Chapter 41
Angel was standing at Harmony's desk reviewing a contract. "Strike these 4 clauses and wire it back to them. See what they make of that." He said.
"Yeah! See what they make of that." Harmony said.
Buffy walked up to Angel with Spike, Wesley, Lorne, and Gunn directly behind her. "Angel...."
"Long dinner?" He asked.
"We need to talk to you. Now." She grabbed his arm harshly and yanked him towards their office.
As soon as they were in and Spike shut the door, Angel looked at their grim faces and then back at Buffy. "Ok, what's on your minds?"
"The question is what's on yours?" Buffy had on her 'no-bull-shit' face and Angel knew she was pissed off. "Our friend Drogyn's in town."
"Is he?"
"Yeah." Spike said. "A bit marked up, though. Somebody tried to have him killed. Know anything about that?"
"Of course not. Where is he?"
"He's safe." Gunn said.
"Good. Now, can we get back to business, or was there something else?"
"'Business'? What business are we in, Angel?" Wesley asked.
"Do I really have to explain this to you people? We're in the business of business. Oil, software, worldwide wickets. The product doesn't matter. It's the game that matters. Get to the top, be the best, have the most, win."
"Win what?" Buffy asked.
"You're still missin' the point."
"That Angel talking?" Gunn asked. "Cause it sounds a lot more like Angelus."
"No." Buffy said, looking Angel directly in his suddenly cold eyes. "It's Angel in there."
"Oh, if I were Angelus, half of you would already be dead, just for the fun of it." Angel said.
Buffy cocked her head and crossed her arms. "One of us already is. We havin' fun yet?"
"You want to know the truth? The truth is there's only one of us who ever understood how things really work. Lorne."
"Whoa." Lorne said. "Hey, hey, hey. Can I not be the poster child for your nervous breakdown here?"
"You didn't judge. You didn't spend your life obsessed with good and evil. You do that, you get swallowed, lost in the minutia. Good, bad, Angel, Angelus.... None of it makes a difference. I wish it did, but, you know, an ant with the best intentions or the most diabolical schemes is just exactly an ant. There is one thing in this business, in this apocalypse that we call a world that matters: Power. Power tips the scale, power sets the course, and until I have real power, global power, I have nothing. I accomplish nothing."
"And how you get this power...." Wesley said.
"Isn't pretty. Isn't fun. You think it's Wolfram & Hart getting to me here, and maybe you're right, because they've shown us what power is. From day one, they've been calling the shots, and all we've done is get shot at. I have a chance to change that."
"And will you?" Lorne asked. "I mean, not to play an old saw, but power does traditionally corrupt. You get high up enough, and, well, the people, they do start to look like ants."
"I can't worry about that.... the small stuff."
Harmony walked in. "Angel, that important phone call from.... That guy about that thing, it's on line 3."
"We're done here. I have to take this." The others started to file out, but Buffy stayed. Angel put his hand on her shoulder. "That means you too, Buffy."
She raised an eyebrow. "I really should've stayed in Italy." Buffy slapped his hand away and followed the others out.
Wesley met her at the door and turned to look at Angel. "The small stuff that you can't worry about, would that include Fred?"
"I loved Fred." Angel said.
"That's not an answer."
"Then I guess you don't get one." Angel slammed the door.
Wesley looked down at Buffy. "Buffy...."
"I'm just glad Dawn's not here to see this." Buffy said. "She'd be heartbroken."
"It was nice of you to let her go to a friend's house for a few days."
"She had some time off. Why not?"
"I bet you're regretting your decision to come back here."
"Every passing minute, the urge to get the jet fueled is increasing."
Wesley opened the door to the interrogation room and allowed Buffy to pass. "There's got to be something behind all this. A reason. It could be a ploy."
Lorne looked over at them. "What would you like me to say? Tell you that Angel loved Fred, and that in an eon of eons, he would never harm her in any way? I wish I could, Wes, but if he believes what he's saying, and I believe he does...."
"It doesn't make any sense." Buffy said. "Angel never cared about power."
"Well, he's never had any to care about, has he? Not real power, even as Angelus, and then just like that, he's king of the mountain. It's quite a view from up there. Tends to make people want things. Even if they start with the best intentions, Angel's seen real power, and he's not looking away. He's gonna go for it."
Gunn and Spike threw the door open, bringing in a man in shackles. It was Lindsey. "You guys look like you could use a hug." He said.
Dawn walked out of the art school that she had been taking night courses at and into the fresh night air. Buffy had allowed her to stay at a friend's house for a few days and Dawn was grateful. Things had been way tense around that place and she just wanted a major break from it all.
"Dawn."
She turned to find Angel standing there. "Angel.... Where's Buffy?"
"She's.... Busy."
"Is everything ok?"
"Can we sit down?"
