that we'll forget this place even exists."
"I can't allow that," said the first vampire. "It's too much of a risk."
"That's not your decision, mate," said Spike. "Now, why don't you run along and fetch your master for us. That's a good little demon."
"Why should we?" questioned the third vampire. "Three against two. And I'm sure some of our friends will help us with the witches. Considering how many demons are here at any given time it would seem you're badly outnumbered."
"Maybe so," said Angel, suddenly changing into his vampire form, "but I guarantee the three of you won't live long enough to see it. Now do as Spike says and go get the head demon."
"Spike?" questioned the first vampire. "You're Spike? I heard the Slayer had staked you."
"The new of my death have been greatly exaggerated," said Spike. "And unless you want Angelus to loose his temper, I think you'd better run along real quick like."
"Angelus?" questioned the first vampire, fear in his eyes. "You're Angelus? Hey, we don't want no trouble. Just wait here and I'll get Gangis for you. He runs the place."
Without another word the vampire turned and disappeared down a dark corridor.
"Seems he's heard of you," said Paige.
"Most vampires have," said Spike. "Angelus was something of a real terror in the day."
Suddenly the vampire returned with another demon. This one looked almost human. Except for the glowing red eyes, pale blue skin, and forked tongue, he might even have passed for human. He walked up and stood in front of Angel and Spike.
"Well, well, well, Angelus," said the demon. "It's an honor to have you here. And Spike as well. We've heard of him too. Morgan tells me you've brought witches here." He glanced over at the three sisters. "That's unprecedented. I'm not sure they will be welcome here."
"The rules say no fighting," said Angel. "It doesn't say no fighting for only demons. If no one bothers them, they won't bother anyone else. And once we've left they'll forget about this place so you don't have to worry about them coming back."
"I see," said the demon. "Well, you're right. The rules do say no fighting." He turned back to the first vampire. "Morgan, pass the word. As long as the witches behave themselves I'll expect all of our guests to act appropriately. Angelus' word is good enough for me. Even if he does have a soul now."
"Thanks," said Angel. "Like we told him, we're only here for some information."
"Lemmick, no doubt," said the demon.
"You know why we're here?" asked Piper.
"It wasn't hard to figure out," said the demon. "There's a mysterious human who's been organizing demons for the past few days. And rumor has it that The First Evil is back. Somewhat surprising considering that the Slayer was supposed to have vanquished it in Sunnydale some months ago."
"It's back," said Angel. "That's why we need to see Lemmick. We need to find out what he knows about it."
"That may be difficult," said the demon. "Lemmick stays in the lower levels most of the time. He rarely comes out. And he's never received any guests. He doesn't even like talking to other demons. I doubt he'll talk to a couple of vampires and some witches."
"Just tell him we're here," said Angel. "And also tell him we have a proposition for him. One I'm sure he'd be interested in."
"There's not much he would be interested in," said the demon.
"He'll be interested in this, mate," said Spike.
"I'll pass on the message," said the demon. "You can wait here. I shouldn't be long."
The group waited impatiently while the demon went to deliver the message.