Chapter 24
Angel walked off of the private elevator into his and Buffy's apartment. From the other room, he heard Doyle. Cordelia was sitting on the edge of the bed watching the tape of a promotional spot she and Doyle made in the early days of Angel Investigations.
"If you need help, then look no further. Angel Investigations is the best. Our rats are low.."
"Rates." Cordy said on the tape.
"It says rats. Our rates are low, but our standards are high. When the chips are down, and you're at the end of your rope, you need someone that you can count on, and that's what you'll find here, someone who will go all the way, who'll protect you no matter what. So don't lose hope."
Cordy paused the video. "Sorry. I was snooping. I found this."
"No, it's-it's ok. I just.. You couldn't sleep?"
"Oh. No sleep for me. I slept enough for one lifetime."
"Been a long while since I've seen that."
"The first soldier down."
"Yeah."
"Doyle pissed me off so righteously going out like that, but he knew. He knew what he had to do. Didn't compromise. Used his last breath to make sure you'd keep fighting. I get that now."
"Cordy.. there are reasons Buffy and I agreed to take over Wolfram & Hart, reasons you don't understand."
"I understand just fine. They seduced you guys with all their fancy facilities, manpower. They threw a whole bunch of money at you, plied you with all these expensive toys and penthouses with spectacular views, and.. really spectacular. What was I saying?"
"Buffy and I've been seduced."
"That's right, pal. They dazzled you with shiny objects and beautiful things and.. There is no reason you could give me.."
"Connor."
"I know."
"You know?"
"Buffy and I talked earlier."
"Where is Buffy anyway?"
"She's patrolling like she's supposed to. But you've thrown me off track. I was saying that neither of you are happy here."
"We're doing fine here. I mean, we've done some great work here.."
"Don't give me that, 'everything's fine here' company line. I'm not buying it. Neither is Buffy.. And neither are you. Neither are the Powers That Be. Why do you think they woke me up, gave me that vision? They know you guys slipped the track, and they want me to help put you back on it."
"You're wrong about the Powers. They're not in our corner anymore. It looks like Spike is their new champion. He saved the world. And he's out there on the streets. You know, helping the.. helpless."
"Spike's a hero, and you and Buffy are C.E.O.s of Hell, Incorporated. What freakin' bizarro world did I wake up in?"
"I'm sorry."
"I naturally assumed you'd be lost without me, but this?"
"We are lost without you."
"You just forgot who you two were."
"Remind me."
"Uh, no. That's for you to figure out, bubba. I can tell you who you were like I did for Buffy. You're a guy who always fought his hardest for what was right, even when he couldn't remember why. Even when he was miserable, which was, let's face it, a not small portion of the time. He did right. And that gave him something. A light, a glimmer. And that's the guy I knew. I see him around here, then maybe I'll start believing."
"Let me know if you do." Angel sighed. "So, you and Buffy talked?"
"Yeah."
"What'd she say?"
"She told me about Sunnydale and Connor. She also admitted that she was unhappy here. She lost her best friends' trust because of this place and that jolted her back to reality. She also told me about all those Slayers that are out there. Wow! That's pretty amazing, huh?"
"She's an amazing woman."
"That she is."
"What'd you tell her?"
"I told her a story of a girl who made it through everything the world threw at her and came back standing strong. Then that girl became a woman and got married to the love of her life. Her family was the only thing completely holding her together, but I think she'd gonna be ok."
"Good."
***
Buffy was walking through the lobby toward her office. She opened the door and walked in. Angel was sitting at the desk, signing something. He looked up. "Hey swee.. What happened?"
"Where's Cordelia?"
"She's around. What happened?" He got up and looked at her torn, bloody sleeve, touching it lightly. She winced slightly.
"Did you know Miquot demons can grow knives out of their skin? I didn't." Buffy walked over to the desk and opened the bottom drawer, pulling out a clean, white, button down top. Angel bandaged her arm and she slipped on the top, leaving the top four buttons open, showing a little bit of cleavage. "Hey, let's go find Cordelia."
"Did Spike go with you again?"
"Yeah. He's here somewhere. I think he went to visit Fred."
"Did you tell him about Cordelia?"
"Of course!"
They rounded a corner and found Spike pulling away from Cordelia's neck. Angel tackled Spike to the ground and punched him in the face. Spike responded with a kick to Angel's chest. "You took me on and lost, remember, old man?" He said.
"Touch Cordelia again.." Angel broke free of Spike's grip and lifted Spike into the air then threw him to the ground. "Get ready for our very last rematch."
"Are you ok?" Buffy asked Cordelia. Cordy nodded.
"She's evil, you gourmless tit." Spike said.
"Excuse me? Who bit whom?" Cordy said.
"Did you call me a tit?" Angel asked.
"I thought he had a soul." Cordelia said to Buffy.
Spike pointed at Cordy. "I thought she didn't."
"I do."
"So do I."
"Well, clearly, mine's better."
"Look.."
Angel grabbed Spike by the lapels and threw his back into the wall. "I see fangs, I'm gonna play dentist."
"And you called this guy the big hero?" Cordy asked.
"You called me a hero?" Spike asked Angel.
"I didn't know you were eating people."
Spike head-butted Angel, sending them apart, both reeling and holding their foreheads in pain. "Ow! God. It was a taste test, you git. I needed to know if what my source said is true. And, actually, well, you don't taste evil. Demons are more.. astringent with a sort of oakie, really.."
"What source?" Buffy asked.
"I've got a guy. Has an in with the powers that whatsit. Gets these visions."
"Visions?"