"Sure." Dawn walked over to a bench and pulled off her bag, laying it on the ground. Angel handed her an evelope. "Plane tickets? I don't believe it. We're getting away? I thought you guys didn't have time to.... There's only one?"
"I need you to be out of here. It's not safe here."
"Is it ever? Come on, Angel, I want to be with you and Buffy if there's trouble."
"Dawn, not this time." He touched her cheek. "I love you because you are my little sister. Every time I look at you, I see Kathy."
"Your real sister." Dawn sighed. "Please, Angel. The lines may work on Buffy, but I see right through you. Something's going down and I want to be here."
"No. You're going and I'm not asking."
Dawn sighed. "Does Buffy know?"
"Not yet. I packed your things myself and had them sent to Faith's place. She knows you're coming and she'll be at the airstrip when you arrive."
"I'll go." Dawn hugged Angel tightly. "But please, promise me that you AND Buffy will come for me when this is over."
"I promise."
Lindsey was sitting at the table surrounded by Buffy, Spike, Gunn, Lorne, and Wesley. "So what are you gonna do? You gonna beat it out of me?"
Buffy shrugged. "If you say so."
"We all know how this goes. " Gunn said. "Buffy beats you to a bloody pulp, you beg for mercy, and we get what we came for."
"Who needs all that rigmarole?" Lorne asked.
"I told you, I don't know why Buffy and Angel gave up that kid. Or anything else. Me and him, not too close. Why haven't you asked the Slayer here? I gotta get back to my game of Solitaire."
"Because it's not about Connor. This is about Angel." Buffy said. Wesley handed her his drawing and Buffy showed it to Lindsey.
"Where'd you get that?" He asked.
"It doesn't matter. What does it mean?"
"Is that what all this is about? All these questions about Angel. No. No way. No way they'd take Angel."
"Who's they?"
"The Circle of the Black Thorn."
"Sounds like a little sewing club for pirates." Lorne said.
"It's a secret society."
"Never heard of them." Gunn said.
"That's 'cause they're secret."
"There's plenty of these cabals about." Spike said. "They usually spend a lot of time in basements paddling one another's bums to prove their manhood."
"These are not frat boys, Spike. The circle's small. It's elite. They got connections you boys and girl can't even comprehend."
"They're evil." Wesley said.
"Sure. But evil's not the point. Power is."
"Power." Buffy said. "Ok, we get it. They're bad ass. What do they do?"
"Jeez. Are you guys always this slow? Huh? Starts with an 'a', ends in 'pocalypse.' It's a well-oiled machine, this circle. These people grease the wheels, keep the parts in place. Make sure man's inhumanity to man keeps rolling along."
"We thought the senior partners were responsible for the apocalypse."
"The senior partners are on a different plane. Down here.... it's the players in the circle that make things happen. Hell, you get tapped by one of them, it's kind of like getting the keys to the chocolate factory."
"That's why you came back to L.A., tried to kill Angel. To get into the circle."
"To be a Black Thorn is to be the senior partners' instrument on Earth. Doesn't get bigger than that."
"Looks like Angel succeeded where you failed." Gunn said.
"He doesn't have it in him."
"Doesn't have what in him?" Buffy asked.
"Well, for starters, he's gotta give up the champion angle. Quit saving girls in alleys. Probably wouldn't even make it on the circle's radar until he killed one of his lieutenants."
"The senior partners, the Circle, they're killing Angel by degrees." Lorne said.
"And we all watched it happen." Wesley said.
"The man I knew wouldn't want this. Wouldn't wanna be this." Buffy said, shaking her head furiously. "Angel's dedicated his life to helping others. It was never because he had to, but because it was a path he'd chosen. A path that started with me and it's gonna start there again. If he's been influenced from that, then maybe there's still time. I can bring him back. He'd do the same for any of us, no matter what."
"And what if he's skipped too far down that evil brick road?" Lorne asked.
Buffy looked a little uncertain. "I'll find a way to bring him back. God damn it, that's my husband out there and those Black Thorns in my side assholes are trying to take him away from me. No way, no how. I'm getting Angel back even if it kills me in the process." The Slayer hauled Lindsey to his feet and shoved him harshly against the wall. "Where do they meet?"
"I don't know. It's secret, remember?" Lindsey said.
Buffy slammed him again. "Don't hand me that. You know more about these guys than anybody else. Tell me where they meet."
Taking a deep breath, Buffy glanced at herself in the mirror one last time. She was in a very evil-Buffy looking outfit made of nothing but black leather and see-through material. The top was a tight corset that showed off her.... Assests and showed off her toned stomach. The sleeves of the thing were black lace that clung to her and came to a point that had a loop that was slipped over her middle finger. The black leather pants were hip hugging and almost dipped too low. She wore black lace up boots and her hair was down over her shoulders. She was glad she had decided to dye it to a darker color. It made her look more sinister.
