Wes drove back to the office in a state of growing fury. Angel had let Spike into his life only to let him destroy it. He remembered all the times that he and Cordelia had complained at the fact that Angel felt he always felt that he had to act alone. Now he realised that it was the only way that Angel could do what he had to. The demon inside him may not be afraid of much, but the soul was that of a 27 year old Irish man that had been bullied and broken by his father. Wes knew the damage that a disparaging father could do. Since then Angel had only let four people into his heart that fully that they knew his past – Spike, Cordelia, Gabriel and himself. One of those had done that which Angel had feared forever. They had broken him with it. Not by using the knowledge against him, but by merely letting him go. Angel loved with everything that he had and he didn't, he couldn't just let go. He gave himself entirely to that other person and trusted them. Spike had thrown away something more precious than most people ever got to have.

The place was busy for a Sunday afternoon, paralegals shuffled around and various demons moved between floors, obviously performing some kind of job. Wes was relieved to find that none of his friends were in. It meant that he had time to sit and think through what he wanted to do and what the best solution to this heart-breaking mess was. He knew that either way they would lose a part of Angel, be it his physical presence or his friendship. He moved to his office to grab the templates that he needed. He had already decided that he wasn't going to be working in his office but in Angel's. He needed to be away from everyone and in a place that he could access everything that he needed and defend Angel's absence. He paused at Harmony's desk and left a note telling her that Angel wouldn't be in and that he was working in Angel's office and would deal with any urgent business.

Feeling unworthy of sitting at Angel's desk he went to sit at the large conference table and spread out all of the work that he had with him. On one side he had the templates that he was going to use to find out everything that he could about this vampire, on the other he had his own and Wolfram and Hart's files on Angel alongside Angel's sketchbook. It felt wrong to be dissecting Angel's life like this but he knew that it was the only way that he could come up with any kind of decision. He opened the template first.

"Vampire Orders, the Order of Dagon."

The page sprung to life and within seconds was covered in a small, neat print that told the story of the Order of Dagon. This was more information than he had every received on the Order at the Watcher's Council. The history of the Order was fascinating and Wes became totally absorbed in his reading.

The most elusive and prestigious of all vampiric Orders is that of the Order of Dagon. Known to be the oldest surviving vampire line, the Order can be traced back to at least 196BC and the Rosetta Stone, upon which there is a brief and often overlooked or misread set of symbols that refer to the 'night people'. Cave art from localities surrounding Egypt, Palestine and Lebanon depict scenes of blood sacrifice and one symbol continually occurs – an inverted three pointed star. Archaeologists have attributed this symbol to gods or spirits but students of the occult know it to symbolise the Vampire Order we now know as Dagon.

Where the origins of their name come from is unknown but as their status as the Keepers of the Blessed One is well documented it is believed that Dagon could very well be the name of the First Vampire and not Lilith or the Sleeper as has been suggested. They are his lieutenants, his guardians against the world that would destroy him should he be found. Others have speculated that their name originates from their migration from the Middle East to Romania or the area once known as Dacia sometime before Roman occupation in 89AD, settling south of the Carthapian Mountains. The people of this area became known as the Dagae by the Romans and it isn't entirely unfeesible that they derived their name from that.

Whatever the origin of their name, the only truths that are known about this Order are the accounts from the few Watchers that survived their attacks. Demonic society has never documented their existance for fear of retribution and so we are reduced to heresay and legend when it comes to dealing with these creatures. One ancient and popular legend tells of a time when the First Vampire walked the Earth, followed by a plague which consumed man kind, leaving rivers of blood for the demon to gourge himself upon. In that time he created himself a vanguard of creatures like unto himself and endowed them with traces of his power. His vanguard went forth and created more until the vampire race spread over the face of the world, blyting humanity with its evil. When the First Vampire grew weary of the world he dropped into a deep slumber and his vanguard kept watch over the millenia ensuring that none disturbed his slumber.

There is a second part to the Legend that tells of the First Vampire drifting into the Dark Realms as he slept and should he awaken he will bring with him the beginnings of a new demonic age, the obliteration of earth and mankind. It is believed that all that will stand in his way when this day comes are the true children that he created – the vanguard or Order of Dagon as they are now known. As such they possess powers that seemed illusive to other vampires. The Blessed One is thought to have been born a vampire, already possessing the knowledge and abilities that he would pass on to his progeny. Althoguh there is little evidence as to any of his attributes it is doubtful that he is an Old One, more probable is the fact that he is a result of demons and mankind inhabiting the same place – the missing link if you will. what is known is that he and his kin are formidible as foes or as comrades.