"Yeah. Said Cordelia was taken over by some big bad. Came to destroy you all."
"His vision's a rerun." Cordy said.
"The thing that possessed Cordy's long dead, Spike." Buffy said, rolling her eyes.
"Well, looks like tattoo boy was wrong this time." Spike said.
"Wait." Cordy said. "Tattoos? What kind of tattoos?"
"I don't know. Symbols. Tribal-like."
"This guy with the visions, did he have a name?" Angel asked.
"Called himself Doyle."
Buffy, Angel, and Cordelia froze, staring incredulously at Spike. Down the hall, Eve was watching them talk, talking on her cell phone. "No, he didn't kill her. She's still alive. Now they're talking. A lot."
Buffy, Angel, and Cordelia walked down to her and waited. Eve hung up the cell phone, and when she looked up, she saw the three of them standing right in front of her, smiling knowingly. "Can we have a word with you, Eve?" Buffy asked.
"Now's really not a good time." Eve said.
Buffy grabbed Eve's hair. "Let's go, Lilah junior." They escorted Eve into Buffy and Angel's office. Buffy threw Eve into a chair as the others came in. Eve was surrounded by Gunn, Buffy, Angel, Cordelia, Dawn, Lorne, Fred, and Wesley. Spike was sitting near the window. "We've got a problem, Eve."
"Damn right, you do. When I tell the partners you assaulted me.."
"A couple weeks ago, a man approached Spike. Told him that the powers that be have some missions for him. Spike, braintrust that he is, went along with it."
"Hey." Spike said.
"He's the one who told Spike to save me from the parasite." Angel said. "The parasite you put on me in the first place."
"Not this again." Eve started to stand.
Cordelia moved in front of Eve. "Get out of that chair and I will feed you those Manolo Blahniks. Which are stunning, by the way."
"Seems to me like you and this guy are working together." Buffy said.
"Look, I don't know what you're talking about. But you can't keep me here. I have to leave." Eve said.
"But the thing that really, really pisses me off is that this guy seems to be going by the name of Doyle."
"Doesn't ring a bell."
"It does to me." Cordy said. "It rings a big fricking gong, and I wanna know who has the nerve to be using that name."
"I'm gonna give you one chance to tell me where he is." Buffy said, leaning over into Eve's face.
"Look, I don't know what.." Eve started.
Harmony walked in. "Excuse me, bosses?"
"Not now, Harmony." Angel said.
"Ok, but do I get the afternoon off, too?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Everybody's gone. The whole building cleared out a few minutes ago."
"What's going on, Eve?" Buffy asked.
"I don't know." Eve said.
"Gunn.."
"On it." Gunn walked out.
Buffy straightened and glared at Eve. "I'm gonna love this, I just know."
A few minutes later, Gunn walked back in. "I checked the server. A message went out. Code 7, right before the building emptied."
"What's a code 7, Eve?"
"I don't know. Seriously."
"OK, this is getting us nowhere." Cordy said. "Angel, torture her."
"What?" Angel asked.
"What?" Eve asked, panicked.
"You heard me. Building clearing out means we don't have a lot of time. Have at it." Cordy said.
"I can't just.. torture her." Angel said.
"He's right, Cordy. If we sink to their level.." Fred said.
From out of nowhere, Harmony tackled Eve, knocking her into the desk with a primal grunt. "Harmony!" Buffy yelped.
Harmony stood and grabbed Eve by the neck. "Is this ok? I mean, I am evil, technically. I don't mind torturing her for the team."
Buffy looked at Angel and then back at Harmony with a shrug. "Yeah, ok." Harmony punched Eve in the face. "Come on, you hussy!" She backhanded Eve. "Spill it!"
"Ok. Ok. Stop. It's a fail-safe. They built a fail-safe.." Eve said.
Harmony punched Eve in the face again, harder this time. Angel shook his head. "Harmony, she's talking."
"She is? Already? Well, that sucks." Harmony backed off.
"Look, the senior partners were never certain they could keep you and Buffy under their thumb, so they created a fail-safe. Housed it in the sub- levels of the building." Eve said.
"What kind of fail-safe?" Dawn asked.
"I don't know what it is, exactly, but it's huge and alive.. and specifically designed to destroy you and Buffy."
"How can I stop it?" Angel asked.
"The only way to shut it down's in the chamber itself."
"Well, if that's true, then who activated it in the first place?" Fred asked.
"You were with us when the building cleared out." Gunn said.
"Had to be someone else." Wesley said. "Someone with the ability to slip past Wolfram & Hart security systems."
"Like our magically tattooed faux Doyle." Lorne said.
"Spike, I don't wanna go in blind. Anything else you know about this guy?" Angel asked.
"Not much. Average size. Dressed like an urban cowboy." Spike paused. "Got his hand chopped off once."
"His hand?" Cordy asked.
"He's back." Wesley said.
"Lindsey." Angel said.
"Who?" Fred and Buffy asked.
"Lock the building down, make sure he can't get out. Don't trust security systems. He won't show up because of those tattoos of his."
"There could be a way to fix that. I'll need some help." Wesley said.
"My dance card's free." Lorne said.
"Who is Lindsey?" Fred asked.
"You mean Lindsey the lawyer?" Buffy asked.
"Yup. Wolfram & Hart's former golden boy, till he ran off to go find himself." Cordy said.
"Yeah, he should've stayed lost." Angel said. "Harmony, guard Eve. She moves, eat her."
"Really? Thanks."
"Angel, you're not going down there alone." Buffy said.
"The fail-safe's meant for me.."
"And me!"
"I'm not gonna risk anybody I care about."