"Would you go already?" Gunn asked.
"Sorry. I'm a little.... Nevermind." Buffy hopped out of the car and looked at Gunn as he headed back to the SUV behind them. "I'll meet you back at the office."
"Good luck. Be safe."
Buffy turned and looked at the seemingly abandoned warehouse. Time to put her skills to the test. She pushed all nervousness aside and strolled in through the door. Apparently, the guard recognized her and tried to stop her. He was unconscious before he could make a sound. Buffy pulled back the curtain and walked into a vast room where demons and humans alike milled about. Angel stood at the far end sipping champagne. All eyes were on her except Angel. He was talking to Izzy, the devil-looking demon from the office that Angel played squash or racket-ball or whatever with.
The Slayer strolled right up to her husband. "Sorry I'm late." He turned to her, surprised. "What? You didn't forget that you invited me to this little get together?"
"Uh.... No." Angel said. "Izzy, you remember...."
"You're wife." Izzy finished. "How could I forget? You look absolutely ravishing."
"Well, once you give me the chance to get out of those suits.... What can I say? I'm a tiger."
"You certainly are."
Buffy touched his arm suggestively, cringing on the inside and then dismissed him by turning her back on him. "So how'd everything go, baby?"
Angel pulled her to the side. "Are you crazy?" He hissed.
"Apparently you are." She hissed back.
"Are you trying to get yourself killed?"
Buffy noticed Sebassis walking up to them. "Archduke Sebasis! It's been too long."
"Kudos, child. I must say, it's gratifying to see you've both returned to form, Angelus."
"It's still Angel." Angel said.
"Ah. Well, what's in a name, eh? In the spirit of our new alliance, you must allow me to throw a dinner party in your honor."
"You know how I love parties."
The Senator from earlier walked up and Angel wrapped his arm tightly around Buffy's waist. "It's nice to see you again so soon, Angel.... Buffy."
"Senator. I had no idea you were so well.... connected." Buffy said.
"Well, I'm not gonna take the White House in 2008 on just my sparkling wit and funding from hostile governments."
"I expect not."
Izzy came back up. "Excuse us, Helen. Buffy, Angel, I've got someone here who'd like to pay his respects."
"Vail." Angel said.
"You've been looking for me." Vail said.
"Actually, I've been looking like I'm looking for you. Appearances, you know."
"See, Cyvus?" Izzy said. "I told you it was all good. Now why don't you two shake hands? Come on."
"No hard feelings then?" Vail asked.
"Ultimately, everything worked out for the best." Angel said.
"Oh. Your son, he kills quite well."
"Thanks."
"Got a great turnout for your initiation." Izzy said.
"Really?"
"Oh, yeah. Everybody's here. Here, let me freshen that up and get your beautiful wife something."
Angel stepped off the elevator a step behind Buffy. "Initiation? What the hell is going on here Angel?" Buffy asked.
"You wouldn't understand."
"Oh, I understand perfectly well that everyone of those people in that room were worthy of Angelus' time, but not yours." She stopped and looked at him. "Am I loosing you to them, Angel? Are they more important to you than me and Dawn.... Your family?"
"Would you stop whining?" Angel backed her into the office. "I'm so sick of hearing it! Why don't you just go back to Italy and...."
The door shut behind him, revealing Gunn. Spike caught Angel off-guard and punched him in the face, sending him to the ground. Wesley and Lorne walked out of the conference room. They were surrounding Angel now, each armed: Gunn with a sword, Spike with his fists, Wesley with a shotgun, and Lorne with a crossbow.
Buffy put her hands on her hips and stared at Angel as she kneeled in front of him. " You might wanna stay down, baby. They have orders to kill you."
"Orders from who?" Angel asked.
"From me."
"You don't wanna get yourselves hurt."
"We know what you've been doing." Gunn said.
"Obviously." Angel looked at Buffy. "How'd you find out where?"
"That's for me to know and you to never find out." Buffy shook her head. "Giving up the baby to the Fell Brethren, working for Senator Bitch, trying to take out Drogyn to cover up what you did to Fred. And for what? To get in bed with the Circle of the Black Thorn?"
"So you figured it out."
"Yeah, a little singing from a jailbird we know.... and loathe." Lorne said.
"Lindsey? And you believed him."
"Doesn't have a reason to lie." Spike said, taking his place next to Buffy.
"Doesn't need one."
"Unlike you?" Buffy asked.
"What I do here is my business. You don't like how I conduct it, you can leave.... before I kill you."
"You can try."
"Kill us?" Wesley asked. "Hard to believe we're having trouble trusting you."
"Just telling it like it is." Angel said.
"Then we have a problem."
