Part 16

The sound of the front doors crashing against the walls sent Willow and Graham diving for cover as they reached for their weapons.

"Angel, we've got trouble." Wes yelled as he entered the lobby.

"You ain't shittin'" Gunn said as he saw Hunter grab Wes and put a gun just under Wes' chin and Red Death grab Fred in a choke hold.

Angel growled and lunged for Willow who was the closest but was stopped when she put a barrier around herself and the others cutting off Angel.

Cordelia quickly raised her crossbow and aimed it at Graham. "Drop it."

Graham slowly took his gun away from Wes' chin and held it out as if he were going to drop it but before Gunn or anyone else could react Graham spun. In that fluid movement he reached for his other gun and now had both trained on Wes and Gunn.

Willow tightened her hold on Fred and then waved her arm toward Cordelia sending her crossbow and bolts toward the ceiling. Fred struggled harder but as Willow continued to tighten her hold she finally stopped struggling and just stood in Willow's embrace.

"Don't do it, Cordy." Willow warned as she saw Cordelia reach for something. "I can just as easily snap her neck as choke her and Hunter could kill the three of you before you complete that move."

Cordelia slowly raised her arm back up but narrowed her eyes at Willow, "I knew this was a trap. I told Angel not to trust you, you're just like Faith."

Willow turned to look at Angel who was poised to strike as soon as the barrier was released. She held no illusions that he would not retaliate for the barrier or their actions. Graham's eyes sought out Willow's and with the silent communication of partners in deep he left it up to her for the next move.

Willow let her "Death" mask fall into place before she turned her dead eyes to Cordelia, "You're wrong, Cordelia I'm nothing like Faith. Oh on the surface you might think that but Faith had one flaw." Willow smirked, "Well more than one really but one flaw when it came to fighting… Faith didn't have it in her to follow through. She always gets distracted by emotions and can't seem to really hurt those she knows. Oh she could torture and cause pain beautifully but deep down she always wanted Angel's respect and maybe in the end to be "rescued" from herself. Unlike Faith I don't let emotions get in the way, I don't need anyone else's respect and I sure as hell don't want to be rescued. If we'd wanted you dead you would have been dead."

Cordelia just sneered at Willow, "Maybe you don't let emotions get in your way because you don't have any emotions anymore. Most psychopaths don't."

"That's where you're wrong. Psychopaths do have emotions, Sociopaths don't and if you remember nothing else tonight remember that." Willow looked over her shoulder at Angel, "I learned that lesson from the best."  Willow hated bringing up Angelus because she knew how much it hurt Angel but she had been telling the truth. She had patterned most of her character from Angelus. He had been a cold death machine until he had obsessed over the Slayer.

At Willow's signal Graham lowered his weapons and she lowered the barrier but kept the crossbow and bolts still suspended and out of harm's way.

Fred took a couple of steps away from Willow and leaned down to catch her breath and calm her racing heart. No one noticed her slight movement while she took the tazer out of her side pocket until her yelp of pain.

"Fred?" Wesley shouted.

Willow smirked as she tossed the tazer to Graham. "I like her," Willow turned back to Fred, "Lesson number one, never take your eye off the enemy. Lesson number two, if you use a hand to hand weapon always know the enemy can take your weapon and use it on you."

Fred rubbed her wrist and Willow ducked out of Angel's way as he made a grab for her as soon as the barrier allowed him entrance. Willow's yell of "Don't!" stopped Graham from interfering but he raised his weapons against the others to keep them from interrupting as well.

"If I can't you can't."

Angel threw a side kick that caught Willow in the ribs while her attention was on Graham. "Lesson number one, never take your eyes off the enemy."

"Shit that hurt, Angel." Willow winced as she stood. That one was gonna bruise but she knew it wasn't near as hard as it could have been. "I didn't come here to fight but neither will I walk away from one."

Angel grunted as Willow's kick found its mark. "If we're going to work as a team we'll have to trust that everyone is going to watch everyone's backs and right now I'm a little short on that trust."

"I've spent the last few months working and rising through Zalana's ranks and unlike my former self that trusted everyone would be there when needed, I've learned that I can only depend on Hunter and myself. I've lived longer that way, you could say I'm a little short on trust, too."

Angel growled and grabbed Willow as he pushed her back against the wall. Using his forearm to keep her in place he leaned down so only she could hear, "I know you attacked because you didn't know it was Wes but as soon as you saw who it was that had come through the doors you should have relaxed. I can't have a member of my team going rogue." Wesley had taught him that lesson well.

Willow calmly watched Angel before carefully replying, "I'm not a member of your team, nor do I want to be a member of your team. And Angel, I did relax they're alive aren't they?  I'll work with you like any other assignment but I only trust Graham to watch my back. As long as we're working together you have my word that I'll not do anything to jeopardize AI's part in it."

Angel silently contemplated Willow's words. He still didn't trust her completely but as long as he watched her like any other employee of W&H he'd get his team through this game whatever it was that Willow was playing.

Graham waited until Willow ducked under Angel's arm before lowering his guns. "So what was the trouble?"

Cordelia just looked at him like he was speaking a foreign language.

Graham raised an eyebrow at their blank stares, "English here yelled there was trouble as he came in."

Fred, Gunn, Wesley and Cordelia looked to Angel without replying. Angel nodded, "If it's about Jasmine go ahead that's why Willow's here."

The AI gang still didn't answer but looked at each other. Finally Cordelia stepped forward, "It is but it's also about Connor."

Angel stiffened and Willow fought every instinct she had to place a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"What about Connor?"

It was Wesley that answered, "We did a recon around Jasmine's latest headquarters and Cordelia spotted Connor there."

"I'm sorry, Angel. He was there as a disciple."

Angel closed his eyes briefly on the pain. Had he run his child out of the hotel only to put him in the arms of Jasmine?

Only Graham saw the heartbreak that Willow hid. You had to look very closely and catch it briefly before she tamped it down under her mask of indifference. He had to battle all of his instincts that wanted to grab Willow and pull her into his embrace. When this assignment was over and the ultimate target was defeated he was taking her on a LONG vacation. They were going away from any demon, hell goddess or anything that remotely might be construed as evil.

Gunn cleared his throat, "That's not all. Just as we were getting ready to leave Jasmine turned to her followers and said that soon the world would kneel before her. Whatever is going down it's soon."

"Lilah said that Wolfram and Hart were going to back the satellite feed. I know someone that can disrupt it but the time hadn't been set by the time we left." Willow said as she joined in the conversation.

"If Jasmine was announcing her plans to her followers I'd say the time table was within forty eight hours." Angel looked over at Willow, "Can you get in touch with your person in time?"

"Sure, I even think Gwen's in town."

Cordelia, Fred, Gunn and Angel all raised their eyes, "Gwen?"