In fact, they are the deadliest of all demon orders. Accounts state that they are proficient in Magicks both of the Light and Dark, have untapped psychic potential and are fundamentally stronger, faster and harder than normal vampires. Crypto-zoologists have suggested that their demon physiology is perhaps different from that of the traditional vampire. There are numerous reports of swords shattering on impact with the skin of an identified Dagonian, of them taking to the air in mockery of flight and of phenomenal displays of strength and speed. They are flawless fighters – all Childer are trained intensively and it is believed that they destroy those who are thought to be weak or unhealthy specimens. There is no record of a member ever falling to a Slayer but there are countless accounts of Slayers falling to them. When the first Slayer was created she and her watchers – the Shadow Men – went after the Order intent on stopping the spread of its evil. They were destroyed.

Wes was beginning to worry. As he read on everything told him that the vampires within this order were more than the average bloodsucker. The list of powers that they had was scary. They were unlike anything he had ever contemplated before. They were perfect killers, strong, smart and fast. They were the elite and Wes wasn't sure that any of them were ready to face the premiers of demonic destruction. He continued to read, pausing when he came to a section from a Watcher's Diary. He couldn't recall ever having read of Julian LeClerq or Alexandre Gustav whilst at the Academy.

March 7th 1342.

Julian LeClerq and his Slayer Marianne encountered the Vampyr Maximillian on their journey from Rome to Ravenna. Both were slain in the line of duty. LeClerq's clerk was the only one to escape the attack and has been severely traumatised by what he witnessed. We are unable to gather much information from him as his ramblings resemble that of a mad man but he has said that Maximillian displayed strength enough to break through the heavy oak gates to the manor they resided in. He appeared to fly and was wielding magic enough to destroy the spell casters that Marianne was protecting. Three powerful mages taken down by an individual vampyr – the Order of Dagon is becoming more powerful with every passing year. The clerk – a young man by the name of James Tanner – says that Marianne barely fought him. He killed her within seconds. Sirs, she was one of the most experienced Slayers to date and had faced at least five Masters in her time. My advice is that we continue our surveillance of the Order and if possible find some way to gain more information. With Maximillian, they now have at least eight magic wielding Masters and this is the third account to comment on their abnormal strength. Today, a devastating blow has been delivered to those in the service of Good.

March 10th 1342

James Tanner was found dead this morning, having slashed his own throat at some point during the night. Ever since he arrived he has been talking of a whisper that only he can hear. A whisper that repeats how each of his companions fell to the vampyr. There is no doubt in my mind that somehow Maximillian has forced this man to take his own life in an effort to prevent him telling us anything useful. If that is the case, then hypnosis is another trait that we should be aware of when dealing with these creatures. I am returning tomorrow and hope to be with you in two weeks time. I must show you the drawings that Tanner did before his death; they are too disturbing and valuable for anyone else to deliver.

Alexandre Gustav never made it to the Watcher's Council. He was found, broken in half a few days later. All materials that pertained to the Order of Dagon were missing.

Wes read on, all the while noting down the powers that this order possessed. So far it covered an entire side of his A5 spiral notebook. He had nothing concrete though – only eye witness accounts of men scared out of their wits by the devils that have come to play with them. He turned the page. More neat writing, snippets of eye-witness accounts and general observation. One paragraph caught his eye though and sent a spark of fear coursing down his spine.

No member of the Order of Dagon is allowed to sire a Childe without the permission of the rest of the Order. If a suitable human cannot be found for each member then they are known to take strong vampires and re-Sire them. Famous cases of this include…

If Wes was reading this right that meant that Gabriel had the full backing of his order to be here after Angel. The rest of the paragraph indicated that if they wanted a Childe then they got it. Nothing survived this Order once it set its mind on something.

As Wes read more he discovered that these vampires were very unusual in the fact that they were very much like humans. They were a close knit family and although they hunted and were savage killers when under attack they were for the main part very fair. They only killed to feed – there were no reports of killing for pleasure. There were also reports of them actually being of service to the Watcher's Council at times, taking down rogue vampire clans or demons that the Slayer was unable to deal with. They were approachable as long as they weren't under attack. Wes wondered whether he would be able to reason with Gabriel. If he could meet the vampire and talk to him there may be another solution. From what he had read of Gabriel he already knew that he loved Angel very much. There was an entire passage devoted to the fact that Gabriel had found his perfect Childe but it had been stolen from him. For the following year Gabriel mourned the loss of his Childe, until it became necessary for his Sire to take him in hand. The details were sketchy but it seemed as if the loss of Angel almost killed Gabriel. He also never sired any other Childer. He was still waiting for Angel.