"I guess we do." Angel grabbed the shotgun barrel and pushed it away from him while kicking Wesley to the ground. Spike charged Angel, but Angel punched him first. Gunn raised his sword, but Angel blocked his swing and hit him in the head with the barrel of the shotgun. Lorne pointed his crossbow at Angel and fired a shot, hitting Angel in the shoulder. Angel dropped the shotgun. Wesley pulled a pistol out of his belt, but Angel kicked it out of his hand before he could fire it. Buffy moved in and she and Angel engaged in a fight that would probably kill them both. She pulled out Mr. Pointy and Angel laughed. "You can't do it. You know it's still me in here."
"I've killed you before."
Angel grabbed Lorne around the neck and held him as a hostage. "Are we done?"
"Let him go."
"No more orders. Lorne, pull this thing out of me." Lorne reached for the arrow sticking out of Angel's shoulder. "Easy. Not in a great mood." Lorne pulled out the arrow. "Good. Now, let's finish this." Angel pulled a crystal out of his pocket and held it out in front of him. "Involvere." The crystal glowed and sent a force throughout the entire room. Angel let go of Lorne. "All right, we have 6 minutes."
"Till what?" Spike asked.
"The glamour collapses. As far as anyone outside this room is concerned, we're still at each other's throats."
"Aren't we?" Wesley asked. Once again, they were crowding near Buffy in protective stances. Angel felt awful that he had put them in that position.
"Look, we don't have a lot of time here, so I'm gonna have to make this short. Everything you think you know, everything you've heard, is a lie."
"Why should we believe you?" Gunn asked.
"Because I'm the one who told it. Read any good books lately?"
"You sent us the message?" Wesley asked.
"And the assassin to kill Drogyn."
"So that part was true." Buffy said.
"I knew Drogyn could handle himself. I told the assassin just enough to lead Drogyn to think I played a part in resurrecting Illyria. I figured he'd come here looking for allies against me."
"Why would you want us to believe you killed Fred?" Buffy asked.
"Because they needed to believe it."
"The Black Thorn."
"They needed to believe my own people didn't trust me anymore. They needed to believe a person as good and as pure as Drogyn considered me an enemy. It was the only way to gain their confidence."
"Oh, so this whole evil Angel thing has been a big scamola. Hmm. I smell Oscar." Lorne said.
"When did this all start?" Buffy asked.
"2 months ago. With a kiss." Angel said.
"Is that what that was? When Cordelia casually kissed you? She gave you her visions?"
"One-shot deal. She put me on the path, showed me where the real powers are. But I couldn't see who they were. Then, when Fred died, I wasn't gonna let that be another random horrible event in another random horrible world. So I decided to use it, to make her death matter. And it worked. I'm in. I've seen the faces of evil. I know who the real powers in the apocalypse are."
"So, all that power tilts the scales crap....?" Gunn started.
"It's true. We're in a machine. That machine's gonna be here long after our bodies are dust. But the senior partners will always exist in one form or another because mankind is weak."
"Uh, do you want me to point my crossbow at him, 'cause I think he's gonna start talking about ants again." Lorne asked Buffy. She held up her hand and allowed Angel to continue.
He looked at her gratefully. "We are weak. The powerful control everything.... except our will to choose. Look, Lindsey's a pathetic halfwit, but he was right about one thing. Heroes don't accept the way the world is. The senior partners may be eternal, but we can make their existence painful."
"You wanna take them on." Buffy said.
"We're in a machine. The Black Thorn runs it. We can bring their gears to a grinding halt, even if it's just for a moment."
"About time we got our hands dirty." Spike said.
"This isn't a keep-fightin'- the-good-fight kind of deal. Let's be clear. I'm talking about killing every.... single.... member.... of the Black Thorn. We don't walk away from that."
"Do we crawl away, at least?" Lorne asked.
"We do this, the senior partners will rain their full wrath. They'll make an example of us. I'm talking full-on hell, not the basic fire-and- brimstone kind we're used to."
"We know the drill." Gunn said.
"No, you don't. 10-to-1, we're gone when the smoke clears. They will do everything in their power to destroy us. So.... I need you to be sure. Power endures. We can't bring down the senior partners, but for one bright, shining moment, we can show them that they don't own us. You need to decide for yourselves if that's worth dying for. I can't order you to do this. I can't do it without you. So we'll vote. As a team. Think about what I'm asking you to do, think about what I'm asking you to give."
"Kill 'em all.... burn the house down while we're still in it." Spike said.
"Something like that."
"Huh."
Buffy stepped forward and grasped Angel's hand tightly. He noticed it was shaking slightly. "You know where you go, I go. Till death do us part and then some, right?"
Spike raised his hand. "I'm in."
"I'm in." Wesley said.
Slowly, Gunn and finally Lorne raised their hands.
