AUTHOR'S NOTE: It's been a while since my latest update, but I've been exceedingly busy. At least I had the time to figure out some changes to what I was originally planning for this chapter (and the future chapters). Thank you for Siamese and Ruth for the reviews!
CHAPTER 18 -PAIN OF SEPARATION AND REUNION-
Fred could not sleep. Every time she would try to close her mind was filled with pain. The pain did not really hurt her, it did not feel like it was her own. Still, she did not want to experience it.
Fred lay in her bed, staring at the ceiling. She missed Mabon, it was obvious. But could she actually miss him so much that she felt pain?
She had attempted to convince herself that Mabon would be alright. He had told her that there was nothing that could kill him. Yet she was worried for him, not for his life, but his spirit. Fred herself knew firsthand what it was like to be pulled away from a safe environment to a place full of fear and pain. She would never wish that fate for her worst enemy, let alone a friend. The more tried not to worry, the stronger the feeling became.
A stray thought found its way the forefront of Fred's minds. She had called Mabon a friend. Yes, she thought, Mabon was a friend. At first he had just been someone who needed her help, but somewhere along the way the amiable had become a friend. Someone who Fred wanted close to her, someone who she did not want to loose.
Fred sighed and sat up, she had to do something. Just as she was about to get to her feet and walk to the door, Wesley opened it.
"How are you feeling?"
"Miserable."
"Angel let for Lilah's place a while ago. He'll come back here once he's got the information from her and we'll head out."
Fred's face lit up, she got to her feet. "Great! Let's get ready."
Wesley laid his hands on Fred's shoulders. "Maybe you should sit this one out. It might get nasty and I'd rather that you weren't there to see it."
Fred shot Wesley a venomous glare. "Wes, I'm going. You need my help."
"You're tired."
"No more than anyone else. I have to be there, Mabon needs me. Who else is going to convince him that everything will be fine?"
"We can do that. You wouldn't have to wait long."
"This isn't open for discussion. I'm coming and that's that." Fred pushed her way past Wesley and headed for the lobby.
Wesley let out a long sigh and followed Fred. This was one argument he would not be winning.
- - - - - - - - - - -
Angel Investigation was armed up to their teeth, not overlooking the practicality of firearms. Everyone's minds were focused on the task. Get in Bruce's building, find Mabon, free him and if possible kill Bruce.
Wesley had done his share of research on metallurgy demons and had discovered why both Bernard and Mabon had made such a big deal of promises. Apparently metallurgy demons were forced to keep their word, or risk death.
"So, Bruce and his cronies can't touch us?" Gunn asked. "That's gives us a big advantage."
"Indeed," Wesley affirmed. "Still, it may not be that easy to both liberate Mabon and take our revenge on Bruce."
"He could always run," Angel said.
"Let him try."
The gang stopped close to a building that looked very much like a mix of a mansion and a military barrack. After getting past the fence they went for the door. Angel kicked it in and everyone moved into a extravagant lobby.
Cordelia scanned their surroundings. "This won't be easy as I thought."
Angel turned to a hallway on their right. "Maybe it will be. This place has a nice echo. Bruce is that way."
"What about Mabon?" Fred asked.
"I can't hear anything that sounds like him."
Angel closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths. Then it hit him, the scent of air before rain. He concentrated his senses on the smell to find out where it was coming from. He opened his eyes and pointed to another hallway ahead.
"I think he's somewhere there."
Wesley nodded. "Very well. The rest of go find Bruce, Fred and me will find Mabon."
Before going after Wesley, Fred looked at the others. "When you find him, give that bastard a bunch from me."
Cordelia smirked. "Will do."
Fred and Wesley moved quickly through the corridor. It dimly lit, but Fred could see a brighter spec of light up ahead. Soon they saw a Kaliff demon standing in front of a large door. The Kaliff turned on them, clearly shocked.
Fred trained her gun on the demon and shot. Unbeknownst to her Wesley had moved at the same pace and their bullets hit their target almost in sync. The Kaliff fell back with blood oozing from both his forehead and chest. Wesley kneeled next to the body and picked up keys for the door.
They hurried straight through the front room, ignoring everything but the far heavier door further on. When they entered the metal room, Fred and Wesley were met with the gruesome sight of Mabon hanging from the ceiling, with an ominous man bending over him.
Shadrar lifted his gaze from the whimpering elemental and smiled. "Looks like I was wrong after all, little one." Shadrar tossed Wesley a pair of keys. "Good luck."
Before Fred or Wesley could react, Shadrar had disappeared. Fred shook her head and ran to Mabon, laying a gentle hand on his bruised cheek.
"No!" Mabon cried out and tried to move away.
"It's okay, Mabon. It's me and Wesley."
Mabon opened his watery eyes. "Fred... Don't... Have to leave... Please."
"Don't worry. We'll get you out of here."
"No... Can't hurt... you..."
"Wesley, we have to get him down!" Fred was on the verge of tears.
Wesley fumbled with the keys and opened the locks on the manacles that held Mabon up. The elemental collapsed on the floor in a shallow pool of his own blood. He cried out at the moment his body touched the floor.
Wesley picked the protesting elemental up in his arms and inspected the collar. "There's no visible lock on this. We'll have to look at it back at the hotel."
Fred fought back the tears at the scene of her injured and confused friend shivering in the lap of her other friend. "How could they do that? How-" Fred rushed put of the room.
"Fred, wait!" Wesley moved to stop Fred but a whimper from Mabon brought him back to the matter at hand. He had to get Mabon to the car, he would have to worry about Fred later.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Fred ran towards the direction where Angel, Cordelia and Gunn had gone to. She was going to make Bruce pay. She did not care how, all she was certain about was that she was not going to let him get away with hurting her friend.
She found Angel and the others fighting a very much victorious battle against what remained of Bruce's Kaliffs. Bruce himself was hiding behind his men and shouting out orders as the brawl moved onward along the corridor.
Fred pulled out her dagger and joined the battle between Gunn and Angel.
Gunn glanced at Fred. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be with Wes?"
"He can handle himself," Fred said behind clenched teeth.
Bruce moved for a door behind him. "Hold them back!" He tore it open, revealing an exit to the back lawn.
Angel slashed at his opponent. "He's trying to get away!"
Gunn chopped his way through one more Kaliff and attempted advance on Bruce. However the metallurgy demon was faster and darted out the door and onto the lawn. Angel and the others finished off the remaining Kaliffs and ran after him. When they came to the lawn they were met a furious gust of wind and the sound of helicopter wings.
Bruce was busy boarding a small helicopter, he glared back at them and shouted over the din, "you will pay for this! I swear!"
Fred roared in frustration as the copter rose up and carried Bruce out of their reach.
Angel laid a hand on her shoulder. "He'll be back and we'll be waiting."
