Chapter Twenty Six: Trust and Distrust

Angel and Sam imitated the Jaffa and took hold of the nearest fixed objects in order to secure themselves. They were not surprised by the sudden loss of gravity because this was one of the possibilities discussed before the attack was launched. What was unexpected was the rapid reversal of gravity, but both Angel and Sam were sufficiently secure to land safely on the ceiling along with the four Jaffa.

"OK," said the Jaffa commander. "We've got ten minutes before it all goes back again. In that time you can tell us exactly what you..."

But the commander said no more because Angel had moved frighteningly fast to take out all four Jaffa. None of them knew what hit them as he delivered swift blows to the head and torso. What surprised Sam more than anything was that Angel had acted in complete silence. The only sound was the falling bodies hitting the floor or rather the ceiling. A couple of the Jaffa might have made a better fight of it but everybody, including Sam, was startled by Angel's sudden change into vampire face.

Angel morphed back to his usual human face but gone was not forgotten. After that I'm never going to think of this guy as human again thought Sam and I don't see how he can be a robot. And he comes from Earth. I've seen aliens and humans on other planets but all the time there were creatures like this back on Earth. I wonder what Janet would make of the physiology of it all?

Sam's next thought after Angel's disposal of the Jaffa was to raise the alarm about the second gravity flip that was planned by the enemy in what was now just under ten minutes time. She took out her radio and called the communication NCO who was with Willow and the main body of witches. She passed on the information about the second gravity flip and ordered that the information be passed on to as many people as possible, as quickly as possible.

Meanwhile Angel had been looking at the controls of the teleportation device, which was not easy to do now that everything was upside down.

"I don't think the Jaffa will send anybody else here until after the gravity is scheduled to be back to normal," said Angel. "But after that there will probably be more troops coming. Can you use this to transport us to the Control Centre, but at the same time stop the Jaffa from using this equipment to move their troops about?"

"I think so," replied Sam. "If you can lift me up and hold me upside down for a couple of minutes."

Angel did just that, Sam's weight providing no sort of strain for the vampire. Sam spent a short time examining the controls and setting things up. At Sam's request he put her down again. "I've put a small explosive in there. It'll go off after we leave," she said. "Now if you could just..."

Angel was already ahead of her. With an athletic leap he placed his feet on the floor above their heads, on the transport pad and wedged himself upside down ready for transport. He was about to grab hold of Sam to help her to do the same when Sam pointed out a problem.

"We'll still be on this ship," she explained. "Everything will still be upside down where we're going. We should transport ourselves upside down. Could you..."

Eventually both of them were within the transport area and upside down. Sam had warned Angel to be prepared for a fall at the other end because they would be materialising on what was now the ceiling.

Finally Sam primed the explosive and operated the controls but as they transported she realised that she'd forgotten something. If the witches' non violence spell had already taken effect it would stop the little explosive from working. The Jaffa would therefore still have a fully operating transport device.

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Cordelia, Kennedy and Gwen had left Wesley with Eve in Wesley's room in the hotel. Wesley was studying the book and would report his findings later. Eve had volunteered to stay with him to be available to answer questions about Wolfram and Hart in case there were things in the book which needed explaining. The other three women were now waiting outside the hotel for a carriage to take them to the Kallistien witch HQ so that they could find out how the attack on the spaceship was progressing and lend a hand if it was needed.

"Do you think those two are a couple?" asked Kennedy. "They've spent a lot of time together."

"Wes and Eve?" replied Cordelia surprised. "I hadn't even thought about it. I suppose they might be."

"He was rather concerned when she disappeared," said Gwen.

"Wasn't he just worried she might betray us?" asked Cordelia. Gwen just shrugged.

"You don't think she's that good looking do you?" asked Cordelia, I certainly don't, she added to herself. Wes can do better than that.

"Well I do," said Kennedy "I think she's really pretty. But she gives off the wrong signals for me."

"I think she's interested in Wes all right. But I don't know what Wes thinks. I don't find it very easy to read him," said Gwen. "Haven't you and Wes ever..." she added to Cordelia, deliberately leaving the question unfinished.