Angel was standing at Harmony's desk reviewing a contract. "Strike these 4 clauses and wire it back to them. See what they make of that." He said.
"Yeah! See what they make of that." Harmony said.
Buffy walked up to Angel with Spike, Wesley, Lorne, and Gunn directly behind her. "Angel...."
"Long dinner?" He asked.
"We need to talk to you. Now." She grabbed his arm harshly and yanked him towards their office.
As soon as they were in and Spike shut the door, Angel looked at their grim faces and then back at Buffy. "Ok, what's on your minds?"
"The question is what's on yours?" Buffy had on her 'no-bull-shit' face and Angel knew she was pissed off. "Our friend Drogyn's in town."
"Is he?"
"Yeah." Spike said. "A bit marked up, though. Somebody tried to have him killed. Know anything about that?"
"Of course not. Where is he?"
"He's safe." Gunn said.
"Good. Now, can we get back to business, or was there something else?"
"'Business'? What business are we in, Angel?" Wesley asked.
"Do I really have to explain this to you people? We're in the business of business. Oil, software, worldwide wickets. The product doesn't matter. It's the game that matters. Get to the top, be the best, have the most, win."
"Win what?" Buffy asked.
"You're still missin' the point."
"That Angel talking?" Gunn asked. "Cause it sounds a lot more like Angelus."
"No." Buffy said, looking Angel directly in his suddenly cold eyes. "It's Angel in there."
"Oh, if I were Angelus, half of you would already be dead, just for the fun of it." Angel said.
Buffy cocked her head and crossed her arms. "One of us already is. We havin' fun yet?"
"You want to know the truth? The truth is there's only one of us who ever understood how things really work. Lorne."
"Whoa." Lorne said. "Hey, hey, hey. Can I not be the poster child for your nervous breakdown here?"
"You didn't judge. You didn't spend your life obsessed with good and evil. You do that, you get swallowed, lost in the minutia. Good, bad, Angel, Angelus.... None of it makes a difference. I wish it did, but, you know, an ant with the best intentions or the most diabolical schemes is just exactly an ant. There is one thing in this business, in this apocalypse that we call a world that matters: Power. Power tips the scale, power sets the course, and until I have real power, global power, I have nothing. I accomplish nothing."
"And how you get this power...." Wesley said.
"Isn't pretty. Isn't fun. You think it's Wolfram & Hart getting to me here, and maybe you're right, because they've shown us what power is. From day one, they've been calling the shots, and all we've done is get shot at. I have a chance to change that."
"And will you?" Lorne asked. "I mean, not to play an old saw, but power does traditionally corrupt. You get high up enough, and, well, the people, they do start to look like ants."
"I can't worry about that.... the small stuff."
Harmony walked in. "Angel, that important phone call from.... That guy about that thing, it's on line 3."
"We're done here. I have to take this." The others started to file out, but Buffy stayed. Angel put his hand on her shoulder. "That means you too, Buffy."
She raised an eyebrow. "I really should've stayed in Italy." Buffy slapped his hand away and followed the others out.
Wesley met her at the door and turned to look at Angel. "The small stuff that you can't worry about, would that include Fred?"
"I loved Fred." Angel said.
"That's not an answer."
"Then I guess you don't get one." Angel slammed the door.
Wesley looked down at Buffy. "Buffy...."
"I'm just glad Dawn's not here to see this." Buffy said. "She'd be heartbroken."
"It was nice of you to let her go to a friend's house for a few days."
"She had some time off. Why not?"
"I bet you're regretting your decision to come back here."
"Every passing minute, the urge to get the jet fueled is increasing."
Wesley opened the door to the interrogation room and allowed Buffy to pass. "There's got to be something behind all this. A reason. It could be a ploy."
Lorne looked over at them. "What would you like me to say? Tell you that Angel loved Fred, and that in an eon of eons, he would never harm her in any way? I wish I could, Wes, but if he believes what he's saying, and I believe he does...."
"It doesn't make any sense." Buffy said. "Angel never cared about power."
"Well, he's never had any to care about, has he? Not real power, even as Angelus, and then just like that, he's king of the mountain. It's quite a view from up there. Tends to make people want things. Even if they start with the best intentions, Angel's seen real power, and he's not looking away. He's gonna go for it."
Gunn and Spike threw the door open, bringing in a man in shackles. It was Lindsey. "You guys look like you could use a hug." He said.
Dawn walked out of the art school that she had been taking night courses at and into the fresh night air. Buffy had allowed her to stay at a friend's house for a few days and Dawn was grateful. Things had been way tense around that place and she just wanted a major break from it all.
"Dawn."
She turned to find Angel standing there. "Angel.... Where's Buffy?"
"She's.... Busy."
"Is everything ok?"
"Can we sit down?"
