Chapter 24
Angel, Buffy and Spike walked down to the basement. After a while, Spike held Buffy's arm so she'd turn to him. Angel turned around too and growled at him when he saw Spike holding Buffy's arms.
- Look, I want to say I'm sorry.
- Spike. This is not a good time for you to ask for forgiveness.
- Buffy. I know, but… I know what I did back there… all of it… was wrong. I love you. I really do… and I really understand now what love means. In my obsession with you, I said horrible things. Sometimes, I treated you like you were a vampiress like Dru, but you aren't. I see now why my great poof of a sire left you. You belong in the light. I can see it now… the way I saw a long time ago.
Angel was looking admired to his child. He had no idea how much was costing Spike to say what he was saying because in all his time he'd never see the younger vampire to say he was sorry. It seemed that the soul was really changing his child. Maybe, Spike deserved a chance in his team after all.
Buffy had tears in her eyes. Spike had really grown into someone she and Angel could count on.
- Thank you, Spike.
- Yeah. Enjoy it, Slayer.
After a tense moment, they began to walk again and arrived into a room guarded by a net of red rays.
- What the bloody hell is this?!
- Let's find out.
Angel walked into the beam net, triggering an alarm. Doors unlocked, and people walked out of closets poised for a fight.
- Zombies. Oh, swell!
Angel, Buffy and Spike all joined in fighting off the zombies. After a while, Angel screamed so Buffy and Spike could hear him.
- We don't have time for this.
- Go on. I'll hold them back.
Angel looked at Spike and he and Buffy run past the zombies, leaving Spike alone with them.
- Come on, lads. No need to be gentle. We're all dead men here.
Chapter 25
In the basement, Lindsey was walking down the stairs from the control panel to the lower room. He patted the side of the tank as it raised from the floor.
- Bye-bye, Angel.
- Hello, Lindsey.
Lindsey turned around to see Angel and Buffy standing behind him. He grinned.
- And the hero arrives right on schedule. And with a date. The Slayer.
- What can I say? Me and saving the world besides the man I love. We kind of come tied up… really tight.
While Buffy was talking, Angel was walking slowly toward Lindsey with his arms crossed.
- Is this the part where I get all weak in the knees? Promise the heroes I'll never do it again?
- It's a little late for that… Doyle.
Angel said the name with sarcasm in his voice. Lindsey smirked.
- There's always time for redemption. Isn't that your whole thing?
- To be truthful… It is a little late for you.
And the fight began. Angel tried to hit Lindsey in the face, but Lindsey caught his hand mid-thrust and punched Angel in the ribs before throwing him hard across the room. Angel rolled across the floor into the opposite wall.
- Maybe… but I learned a few tricks… here and there.
While trying to sit up, Angel realized that Lindsey had some sort of superhuman strength. Their fight wouldn't be easy this time. He hoped that Willow and Wesley could work their mojo so the protection on Lindsey would be lifted.
- You just gonna lay there and bleed?
- No. He won't.
Buffy grabbed Lindsey from behind and threw him across the room near Angel. He sat up with blood in his lip.
- So. You are the Slayer. His Slayer. Nice to meet you.
He stood up to be punched in the face by Angel.
- This is between you and me. Buffy… leave this place.
Angel was holding Lindsey up by his shirt collar. Lindsey had blood all over his face, but still turned to Buffy.
- No, love. You are not going anywhere. And hang out. This won't take long. You can see him die and then I'll kill you… or it can be the other around it… I'm not sure yet.
Angel growled in his face baring his fangs for him to see. Menacing Buffy was never a good thing. Angel was moving for the bite when suddenly, Lindsey punched Angel in the chest causing him to flow to the wall in the other side of the room. He pointed to the door of the room causing it to close.
- Angel!
Buffy called him and threw the samurai sword.
- Buffy. Go upstairs and try to shut it down.
Chapter 26
Angel and Lindsey engage in a sword fighting, while Buffy looked over to the tank. She saw something scary swimming around in it.
- Oh, crap!
She ran upstairs to find a panel with some buttons.
*Which one is the right one? Where is the geek witch when you need one? What to do?*
Buffy noticed the crystal in the panel
- Oh, a crystal. Bad crystals.
She decided to remove it from the place he stood. After her eightieth birthday, crystals were considered evil things. The tank stopped its ascending.
- Yay me!
Lindsey saw Buffy with the crystal in her hands and she grinned widely at him. The tank sank back into its underground holding spot, keeping the animal inside it contained for now.
