Angel 6X05: Freak Show

Chapter 6: The Bigger Picture

"That's it?" Faith yelled down the phone, slamming it down with such force it made the others standing in the lobby of the Hyperion wince.

"So it went well then?" Spike said.

"Damn well, Robin's a jackass!"

"Tell me something I don't know."

"Ok, how about this," Faith said moving towards Angel, "They told me to tell you it wasn't your place to interfere…"

"So we were supposed to just let innocent people get slaughtered were we?"

"Apparently we're here to follow orders, not to play the hero all the time."

"Gee, and I remember when the council were so easy going…" Angel joked.

"Maybe this isn't something that we should joke about." Laura said uneasily.

"So what does this mean?" Oz joined in.

"The council has said we're on a very short leash," Faith said. She turned to Oz, "No offence."

"Going rogue again from the council then are we?" Spike said, turning everyone's attention back to Faith.

"Robin wouldn't tell me anything else, just that we shouldn't interfere, the council has to see the bigger picture…"

"But I still don't understand what big picture they could be talking about," Laura said to Faith as the two slayers were on routine patrol later that night, "I mean, we helped the good guys, what more can they want?"

"I don't know, this whole thing is making me think too much," Faith replied, "I thought I was done with all this Robin shit."

"He really got to you didn't he?"

"Well before Robin, it was just get some and get gone. He was the first guy that I ever connected with and had a real relationship with…"

"That's a little deep for you miss five by five!" Laura joked.

"You see what he does to me! Going all sappy on you like that…and to think he started off as an easy lay after getting out of prison!" Faith joked back.

"Yeah, I mean I don't know how you managed it, locked up for so long! I can imagine you itching for some action!"

"I still got my fair share…"

"But how? You were locked up with only women!" Laura laughed, raising her eyebrow at Faith inquisitively.

"I never said it was with men…"

At the Council HQ, in London, England...

Giles sat at his desk in his plush office. It was one of the perks of running the Watcher's Council, having an large, impressive office. He had just started to read one of his books when there was a knock on the door.

"Enter." The watcher said, looking up from the text he was reading.

Robin Wood walked through the double doors. The son of the slayer Nikki Wood made his way to Giles' desk.

"Robin. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"It's Angel."

Giles sat bolt upright at the mention of the vampire who had tortured him for hours.

"He hasn't...?" he said, "Angelus hasn't returned has he?"

"No. But we do have a problem."

"What?"

"The Iron Ninja we contracted to clean out the nest of subhumans. He destroyed them, along with the aid of Spike." He spat Spike's name out with a great deal of venom.

"Didn't anyone try to stop him for god's sake?"

"Yes, but by the time they had contacted me he had already left, and by the time Faith and the others arrived it was too late."

"Are they aware we hired the Iron Ninja to take those animals out?"

"No, I refused to answer anything on the subject of why they were not to interfere."

"Good." said Giles. "Ensure it stays that way. We can't have them getting in the way. Not now."