The Downside of Elemental Dieseling
Author: Nickeltaffy
Disclaimer: Blah, blah, blah…These characters are Joss's. I don't own them, never did and never will. Thanks for the loan, Joss.
Spike has just recovered from being a four year old the previous day. While trying to get back to life as usual, what if the stone wasn't done messing with the blonde vampire? Sequel to: Turning the Helical Gear.
….
Chapter 14
The hollow tap-tap-tap sound of high heels clicking against the concrete ramp could be heard before Shirley burst out onto the sidewalk. She bore little resemblance to the woman who had fashionably exited the elevator nearly an hour before, her carefully constructed makeup and hair were in disarray and her vibrant designer clothes were soiled and askew. Shirley coughed and waved a hand to clear the remaining fog in front of her as she staggered from the garage entrance. Despite the confusing chaos that had jarringly erupted in the building, she had somehow managed to navigate the stairwell down to the parking garage. Pushing back her ravaged remains of her hairstyle, she took a few wobbling steps away from the building as she looked up to where the remains of the penthouse had been. She stared at the ruins transfixed as she tried to grasp the events that had transpired there.
When the doors to Taras' office had clicked closed separating her from her child, Shirley launched into frenetic hysteria. The urge to separate the heads from the bodies of the men who threatened her little boy was overwhelming. Without thinking, her body sprang forward to attempt to claw at the office doors. She had only managed to move a few inches when Taras' strong arm had wrapped around her waist, dragging her back. Shirley's voice rose to a piercing shriek as she called out for Sonny again and again as she struggled to free herself from her husband's grip. Her tears mixed with the heavy eye makeup, leaving dark muddy tracks running down her face. The pair struggled together till finally, turning to the room, Shirley screamed for someone to do something.
Despite his sizeable build, Taras discovered that he was having a far more difficult time restraining his wife than he ever imagined he would. After a bit, he felt his arm start to slide from her writhing body before he jerked her back against him. He was surprised at the strength of Shirley's attachment to the silly child. What did it matter if the child was in danger? He could get another one easy enough. What was most important to him was to get his hands back on that reliquary. He had spent so much effort and had so many carefully laid out plans for it. He was not about to be thwarted by a pair of oafs who managed to get their hands on the child. He would merely send his men through the door, guns blazing once he was able to get Shirley back a sufficient distance. If the child was shot, he could blame the intruders. Shirley would likely be upset for a while, but she would get over it. They had not had the child long, there was no way she could be that attached to it. He was lost in his thoughts when Shirley turned and screamed at the room.
A dense mist suddenly appeared and quickly filled the penthouse. It obscured the vision of the inhabitants so badly that only the bare outline of objects only mere inches away could be detected. Shirley turned her head as she saw a strange glow begin to radiate from the area of the office doors. In the next instant, Taras pulled her away, dragging her through the fog. He thrust her through the doorway of the emergency stairwell, commanding her to go down to the street and slamming the door shut behind him. Shirley launched her body at the door, determined not to leave Sonny or Taras in this dangerous situation, but found no handle on this side of the door. She clawed and banged on the door, demanding to be let in to no avail. Seeing no success from her efforts, she stopped for a moment and leaned her forehead against the door when an explosion rocked the building.
The next thing Shirley knew, she was picking herself off the floor on the far side of the platform. A large hole appeared between her and the battered door. She clung to a fragment of railing as the top of the stairwell rocked crazily. Her only option was to make her way down the stairs. As she began to move down the staircase, she thought she heard the most incredible sounds issuing from the other side of the battered door.
Shirley stood, transfixed until the screams from down the street broke through her trance and drew her attention to the activity down the street.
…..
"Spike! Wait! Come back!"