Wes had come to one conclusion through his study; to take on the Order in any way would be downright madness. They were far too powerful and they were spread across the globe. Gabriel was one of the youngest of the Order and he had taken out fourteen slayers in the past three months, single-handedly. He was also the Childe of one of the Elders of the Order. If they killed him there would be hell to pay. They were well and truly backed into a corner and Wes couldn't see any real way out. Well he could, but he didn't want to think about giving Angel over to them. He knew that Angel would go if there was no other solution and with every article that Wes read it was becoming more and more apparent that he might actually have to leave them. He really was all that stood in the way of the Slayers and a war that they were not ready for. Dagon could call on every vampire sect in the world to help them and they wouldn't hesitate to wipe out every single Slayer if the need arose.

They protected their own with a vehemence that made nuclear war seem like a small tiff. If Gabriel died or Angel was forcibly kept from him they wouldn't get the chance to defend themselves.

He picked up the book and flicked to Gabriel's biography. He was one of the mysteries of the Order. He was over five hundred years old, had never claimed any Childer and was well known as a formidable fighter. There were rumours of him having psychic abilities that strong that he had wiped the minds of those that ever met him. Watchers had never managed to observe him without his knowledge and he was known for leaving them gifts of fine diaries and beautiful pens to observe their findings in. He was also one of the Guards of the Order. Wes knew that this meant that he was trained to defend 'Dagon' – the Blessed One - at all costs and fight him if need be. Nothing he read made him believe that they could stop him by force should he come after Angel, after all not even magic would work on a psychic that strong.

The book contained a daguerreotype of Gabriel and although Angel's drawing of him had been stunning, the real thing was much more beautiful. There was no way that anyone would be able to resist his charms should he desire them. He was so exotic looking that it was easy to understand how people could fall under his spell. He could very clearly see Angel with someone like that. He was the exact picture of eroticism and protection – he was what Angel needed. His picture exuded a sensuality that was just begging to be defied; it was as if he reached out to Wes from the paper.

He sighed and slammed the book close. It didn't matter how much he read, it all said the same thing. The Order was made of vampires stronger than your average and Gabriel had the backing of the Order to come after Angel. It was a mess and there was no easy answer as far as Wes could see. He buzzed Harmony and asked her to fetch him another template – his spell one and some sort of refreshment. He needed to find a way to contact the PTB. He gazed out of the window and wondered how his life had become so complex. Hearing the door open he turned to relieve Harmony of the books or the coffee but was surprised to see the Scoobies, Gunn, Fred, Lorne and Spike filing in. He knew that they had had the day off – he had intended to do the same but, well nothing ever went to plan in his life. He looked at the clock on the wall – it was later than he had imagined. The sun had set over an hour ago. He felt a swarm of butterflies settle in his stomach. He had the ominous feeling that tonight was going to be the end of their world.

"Hey Wes! These guys wanna know where the boss is. We're goin' huntin for our mystery vamp." It was strange to see Gunn in his street clothes rather than Hugo Boss suits. The baggy hoodie and dark jeans seemed both sit on him like a second skin but at the same time looked… wrong. He carried himself as a professional lawyer and not a street kid. He wondered how much Gunn had really changed since they had come here. He looked like he was trying to recapture someone that he could never be again and it made Wes wonder how much they had all changed. Had they really made a deal with the devil?

"Yes, whilst we may not trust Angel anymore we are not so conceited that we don't see that he knows this city better than us. We stand a better chance looking for the vampire with him rather than without him." Giles' analytic outlook on the situation merely enflamed Wesley's anger. He couldn't believe that he had looked up to this man once. His attitude completely validated Wes' belief in Angel and their mission. Not wanting to deal with where Angel was and feeling the need to keep Gabriel from them – if only for Angel's sake – he asked them the question he had been dying to ask since they had arrived.

"When will you be leaving LA?"

"Well not the answer we were looking for but… as soon as we catch the vampire. Why?" Buffy was rather taken aback by the sudden rudeness of the normally prudish watcher.

"Well it may be better if you left sooner. Say tomorrow. The vampire situation will be taken care of. I can have a private jet, complete with necro-tempered glass, prepped and ready to leave for wherever you want at dawn."