"I'll go." Spike said.
"Ok." Angel looked at Buffy and Cordelia. "Be ready to evacuate. If this thing gets past me, get the hell out of the building."
Cordy and Buffy looked at each other and then headed to the wall. "Past us." Buffy said, grabbing the Celtic broadsword while Cordy grabbed a katana.
"No, no. Buffy, Cordelia.."
"Yeah, save it, Angel. You can order me around all you want, but I know my rights. Cordy and I wanna see a lawyer." Cordelia smiled at Buffy.
***
Buffy, Spike, Cordelia, and Angel walked down the basement steps into a room guarded by a net of green laser beams. "What the bloody hell is this?" Spike asked.
"Let's find out." Angel said. He walked into the laser net, triggering an alarm. Doors unlocked, and people walked out of closets poised for a fight.
"Zombies. Oh, swell." Buffy said. The four of them took on the zombies.
"We don't have time for this." Angel called.
"Go on. I'll hold them back." Spike said.
Buffy, Angel, and Cordelia ran off. They walked into the chamber as Lindsey walked down the stairs from the control panel and patted the side of the tank as it rose from the floor. "Bye, bye Angel." He said.
"Hello Lindsey." Angel said.
"And the heroes arrive right on schedule. And with a date."
"Yeah. Dinner and a show.. and you're both." Cordy said.
"Well, this is interesting. I've never had the pleasure of meeting your wife, Angel. She's even more gorgeous in person. Too bad she has to die." Angel growled and walked slowly towards Lindsey. "Is this the part where I get all weak in the knees? Promise I'll never do it again?"
"It's a little late for that, Doyle." Angel said.
"There's always time for redemption. Isn't that your whole thing?"
"You had your chance. I guess some people, they just never change." Angel started to backhand Lindsey, but Lindsey caught his hand mid-thrust and punched Angel in the ribs before throwing him hard across the room. Angel rolled across the floor into the opposite wall.
"I did." Lindsey walked toward Angel. "You just gonna lay there and bleed?"
"Buffy, Cordy, get out of here."
"No." Lindsey pointed to the door behind Buffy and Cordelia, causing it to close behind them. "Hang out. This won't take long." He pulled a pocketknife out of his back pocket.
Buffy walked up to Lindsey. "Thank God I never met you, because I treat all the bad guys like you the same."
"And how's that?"
"Like they have a lot of strength." Buffy backhanded Lindsey, sending him flying away from Angel. "But not as much as me." She smiled brightly at him. "And it's my pleasure to kick your ass."
"Angel!" Cordy threw her sword to Angel and he got up, going to back Buffy up.
Lindsey looked at Buffy and Angel's swords and then down at his pocket knife. "Oh. Well, it's not the size that matters." He transformed the pocketknife into a hefty sword. "It's how you use it."
"Shut it down." Angel said.
"Say please."
"I wasn't talking to you."
"Oh, right. On it." Cordy ran toward the stairs to the control panel.
Buffy and Angel started to circle Lindsey. Angel stared at Lindsey darkly. "So go and get yourself a little mojo? Should never have come back, Lindsey."
"What can I say? I missed you." Lindsey said.
Angel swung first, and he and Lindsey engaged in sword fighting while Cordelia examined the control panel. Lindsey pinned Angel against the wall during their sword fight, but Buffy grabbed Lindsey's hair and pulled him away harshly. "Guys with long hair.. Not always a turn on for me." She punched Lindsey in the face with her sword and sent him reeling back. Angel grabbed Lindsey from behind, but Lindsey punched Angel then backflipped high into the air, landing on his feet on top of the holding tank.
"Little something I picked up in Nepal." Lindsey said. "You like it?"
"They sell that crap at the airport." Angel said. He and Buffy leapt into the air nearly effortlessly, landing on the holding tank. Angel and Lindsey resumed their sword fighting. Buffy understood that this was more Angel's fight, so she stayed out of it as much as she would allow herself. Lindsey kicked Angel in the knee, causing Angel to scream in pain and recoil.
"You know, all my carefully laid out plans, my designs, when you get right down to it, that was pretty sweet, too, huh? Reason enough for me to come back. You, me.. fight to the death.. yours."
"I've seen your tough act before, squirt. First time we ever met, you put on a show. Huffing and puffing, telling me I couldn't lay a hand on your scumbag client."
"So you kicked him out a window."
"Good times."
"It was a defining moment." The vents around the holding tank let out steam as the tank started rumbling under their feet. "Kind of like this one."
Angel and Lindsey continued their fight on top of the holding tank where some monster was ready to come out if Cordelia couldn't use the control panel to stop it. Angel punched Lindsey in the face. When Lindsey stood up, his shirt was hanging open, unbuttoned, and Angel noticed Lindsey's tattoos. "That must have stung."
"Worse then when you cut off my hand."
The sword fighting continued, but Lindsey took Angel's sword. Angel kicked Lindsey's sword into the air and leapt onto the balcony to catch it. Lindsey leapt onto the balcony with the samurai sword to continue the fight. Angel kicked Lindsey in the chest, knocking him back a couple of feet. Lindsey lunged toward Angel, stabbing him through the heart with the sword.
"ANGEL!" Buffy screamed. Lindsey kicked Angel off the balcony, across the room. Angel landed on top on the holding tank. Buffy went to him and held onto him.
Lindsey leapt down to stand over him. "Who is this? Who is this? I came to fight the vampire with a soul. Guess you shouldn't have sold it, huh? Look at you, from champion to pathetic corporate puppet in just a few months. You used to have fire in your heart. Now all you got in there is that big honkin' sword. How's that feel, champ?"