Fred called as she stood there, all of her attention focused on the police car as it crazily surged down the street. Meanwhile, all around her, Angel, Wesley and Gunn continued to battle the creatures as they swarming around them. The air was filled with unearthly growls and grunts, the thudding sounds of fists hitting flesh and the brash sound of gunfire. Fred continued to stand unaware in the din of the chaos in the middle of the street. In the next instant, one of the frightful looking creatures landed in front of her, blocking her view of the street and the path that the police car had taken. The blotchy visage of the towering creature loomed over Fred's thin form. It stood there studying Fred, its only gesture was to fold its oversized wings behind its back. Initially recoiling with surprise, Fred had taken a half step back away from the forbidding presence with one foot but brought it back to stand her ground. Disregarding the instinct to run, she looked up into the face of the otherworldly beast. Somehow, she sensed something behind the eyes, an intelligence that seemed focused on more than causing mayhem. She realized that it did not intend to harm her. She was just about to open her mouth to say something when Wesley appeared next to her.
Grabbing her about her body, Wesley spun her away from the creature as he backed warily away from it until they were both huddled behind a car. Putting himself in front of her, he leveled the gun at the monstrosity in the street.
"Are you okay?" Wesley asked out of the side of his mouth as he kept his eyes on the creature in the street.
"Yeah, but I don't think it was going to…." Fred managed to respond before Wesley's arm cut her off as he dragged her close to him.
"Thank goodness, you're unharmed. Who knows what that thing was about to do." Wesley said fiercely as he kept an eye on the creature who had not moved from the spot where it landed.
The strange being suddenly gave an ear piercing shriek that echoed down the street. The deafening sound rebounded against the brick buildings, making all the human inhabitants in the downtown area clutch at their heads and writhe in pain. Suddenly, all of the creatures rocketed up into the sky and out of sight.
Angel who had been thoroughly engrossed in his battle, still throwing a punch with his fist nearly fell flat as his opponent was simply not there anymore. He lurched forward, almost falling on his face. The surprise on his face was evident as he regained his balance. He straightened quickly and spun around as he looked around for the creatures. He finally stopped as his expression changed to puzzlement when he could not locate any sign of the throng that had just been there. He finally relaxed as his eyes finally setting on his team.
Fred and Wesley stood up from their protected position behind the car. Wesley's arm was still wrapped around the pretty scientist as they both looked up in the sky. Gunn joined Fred and Wesley at the back of the car as he too was also looking to where the creatures might have gone.
"Well, that was interesting." Wesley commented as he looked down to check on the lovely girl by his side.
Raising a hand to the back of his head, Angel stepped out from the side of the building toward his team. He took a deep breath as he brought the hand down.
"Is everyone okay?" Angel asked as he walked toward them with his hands on hips. "Did anyone see where Spike went?"
All of a sudden, a blur of hair and nails fell upon Angel. Angel reeled back in surprise as the frenzied attacker clawed at his face, pulled at his hair and tore his shirt. He held up his hands in defense as the assault intensified. A high pitched voice could be heard above the commotion.
"Where's Sonny? What have you done with him?"
…
After somehow managing to navigate out of downtown by some miraculous luck, Spike was able to get the police car onto the freeway. Despite his efforts at keeping to one lane, Spike was bouncing from lane to lane. The other cars gave the police car careening crazily across the freeway a lot of distance, keeping well back from the deranged civic vehicle. Only the very brave who dared to keep abreast of the recklessly driven police car spotted the small curly head behind the steering wheel that was barely able to see over the dash.
As the traffic moved through LA, the lanes of the freeway began to get congested. The sea of red brake lights ahead lit up the interior of the police car. Seeing all the lanes was filled with stopped cars, Spike prepared to slow and stop the police car. He pressed his foot slowly on the opposite end of the vessel so it would compress the brake. The car did not slow. He pressed his foot a little more firmly on the relic and again, there was no discernible deceleration. Spike began to kick at the relic but it did not move. He began to frantically kick and swear at the vessel, but it made no difference. It quickly dawned on an appalled Spike that the urn was wedged on the accelerator.