Harmony entered before he could say more and handed him a large book. "There's the template and here's your coffee – there was no tea left. I cancelled all of Angel's appointments for tomorrow as well. Is there anything else Wes?"

"No that'll be all Harmony. Thank you."

Harmony nodded and turned to leave, but paused before she got to the door. "Is Angel gonna be ok? Cos he hasn't been looking so good recently and Cordy would've wanted me to watch out for him."

"He should be fine Harmony. I am sure that he and Cordy would appreciate your concern. Why don't you take the morning off tomorrow? Come in after lunch."

"Ok thanks, Wes!" He offered her a smile as she left. How was it that an evil creature noticed suffering and enquired about it when the soulful ones amongst them couldn't? Sometimes he had to question the fight he was in. He turned his back to the group that he had been dealing with, laying the book with the others on the conference table and took a sip of his coffee. At least she could make a better cup of coffee than Cordelia had been able to. He let himself wander whimsically into the past when it had just been the three of them. They had been happy then…

He shook off the thoughts; he really couldn't dwell on them now and turned back to the others.

"Would you like me to organise that for you?"

"Watcher, what the hell is wrong with Angel?" Spike had been ignoring Harmony until that point and now he was very focused on the conversation.

"Nothing for you to worry about Spike. I am sure that we'll have him back on his feet in a few days. Now if there is nothing else, I have some research that is quite pressing."

"Wesley? I thought that you were having the day off?"

Fred's quiet and soothing voice made Wes feel extremely tired and worn out. He glanced at the clock. The sedative should have worn off Angel by now and hopefully he was feeling stronger than he had earlier in the day.

"Something came up."

He saw the uneasy looks that were thrown his way but chose to ignore them. Had it just been his team, his friends, then he would have told them everything, but he didn't trust the Scoobies not to race in there and ruin everything. Half of him wanted to tell them just who they were messing with and the other half wanted to let them fall to their own arrogance. He had never known he could possess such vengeance, but there it was bubbling away under the surface. He knew that he couldn't act on it but the temptation to do so was so sweet that he craved it more than anything. He took a deep breath and steadied himself on the desk, desperate to get his mutinous feelings under control. He turned back to them.

"Would you like me to sort the jet out?"

In retrospect Wes should have expected the fist that flew at him, but to be honest he was too angry at the others to be watching them carefully. Spike had him by the throat and pinned to the desk, demanding to know what was wrong with Angel and where he was. Wes wasn't in the mood to be threatened and the spring loaded stake that he was pressing into Spike's chest made that point rather effectively. Spike backed away but his eyes, flickering between blue and gold, told a thousand tales. He wasn't letting this go and Wes was quite happy to give it to him. He was going to give Spike everything.

"You want to know what's wrong with Angel. Where should I start? Should I start with last night when the vampire that you're tracking found him? Should I start with three days ago when I picked his battered body up off the penthouse floor? Should I start a week ago when this lot turned up and started to give him hell about the choices that we've made? Maybe I should start a month ago when you claimed him and promised that you'd love him. Or perhaps I should go back a hundred years to when you raped him! Where do you want me to start Spike!"

By the time that he had finished everyone was wearing an expression that was somewhere between horror and disbelief.

"He told you?" Spike's voice was soft and calm not showing any hint of the worry that had suddenly flooded his system. When he had asked Angel why he hadn't told them all that night what he had done as William, Angel had told him that it was the past and that it was none of their business. That he was tired of dwelling on the past and wanted to move to the future, their future. If he was thinking about it again then something was very wrong.

For a second Wes actually felt sorry for Spike, he had been young and overcome by bloodlust, but he couldn't shake the image of Angel curled up on his bed; blankets pulled as high as they could go, tears still staining his cheeks and mumbling in his sleep. He had seemed so lost and alone and Spike held a lot of the blame.

"He told me everything."

That confession was all it took for the tears that he had been holding back on his friend's behalf to begin to well and roll down his cheeks. He didn't care anymore. He knew in his heart that they had lost Angel and none of it seemed worth it anymore. Hysterical laughter overcame his tears and he sank into the chair he had been sat in before they had arrived. How had Angel coped with this knowledge? Wes was hardly keeping it together and it wasn't even about him. Angel hadn't though had he? He hadn't slept for almost a week and was currently sedated in the hotel.

The seductive face of Gabriel watched him from its place in the template and he couldn't resist tracing a finger over the face that had come to damn them all. Those sharp cat eyes stared at him, mocking his efforts to keep him from Angel.

