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"Oh my God," Angel said again
"You have no God, demon," Holtz said, stepping forth
Suddenly, forks appeared around Angel's neck and wrists, trapping him. He looked around, seeing the Grappler demons containing him
"I'm not like before," he said, "I'm different now"
"Really?"
Holtz splashed holy water onto his face, causing him to vamp out briefly in pain
"Okay, maybe I'm not. But seriously, Holtz, how'd you get here? You still smell human, so you're not a vampire. Had to be with black magic. And you're working with demons? You used to hang out with men"
"Hold your tongue, Angelus," Holtz warned, backhanding him
"It's Angel now. I'm not Angelus anymore"
"You're still the demon that mercilessly slaughtered my family"
"Hi there, am I interrupting anything?" Lilah asked from the doorway
"Who are you?" Holtz demanded
"Lilah Morgan, from Wolfram and Hart. And you are?"
"Daniel Holtz. So, I'm guessing you know Angelus?"
"Uh-huh yeah. My bosses are interested in him. The vampire with a soul who will play a part in the final apocalypse and yada, yada, yada, whatever"
"A soul? This demon has a soul?"
"Hey, Lilah," Angel called, "Duck"
He kicked up a grenade from a fallen soldier and pulled the pin with his teeth. Both Lilah and Holtz dived for cover, as the explosion blasted Angel through the elevator door and killing several Grappler demons. Angel made his way down to the sewers, coming up outside the Hyperion. Night had fallen and the rain was just starting to fall. He quickly got into the Plymouth and tore away back to the hospital
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"Where – is – Angel?" Cordelia demanded
"I tried calling him, but got no answer," Fred said
Cordelia let out a groan and fell back against the bed. Nervous, Fred left the room and called for a midwife, as Wesley, Lorne and Gunn paced outside nervously
"I think the baby is coming now," Fred said
"And no sign of our champ," Lorne said, "Cordy's not gonna like this"
"I hope he's fine"
Meanwhile, Angel was tearing through the streets, trying to get back to the hospital in time for the birth, as the previous events flashed through his mind. He couldn't believe what he had just seen. He last remembered seeing Holtz back in Rome in 1764, after spending days being tortured by the hunter, until Darla rescued him. Angel tried to focus on the road, but his mind was flashing with images of Holtz. He then bared them from his mind by focusing solely on Cordelia and the baby, reaching the hospital within a matter of minutes, as the rain started to pick up
"Angel, is everything okay?" Wesley asked when the vampire burst inside
"Cordelia…how's it going?"
"You might or might not want to go in there," Gunn said, "She needs you, but at the same time, I think she's gonna kill you"
"I'll take that chance," Angel said
He strode into the room where Cordelia was grunting in pain, surrounded by doctors and midwives. He quickly rushed to her side, clasping her hand
"Glad – you made – it," Cordelia cried
"Are you the father?" asked a doctor
"I am," Angel replied, "How much longer now?"
"Won't be long now," the doctor replied, "I believe we're in the final stages now"
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"Can I help you, sir?" the nurse asked
Holtz didn't answer. He simply looked around the hospital, before looking at the map, seeing where the maternity ward was. After Angel escaped, Holtz forced some information out of Lilah and learned where Angel would be heading. He then contacted Sahjahn for some help, before heading over to the hospital
"No, not at all," he finally replied, "I'll be seeing you"
Holtz turned and walked away, as the nurse returned to her desk. A few minutes later and she was screaming out, running from her desk, as a pick-up truck came crashing through the front doors. People went screaming and running, as the pick-up truck slammed into the far wall. A few seconds passed and the engine was still running
KA-BOOOOMMM!!!
Flames erupted from the truck, blasting through a few walls and ceilings. Most of the people had evacuated the building and only a few were caught in the explosion. The sprinklers came on to douse the flames as Holtz walked back into the burning hospital, a sword attached to his waist and a large crossbow in his hands as he made his way towards the maternity ward
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"What the hell was that?" Gunn asked, getting to his feet
"Cordelia," Wesley cried, rushing into the room, "Get out of here," he cried to the doctors, "I'll handle this"
The doctors hurriedly left the room, as Wesley turned to Angel
"Who would be attacking us?"
"Daniel Holtz. Don't worry about that. Help Cordelia"
The sprinklers came on, dousing everything in water. Angel took off his coat and held it over Cordelia's head, as Fred, Lorne and Gunn entered the room
"Keep this over her body," Angel ordered, "I've got to go"
"Where to?" Lorne asked
He caught the dark look in Angel's eyes and left him alone, grabbing hold of the coat with Gunn and Fred, tending to Cordelia as Wesley attempted to deliver her child
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Slowly and cautiously, Holtz made his way up the stairs. The hospital was virtually empty thanks to his mobile bomb and the sprinklers were still running as he turned a corner and moved down the corridor, his eyes trained ahead. Then came the low, threatening growl of a vampire to his left. That was the only warning he got, but that was all that he needed
Holtz whirled around, squeezing the trigger. The bolt slammed into the wall when Angel smacked the crossbow aside with one hand, his other hand swinging around to catch Holtz on the jaw. The hunter stumbled back, his back against the wall, barely ducking in time to avoid Angel's next blow. He gripped the sword hilt and drew fast, slashing wide. Angel jumped away from the blade, his shirt torn open, but his skin untouched, as his golden eyes blazed and he moved in again. Holtz sidestepped, slicing upwards, but Angel twisted around the blade, landing a kick on Holtz's chest
Keeping his footing, Holtz then dodged Angel's fist, noting that the vampire was attacking in rage and his fighting style was sloppy. Keeping this in mind, Holtz ducked under Angel's roundhouse kick, slicing upwards. Angel growled when his blood was splattered onto the wet floor and he grabbed Holtz's sword arm, embedding the blade into the wall, before punching him. Holtz reached into his coat, withdrawing a wooden stake and he held it ready, as Angel kept his distance
Resuming his human face, Angel moved in, dodging Holtz's punch and twisting inwards, driving his elbow into the hunter's solar plexus, winding him. As Holtz gasped for breath, Angel whirled around, delivering a backhand to his jaw, knocking him down. Holtz rose up, bringing his stake upwards, but Angel grabbed his arm, twisting it away, before grabbing him by the throat and lifted him up
"I am sorry for what I've done, Holtz," Angel said, "We can't change what happened. I have to live with it for the rest of my unlife"
"You took my life away," Holtz cried out, "You took away everything from me!"
"And nothing I can do will change that. I would continue this, maybe for your sake, but right now, I have more important matters to attend to"
"As do I and that's killing you and gaining my vengeance"
Just then, Angel's ears picked up the sound of a newborn baby crying. He threw Holtz aside, before racing off back to the maternity ward. Coughing, Holtz grabbed his crossbow, reloading the weapon, before heading off after the vampire
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