"Could be worse.." Angel pulled the sword out of his chest and handed it to Buffy.
She smiled. "If it had been made out of wood, you dumbass." Buffy and Lindsey engaged in hand-to-hand combat now, fighting with punches, head- butts, and kicks, Buffy on the upper hand.
Cordelia pressed buttons on the control panel until a tube emerged. The covering iris widened to reveal the crystal inside, and when Cordelia took the crystal out, the system made a 'powering down' noise.
Cordelia grinned widely at Lindsey. The tank sank back into its underground holding spot, keeping the animal inside it contained for now. Lindsey's power seemed to have faded now as well, since he was only able to throw weak punches at Buffy, and Buffy didn't even feel the need to fight back. "I think I'll hand you back to Angel." She threw Lindsey at Angel's feet.
"All those tattoos, all those new tricks you've learned.." Angel punched Lindsey in the stomach, knocking him to the ground. "Just don't matter." Lindsey tried to stand. "Doesn't matter what you try." Angel punched Lindsey down. "Doesn't matter where I am or how badass you think you've become." Lindsey got to his knees, but Angel punched him in the face again. "Cause you know what?" He grabbed Lindsey by the neck, holding him face-to- face. "I'm Angel." He threw Lindsey across the room. Lindsey landed against the wall. "My wife and I beat the bad guys."
"You ok?" Buffy asked Angel as Cordy ran over.
"I've been worse."
Lindsey staggered to his feet. "So what now, huh? Think you got it in you to kill me?"
"Sweetie, your epidermis is showing." Cordy said.
Lindsey looked at his tattoos. They floated up off of his skin and vanished into thin air, leaving him unmarked and thus unprotected. "Damn!" There was a flashing light and a whirlwind appeared above them.
"I think the senior partners would like a word." Buffy said.
Lindsey looked up to see a portal was forming in the air above him. "You don't think they're angry, do you?" He was sucked up into the portal.
***
A pouting Eve walked onto the elevator with the whole gang standing behind her to make sure she leaves. "It's really been a pleasure. Let's never keep in touch." Cordy said.
"It's a new game, Eve. If I were you, I'd start thinking strategy." Angel said.
"And here I am thinking revenge." Eve retorted.
"And what do you imagine the senior partners are thinking?" The doors closed.
"Well, I'm thinking seabreeze, compadres. I gave up a lot of blood for this gig." Lorne said.
"And I didn't get any. I kept begging Eve to run, but.." Harmony shook her head.
"Well, I've been prancing around thinking I had a destiny. Love to drown my embarrassment in a few pints." Spike said. Buffy smiled at him and shook her head.
"We should all go get a drink. We haven't done that in.. ever." Fred said.
"I'm in. Cat and Fiddle?" Gunn asked.
"Will they let me in?" Dawn asked.
"Applebees it is!"
"Yeah." Wesley said. "Unless, of course, you two are busy packing." He said to Buffy and Angel.
"A drink sounds good. I'll go get our coats." Angel said.
"I'll come with." Buffy said. She and Angel headed to the office.
"You ok? You're walking a little stiff."
"I'll be ok. I've been out of the game for way too long."
"You're still the original and the best."
Buffy smiled. Cordelia walked in. "So.. You guys feel good?"
"I do." Angel said. "I just.. I kind of feel bad about it."
"My God, you are a piece of work."
"I just don't feel like I deserve.. I mean, all I did was beat up a tiny Texan. It's not like I helped anyone."
"Sure you did."
"Who?"
"Boy, I really do fall for the dumb ones." Buffy said with a smile.
"You know how you're always trying to save, oh, every single person in the world?" Cordy asked. "Did it ever occur to you, you were one of them?"
"No, it never did." Angel said.
"Well, you made the list, gorgeous." Buffy said.
"And you both needed some help." Cordy added.
"And you were the one that helped us."
"I did my part."
"Lindsey wasted a lot of energy trying to make me doubt myself." Angel said. "I know it's not even close to over, but I do feel like I can do this. Wolfram & Hart, whatever's coming, I feel like we can beat it."
"I know."
"You do?"
"I always did. I.. I just needed you to know it, too."
"So all that stuff about the deals with the devil.."
"Was God's honest truth. But you're both bigger than that. You'll win this in the end. I, uh.. just wish I could be there to see it."
"What do you mean? You're not.." Buffy asked.
"I can't stay. This isn't me anymore. You can say good-bye to the gang for me, explain everything once you guys understand."
"That's gonna be never."
"Don't make it hard. I'm just on a different road.. and this is my off- ramp. The Powers That Be owed me one, and I didn't waste it. I got my friends back on track."
"Cordy.."
"We take what we can get, and we do our best with it. I'll be seeing you guys." Cordy hugged Buffy tightly. She went to hug Angel just as the telephone rang.
"We don't need to get that." Buffy said.
"That you have to get." Cordy hugged Angel and gently pushed him towards Buffy. "Oh.. and you're welcome."
Angel looked at Buffy as she picked up the phone. "Hello. Yes, I know. She's.. but that's impossible. She's standing right.." Buffy turned to look for Cordelia, but she wasn't there. Buffy became visibly upset. "I'm sorry. Yeah. When did she die? Did she, um.. she never did wake up? I see." Buffy hung up covered her mouth as she began to sob.
Angel touched her shoulder and she turned, burying her face in his chest. He tenderly stroked her hair as he began to cry with his wife. He looked at where Cordy had been standing. "Thank you." He kissed Buffy's hair and hugged her tightly.