"He's changed a lot," said Cordelia. "When I first met him I was still at High School. I danced with him at the prom but it never actually went any further than that."

Cordelia broke off from what she was saying and stepped back away from the kerb side. She had adopted a blank expression and seemed to be looking at things invisible to everybody else. The other women knew the signs. Cordelia was having one of her visions. Gwen and Kennedy waited for Cordelia to explain what it was all about.

Cordelia rapidly returned to the present. "There's an attack coming in against the witch HQ," she said. "An attack by Jaffa using magic portals."

"But that's probably the best defended place on the planet," objected Gwen. "Don't they have spells and things to protect them?"

"Yeah they do but they're gonna be attacked anyway," replied Cordelia. "They eventually managed to protect the whole city during the last attack but it's just the HQ that has permanent protection. And a lot of the witches are away with Willow attacking that spaceship."

"So we'd better go and warn them," said Kennedy. "The sooner these people have cell phones the better."

"Oh yeah," said Cordelia. "Here we go again, haring across town at the last minute, hoping to arrive just in time. Reminds me of old times back in LA. Now if I could only get a little more advance warning in future?" The last was added in a loud voice with a look up to the heavens.

While they had been talking, the carriage had finally arrived. Kennedy leapt up beside the driver and stopped him from climbing down. She insisted that the driver immediately drive flat out to the witch HQ. By now Cordelia and Gwen had hurriedly gotten into the back of the carriage. As it set off, Kennedy swung down to join the others inside and to listen to details of exactly what Cordelia had seen.

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"That's her," said Lilah Morgan. "The one walking towards us on the other side of the road, long dark hair, red sweater."

Lilah was sat in the front of a car alongside Colonel Maybourne outside the new Sunnydale High School watching the students leave the premises at the end of the school day. They were specifically watching Dawn Summers.

"I've met her," replied Maybourne. "Dawn Summers. You should have said that was who you wanted to see. I don't see think she's going to play ball without a lot of persuasion. She told me she's got two witches watching over her."

"Normally she's got more than witches watching out for her," replied Lilah. "Her older sister's The Slayer. But she's away with the witches on the other world. If everything goes to plan she'll stay there permanently with them."

"The Slayer?" asked Maybourne smiling. That sounds pretty formidable, formidable and ruthless he thought. Seems these people operate like wrestlers, adopt a big name to frighten the opposition. "She another one who makes you nervous?" he taunted.

Lilah glanced at Maybourne. "She's definitely another one you don't want to meet in a dark ally, not if you're a vampire anyway. But no, she doesn't make me nervous, at least not when she's on another world," said Lilah. "But Dawn there, the younger sister, she's got no special abilities herself, apart from some high class tuition in unarmed combat and I presume one young girl won't be a problem for your highly trained people."

"You know, sometime soon you and I are going to have a little chat about what exactly you and your firm are all about," said Maybourne. "I'm tired of being fed crumbs. You might be a lawyer and your firm might be set up as a firm of lawyers but there's a lot more to it than that."

"OK," said Lilah. "Take me out for dinner sometime soon and I'll answer all your questions. But for now let's concentrate on the business in hand."

"What about him?" interrupted Maybourne. "Is he a threat?"

As they watched, Dawn had crossed the street and was now talking to a young man who had been waiting for her. They had not specifically noticed this particular young man before amongst the many others in the area, as the school students flooded out of the premises.

"I don't think a boyfriend..." began Lilah who broke off what she was saying and leant forward. She carefully examined the young man. "Oh, uh... that could be a problem."

"Somebody you know?" asked Maybourne looking at Lilah. "Somebody else to worry about?"

"In a way," replied Lilah. "His name's Connor. He's Angel's son. I don't think any of your people could cope with him one on one."

"So what is he, bullet proof?" asked Maybourne.

"Oh no, or at least I don't think so. He can do a few pretty odd things by all accounts though," said Lilah. "If he's anywhere about, your guys had better make sure he doesn't get too close. He can move very quickly when he wants to."

