Author's Note: This chapter runs side-by-side with the previous chapter and the one before it also. It's each character doing something different at the same time, and it was hard to write, so I just decided to break it up into different chapters. I hope it's not too confusing for anyone. This is Angel.
Chapter Five: The Hunt
Angel had just instructed Gunn and Fred to help Wesley, and as they left he found himself alone in the lobby. Thoughts were racing through his mind of the task on hand, and what he had to do. He had to find out every possible piece of information about Nero.
So he headed out. He didn't wait to see if anything would go wrong, because he simply thought that it wouldn't. There was no way that Nero would find them this soon, he probably didn't even know where to start looking. So within about two minutes he was several blocks away, and he saw his first piece of meat, his prey.
A single demon stood inside the entrance to an alley, alone. Angel stalked it for a block before tackling it and forcing it down another alley.
'Hey, what's the deal man?' the demon screeched. Angel pinned it to the side of a building and forced his face close to it.
'I'm searching for some information.' Angel told the demon.
'What makes you think I got the goods you need?' it asked him. Angel vamped out and snarled at the demon.
'Just a hunch.' He whispered tauntingly. 'Now tell me, what do you know of a guy called Nero?'
'Nero?' The demon choked out the name. He was clearly terrified. 'Never heard of the guy.'
'Now you see, I think you're lying.' Angel said. 'I think that you know more than you're tell me.'
'No, no you're wrong. I don't know anything.' Angel's expression and a snarl forced the demon to change his mind. 'Well actually, now that I think about it I have heard of him. Yeah, Nero. He's like some kind of superior demon or something. Inter-dimensional guy, not one to be messed with. If he's after you, he'll find you.'
'How can I find him?' Angel snarled, finally getting some information out of the demon.
'Well, you can't.' He replied. 'If you're looking for this guy, chances are he's looking for you too.' Angel froze.
'How will he find me if I can't find him?' Angel asked.
'He's only seen when he wants to be seen.' The demon answered. Angel considered the comment for a moment.
'He's invisible?' Angel concluded, surprised.
'Well, in a word… yeah. He's gonna find you, but you've got not chance of finding him.' Angel released the demon, who he considered to be playing along willingly and telling the truth.
'So you're telling me that the only way I'll find him is if he finds me?' Angel asked, making sure he fully understood.
'Exactly right.'
'I can't wait that long.'
'Sorry mate, I can't do anything about that.' Angel saw the expression on the demon's face. He was hiding something.
'There's something you're not telling me.'
'What? No.' The demon was quick to answer. Angel forced him back up against the wall.
'Tell me what you're hiding.' Angel demanded.
'Nothing. Why do you think I'm hiding something? I told you what I know about this guy, what more do you want?'
'I want you to tell me what you haven't already.'
'There's nothing more!' the demon yelled in his face. Angel released him, feeling a little defeated, and turned to leave. He heard the demon snickering behind him. When he spun around, the demon was still laughing. 'You think you know…' it whispered. 'You think that you can protect her from him. You have no idea, and she has no chance.' It turned and ran out of the alley before Angel could even move.
If you're looking for this guy, chances are he's looking for you too. He's gonna find you. You have no idea, and she has no chance.
It suddenly occurred to Angel that in light of this new information, Nero probably already knew where Kathy was. He realised at that exact moment that he had to get back to the Hyperion as soon as possible, because Nero was quite possibly on his way there or there already. Angel knew he couldn't risk it any longer, and ran the three blocks back to the hotel.
When he arrived back, the lobby was empty. Phew, he thought, thankful that he might have been wrong. Nero hadn't found them, and the demon was only taunting him with the fear he had of his sister in danger.
Suddenly Angel felt two hands push him hard from behind and he flew several metres across the lobby before rolling along the floor and coming to rest against the front desk. He flipped himself over and looked up to see Cordelia's face peering over the top of the railing, looking down at him in shock and confusion. He saw Wesley, Gunn and Fred appear out of Wesley's office. But as he looked over to see who had thrown him across the room, he could only guess who the tall, dark and shadowy figure standing on the landing was. It couldn't be anyone other than Nero.
Author's Note: Well, now we're all up to date with what happened back at the end of chapter 3. In case anybody was wondering (because I know that so many stories can go for multiple chapters and go on and on and on… and on) I don't really know how long this story will go for. A friend who read what I've written so far asked how long it was going to be, and honestly, I don't have any idea. All I can say is that when it ends, I hope that readers are happy with the outcome. At the moment, I'm just going with the flow. It seems to be working. What do you think?
Next chapter: Nero's here, but what happens? Nero personally attacks Angel, threatens and blackmails him, all for the one little girl that means more to him than anything in the world. What will he do?