Angel walked off of the private elevator into his and Buffy's apartment. From the other room, he heard Doyle. Cordelia was sitting on the edge of the bed watching the tape of a promotional spot she and Doyle made in the early days of Angel Investigations.
"If you need help, then look no further. Angel Investigations is the best. Our rats are low.."
"Rates." Cordy said on the tape.
"It says rats. Our rates are low, but our standards are high. When the chips are down, and you're at the end of your rope, you need someone that you can count on, and that's what you'll find here, someone who will go all the way, who'll protect you no matter what. So don't lose hope."
Cordy paused the video. "Sorry. I was snooping. I found this."
"No, it's-it's ok. I just.. You couldn't sleep?"
"Oh. No sleep for me. I slept enough for one lifetime."
"Been a long while since I've seen that."
"The first soldier down."
"Yeah."
"Doyle pissed me off so righteously going out like that, but he knew. He knew what he had to do. Didn't compromise. Used his last breath to make sure you'd keep fighting. I get that now."
"Cordy.. there are reasons Buffy and I agreed to take over Wolfram & Hart, reasons you don't understand."
"I understand just fine. They seduced you guys with all their fancy facilities, manpower. They threw a whole bunch of money at you, plied you with all these expensive toys and penthouses with spectacular views, and.. really spectacular. What was I saying?"
"Buffy and I've been seduced."
"That's right, pal. They dazzled you with shiny objects and beautiful things and.. There is no reason you could give me.."
"Connor."
"I know."
"You know?"
"Buffy and I talked earlier."
"Where is Buffy anyway?"
"She's patrolling like she's supposed to. But you've thrown me off track. I was saying that neither of you are happy here."
"We're doing fine here. I mean, we've done some great work here.."
"Don't give me that, 'everything's fine here' company line. I'm not buying it. Neither is Buffy.. And neither are you. Neither are the Powers That Be. Why do you think they woke me up, gave me that vision? They know you guys slipped the track, and they want me to help put you back on it."
"You're wrong about the Powers. They're not in our corner anymore. It looks like Spike is their new champion. He saved the world. And he's out there on the streets. You know, helping the.. helpless."
"Spike's a hero, and you and Buffy are C.E.O.s of Hell, Incorporated. What freakin' bizarro world did I wake up in?"
"I'm sorry."
"I naturally assumed you'd be lost without me, but this?"
"We are lost without you."
"You just forgot who you two were."
"Remind me."
"Uh, no. That's for you to figure out, bubba. I can tell you who you were like I did for Buffy. You're a guy who always fought his hardest for what was right, even when he couldn't remember why. Even when he was miserable, which was, let's face it, a not small portion of the time. He did right. And that gave him something. A light, a glimmer. And that's the guy I knew. I see him around here, then maybe I'll start believing."
"Let me know if you do." Angel sighed. "So, you and Buffy talked?"
"Yeah."
"What'd she say?"
"She told me about Sunnydale and Connor. She also admitted that she was unhappy here. She lost her best friends' trust because of this place and that jolted her back to reality. She also told me about all those Slayers that are out there. Wow! That's pretty amazing, huh?"
"She's an amazing woman."
"That she is."
"What'd you tell her?"
"I told her a story of a girl who made it through everything the world threw at her and came back standing strong. Then that girl became a woman and got married to the love of her life. Her family was the only thing completely holding her together, but I think she'd gonna be ok."
"Good."
***
Buffy was walking through the lobby toward her office. She opened the door and walked in. Angel was sitting at the desk, signing something. He looked up. "Hey swee.. What happened?"
"Where's Cordelia?"
"She's around. What happened?" He got up and looked at her torn, bloody sleeve, touching it lightly. She winced slightly.
"Did you know Miquot demons can grow knives out of their skin? I didn't." Buffy walked over to the desk and opened the bottom drawer, pulling out a clean, white, button down top. Angel bandaged her arm and she slipped on the top, leaving the top four buttons open, showing a little bit of cleavage. "Hey, let's go find Cordelia."
"Did Spike go with you again?"
"Yeah. He's here somewhere. I think he went to visit Fred."
"Did you tell him about Cordelia?"
"Of course!"
They rounded a corner and found Spike pulling away from Cordelia's neck. Angel tackled Spike to the ground and punched him in the face. Spike responded with a kick to Angel's chest. "You took me on and lost, remember, old man?" He said.
"Touch Cordelia again.." Angel broke free of Spike's grip and lifted Spike into the air then threw him to the ground. "Get ready for our very last rematch."
"Are you ok?" Buffy asked Cordelia. Cordy nodded.
"She's evil, you gourmless tit." Spike said.
"Excuse me? Who bit whom?" Cordy said.
"Did you call me a tit?" Angel asked.
"I thought he had a soul." Cordelia said to Buffy.
Spike pointed at Cordy. "I thought she didn't."
"I do."
"So do I."
"Well, clearly, mine's better."
"Look.."
Angel grabbed Spike by the lapels and threw his back into the wall. "I see fangs, I'm gonna play dentist."
"And you called this guy the big hero?" Cordy asked.
"You called me a hero?" Spike asked Angel.
"I didn't know you were eating people."
Spike head-butted Angel, sending them apart, both reeling and holding their foreheads in pain. "Ow! God. It was a taste test, you git. I needed to know if what my source said is true. And, actually, well, you don't taste evil. Demons are more.. astringent with a sort of oakie, really.."
"What source?" Buffy asked.
"I've got a guy. Has an in with the powers that whatsit. Gets these visions."
"Visions?"
