CHAPTER ONE

It had been several days since Cordelia had the awful vision. It was worse than any image she had before. Maybe because this time the event was caused by the stupidity of man and not some demon of evil. And now here she was in the driver's seat of Angel's black convertible driving into the setting sun towards Colorado. Angel was curled in the back with Fred; protecting his skin with an old dusty blanket from the glare of the sun that illuminated the inside of the car.

She listened to the turning of old, musky pages that lay inside the mythical books Wesley brought along. He still hadn't figured out what the symbol meant, and he was more than determined to find out what lay beyond the mystery.

All around them she saw dirt and patches of vegetation as far as the eye could see. She could hardly wait for the sun to set completely so Angel could take over. Her eyes were starting to get heavy and the sight was past boring now.

"Of course." She heard Wesley say and she glanced in his direction with a quizzical look playing on her face.

"Well." Cordelia demanded when Wesley didn't expand on his 'of course'.

"Oh, uh. The symbol. It stands for earth." Wesley answered, not looking up from the book that lay in front of him; balanced on his knees.

"Okay. Paint me confused." Cordelia replied as she quickly looked at the Englishman beside her and back to the road ahead.

"Is the symbol demonic?" They heard the muffled question come from under the blanket.

"Actually, no. I'm not real sure where or what the symbol came from." Wesley answered.

Cordelia pulled the car over to the shoulder, getting confused looks from both Fred and Wesley. She turned to face the backseat and pulled the blanket off Angel.

"Your turn to drive." Cordelia said bluntly as she got out of the car and stretched the stiffness out of her joints.

"But the sun…" She heard Angel complain; causing her to roll her eyes in response even though he couldn't see her face.

"It's down enough. It's not going to burn you." Cordelia interrupted as she stuck her head in the door she left open. "Now get your pale butt over here and drive."

"But…" Angel started to argue.

"Okay, fine. Wes can drive then. Or Fred for that matter!" Cordy exclaimed as she pointed to Fred with her hand; palm up.

"NO!" Angel exclaimed as he sat upright in the seat. "I mean… no. I can drive." Angel rephrased after getting a piercing glare directed at him from Fred's eyes.

Cordelia straightened up and headed to the passenger side, with a smile on her face, where the backseat was being vacated by Angel. She knew threatening his car in the hands of anyone other than himself, or her, was the way to get him to drive. She knew the big black beauty was his baby. She was only surprised to find he hadn't named it. She thought most men who were protective of their cars gave them names. And they were always female. She could never figure that one out.

Her smile grew as she watched the dark clothed vampire slowly climb out of the vehicle only to have her smile returned with a glare. They passed each other without a word being said. She climbed in and was welcomed with a smile from Fred and she returned the smile only to give her reflection in the window a wide eyed look. She liked Fred; really she did. But there were things about that girl that bothered her. And she wasn't sure what it was. Of course, anyone would act the way Fred did if they were trapped for a long period of time in Pylea. And weren't treated like royalty.

She heard and felt the driver side door shut followed by a deep sigh; knowing too well it was directed at her. She just smiled at his reaction as she curled into a ball; using the hard plastic on the door as a pillow and quickly drifted off to sleep.

"Cordy. We're here." Cordelia heard Fred whisper followed by a slight shake on her shoulder. She slowly opened her eyes to find Fred staring at her.

"Uh. Thanks Fred. I'm awake." Cordelia replied as she slowly sat up. "Where's Angel?" She asked when she noticed the driver's seat empty. In response, Fred pointed out the windshield. Cordelia followed Fred's finger with her eyes and saw the souled vampire leaning against the front of his car; his arms crossed as he stared at the gate that lay a ways away from them.

She furrowed her brow as she slowly climbed out of the car. She quietly closed the door behind her and walked up to accompany him; hugging her body as the chill of the air flowed around her warm body.

"Hey. What's going on?" Cordelia asked; curious as to what her friend was contemplating.

"The place is heavily guarded. I'm trying to figure out a way in without setting off the alarm." Angel answered.

Cordelia looked around in thought before turning her attention back at him, "well, if it's guarded, then doesn't that mean you need an invite. I mean this place isn't exactly open to the public. So, I assume you wouldn't be able to get in either without them inviting you."

"I'm sure I can find a way." Angel said without taking his eyes off the base.

"Angel. We're here to help this guy. I don't think they would want our help after you threaten your way in." Cordelia said slowly, knowing exactly what his intention was.

"What makes you think I was going to threaten?" Angel asked, giving Cordelia a hurt look. She answered him by giving him an 'oh please' look.

"Okay. Fine. You're right." Angel turned his attention back to the base.

"It would be helpful if we knew anyone's name on the base." Angel thought out-loud and Cordelia bit her lower lip.

"Well, I think I might know." Cordelia answered as she slowly looked in his eyes.

Daniel quickly looked up from the book he had his nose buried in at the sound of a knock on his office door. Blocking the entrance way he saw his friend Jack shoving his hand into his pocket while smiling at him.

