Chapter Five

Illyria's mouth went dry. Here they were in the middle of a graveyard, and all Connor could think was 'Man does she look great in that outfit!' Then it hit him, why was she in a graveyard in that outfit in his town?!

"Illyria, where's Angel?"

Illyria was only looking at him. She looked, in his opinion, as she had just been hit by a bus. "Illyria, what's going on?" But she wasn't looking at him anymore. She was looking over at a tree, and had started striding purposely over to it.

"Hey wait! Where are you going?"

Then he saw the man running toward the gate. He started running after him, but it was too late. He had gotten into his car, and sped off. Connor returned to Illyria, who was crouched over the spot by the tree where the man had been standing.

"He has been here for some time. And it seems for many nights." She pointed to his footprints. "The mud has dried, and become wet again indicating the passing of many days."

Connor looked at her a bit irritated. "I know how to read tracks, Illyria." He looked at the tree. "He's been leaning on this branch often. It smells of him, and" he pulled a piece of material off of it, "he's left a piece of himself behind."

Illyria stood, and looked appraisingly at Connor. "We must regroup with the others. I fear someone has been observing you and your activities for sometime."

She turned, and walked off toward the gate without waiting for him. He ran to catch up, and noticed by the time she reached the street her appearance had changed. She looked more...human.

"Hey it's great you are concerned about my welfare and all. Really. But do you have any idea what is going on, and where is Angel? Last I saw him he was leaving the ruins of Wolfram and Heart."

She turned her head to him, but still kept walking. "You observed the destruction? Interesting. He did not tell us you had participated. But then," she conceded, "there was not much time for discourse."

Connor looked at her suspiciously, but followed along with her as she walked on.

Gunn was heartily enjoying his pizza. Layla was picking at hers, as if not quite sure what to do with it. Spike was gulping his beer as if it was going out of style.

Finally Layla picked up her slice, and cautiously bit into it. After several minutes of chewing, and eventually swallowing, she looked up at Gunn with surprise.

"This is quite tasty...I think...I mean, my mouth quite enjoys it." And she started eating more rapidly.

Spike, who hadn't much as looked at her most of the night, nearly spit out his beer at her comment. "Careful Angel Toes, you'll get a stomach ache if you eat that so fast. Come to think of it, do you even have a stomach?"

Layla looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Yes, I have a stomach. I mean, I do when I am corporeal, which I am now, so..."

"I get it."

Layla frowned at his abrupt tone, and went back to her pizza. Gunn looked at both of them. Yesterday they were getting along fine, and today Spike was barely going near her. Well he was not one to let that drop. "So what's up you two? Had a fight while I was sleeping?"

"No Charlie, we didn't have a bloody fight." Spike looked into his beer.

Layla thought over the past events. Spike was acting cool to her. "Well, last night I was discussing with Spike the fact I didn't understand the relaxing concept of the shower. He got very odd, and ran into the bathroom. I think I offended him."

Spike's eyes got wide. "What?!" 'Oh shit!' he thought to himself and mentally slapped himself. She had no idea! "You didn't offend me, love. It's just that..."

Realization dawned on Gunn's face. "What were you wearing Layla?"

"A towel."

Gunn nearly wet himself laughing. Spike looked at him like he was going to hit him, and Layla just looked really confused. Gunn forced himself to calm down. "Ok, Layla.." as he sucked in a deep breath. "Um, guys tend to find girls in towels...um...well..."

Suddenly, Layla got it. Her face went very pink, and she looked at Spike in the eye slightly mortified, yet a bit amused. "You found me sexually attractive!" Her voice was a bit loud, and the next table turned and looked over at them.

"Not so bloody loud!" Spike hissed. "Yes well, I'm a bloke, and you're well...not...and oh hell can we just change the subject!"

Gunn grinned. Layla was starting to see the humor in it as well, but was still a nice shade of pink.

"Oh Hell!" Spike growled. "I'm going outside to have a smoke. I will see you yahoos out there."

And he stalked out of the restaurant.

Bartleby, as soon as he was far enough away from the graveyard, called his superior immediately. 'Damn!' he thought to himself. How like an amateur to get spotted like that! And who the Hell was the woman in blue! She appeared out of nowhere, and totally ruined the experiment. He hoped his superiors knew who she was. Thank God, he had his camera!

"Daniels here," came the voice at the other end.

"Sir! The experiment has been compromised. There is at least one outside agent working with the boy."

Daniels was quiet. "Who was this agent?" he said somberly.

"I don't know sir. She was small, blue, with red body armor. She moved very quickly, Sir. And she was...well...inhumanly strong. She dusted four of the vampires in mere seconds."

He could feel Daniels thinking on the other end of the phone. "Report to headquarters immediately. We must assess this situation at once. I want to know what new players we are dealing with."

Bartleby hung up the phone, and drove as fast as his car would let him.