"Who's the hottie?"

Dawn's voice snapped him from his mini-breakdown a slight smile curved on his face. He didn't have to tell them, because they didn't want to use the resources of Wolfram and Hart. He would tell them though – he was a bigger person than that, but he could have some fun first.

"Have a guess."

"Should I know?" Her elfin features crinkled in her concentration and he laughed out loud, his anger so consuming that he couldn't control his faculties anymore.

"Come on – Andrew, you're the new Watcher on the block, I'm sure that you're vast experience will be able to tell you who this is!" He watched with a perverse sense of delight as the boy began to stutter his way through an answer. He took the book from Andrew and thrust it in Giles' direction. "Come, come now Mr Giles, I expect more from the Head of the prestigious International Council of Slayers and Watchers."

"What the hell is wrong with you?"

Buffy, all five foot three of her was stood there glaring at him, hands on her hips, mouth pulled into an impatient and unimpressed pout. She tried to glare him into submission but he wasn't going to back down. He was fed up of their attitudes and he wanted to, no he needed to bring them all back to the reality. He smiled down at her and straightened his shirt. Graciously he took the book back from Giles and turned to them with a polite smile on his face.

"Why don't you all take a seat? Please." He gestured to the empty seats around the table and watched as they took one, all of them eying him warily as if he was about to pull a Carrie on them or – given their location – a Lizzie Borden. Either wasn't that unimaginable in Wolfram and Hart.

Spike was still struggling between his shock that Wes knew everything, his desire to know where Angel was and his utter confusion at the new Wes to make any snarky comments. The LA crew were very worried and the Scoobies were annoyed at the mockery that they had just been subject to. Nevertheless they all took a seat as he directed.

"Would anyone care for any refreshments?"

There was a unanimous refusal and Wes sorted his books into neat piles, keeping Angel's sketchbook out of the way for the time, as he tried to gather his thoughts. He retook his seat and steepled his hands in front of him, taking them all in. He had watched Angel in action too many times and knew how uncomfortable his rapid changing of mannerisms was making everyone. Deciding that he had put them through enough torment, and knowing that what was coming was going to torment them all the more he began to speak.

"I'm going to tell you a little tale, please don't interrupt because I'd consider it rather rude."

He watched as the all nodded and gave Fred a small smile – he didn't want her to be hurt by all of this.

"Six days ago, people that we assumed to be our friends, or if not friends then at least comrades, arrived on our doorstep with a dual purpose. Firstly, they came to reclaim a member of their team, a member that by all accounts wasn't really appreciated until he died for them and secondly they came to enlist our help. People who ask for aid on anything usually have the decency to show a little respect to those that are going to go out of their way to help them. Now we accepted that they didn't trust Wolfram and Hart and to be honest we don't. We are under no illusions that this company is in vassalage to undoubtedly evil demons, three very powerful demons, and that as a consequence they attract a certain clientele. However, we had hoped that said people would have had the wisdom to at least trust us.

"Perhaps their opinions of us reflect their own subconscious. I am sure that anyone offered a motor pool of vintage cars; a luxury penthouse and six figure salaries would undoubtedly jump at the chance but let's get one thing clear… Angel isn't anyone. Angel is working to earn his redemption and as he already is a very wealthy individual, material possessions don't tend to mean that much to him. What matters to him are his family and his mission. He is a champion no matter what you might think and he has proved it time and time again. Perhaps you need to witness it to believe it but I know that he has saved everyone in this room at least once – either directly or indirectly.

"Now coming here gave him the real chance to protect his loved ones. He gained the amulet that you used to shut the Hellmouth, he gained the best medical and mystical care possible for Cordelia, and he even gained enough money to put into the Watcher's Council accounts so that you all had something to live on. Each and every one of you has a minimum five figure trust fund should anything happen to Angel. Angel never took this place for his own gain.

"Everyone with me so far?"

He received looks of shock at his revelations so far and he knew that some of them could already sense his intent. Willow was already blushing, but his attack wasn't aimed at her but at Giles and Buffy and eventually Spike. But he had to get there first.

"Now, these individuals refused to even ponder the possibility that being in charge of a turn-key, state-of-the-art, multitasking operation might actually have benefits for the fight against evil. We have access to every text ever written, money to buy whatever weaponry or magical paraphernalia we require, the ability to trace anyone, anywhere… oh and we know who the biggest players in the demonic underworld of LA and California are. We can keep them on as short a leash as we need to. But you just saw the material wealth and have spent as much time as possible belittling and attacking us rather than consider the bigger picture. We are in a war and you take any advantage that you can to fight that war."