"Yeah. Said Cordelia was taken over by some big bad. Came to destroy you all."
"His vision's a rerun." Cordy said.
"The thing that possessed Cordy's long dead, Spike." Buffy said, rolling her eyes.
"Well, looks like tattoo boy was wrong this time." Spike said.
"Wait." Cordy said. "Tattoos? What kind of tattoos?"
"I don't know. Symbols. Tribal-like."
"This guy with the visions, did he have a name?" Angel asked.
"Called himself Doyle."
Buffy, Angel, and Cordelia froze, staring incredulously at Spike. Down the hall, Eve was watching them talk, talking on her cell phone. "No, he didn't kill her. She's still alive. Now they're talking. A lot."
Buffy, Angel, and Cordelia walked down to her and waited. Eve hung up the cell phone, and when she looked up, she saw the three of them standing right in front of her, smiling knowingly. "Can we have a word with you, Eve?" Buffy asked.
"Now's really not a good time." Eve said.
Buffy grabbed Eve's hair. "Let's go, Lilah junior." They escorted Eve into Buffy and Angel's office. Buffy threw Eve into a chair as the others came in. Eve was surrounded by Gunn, Buffy, Angel, Cordelia, Dawn, Lorne, Fred, and Wesley. Spike was sitting near the window. "We've got a problem, Eve."
"Damn right, you do. When I tell the partners you assaulted me.."
"A couple weeks ago, a man approached Spike. Told him that the powers that be have some missions for him. Spike, braintrust that he is, went along with it."
"Hey." Spike said.
"He's the one who told Spike to save me from the parasite." Angel said. "The parasite you put on me in the first place."
"Not this again." Eve started to stand.
Cordelia moved in front of Eve. "Get out of that chair and I will feed you those Manolo Blahniks. Which are stunning, by the way."
"Seems to me like you and this guy are working together." Buffy said.
"Look, I don't know what you're talking about. But you can't keep me here. I have to leave." Eve said.
"But the thing that really, really pisses me off is that this guy seems to be going by the name of Doyle."
"Doesn't ring a bell."
"It does to me." Cordy said. "It rings a big fricking gong, and I wanna know who has the nerve to be using that name."
"I'm gonna give you one chance to tell me where he is." Buffy said, leaning over into Eve's face.
"Look, I don't know what.." Eve started.
Harmony walked in. "Excuse me, bosses?"
"Not now, Harmony." Angel said.
"Ok, but do I get the afternoon off, too?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Everybody's gone. The whole building cleared out a few minutes ago."
"What's going on, Eve?" Buffy asked.
"I don't know." Eve said.
"Gunn.."
"On it." Gunn walked out.
Buffy straightened and glared at Eve. "I'm gonna love this, I just know."
A few minutes later, Gunn walked back in. "I checked the server. A message went out. Code 7, right before the building emptied."
"What's a code 7, Eve?"
"I don't know. Seriously."
"OK, this is getting us nowhere." Cordy said. "Angel, torture her."
"What?" Angel asked.
"What?" Eve asked, panicked.
"You heard me. Building clearing out means we don't have a lot of time. Have at it." Cordy said.
"I can't just.. torture her." Angel said.
"He's right, Cordy. If we sink to their level.." Fred said.
From out of nowhere, Harmony tackled Eve, knocking her into the desk with a primal grunt. "Harmony!" Buffy yelped.
Harmony stood and grabbed Eve by the neck. "Is this ok? I mean, I am evil, technically. I don't mind torturing her for the team."
Buffy looked at Angel and then back at Harmony with a shrug. "Yeah, ok." Harmony punched Eve in the face. "Come on, you hussy!" She backhanded Eve. "Spill it!"
"Ok. Ok. Stop. It's a fail-safe. They built a fail-safe.." Eve said.
Harmony punched Eve in the face again, harder this time. Angel shook his head. "Harmony, she's talking."
"She is? Already? Well, that sucks." Harmony backed off.
"Look, the senior partners were never certain they could keep you and Buffy under their thumb, so they created a fail-safe. Housed it in the sub- levels of the building." Eve said.
"What kind of fail-safe?" Dawn asked.
"I don't know what it is, exactly, but it's huge and alive.. and specifically designed to destroy you and Buffy."
"How can I stop it?" Angel asked.
"The only way to shut it down's in the chamber itself."
"Well, if that's true, then who activated it in the first place?" Fred asked.
"You were with us when the building cleared out." Gunn said.
"Had to be someone else." Wesley said. "Someone with the ability to slip past Wolfram & Hart security systems."
"Like our magically tattooed faux Doyle." Lorne said.
"Spike, I don't wanna go in blind. Anything else you know about this guy?" Angel asked.
"Not much. Average size. Dressed like an urban cowboy." Spike paused. "Got his hand chopped off once."
"His hand?" Cordy asked.
"He's back." Wesley said.
"Lindsey." Angel said.
"Who?" Fred and Buffy asked.
"Lock the building down, make sure he can't get out. Don't trust security systems. He won't show up because of those tattoos of his."
"There could be a way to fix that. I'll need some help." Wesley said.
"My dance card's free." Lorne said.
"Who is Lindsey?" Fred asked.
"You mean Lindsey the lawyer?" Buffy asked.
"Yup. Wolfram & Hart's former golden boy, till he ran off to go find himself." Cordy said.
"Yeah, he should've stayed lost." Angel said. "Harmony, guard Eve. She moves, eat her."
"Really? Thanks."
"Angel, you're not going down there alone." Buffy said.
"The fail-safe's meant for me.."
"And me!"
"I'm not gonna risk anybody I care about."
