Chapter 6
Alexa looked up from the book she was perusing towards where Spike and Angelus were talking, and frowned. They weren't there.
"Jillian, have you seen Spike or Angelus?"
The computer geek shook her head. "Not really. They wanted to talk to Lindsey, though."
"Huh." Alexa stuck her tongue in her cheek a moment. "Odd. Normally Lindsey and Angelus are all but at each other's throats."
Jillian looked up. "Yeah. And generally it takes several minutes to get them to stop sniping at each other. And I haven't heard an uncivil word exchanged between them this morning." She turned her attention back to her computer, her fingers flying over the keyboard. "And someone with the codes went out the sewer entrance an hour or so ago."
"Only one person not in the room has the codes. Lindsey." Alexa's eyes narrowed, her temper rising. "Anyone care to bet he went out with the vamps to try and rescue Shannon?"
Wesley looked up with sudden alarm. "They did WHAT? Without knowing what they're up against? Or how to get rid of it?"
Alexa's expression was carefully nuetral as she nodded. "More than likely. Knowing Lindsey and his current mood. Wesley, pull together the information you have. I'm going to go talk to Katie."
"What good is she going to do? Especially in her current mental state?" Jillian looked skeptical.
Alexa smiled, baring her teeth. "You leave that to me, Jillian." She bounded up the stairs before the other two could ask what she meant by that, and knocked gently on a door near the top. "Katie?"
The door opened, and Alexa stepped inside, closing it behind her. She looked at the demon for a long moment, hoping her hunch was right. If not, then we're screwed.
"Katie, your brother has gone running off into a situation that is very dangerous." She carefully chose her words, hoping that this would work. "I need your help."
Katie watched her with wary eyes. "Liam's in trouble?"
Alexa nodded. "And he needs help." Lots of it, she added mentally. Mental help.
"But how can I help him?"
Alexa let out a purely mental grin. "You can help me find where he's going to go." She crouched in front of the demon's perch on the bed. "Somewhere in your mind, there's a map leading us directly to where your brother's going to be going. Where the man who snuck you out, and that your brother is going after, is." And I hope that's where Shannon is, or I'm just going to be making that man hurt. A lot. This time, I'm not letting MacInnis get away from me.
Katie shivered violently. "I don't want to go back to him. He scares me."
Alexa nodded in sympathy. "I know, Katie. But if your brother gets to him first, before we get to your brother, he could kill him." Of course, I highly doubt even a powerful demon like MacInnis probably is could kill Angelus. Though if he is going to be this much of a pain in the ass, I might well make that a moot point.
"No!" Katie wimpered
"But we can get there faster, and then we can help him, and keep him from getting killed." Alexa stood, holding out her hand to Katie. "And I'll keep you safe until Liam catches up with us. I promise."
Katie watched her for a moment before taking the offered hand. Alexa let out a mental cheer, before taking the demon downstairs.
"You wait here for a moment, Katie, while I get my gear, ok? Then we'll go. It won't take long." Alexa bounded back up the stairs, pulling her duffel out from under the bed. She ran a loving hand over the sheathed katana before strapping it across her back. Her favorite fighting knife was strapped to one thigh, and a wickedly sharp dagger to the other.
Tossing on her jacket, she trotted downstairs, giving Wesley a questioning look.
"It's all here. What I have found out, anyway." Wesley grimaced as he handed her the single page. "I really wish I had more."
Alexa quickly scanned the page. "Well, the weak point is an awfully small target. And that's if he has his bloody eyes open." She scowled briefly. "We'll deal with that when we get to it." She looked over at Katie. "Let's go."
The two headed out the main door, heading down the street to where they found a motorcycle parked. Alexa pulled a set of keys from her pocket, chuckling softly to herself. "You shouldn't have left your duster where I could get to it, Spike. Especially with the keys you took off of Natalie."
"Is that mine?" Katie was looking at the motorcycle with awe.
"Yes, it is." Alexa swung up on it, ignoring the fact she wasn't wearing a helmet. "I'm surprised it's still here." She turned it on, and revved the engine as Katie stood on the sidewalk. "Come on, Katie. You need to get on, so you can tell me where to turn."
Alexa picked up the small crossbow on the kitchen counter, examining it a moment. She hung it off her belt using the clip apparently meant for that purpose. She found the quiver, and buckled it on, continuing to move around the apartment. Katie stood at the door, her brow furrowed in concentration. Her first try to recall memories of Natalie's had resulted in them finding the apartment the demon had acquired in Los Angeles.
Picking up a map, Alexa traced a highway up the coast with the tip of a finger, unaware of Katie following the line of her finger.
"That's it! That's the road!" She came over, peering at the map. "We go up that, and...." She paused, scowling. "I don't remember."
"Do you think you'll know the exit when you see it?" Alexa raised an eyebrow in question.
Katie nodded. "I think so. But how am I going to tell you?"
"Raise a hand when you see it coming up. I'll notice the difference in pressure." Alexa looked around the apartment. "I wonder if there is a helmet in here. Or at least some riding goggles." She made another circuit of the place, and came up with one of each. "Goggles for you, since you don't bruise so easy, and a helmet for me. And hell if the police try to stop us. I'm not in the mood for their shit today." Alexa headed out the door, settling the helmet on her head, and adjusting it to fit.
The sun was beating down on them when they pulled to a stop on a ridge above a small house. Alexa looked down, her brow furrowing. "Is that the place?"
Katie nodded. "I think so. It looks familiar." She rested her chin on Alexa's shoulder. "Do we wait here for Liam?"
"Let me think." Alexa turned the motorcycle, parking out of sight below the crest of the ridge. She pulled out the cell phone she'd picked up in the apartment. I really shouldn't have taken such liberties with the place. Even if Katie did say it was all right. Oh, fuck it. She said it was all right, therefor, no guilt!
It rang a couple of times before Jillian picked up the phone at the hotel. "Hello?"
"Li. It's Alexa. I found the house. And Natalie's apartment in the process, but that might be useful. Has Wesley found anything more for me?"
"Let me put him on the phone." There was some noise, then Wesley was on.
"Don't go in there, Alexa, whatever you do. Even if it looks like there aren't any guards. MacInnis is more than he appears."
"Tell me something I don't know, geek-boy." Alexa scowled even though Wesley couldn't see.
"When he's in human form, he isn't as vunerable as I originally thought. The blade will go in, but it will come out bloodless and won't leave a wound. That's what will happen when you're trying to cut through the body armor, as well."
"Fascinating. And if I cut off the top of his head at the level of his eyes?"
"If you can get that blow in, you would probably kill him. But the problem is getting that blow in. He's fast, Alexa. Very fast. Almost as fast as a vampire."
"Bloody wonderful, Wesley. Thank you for that vote of confidence." Alexa rolled her eyes. "Whatever. I want you and Jillian to find the missing trio, and you lot to meet me at Natalie's apartment. Um..." She pulled out the sheet of paper where she'd written the address, and read it off. "Then we'll all come back over here, and kick some demon ass." She hit the button to end the call, revving the engine again.
"Where are we going?"
"Back to the apartment, since it's closer than the hotel. They're going to find your brother, and the other two who are missing, and meet us there. Liam couldn't have gotten out of LA with the sun high, not without stealing a car. And I don't think that Lindsey is going to let that happen." I hope. He already snuck the damned vampire out of the hotel. And he's not in his right mind. Oi. Blasted man had better fucking react like I'm hoping he will. Or he is sooo getting decked. Friend or no.