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"So, how are things between you and Cordy?" Doyle asked
It was nighttime and he and Angel were at a rundown house, checking the place for the demons in Doyle's vision. They weren't evil demons, more like kind-hearted demons in desperate need of help
"I don't know," Angel admitted, "I think it's gonna be difficult between us now"
"You think?" Doyle said, "You were human for a day and you two had a passionate night, am I correct? Then, you give up your humanity for your vampirism, which means you can't be passionate. Yeah, it's gonna be difficult"
"Aren't you insightful?"
"Hey, it helps to be like that. Here we are. This is the room"
It was bare, apart from a few couches, chairs and a table with plates of food still on them. Doyle headed over and tasted one of them
"Still warm"
"There's fear in the air. I can smell it"
Angel pulled the carpet aside, revealing a trapdoor. Upon opening it, he and Doyle saw about twelve or so Lister demons, looking up at them with scared eyes
"Don't worry," Angel said, "We're here to help"
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Cordelia arrived at the rundown house about an hour later, having hired a truck after getting a phone call from Angel. On the drive over, she thought about her relationship with the now-vampire, wondering if they should continue it, despite his curse. As she neared the house, she decided that if Angel wanted it, then she would continue it with him. In one day with him, she had experienced more love than she had ever felt in her life and it was something she needed. Sure, sex was out the window, but they could still do other things, she hoped
Cordelia headed inside, noticing exactly how rundown the house was. Then, she came across five demons and froze. Her hand reached into her pocket and drew out an air freshener
"Keep back, I've got a demon repellent here and I'm not afraid to use it"
She sprayed a few times, as the lead Lister demon sniffed
"Evergreen," he said
Just then, Doyle arrived, seeing Cordelia and pushed through the demons to get to her, taking her away into another room
"Where's Angel?" she asked
"He's helping the others. Do you have the truck?"
"Yes, it's out front. Doyle, what's going on? Those guys are demons?"
"Yeah, I know, but they're good demons and they need help"
"Good demons. There are good demons? And we're helping them?"
"Come on, Cordy, don't be like that. And yes, we're helping them get out of here"
She noted the fear in Doyle's voice, even though he tried to disguise it
"Bad things are coming?"
"Very bad things. Come on, help me"
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"Is there any more on the Scourge that you can tell me?" Angel asked
"They're relentless," replied the Lister leader, "They don't stop until everything that's in their way is dead"
"Don't worry, we'll get you of here, I promise you"
Angel turned around, seeing Cordelia and Doyle behind him
"You get the truck?" he asked
"Yes," Cordelia replied
"Good, let's get going. Come on. I'm heading out"
"Where are you going?" Cordelia asked
"Securing transport"
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"You want me to carry people out of here?" the captain asked, "That's not what I do"
"You're gonna do this for me," Angel said, "Your brother's told you about me? About what I am?"
"Yeah, he said you bit him"
"I didn't bite him"
"So you don't-"
"I wasn't hungry," Angel said, close to the captain's ear
"Okay, so what do you want me to say?"
"The ship is carrying untreated chemical waste. No one goes it. No one stops it from leaving the harbour. Got it?"
"Got it"
"This screws up, it's your fault. Then look for me to get a little peckish"
And with that, Angel left, as the captain filled out the paperwork
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"Angel's got the ship," Cordelia said, snapping her phone close
"Let's go then," Doyle said
He and Cordelia got into the truck, before driving off towards the harbour. About five minutes after they left, a group of Nazi-like demons arrived, forcing their way into the rundown house where the Lister demons had occupied several minutes before
"They were just here," a demon cried
"When the lights come on, where do the vermin hide?"
He swept the rug aside, revealing the trapdoor. A soldier opened it, showing only emptiness. The leader sighed, as the rest of the soldiers searched throughout the house
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"I can't find my son," the leader Lister demon cried
"What?" Cordelia cried, "And you failed to notice before?"
"I thought he was on the truck"
"It's okay, Cordy, I'll find him," Doyle offered, "Pull over here"
She pulled over, as Doyle got out of the truck
"Keep going. You know where it is. We'll meet up with you there"
Cordelia drove off and rounded the corner. Once the truck was gone, Doyle morphed and headed off in the other direction, searching for the Lister's son and hopefully that he could find him before the Scourge did. He had never met the Scourge personally, but he had heard what they did the half-demons. He had even seen the evidence himself, after failing to help save a fellow band of Brachen demons. That's when he had first gotten the visions. That's why he was helping Angel out, to search for his own atonement for failing the Brachen demons. He had told Angel the story earlier after learning what the Lister demons were escaping from
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Reiff, the son of the Lister demon leader, was off on his own. He didn't want to be around when the Scourge slaughtered his family. He didn't want to die. He had suffered persecution all his life and getting killed wasn't at the top of his list. So, first chance he took; he doubled back off the truck and headed out into the night
"Hey"
Reiff looked back, seeing Doyle catching up to him
"You're fast"
"I'm walking"
"You know, your family's back there"
"Heading towards their deaths. We're always running. From humans or extremists. I'm not gonna hang around while each and every one of them is killed"
"You don't think we can't help? That we can fight the Scourge and save you?"
"The Scourge is too strong. They just don't stop. We'll be running forever"
"You can think that if you think. But I know that running like this never helps"
"Yeah? You think you can help? Because your friend is the Promised One?"
"Maybe Angel isn't the Promised One," Doyle said, "But he's a hero. The real deal. And I trust what he does. He always does things to the best of his ability"
Reiff sighed and looked away, before looking at the ground
"How about we get going huh? Your family's waiting. And mark my words, we're gonna get you out of here and away from the Scourge. No more running"
"You really think so?"
"I know so. Come on"
Doyle and Reiff headed off, but then the sound of marching came. And both demons instantly knew what that meant: death on feet was coming. The Scourge were nearby and any minute now, they would find Doyle and Reiff and kill them on the spot
"Come on, this way," Doyle said
The pair ran off in the opposite direction, as the first of the Scourge rounded the corner, seeing the pair and chasing after them as their normal pace, knowing that they would be able to catch and kill them easily
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