Small looks of contrition had spread on to the faces of Dawn and Andrew, but Buffy and Giles still seemed stoically unmoved.

"Now perhaps, should you want anymore help you will think about treating us with a little more respect? Especially if you want me to tell you who the mystery 'hottie' is."

"And why should we care about a man in a picture?"

"Well Kennedy, I had gotten the impression that you were searching for him."

Eleven shocked faces shot from him to the book and back again.

"Deleo."

All of the information that the book had contained vanished before anyone could read anything. Shock turned to outrage. Inside Wes was crowing at his victory over them but outwardly his face was the perfect mask of neutrality. He saw Giles reach across to take the book.

"I may have shown you how to work the templates Giles, but you don't know who you are looking for."

"Well, if you stopped bloody grand-standing and told us what we needed to know we could get out of here and stop him before somebody else gets killed!"

"Grand-standing?" Wes laughed, a light little chuckle at the audacity of Giles to suggest that to him. "Funny. Actually, Gabe, isn't going to kill anyone."

"Really, cos I thought that was what vampires did. How can you be sure that he won't kill? He sign a contract?"

From the patented expression on her face Wes knew that Kennedy was a rich little princess who was used to being right about things. He chanced a look at everyone else. All of the Scoobies but Willow seemed to be agreeing with her, Spike looked suspicious and his own team seemed conflicted. They were obviously enjoying his 'grand-standing' but they were worried about the reason behind it. He knew that they had realised that Angel was the reason and that Wes wanted to get the Scoobies under control but none of them could possibly guess what the motivation was.

"No, but if he kills whilst in LA he stands to lose something very dear to him."

"What?"

"His Childe."

"You have his Childe in captivity?" Giles couldn't help the fact that Wes' knowledge had peaked his interest. If he were honest, he was jealous at the growth that Wes had undergone. He wasn't the bumbling idiot that he had been, he was confident and deadly… and in total control.

"No. And if I am honest, his Childe is only holding him at bay. If we make the smallest error in this he will destroy us."

"Umm – Watcher Wes? Case you hadn't noticed we have two slayers, a wicked powerful Wicca and two vampires on our team. How's he gonna stop that?" Xander's mocking tones glanced off him, barely touching his steely veneer.

"Easily. He's a member of the Order of Dagon."

There it was the cowed expression that he had wanted to see on Giles' face. Those three little words had been all it took to break that self serving façade.

"They're a myth." The words were softly spoken as Giles couldn't be sure that he actually believed that at this minute.

"Who are the Order of Dagon Wes?"

"They're the premier of demonic high society Freddikins, and not to be taken lightly." Lorne's red eyes showed the faintest hints of fear and his voice held none of its usual joviality.

"They're more than that Green. They're the bollocks when it comes to vampires. Nothing is as powerful as they are – even the Master didn't dare to cross them and he was the most egotistical bastard that I know."

"Spike's right. They are powerful." Wes reached for the book and with a sibilant whisper commanded the text. "Gabriel, Order of Dagon. This is your vampire. He is over five hundred years old and is proficient in the use of all forms of magic, an unparalleled psychic and a first class killer. He has killed thirty slayers in his life and his Sire killed his first slayer when he was a year old fledge. The Order of Dagon are the direct descendants of the first vampire and as such they are a force to be reckoned with. They are there to protect him from those who would kill him and stop him should he try to walk the earth again. Do you really think that we stand a chance against them?"

An uncomfortable silence settled over the group. The Order of Dagon didn't sound like a walk in the park, but they had faced worse – right? Willow gave Kennedy's hand an affectionate squeeze and cleared her throat.

"What about his Childe? Won't he or she help us?"

Wes smiled faintly. He had already accepted that Gabriel was going to take their friend and but his heart still rebelled at the idea, even though there was very little he could do.

"His Childe – or prospective Childe is already doing everything that he can. Gabriel can only be swayed so far though."

"Perhaps we should get him and Angel here and come up with a better strategy then English."

Gunn made for the phone to dial Angel's mobile but he dropped the handset when Wes' hesitant confession reached his ears. He knew that he had promised Angel he wouldn't say anything but he needed to keep Angel out of this for the time being and stop the Light Brigade blundering in again. So Wes did the one thing that he could and defied God to strike him down…

"Angel is the Childe in question."