"I'll go." Spike said.
"Ok." Angel looked at Buffy and Cordelia. "Be ready to evacuate. If this thing gets past me, get the hell out of the building."
Cordy and Buffy looked at each other and then headed to the wall. "Past us." Buffy said, grabbing the Celtic broadsword while Cordy grabbed a katana.
"No, no. Buffy, Cordelia.."
"Yeah, save it, Angel. You can order me around all you want, but I know my rights. Cordy and I wanna see a lawyer." Cordelia smiled at Buffy.
***
Buffy, Spike, Cordelia, and Angel walked down the basement steps into a room guarded by a net of green laser beams. "What the bloody hell is this?" Spike asked.
"Let's find out." Angel said. He walked into the laser net, triggering an alarm. Doors unlocked, and people walked out of closets poised for a fight.
"Zombies. Oh, swell." Buffy said. The four of them took on the zombies.
"We don't have time for this." Angel called.
"Go on. I'll hold them back." Spike said.
Buffy, Angel, and Cordelia ran off. They walked into the chamber as Lindsey walked down the stairs from the control panel and patted the side of the tank as it rose from the floor. "Bye, bye Angel." He said.
"Hello Lindsey." Angel said.
"And the heroes arrive right on schedule. And with a date."
"Yeah. Dinner and a show.. and you're both." Cordy said.
"Well, this is interesting. I've never had the pleasure of meeting your wife, Angel. She's even more gorgeous in person. Too bad she has to die." Angel growled and walked slowly towards Lindsey. "Is this the part where I get all weak in the knees? Promise I'll never do it again?"
"It's a little late for that, Doyle." Angel said.
"There's always time for redemption. Isn't that your whole thing?"
"You had your chance. I guess some people, they just never change." Angel started to backhand Lindsey, but Lindsey caught his hand mid-thrust and punched Angel in the ribs before throwing him hard across the room. Angel rolled across the floor into the opposite wall.
"I did." Lindsey walked toward Angel. "You just gonna lay there and bleed?"
"Buffy, Cordy, get out of here."
"No." Lindsey pointed to the door behind Buffy and Cordelia, causing it to close behind them. "Hang out. This won't take long." He pulled a pocketknife out of his back pocket.
Buffy walked up to Lindsey. "Thank God I never met you, because I treat all the bad guys like you the same."
"And how's that?"
"Like they have a lot of strength." Buffy backhanded Lindsey, sending him flying away from Angel. "But not as much as me." She smiled brightly at him. "And it's my pleasure to kick your ass."
"Angel!" Cordy threw her sword to Angel and he got up, going to back Buffy up.
Lindsey looked at Buffy and Angel's swords and then down at his pocket knife. "Oh. Well, it's not the size that matters." He transformed the pocketknife into a hefty sword. "It's how you use it."
"Shut it down." Angel said.
"Say please."
"I wasn't talking to you."
"Oh, right. On it." Cordy ran toward the stairs to the control panel.
Buffy and Angel started to circle Lindsey. Angel stared at Lindsey darkly. "So go and get yourself a little mojo? Should never have come back, Lindsey."
"What can I say? I missed you." Lindsey said.
Angel swung first, and he and Lindsey engaged in sword fighting while Cordelia examined the control panel. Lindsey pinned Angel against the wall during their sword fight, but Buffy grabbed Lindsey's hair and pulled him away harshly. "Guys with long hair.. Not always a turn on for me." She punched Lindsey in the face with her sword and sent him reeling back. Angel grabbed Lindsey from behind, but Lindsey punched Angel then backflipped high into the air, landing on his feet on top of the holding tank.
"Little something I picked up in Nepal." Lindsey said. "You like it?"
"They sell that crap at the airport." Angel said. He and Buffy leapt into the air nearly effortlessly, landing on the holding tank. Angel and Lindsey resumed their sword fighting. Buffy understood that this was more Angel's fight, so she stayed out of it as much as she would allow herself. Lindsey kicked Angel in the knee, causing Angel to scream in pain and recoil.
"You know, all my carefully laid out plans, my designs, when you get right down to it, that was pretty sweet, too, huh? Reason enough for me to come back. You, me.. fight to the death.. yours."
"I've seen your tough act before, squirt. First time we ever met, you put on a show. Huffing and puffing, telling me I couldn't lay a hand on your scumbag client."
"So you kicked him out a window."
"Good times."
"It was a defining moment." The vents around the holding tank let out steam as the tank started rumbling under their feet. "Kind of like this one."
Angel and Lindsey continued their fight on top of the holding tank where some monster was ready to come out if Cordelia couldn't use the control panel to stop it. Angel punched Lindsey in the face. When Lindsey stood up, his shirt was hanging open, unbuttoned, and Angel noticed Lindsey's tattoos. "That must have stung."
"Worse then when you cut off my hand."
The sword fighting continued, but Lindsey took Angel's sword. Angel kicked Lindsey's sword into the air and leapt onto the balcony to catch it. Lindsey leapt onto the balcony with the samurai sword to continue the fight. Angel kicked Lindsey in the chest, knocking him back a couple of feet. Lindsey lunged toward Angel, stabbing him through the heart with the sword.
"ANGEL!" Buffy screamed. Lindsey kicked Angel off the balcony, across the room. Angel landed on top on the holding tank. Buffy went to him and held onto him.
Lindsey leapt down to stand over him. "Who is this? Who is this? I came to fight the vampire with a soul. Guess you shouldn't have sold it, huh? Look at you, from champion to pathetic corporate puppet in just a few months. You used to have fire in your heart. Now all you got in there is that big honkin' sword. How's that feel, champ?"
