High

Chapter Three: Born Again

Angel and Faith were back at the hotel. They hadn't managed to turn up anything of any use, and so were researching on the Council database to see if they could find any information on Juice. Suddenly Spike burst through the door, dragging a scrawny looking thug behind him.

"I found us a little weasel who wants to sing.."

Spike chucked the kid to the floor, who immediately tried to run. Faith grabbed him by the throat and threw him into a seat.

"What's this about Spike" said Angel.

"This little rat attacked me in a bar. Was a tough little bugger as well, until i knocked him out for a while. Said he knows who's dealing Juice." He looked at the kid.

"Tell the nice man with the forehead, you little runt."

The kid said nothing, so Angel leaned towards the kid's face.

"Talk, or I make my scary face."

The kid started to shake.

"Uh-uh, it was some guy. He meets us in bars and clubs to give us the hit. Really cheap stuff as well."

"A name." Angel said quietly.

"I-It was some British guy. Something Rayne I think. Yeah, Rayne."

"Crap." said Angel. He turned to look at Faith. "Get Giles on the phone. Now. We have a big problem."

"Angel, who is this guy?" said Faith.

"A sorcerer by the name of Ethan Rayne. Old college buddy of Giles. Bad news."

"Ethan?" said Spike. "I think I have heard of this guy, he turned Giles into a Fyarl demon a few years back for a laugh. He was dragged off by the same G.I. Joes that put that damn chip in my head. He must have escaped when Buffy killed that Frankenstein freak, Adam. ."

"If he's back it's got to be to cause havoc again. Thats what he does best." said Angel.

Meanwhile, Oz and Laura stared at the four snarling demons where the thugs once stood. The skins they had shed lay on the floor, stinking. The red haired slayer lunged at the first demon, narrowly avoiding the vicious claws of the monster, before driving a quick snap kick into it's face. The demon stumbled back, giving Laura the chance to follow up with a roundhouse kick. Meanwhile Oz had shifted back into wolf form, and threw himself at the demons, his claws tearing into the monsters. One of the demons sidestepped his claws and struck Oz with a double handed blow across his back, knocking him to the floor. The demon loomed over Oz, ready to land the killing blow on the prone werewolf. As the monster's claws descended, the creature paused, with a stunned look on it's bestial face, as it fell forward, with one of Laura's axes embedded into it's twisted spine.

"Now do you forgive me?" shouted Laura, as they beat back the rest of the demons.

Back at the hotel, Angel had not been able to get hold of Giles yet. There had been no answers at the Council Headquarters for the last three hours, and the team was starting to get agitated. The had got the kid to arrange a meeting with Ethan, after Spike had persuaded him. With a baseball bat.

Suddenly, Laura and Oz burst through the door.

"Angel!" shouted Laura. "We found something out about the drug. You ain't going to believe this!"

Angel, Spike and the rest of the team looked at Laura. But she was looking past them, and so was Oz.

"Well, I guess you might.."

With a roar the demon that used to be the kid ripped free of his bonds and lunged at Faith. The slayer was too quick for the demon though, and dropped to her knees, before bringing a dagger round into the monster's gut, killing it.

"How about we go find that Ethan guy, Angel?" said Faith.

The group made their way to the bar they had arranged to meet Ethan. A dank hole of a demon bar called The Gutted Baby. Angel looked around the place. A vampire in the corner was feeding from a young girl. The girl was already dead, probably was before the vamp got to her. The bartender was a fat, sweaty demon with grey floppy skin and a single cyclopean eye.

"Still nicer than Willy's Place.." muttered Angel, as he made his way to the bar. Spike tucked himself away in the corner of the bar, while Oz, Faith and Laura waited outside, just in case.

Angel waited for a couple of hours. He was just about to give up when the bar door creaked open and in stepped the weaselly form of Ethan Rayne. With two of the drug demons as bodyguards. He sat down in the corner opposite from Spike, produced a small book and began to read. Angel walked over to the table.

"So, you made it then kid." said Ethan, not looking up from his book.

"The boy had to change." said Angel. "He sent me instead."

"Oh, well.. look at the time." muttered Ethan, looking up at Angel. "Gotta run!"

The demons charged at Angel, while Rayne made for the door. Spike tackled Ethan to the floor, as Angel struck out at the closest demon with a quick punch.

Hearing the commotion, Faith, Oz and Laura ran inside.

Faith launched herself across the tables and delivered a vicious kick to one of the demons, knocking it into the wall, and Laura pinned the monster's head to the wall with an arrow.

"Nice shooting." said Oz, smiling at her.

Meanwhile, Angel lashed out with his sword, beheading the demon he fought.

Angel turned to look at Spike, who had Ethan pinned to the floor in one of the most painful positions he had ever seen. Angel walked over, and motioned for Spike to stand him up.

"Get that jackass to the hotel. Tie him up, and gag him. The only sound I want to hear from him is his troubled breathing."

"I don't have trouble bre... uurgh!"

Angel pulled his hand away from Ethan's throat.

"You do now."