"Get out of the car!" came the order in a loud voice, a loud female voice.

Lilah and Maybourne now realised that their car had suddenly been surrounded by armed police, all of whom were pointing guns directly at them. Maybourne turned in his seat and saw that the car parked a way behind them, which had three of his colleagues inside, was also surrounded by armed police.

"I repeat, get out of the car! This is your final warning," came the same loud voice again. "If there is any resistance we will open fire."

Lilah and Maybourne got out of the car and raised their hands. The armed officers turned them across the hood of the car and searched them for weapons. One of the officers removed Maybourne's gun. Other officers searched inside the car.

"Well, well, Lilah Morgan," said a voice familiar to Lilah, the voice of Kate Lockley. "So Wolfram and Hart have taken up stalking school children now? Getting lower all the time."

Lilah started to turn towards the voice but the officer behind her pushed her back down over the hood. Lilah was fuming. Kate Lockley is with Sunnydale Police now? Somebody should have told me she thought. Somebody is in for an ass kicking.

"We're on the business of National Security," said an annoyed Maybourne from his position alongside Lilah. "Any interference with what we're doing is a federal crime."

Kate Lockley, Police Lieutenant Kate Lockley looked over Maybourne's ID which had been passed to her by the officer who had searched the colonel. "I wonder if your superiors know you're stalking young girls," said Kate. "And if they do what they think about it."

Kate walked over to Maybourne. "A lot of young people have disappeared in Sunnydale in the past few years so we take it very seriously when we find people watching the local schools," she said. "Are you telling me they disappeared because of National Security?"

"Of course not," said Maybourne. "Nobody in Sunnydale has disappeared because of us. We're just doing our duty. You'd better release us now before you get yourself into even bigger trouble."

"Nobody in Sunnydale huh," said Kate. "And Wolfram and Hart in bed with National Security? You're swimming with the sharks Colonel. Before long they'll gobble you up. Anyway I couldn't release you now even if I wanted to. You wouldn't last five minutes on these streets. Take a look, people around here are very nervous about strangers checking out their kids. You need our protection."

Colonel Maybourne straightened up and looked around. By now a large crowd had gathered. A crowd that consisted of High School students and many parents. The gathering continued to increase and there was a growing murmur coming from the crowd. Hostile looks were coming from many of those watching. The crowd could easily turn into a mob given the right provocation.

"Take them down to the station," said Kate to her officers. "We'll check out all their ID's and have a little chat with them. Read them their rights, and if they make any more threats I want it recorded, word for word."

The last sentence caused a sharp increase in the muttering from the crowd and several people stepped forward to take photos of the Colonel and Lilah with their cellphones. Kate stepped forward to speak quietly to Maybourne and Lilah. "If your ID checks out you'll be released but you'd better stay away from Sunnydale in future. It won't be very healthy for you around here for a very long time."

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"If it's a trap I'll teleport us both away," said Glory. "I'm stronger now. He won't know that, he won't expect it."

Glory had brought Daniel to the castle where she was due to have her next meeting with the Goa'uld Ninurta. Glory explained that she had not told Ninurta about the witch ceremony involving the Key and he did not know that Glory had not originally intended to keep the appointment.

Glory said she had hoped that the ceremony would succeed in charging up the Key so that it could be used to destroy the Goa'uld. As this had not happened she needed to continue her alliance with the rogue Goa'uld Ninurta. Glory still did not explain what had happened to the Key after the ceremony but she did not seem to be worried about it. Daniel assumed she had it hidden somewhere.

Now however Glory wanted information. She wanted to know what the Goa'uld knew about what was going on. She had also told Daniel that this was the best way of finding out what had happened to his companions but she mainly wanted to know if Ninurta still intended to betray Mitra.

Daniel was becoming suspicious of Glory. To start with she had refused to agree to him returning to the scene of the ceremony to see if any of his companions were still there, possibly injured. "Much too dangerous," she had insisted. She claimed to have sent observers back to the scene but he had never heard about them again, nor seen any such observers.