"Could be worse.." Angel pulled the sword out of his chest and handed it to Buffy.
She smiled. "If it had been made out of wood, you dumbass." Buffy and Lindsey engaged in hand-to-hand combat now, fighting with punches, head- butts, and kicks, Buffy on the upper hand.
Cordelia pressed buttons on the control panel until a tube emerged. The covering iris widened to reveal the crystal inside, and when Cordelia took the crystal out, the system made a 'powering down' noise.
Cordelia grinned widely at Lindsey. The tank sank back into its underground holding spot, keeping the animal inside it contained for now. Lindsey's power seemed to have faded now as well, since he was only able to throw weak punches at Buffy, and Buffy didn't even feel the need to fight back. "I think I'll hand you back to Angel." She threw Lindsey at Angel's feet.
"All those tattoos, all those new tricks you've learned.." Angel punched Lindsey in the stomach, knocking him to the ground. "Just don't matter." Lindsey tried to stand. "Doesn't matter what you try." Angel punched Lindsey down. "Doesn't matter where I am or how badass you think you've become." Lindsey got to his knees, but Angel punched him in the face again. "Cause you know what?" He grabbed Lindsey by the neck, holding him face-to- face. "I'm Angel." He threw Lindsey across the room. Lindsey landed against the wall. "My wife and I beat the bad guys."
"You ok?" Buffy asked Angel as Cordy ran over.
"I've been worse."
Lindsey staggered to his feet. "So what now, huh? Think you got it in you to kill me?"
"Sweetie, your epidermis is showing." Cordy said.
Lindsey looked at his tattoos. They floated up off of his skin and vanished into thin air, leaving him unmarked and thus unprotected. "Damn!" There was a flashing light and a whirlwind appeared above them.
"I think the senior partners would like a word." Buffy said.
Lindsey looked up to see a portal was forming in the air above him. "You don't think they're angry, do you?" He was sucked up into the portal.
***
A pouting Eve walked onto the elevator with the whole gang standing behind her to make sure she leaves. "It's really been a pleasure. Let's never keep in touch." Cordy said.
"It's a new game, Eve. If I were you, I'd start thinking strategy." Angel said.
"And here I am thinking revenge." Eve retorted.
"And what do you imagine the senior partners are thinking?" The doors closed.
"Well, I'm thinking seabreeze, compadres. I gave up a lot of blood for this gig." Lorne said.
"And I didn't get any. I kept begging Eve to run, but.." Harmony shook her head.
"Well, I've been prancing around thinking I had a destiny. Love to drown my embarrassment in a few pints." Spike said. Buffy smiled at him and shook her head.
"We should all go get a drink. We haven't done that in.. ever." Fred said.
"I'm in. Cat and Fiddle?" Gunn asked.
"Will they let me in?" Dawn asked.
"Applebees it is!"
"Yeah." Wesley said. "Unless, of course, you two are busy packing." He said to Buffy and Angel.
"A drink sounds good. I'll go get our coats." Angel said.
"I'll come with." Buffy said. She and Angel headed to the office.
"You ok? You're walking a little stiff."
"I'll be ok. I've been out of the game for way too long."
"You're still the original and the best."
Buffy smiled. Cordelia walked in. "So.. You guys feel good?"
"I do." Angel said. "I just.. I kind of feel bad about it."
"My God, you are a piece of work."
"I just don't feel like I deserve.. I mean, all I did was beat up a tiny Texan. It's not like I helped anyone."
"Sure you did."
"Who?"
"Boy, I really do fall for the dumb ones." Buffy said with a smile.
"You know how you're always trying to save, oh, every single person in the world?" Cordy asked. "Did it ever occur to you, you were one of them?"
"No, it never did." Angel said.
"Well, you made the list, gorgeous." Buffy said.
"And you both needed some help." Cordy added.
"And you were the one that helped us."
"I did my part."
"Lindsey wasted a lot of energy trying to make me doubt myself." Angel said. "I know it's not even close to over, but I do feel like I can do this. Wolfram & Hart, whatever's coming, I feel like we can beat it."
"I know."
"You do?"
"I always did. I.. I just needed you to know it, too."
"So all that stuff about the deals with the devil.."
"Was God's honest truth. But you're both bigger than that. You'll win this in the end. I, uh.. just wish I could be there to see it."
"What do you mean? You're not.." Buffy asked.
"I can't stay. This isn't me anymore. You can say good-bye to the gang for me, explain everything once you guys understand."
"That's gonna be never."
"Don't make it hard. I'm just on a different road.. and this is my off- ramp. The Powers That Be owed me one, and I didn't waste it. I got my friends back on track."
"Cordy.."
"We take what we can get, and we do our best with it. I'll be seeing you guys." Cordy hugged Buffy tightly. She went to hug Angel just as the telephone rang.
"We don't need to get that." Buffy said.
"That you have to get." Cordy hugged Angel and gently pushed him towards Buffy. "Oh.. and you're welcome."
Angel looked at Buffy as she picked up the phone. "Hello. Yes, I know. She's.. but that's impossible. She's standing right.." Buffy turned to look for Cordelia, but she wasn't there. Buffy became visibly upset. "I'm sorry. Yeah. When did she die? Did she, um.. she never did wake up? I see." Buffy hung up covered her mouth as she began to sob.
Angel touched her shoulder and she turned, burying her face in his chest. He tenderly stroked her hair as he began to cry with his wife. He looked at where Cordy had been standing. "Thank you." He kissed Buffy's hair and hugged her tightly.