- No!
Lindsey threw Angel off of him and went for Buffy who was looking at him in her slayer fight position. However, he didn't have the chance to fight her because Angel got to him first. Angel almost stabbed him from behind, but found Lindsey's sword in the way.
- So you went and got yourself a little mojo? Should never have come back, Lindsey.
- What can I say? I missed you.
He looked at his sword.
- Little something I picked up in Nepal. You like it?
- They sell that crap at the airport.
They fought a little more. Lindsey ended up pinning Angel against the wall, but Angel pushed him away. They continued to fight. Lindsey punched Angel then back flipped high into the air, landing on his feet on top of the holding tank.
Angel leaped into the air nearly effortlessly, landing on the holding tank. He and Lindsey resumed their sword fighting. Lindsey kicked Angel hard in the knee, causing Angel to scream in pain and recoil.
- You know, all my carefully laid out plans, my designs, when you get right down to it, that was pretty sweet, too, huh? Reason enough for me to come back. You, me... fight to the death... yours, of course.
- I've seen your tough act before, squirt. First time we ever met, you put on a show. Huffing and puffing, telling me I couldn't lay a hand on your scumbag client.
- So you kicked him out a window.
- Good times.
- It was a defining moment.
The vents around the holding tank let out steam as the tank lowered slowly to the floor again.
- Kind of like this one.
Angel thrust his sword at Lindsey and they continued their sword fight on top of the holding tank. Angel punched Lindsey in the face. When Lindsey stood up, his shirt was hanging open, unbuttoned, and Angel noticed Lindsey's tattoos.
- That must have stung.
- Worse than when you cut off my hand.
The sword fighting continued and finally Lindsey used a move so Angel lost his sword. Angel kicked Lindsey's sword into the air and leaped high to catch it. Lindsey caught Angel's samurai sword to continue the fight. Angel kicked Lindsey in the chest, knocking him back a couple of feet. Lindsey lunged toward Angel, stabbing him through the heart with the sword.
- Angel!
Buffy screamed, remembering not only her dream, but the last time she saw Angel with a sword in his chest. When she had sent him to hell.
Lindsey kicked Angel off the holding tank and across the room. He jumped to the floor and walked to Angel.
- Buffy, No!
Angel screamed when he saw Buffy moving to Lindsey. Lindsey gave Buffy a look and turned to Angel.
- Who is this? Who is this? I came to fight the vampire with a soul. Guess you shouldn't have sold it, huh? Look at you, from champion to pathetic corporate puppet in just a few months. You used to have fire in your heart. Now all you got in there is that big honkin' sword. How's that feel, champ?
- Could be worse...
Buffy saw the moment Angel's attitude changed. Lindsey should have stayed with his mouth shut. Angel would kick his ass.
- God, I've missed watching this.
Angel pulled the sword out of his chest slowly.
-… if it had been made out of wood, you dumbass.
He threw the sword away and stood up. Angel and Lindsey engaged in hand-to-hand combat then, fighting with punches, head butts and kicks. Suddenly, Lindsey started to feel weak, like his powers were fading.
- All those tattoos, all those new tricks you've learned...
Angel punched Lindsey in the stomach, knocking him to the ground. Lindsey tried to stand, but Angel punched him down again. Lindsey got to his knees, but Angel punched him in the face again.
- ... just don't matter. Doesn't matter what you try. Doesn't matter where I am or how badass you think you've become. 'Cause you know what?
He grabbed Lindsey by the neck, holding him face-face.
- I'm Angel…
Angel threw Lindsey across the room to land against the opposite wall.
- … and I beat the bad guys.
Buffy screamed from the place where the control panel was.
- Yay! Baby! You ok?
- I've been worse, love.
Lindsey chuckled as he struggled to get to his feet. He stood up, but was staggering and out of breath.
- So what now Angel? Think you got it in you to kill me?
- I really don't think I have to… at least today.
- Sweetie, your epidermis is showing. Angel… I think that Wesley and Willow mojo is working.
Lindsey looked at his tattoos. They were floating up off of his skin and vanishing into thin air, leaving him unmarked and unprotected. Lindsey watched as the last of the tattoos vanished from his skin. There was a flashing light and a whirlwind appeared above him.
- Damn!
- I think the senior partners would like a word.
Lindsey looked up to see a portal forming in the air above him. He said his last words looking to Angel.
- You don't think they're angry, do you?
He was sucked into the portal after he chuckled nervously.
Just one more chapter to go!