"Sure." Dawn walked over to a bench and pulled off her bag, laying it on the ground. Angel handed her an evelope. "Plane tickets? I don't believe it. We're getting away? I thought you guys didn't have time to.... There's only one?"
"I need you to be out of here. It's not safe here."
"Is it ever? Come on, Angel, I want to be with you and Buffy if there's trouble."
"Dawn, not this time." He touched her cheek. "I love you because you are my little sister. Every time I look at you, I see Kathy."
"Your real sister." Dawn sighed. "Please, Angel. The lines may work on Buffy, but I see right through you. Something's going down and I want to be here."
"No. You're going and I'm not asking."
Dawn sighed. "Does Buffy know?"
"Not yet. I packed your things myself and had them sent to Faith's place. She knows you're coming and she'll be at the airstrip when you arrive."
"I'll go." Dawn hugged Angel tightly. "But please, promise me that you AND Buffy will come for me when this is over."
"I promise."
Lindsey was sitting at the table surrounded by Buffy, Spike, Gunn, Lorne, and Wesley. "So what are you gonna do? You gonna beat it out of me?"
Buffy shrugged. "If you say so."
"We all know how this goes. " Gunn said. "Buffy beats you to a bloody pulp, you beg for mercy, and we get what we came for."
"Who needs all that rigmarole?" Lorne asked.
"I told you, I don't know why Buffy and Angel gave up that kid. Or anything else. Me and him, not too close. Why haven't you asked the Slayer here? I gotta get back to my game of Solitaire."
"Because it's not about Connor. This is about Angel." Buffy said. Wesley handed her his drawing and Buffy showed it to Lindsey.
"Where'd you get that?" He asked.
"It doesn't matter. What does it mean?"
"Is that what all this is about? All these questions about Angel. No. No way. No way they'd take Angel."
"Who's they?"
"The Circle of the Black Thorn."
"Sounds like a little sewing club for pirates." Lorne said.
"It's a secret society."
"Never heard of them." Gunn said.
"That's 'cause they're secret."
"There's plenty of these cabals about." Spike said. "They usually spend a lot of time in basements paddling one another's bums to prove their manhood."
"These are not frat boys, Spike. The circle's small. It's elite. They got connections you boys and girl can't even comprehend."
"They're evil." Wesley said.
"Sure. But evil's not the point. Power is."
"Power." Buffy said. "Ok, we get it. They're bad ass. What do they do?"
"Jeez. Are you guys always this slow? Huh? Starts with an 'a', ends in 'pocalypse.' It's a well-oiled machine, this circle. These people grease the wheels, keep the parts in place. Make sure man's inhumanity to man keeps rolling along."
"We thought the senior partners were responsible for the apocalypse."
"The senior partners are on a different plane. Down here.... it's the players in the circle that make things happen. Hell, you get tapped by one of them, it's kind of like getting the keys to the chocolate factory."
"That's why you came back to L.A., tried to kill Angel. To get into the circle."
"To be a Black Thorn is to be the senior partners' instrument on Earth. Doesn't get bigger than that."
"Looks like Angel succeeded where you failed." Gunn said.
"He doesn't have it in him."
"Doesn't have what in him?" Buffy asked.
"Well, for starters, he's gotta give up the champion angle. Quit saving girls in alleys. Probably wouldn't even make it on the circle's radar until he killed one of his lieutenants."
"The senior partners, the Circle, they're killing Angel by degrees." Lorne said.
"And we all watched it happen." Wesley said.
"The man I knew wouldn't want this. Wouldn't wanna be this." Buffy said, shaking her head furiously. "Angel's dedicated his life to helping others. It was never because he had to, but because it was a path he'd chosen. A path that started with me and it's gonna start there again. If he's been influenced from that, then maybe there's still time. I can bring him back. He'd do the same for any of us, no matter what."
"And what if he's skipped too far down that evil brick road?" Lorne asked.
Buffy looked a little uncertain. "I'll find a way to bring him back. God damn it, that's my husband out there and those Black Thorns in my side assholes are trying to take him away from me. No way, no how. I'm getting Angel back even if it kills me in the process." The Slayer hauled Lindsey to his feet and shoved him harshly against the wall. "Where do they meet?"
"I don't know. It's secret, remember?" Lindsey said.
Buffy slammed him again. "Don't hand me that. You know more about these guys than anybody else. Tell me where they meet."
Taking a deep breath, Buffy glanced at herself in the mirror one last time. She was in a very evil-Buffy looking outfit made of nothing but black leather and see-through material. The top was a tight corset that showed off her.... Assests and showed off her toned stomach. The sleeves of the thing were black lace that clung to her and came to a point that had a loop that was slipped over her middle finger. The black leather pants were hip hugging and almost dipped too low. She wore black lace up boots and her hair was down over her shoulders. She was glad she had decided to dye it to a darker color. It made her look more sinister.