Secondly Glory had insisted that he be present at her meeting with Ninurta, despite his protestations that he should not be involved in view of the danger to the timeline. Daniel had tried to leave Glory when he thought she wasn't looking only to meet up with her again a few minutes later waiting for him just along the woodland path he had taken. After that Daniel had never found a suitable opportunity to leave. He had begun to wonder if she had somehow used magic to stop him from doing what he wanted.

After arriving in the castle dungeon ahead of time there had been a long wait for the Goa'uld. Just when Daniel, somewhat relieved, had decided there would after all be no meeting, Ninurta arrived in the cellar of the castle, over an hour late.

"I see you're still alive then," said Ninurta who didn't bother with an apology for being late. "A lot of witches aren't." He sounded pleased about that. "Who's your companion?"

"This is Daniel," said Glory. "We'll come to him in good time. First I want to know how Mitra knew about the ceremony."

"Mitra's got his own spies," replied Ninurta. "I don't know who they are, well not all of them anyway. I expect they include some of your witches. Did you really think you could involve that many people and still keep it all secret? Mitra knew what was going on several days ago."

"So what's Mitra planning to do next?" asked Glory, ignoring Ninurta's criticism.

"Have a celebration probably," said Ninurta. "He's very happy to have killed so many witches, all at the same time."

"Did he take any prisoners?" asked Glory. "People who might know our plans?"

"You're missing a few witches then," said Ninurta. "He might have a few locked away I suppose but if he does I don't know about it."

"Or you won't say," said Glory. "What about you? What do you intend to do next? Have you changed your mind?"

"Would I be here if I had?" said Ninurta. "If I intended to double cross you I wouldn't be here now. You'd be facing a lot of Jaffa instead, or maybe something worse. I could obliterate this whole castle without leaving orbit."

"Wouldn't do you any good if you did," said Glory. "I can protect myself long enough to get away from that sort of thing. OK, we move on our plan tomorrow at sunset local time. If you help, then you get what was promised. If you don't, then you get what Mitra is gonna get."

"You can still deliver, after losing all those witches?" asked Ninurta.

"Don't ever underestimate me," said Glory and for the first time in the conversation she sounded distinctly menacing. "With witchcraft it's always quality not quantity that counts. And yes, I've still got the quality."

"OK, that's agreed then," said Ninurta. "And what about Mr Daniel here?"

"Daniel's a precondition," said Glory. "You deliver Lissie by noon tomorrow and you get Daniel. Refuse and everything's off."

"Now wait a minute," began Daniel. "You know..."

"Sleep!" commanded Glory waving her hand at Daniel and he fell to the floor unconscious.

"Quality huh," said Ninurta, impressed despite himself. "And why should I want this Daniel?"

"Daniel's from the future," said Glory. "The far, far future. Witchcraft doesn't change with time but your machines and your other devices do. Daniel knows a lot about future devices. Can you imagine how valuable he can be to you?"

"You can prove this?" asked Ninurta walking over and looking down at Daniel. "He looks like just another Kallistian to me."

"Look at his teeth," said Glory. "You don't get dental work like that on Kallistien. And look at the quality of his clothes. They've been made on machines like the clothes worn by your people."

Ninurta knelt down and examined Daniel. "That doesn't mean he's from the future, he could just as easily be an off-worlder," he said. "There are people like him on a lot of worlds."

"And you'll have all the fun of finding out which he is," said Glory. "What have you got to lose anyway? I'm only asking you to deliver Lissie to me. After tomorrow she's no use to you any more."

"And if I don't agree?" asked Ninurta.

"Whatever happens, after tomorrow Mitra and all his people will be your enemies, those who are still alive," said Glory. "Do you want me to come after you as well? Because that's exactly what will happen if I don't get Lissie back, whole and unharmed. Do what I want and we need never meet again. We can both be on the winning side."

Ninurta paused, either thinking or just trying to give the impression that he was weighing up a difficult decision. "OK, agreed," he said finally. "She'll be here by noon tomorrow. We'll do the exchange then."