Anya shivered. "Xander, I don't like it down here. It's dark, spooky-…"
"And slimy," he finished.
"Huh? I don't feel any slimy stuff."
Xander looked down and retched. "That's because you didn't just step in something. I hope that's only sewer sludge and not demon sh-…"
But at that moment, Anya let out a quick screech that Xander took up.
"SPIKE!" they both spat. The blonde had appeared out of the gloom like a ghost; his pale skin glowing in the darkness.
"Hey, crew. Listen, I'm rounding everyone up. You are not gonna believe what I found. Come on."
………………………
"What's the deal, Spike?" Willow asked. The whole crew, minus Dawn who was at a friend's house, was congregated in an open, dry area of the sewers. Echoing drips sounded through the room, hinting that it was expansive in its dark recesses.
The vampire made a sound in his throat and lit his lighter. The group gasped as the tiny flame illuminated the rock wall beside them.
Intricate designs colored the walls in red streaks. Webs of finely drawn graphics surrounded by runes spilled from the wall to the floor and to the ceiling above. One specific design repeated over and over again at intervals. It resembled a transparently winged being raising its right hand to the sky, while holding in its left hand the hand of a shadowed figure.
"The 'angelus defluo'," Giles stated. "It's a symbol used before the Renaissance. Instead of the use of Jesus as a link to God, an angel with seven wings will lead the masses to Heaven."
"The Lost Gabriel," Tara whispered.
"Correct."
"So this is the Ascender's base?" Xander suggested.
"One would suppose so."
Spike suddenly tense up. Something had exhaled in the shadows, and he went for it. Sounds of a struggle ensued, and then a brown-robed figure was thrown into their midst with Spike close behind.
"Well, well, well. How convenient," he commented.
"Creepily convenient. How come they always leave someone behind so we can find them and pump them for info?" Xander mused.
"Xander, less musing, more pumping," Buffy demanded. She turned to the poor boy who was struggling to sit up on the floor. "Now where are they?"
"Who?" he asked innocently.
"You know damn well who!" Spike demanded, picking him up and pinning him against the wall at least a foot off the ground.
"Ah! With Loro! They took the Lost Gabriel to release her from her earthbound prison!"
"Who's Loro?"
"Underground surgeon. Deals with dangerous stuff, like demons' and vampires' organs. Industrial district; Baker Road."
Buffy raised an eyebrow. "How come you're telling us all this?"
But the boy was chanting something under his breath and all of a sudden he disappeared. Spike dropped his arms in disgust.
"The bugger was a plant. He probably just gave us a load of rot."
"Probably, but maybe not. Perhaps they'd think we'd figure he was lying, so we wouldn't believe him even if he did tell the truth."
"Makes sense. But who's Loro?"
"No time like the present to find out. Let's go."