"Would you go already?" Gunn asked.
"Sorry. I'm a little.... Nevermind." Buffy hopped out of the car and looked at Gunn as he headed back to the SUV behind them. "I'll meet you back at the office."
"Good luck. Be safe."
Buffy turned and looked at the seemingly abandoned warehouse. Time to put her skills to the test. She pushed all nervousness aside and strolled in through the door. Apparently, the guard recognized her and tried to stop her. He was unconscious before he could make a sound. Buffy pulled back the curtain and walked into a vast room where demons and humans alike milled about. Angel stood at the far end sipping champagne. All eyes were on her except Angel. He was talking to Izzy, the devil-looking demon from the office that Angel played squash or racket-ball or whatever with.
The Slayer strolled right up to her husband. "Sorry I'm late." He turned to her, surprised. "What? You didn't forget that you invited me to this little get together?"
"Uh.... No." Angel said. "Izzy, you remember...."
"You're wife." Izzy finished. "How could I forget? You look absolutely ravishing."
"Well, once you give me the chance to get out of those suits.... What can I say? I'm a tiger."
"You certainly are."
Buffy touched his arm suggestively, cringing on the inside and then dismissed him by turning her back on him. "So how'd everything go, baby?"
Angel pulled her to the side. "Are you crazy?" He hissed.
"Apparently you are." She hissed back.
"Are you trying to get yourself killed?"
Buffy noticed Sebassis walking up to them. "Archduke Sebasis! It's been too long."
"Kudos, child. I must say, it's gratifying to see you've both returned to form, Angelus."
"It's still Angel." Angel said.
"Ah. Well, what's in a name, eh? In the spirit of our new alliance, you must allow me to throw a dinner party in your honor."
"You know how I love parties."
The Senator from earlier walked up and Angel wrapped his arm tightly around Buffy's waist. "It's nice to see you again so soon, Angel.... Buffy."
"Senator. I had no idea you were so well.... connected." Buffy said.
"Well, I'm not gonna take the White House in 2008 on just my sparkling wit and funding from hostile governments."
"I expect not."
Izzy came back up. "Excuse us, Helen. Buffy, Angel, I've got someone here who'd like to pay his respects."
"Vail." Angel said.
"You've been looking for me." Vail said.
"Actually, I've been looking like I'm looking for you. Appearances, you know."
"See, Cyvus?" Izzy said. "I told you it was all good. Now why don't you two shake hands? Come on."
"No hard feelings then?" Vail asked.
"Ultimately, everything worked out for the best." Angel said.
"Oh. Your son, he kills quite well."
"Thanks."
"Got a great turnout for your initiation." Izzy said.
"Really?"
"Oh, yeah. Everybody's here. Here, let me freshen that up and get your beautiful wife something."
Angel stepped off the elevator a step behind Buffy. "Initiation? What the hell is going on here Angel?" Buffy asked.
"You wouldn't understand."
"Oh, I understand perfectly well that everyone of those people in that room were worthy of Angelus' time, but not yours." She stopped and looked at him. "Am I loosing you to them, Angel? Are they more important to you than me and Dawn.... Your family?"
"Would you stop whining?" Angel backed her into the office. "I'm so sick of hearing it! Why don't you just go back to Italy and...."
The door shut behind him, revealing Gunn. Spike caught Angel off-guard and punched him in the face, sending him to the ground. Wesley and Lorne walked out of the conference room. They were surrounding Angel now, each armed: Gunn with a sword, Spike with his fists, Wesley with a shotgun, and Lorne with a crossbow.
Buffy put her hands on her hips and stared at Angel as she kneeled in front of him. " You might wanna stay down, baby. They have orders to kill you."
"Orders from who?" Angel asked.
"From me."
"You don't wanna get yourselves hurt."
"We know what you've been doing." Gunn said.
"Obviously." Angel looked at Buffy. "How'd you find out where?"
"That's for me to know and you to never find out." Buffy shook her head. "Giving up the baby to the Fell Brethren, working for Senator Bitch, trying to take out Drogyn to cover up what you did to Fred. And for what? To get in bed with the Circle of the Black Thorn?"
"So you figured it out."
"Yeah, a little singing from a jailbird we know.... and loathe." Lorne said.
"Lindsey? And you believed him."
"Doesn't have a reason to lie." Spike said, taking his place next to Buffy.
"Doesn't need one."
"Unlike you?" Buffy asked.
"What I do here is my business. You don't like how I conduct it, you can leave.... before I kill you."
"You can try."
"Kill us?" Wesley asked. "Hard to believe we're having trouble trusting you."
"Just telling it like it is." Angel said.
"Then we have a problem."
