Fred, Cordelia and Lorne were already gathered in the main lobby of the hotel as Gunn entered, back from patrolling a series of daycare centers which had proved to be nothing but an incredibly dull assignment.
"You would not believe how many little munchkins were in that daycare center. Creepy stuff. I thought demons were scary."
"You don't like children?" Fred inquired, a little disappointed. She had always pictured Charles as the type of person who would be a wonderful parent.
"Oh I like 'em, just not by the hundreds you know what I'm saying? They were everywhere! I almost wished the Brillcrall would show up and give me something to do!"
"I hear you peaches." Lorne said as he took a sip of the cocktail he held in his hand. "The children in Pylea? Not pleasant. You try babysitting a kid who thinks roasting you on a spit is a fun play activity."
"Roasting you on a spit?" Cordelia echoed incredulously.
"Long story," Lorne said with a wave of his hand. "Suffice to say I find the kiddies in this dimension a bit less intimidating. But only a bit."
"Speaking of Connor," Fred continued, catching the obvious reference Lorne had made, "is he on his way as well?"
"As far as I know." Cordelia replied. "The last phone call I got, he said that he was heading back here with some information, but he was going to need Connor's help as well. He also said that Buffy and Dawn would be staying here until this whole thing is finished with."
"Is that really a good idea?" Gunn wondered. "I mean, with everything you guys have told me about her and him, isn't it better if they stay far, far away from one another?"
"Angel's smarter than that." Cordelia said shortly, not liking the fact that Gunn had voiced the concerns that she had been holding inside herself. "Angel wouldn't jeopardize his friends that way. Besides, he and Buffy haven't been together for a long time now. They've probably grown far enough apart for it not to be an issue."
"I don't know Cordy," Fred interjected. She looked apologetic as she spoke, but felt that her piece needed to be said nonetheless. "I mean, I saw the way they looked at each other before. You can't tell me that there's nothing between them."
"That's exactly what I'm telling you." She all but snapped. "There can't be anything between them and Angel knows it. He's just trying to make things easier by letter her stay here. It makes more sense."
"What about Angel jr.?" Lorne wondered, eager to get off the topic of Buffy and Angel for the time being. "Is he allowed back in the hotel or what?"
"I think Angel was going to ask him to come back at least temporarily." Cordelia admitted, "but I don't know how eager Connor will be to agree."
"If Connor's interested in doing the right thing, he'll agree to stay." Angel stated as he entered the hotel, startling those already in the lobby. "Buffy went to get him and Dawn. They should be here shortly. In the meantime I'll lay out the mission for you guys."
"We're finally acting instead of sitting on our butts then?" Gunn said excitedly. Angel nodded and Gunn heaved a sigh of relief. "Thank God. One more day at those daycare centers and I was going to become a very bad role model for those kids."
"I managed to threaten a location of the Brillcrall's hideout out of Lilah. As I told you on the phone Cordelia, this thing is working for a candidate for Governor by the name of James Adamson. Why he needs to kill children however, is what we need to find out and we can't do that if we kill the demon. This mission is to bring this thing in alive and cage it. Then get the information we need before we take it out."
"What do you want us to do?" Fred asked Angel.
"You and Lorne find out how to kill the Brillcrall and then get to work on making it happen. I'm thinking that we might have to enchant a weapon of some sort in order for his death to be fatal. The actual mission team will consist of myself, Buffy, Connor and Gunn."
"What about me?" Cordelia asked, not liking that she was seemingly going to be left out of things.
"As for right now all you can really do is assist Lorne and Fred anyway you can. Oh, and if you're willing, maybe make sure that Dawn doesn't attempt to follow us and get in the way. According to Buffy she has a nasty habit of doing so."
"I'm on babysitting duty?" Cordelia exclaimed. "Look Angel I want to come with you and help capture this thing! I don't want to just sit around here!"
"It's too dangerous for you Cordy. This assault team has to be tight. I need strength and experience here. I can't afford to lose anyone. Do you understand?"
Cordelia could only nod as she felt her own heart plummet at his words. I need strength, he had said. Before Buffy came back into town he had considered her his equal. Now, because she did not posses the skills the others did she was relegated to being the resident damsel in distress and she hated it. She hated it because she knew that Angel was attracted to strength and she no longer had it in his eyes.