"Hi Jack." Daniel greeted groggily as he rubbed his eyes under his glasses.

"Been up late?" Jack asked as he entered Daniel's office; perching himself on the edge of his desk.

"Uh. Yeah. I'm trying to translate these pages." Daniel replied as he held up a small pile of aged paper.

"Any luck?" Jack asked.

"Not yet. No." Daniel replied with a slight shake of his head.

"Well…" Jake started but was interrupted by Sam popping her head in.

"Daniel?" Sam addressed as she leaned in the doorway.

"Yeah." Daniel replied as he blinked his eyes; trying to focus Sam in his vision.

"We just got a call from the guards outside of the compound. They said there are some people here who claim to know you. And it's urgent they see you." Sam replied as she furrowed her brow as she saw the confusion being written on Daniel's face.

"How can that be? Everyone I know either works here or thinks I've disappeared." Daniel replied as he slowly stood from his place behind the desk. Sam just replied with a shrug of her shoulders as she led Jack and Daniel out of the office.

Cordelia, Angel, Fred, and Wesley stood outside the gate in the cold as they waited for someone to come up and greet them. Or they hoped it would be a greet.

"How did you know his name?" Wesley asked as he watched Cordelia pace back and forth in an attempt to warm herself up.

"Someone in my vision yelled his name as he stopped the bomb." Cordelia answered while she watched her feet as she paced.

"Has that ever happened before?" Fred asked curiously.

"No, Fred. It hasn't." Cordelia responded; stopping to look up at the perky brunette before her. Fred opened her mouth to reply but was interrupted.

"Finally!" Cordelia exclaimed when she saw five people approaching them.

One man, who was ahead of the rest, looked to be the one in charge. Cordelia noticed he lacked a head of hair and his face held no expression. Which, she found to be incredibly intimidating. The man to his left had graying hair and he wore a green outfit, his shirt un-tucked and, just by looking at him, you could tell he lived on sarcasm. To the right was a blonde woman, her hair cut short, she wore the same outfit as that of the gray haired man. She looked nice. Behind her was a tall black man with a serious expression written on his face. Atop his head he wore a black beanie. He wore the same outfit, only without the over shirt. Wasn't he cold? Cordelia thought as she looked at him. As she examined the man beside the black guy she immediately recognized him.

"Angel. It's him." Cordelia reacted by grabbing Angel's upper arm and whispered in his ear. Angel followed her gaze and landed on a man with glasses and brown hair; his hands in his pocket and a confused look on his face as he looked at the group of Angel Investigations.

"Which one of you claims to know Daniel Jackson?" The man, who Cordelia assumed to be in charge, asked.

Cordelia hesitantly stepped forward; her hand slightly raised. "I did." She spoke as she walked up to the gate.

Daniel walked up to the gate as well to stand in front of Cordelia; examining her. He slowly shook his head. "I don't know you." He said slowly.

"I know. I know. But you have to listen to me. You're in trouble. Something bad is going to happen to you and soon." Cordelia said quickly. She wasn't real sure how she was going to come forward with the news to him; so she figured she would flat out say it. There always was plan B. Angel threatening his way in.

"Okay. And how would you know this?" Daniel asked, not believing a word she said.

"I just do." Cordelia answered, knowing he wouldn't believe she had a vision of him getting radiation poisoning.

"Right. You just all of a sudden knew that I would be in danger? Someone you don't even know." Cordelia was already not liking this guy. But then again, if she were in his shoes, which, she noted she wouldn't be caught dead in, she wouldn't believe her either.

"Okay. You want the truth?" Cordelia asked.

"Might be a little more believable." Daniel replied as he licked his lips and slightly tilted his head.

"I…" Cordelia started and noticed the impatient looks on everyone's faces who stood beyond the fence, "had a vision."

"Oh, come on!" She heard.

"Jack! Just… Let's hear her out." Daniel replied to his friend. Getting an eye roll in return.

"So, you had a vision. What was it?" Daniel asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

"You. In some sort of lab. It looked like a… a… Angel!" Cordelia screamed out as she felt the searing pain go through her head. She gripped her forehead with her hands as the power of the vision knocked her backwards into the vampire's arms.

"GAHH!!!" Cordelia screamed out as the images appeared before her eyes.

"Cheyenne Mountain. Inside. There's something inside. Oh, god. It's… it's attacking people. Angel… you have to stop it… it's going… to… kill… everyone." Cordelia gasped out as she described her vision. She opened her eyes to get a look of worry from everyone around her, but more so from the people on the opposite side of the gate.

"Angel. Go." She whispered.

"I can't. Not without an invite." Angel said helplessly. Cordelia looked at the man in charge and gave him a pleaded stare.

"Please, let us in? He can help." Cordelia asked with a strong sense of hope in her voice.

"Help with what?" He asked in response just before the guard came out of his post.

"General Hammond. Something's going on inside. We just received a distress call. Something's attacking the soldiers inside." The guard announced and everyone gave Cordelia a look of disbelief.