"I guess we do." Angel grabbed the shotgun barrel and pushed it away from him while kicking Wesley to the ground. Spike charged Angel, but Angel punched him first. Gunn raised his sword, but Angel blocked his swing and hit him in the head with the barrel of the shotgun. Lorne pointed his crossbow at Angel and fired a shot, hitting Angel in the shoulder. Angel dropped the shotgun. Wesley pulled a pistol out of his belt, but Angel kicked it out of his hand before he could fire it. Buffy moved in and she and Angel engaged in a fight that would probably kill them both. She pulled out Mr. Pointy and Angel laughed. "You can't do it. You know it's still me in here."
"I've killed you before."
Angel grabbed Lorne around the neck and held him as a hostage. "Are we done?"
"Let him go."
"No more orders. Lorne, pull this thing out of me." Lorne reached for the arrow sticking out of Angel's shoulder. "Easy. Not in a great mood." Lorne pulled out the arrow. "Good. Now, let's finish this." Angel pulled a crystal out of his pocket and held it out in front of him. "Involvere." The crystal glowed and sent a force throughout the entire room. Angel let go of Lorne. "All right, we have 6 minutes."
"Till what?" Spike asked.
"The glamour collapses. As far as anyone outside this room is concerned, we're still at each other's throats."
"Aren't we?" Wesley asked. Once again, they were crowding near Buffy in protective stances. Angel felt awful that he had put them in that position.
"Look, we don't have a lot of time here, so I'm gonna have to make this short. Everything you think you know, everything you've heard, is a lie."
"Why should we believe you?" Gunn asked.
"Because I'm the one who told it. Read any good books lately?"
"You sent us the message?" Wesley asked.
"And the assassin to kill Drogyn."
"So that part was true." Buffy said.
"I knew Drogyn could handle himself. I told the assassin just enough to lead Drogyn to think I played a part in resurrecting Illyria. I figured he'd come here looking for allies against me."
"Why would you want us to believe you killed Fred?" Buffy asked.
"Because they needed to believe it."
"The Black Thorn."
"They needed to believe my own people didn't trust me anymore. They needed to believe a person as good and as pure as Drogyn considered me an enemy. It was the only way to gain their confidence."
"Oh, so this whole evil Angel thing has been a big scamola. Hmm. I smell Oscar." Lorne said.
"When did this all start?" Buffy asked.
"2 months ago. With a kiss." Angel said.
"Is that what that was? When Cordelia casually kissed you? She gave you her visions?"
"One-shot deal. She put me on the path, showed me where the real powers are. But I couldn't see who they were. Then, when Fred died, I wasn't gonna let that be another random horrible event in another random horrible world. So I decided to use it, to make her death matter. And it worked. I'm in. I've seen the faces of evil. I know who the real powers in the apocalypse are."
"So, all that power tilts the scales crap....?" Gunn started.
"It's true. We're in a machine. That machine's gonna be here long after our bodies are dust. But the senior partners will always exist in one form or another because mankind is weak."
"Uh, do you want me to point my crossbow at him, 'cause I think he's gonna start talking about ants again." Lorne asked Buffy. She held up her hand and allowed Angel to continue.
He looked at her gratefully. "We are weak. The powerful control everything.... except our will to choose. Look, Lindsey's a pathetic halfwit, but he was right about one thing. Heroes don't accept the way the world is. The senior partners may be eternal, but we can make their existence painful."
"You wanna take them on." Buffy said.
"We're in a machine. The Black Thorn runs it. We can bring their gears to a grinding halt, even if it's just for a moment."
"About time we got our hands dirty." Spike said.
"This isn't a keep-fightin'- the-good-fight kind of deal. Let's be clear. I'm talking about killing every.... single.... member.... of the Black Thorn. We don't walk away from that."
"Do we crawl away, at least?" Lorne asked.
"We do this, the senior partners will rain their full wrath. They'll make an example of us. I'm talking full-on hell, not the basic fire-and- brimstone kind we're used to."
"We know the drill." Gunn said.
"No, you don't. 10-to-1, we're gone when the smoke clears. They will do everything in their power to destroy us. So.... I need you to be sure. Power endures. We can't bring down the senior partners, but for one bright, shining moment, we can show them that they don't own us. You need to decide for yourselves if that's worth dying for. I can't order you to do this. I can't do it without you. So we'll vote. As a team. Think about what I'm asking you to do, think about what I'm asking you to give."
"Kill 'em all.... burn the house down while we're still in it." Spike said.
"Something like that."
"Huh."
Buffy stepped forward and grasped Angel's hand tightly. He noticed it was shaking slightly. "You know where you go, I go. Till death do us part and then some, right?"
Spike raised his hand. "I'm in."
"I'm in." Wesley said.
Slowly, Gunn and finally Lorne raised their hands.