Faith was in the elevator and heading up before Angel and Spike even tried to get out of the lobby. They initially tried to run outside and look around, searching for the woman and the sarcophagus but she was nowhere to be seen and the sun would be coming up soon, so they couldn't go out searching. So they came back and were waiting downstairs, for the elevator, but Faith was taking it up. She had a stake in hand. She was going to be the distraction Illyria needed to get out of here.
Or maybe not. Illyria could really do anything. She needed Willow, and sending Faith after the witch wouldn't be the worst idea. All she'd have to do is get past Lorne and a just starting to wake up Drogyn, so that shouldn't be too strenuous. And there was Lilah, but Lilah was incorporeal and couldn't do anything, or nothing that Illyria knew of.
The elevator door opened and Faith sauntered out, controlled by Illyria, of course. She knew where Willow was, and that was her destination. The office was past Lorne and Drogyn.
Lorne, seeing Faith and not knowing she was being controlled by Illyria, stood up after kneeling by Drogyn and rushed over to Faith.
"Oh, Faith, sweetie, there's-"
Her fist connected with his face, sending him sailing across the office floor. She didn't see where he landed or if he was hurt. Drogyn, sitting up on the floor, looked up at her. He was a warrior, or used to be a warrior, and knew he should get up and try and fight or stop her or anything, but he couldn't. He was still feeling a little weak and dizzy after being knocked out before.
Luckily, Faith walked right past him. She didn't have time for Drogyn. She needed to get to Willow.
Willow had, conveniently, just woken up from a dream of her own. It was about back in Rome, Kennedy and Oz. She knew it was stupid to be so worried that she was dreaming about them, but she couldn't help it. She knew, deep inside, that nothing would truly happen with them, that they'd be fine, but Willow needed to worry. Now, here she was, and all she could really do was just hope that they were getting along well enough. She didn't think anything would happen with Oz like what happened with Tara just because Oz was stronger now and he also knew about her and Kennedy and wouldn't be surprised like before.
Willow sighed, and sat up. She hadn't been asleep for too long, she could tell. She should really go back to sleep. The sun was just starting to rise, and surely no one else was awake yet.
The door slammed open out of nowhere, causing Willow to jump to her feet. She spun around and saw Faith enter the room with a stake in her hand. She had an off look on her face, as if she wasn't really staring at Willow, but staring off into the distance.
"Faith, what's going on?" Willow asked slowly.
"Faith?" Buffy, lying over to the side, groggily spoke, having just been woken up. She started to stand up behind Willow.
"Come with me," Illyria forced Faith to say to Willow.
"Tell us what's going on," Willow said.
"Illyria demands your use," Faith said. Both Buffy and Willow realized what was going on after that. Illyria had control over Faith, she had to. Buffy stepped forward, hoping this wouldn't have to turn into a fight.
"Leave," Buffy spoke the one word as strongly as she could.
Laughter came out of Faith's mouth. When she stopped, she looked Buffy right in the eye. "You don't tell me what to do. Give me Willow."
"Buffy, we should just listen to her," Willow tried to get Buffy to back down.
"What? Why? Are you crazy?!"
"Buffy, the real Illyria is somewhere in the building and everyone else is here too. For all we know Illyria is holding someone hostage right now! Plus, we can't hurt Faith." She looked at Faith. "Take me wherever you want, just don't hurt anybody."
Faith grinned. "Buffy stays in here."
"Oh, I don't-"
Buffy started angrily, but Faith put a hand up to stop her from talking. Willow stepped forward and Faith grabbed her arm. It took all the strength in Buffy's system for her to just stand there and watch Faith/Illyria take Willow away. It was okay, she was planning on running after them after they were gone.
Outside the office, Faith pointed at the door.
"Do some magic spell. Lock it so she can't escape."
Willow sighed, not knowing what to do. At this point, she had to listen to Faith, though, didn't she? What other choice was there? She could try to attack Faith, but she didn't want to do that.
Raising her hands to the door, she thought of a spell that would seal them, locking Buffy inside. Easily, it was done and Buffy was trapped inside, at least for now. Willow closed her eyes and silently hoped that Angel or Spike or anyone else was awake and would see what was going on here.
Faith brought Willow over to around Angel's office. She brought Willow inside where Lilah and a smiling Connor/Illyria were.
The elevator finally came, and Spike busted in angrily. How long did these stupid things have to take, especially during emergencies like this one? It didn't take a genius to figure out they needed to go speak with Connor/Illyria right away and find out where that lady brought Illyria's sarcophagus.
Angel, opposite to Spike, was more nervous and agitated than angry. Illyria had to, had to, tell them where the sarcophagus was, or their entire plan would have to be thrown out the window. Then what would he have to do? Kill Connor? Did he have any other choice?
"Illyria's causin' too many problems," Spike told Angel.
"I know that."
"We need to end this as soon as possible."
"I'm trying, Spike," Angel said forcefully. "We all are. This isn't our fault. We just have to hope this will all be over soon."
"Illyria's not just gonna give up. We have to do something."
"Like what?"
"I don't know, knock her out, have Willow do a spell—we just have to do something to stop her from winning!"
The elevator doors opened before Angel could respond, and he wasn't too heartbroken about that. He really, really didn't need to have a conversation with Spike about this now.
Instantly he heard Lorne off to the side, lying on the floor, moaning in pain. What the hell was going on up here? They hurried to him and helped him up. There was a new, large bruise on his head. Angel shook his head. Why was everything all of a sudden just going rapidly downhill?
"Lorne, what happened?" Angel asked, truly concerned for his Pylean friend.
"Oh, Angel," Lorne started weakly. "It was Faith."
Spike's eyes opened wide. Oh no, not again. Although, now they had to know exactly where she was going—to Illyria, who was conveniently in an office near to them.
"I have to go stop her," Angel told Lorne.
"Oh, please, don't worry about me. Go!" Lorne said.
Angel and Spike sped to his office.
As the sun was starting to rise in L.A., it was beginning to fall in Rome. Oz was sitting, looking out the window at the sky. The moon would rise soon. It wouldn't be a full moon, no, that was coming in a few more days. That would be something to not look forward to.
The thing about full moons was the fact that he couldn't control the wolf during those nights. It wasn't his fault, really. He'd tried meditating and controlling the wolf on those nights it was meant to come out, but it just didn't work. The wolf was simply meant to come out on those nights, no matter how much he didn't want it to. Sure, a few times he'd managed to keep the wolf inside on full moons, but doing that caused massive pain inside his chest that he didn't want to endure again.
So, he'd need to be locked up somewhere. Maybe he'd ask Dawn and Andrew tomorrow about where he could get locked up for a few nights when the wolf was meant to come out. That was really his only option.
He didn't really want to have to ask Kennedy where he could get locked up. He could imagine a dirty look on her face like, Why are you here if you're putting us all in danger?
That left him with Dawn and Andrew for now. Surely they'd help him out.
Angel and Spike ran into the office to find Faith, Connor/Illyria, Willow, and an almost nervous Lilah standing off to the side. Angel almost had to do a double take when seeing Lilah because she seemed genuinely nervous about what was going on here. Who could blame her, though?
What was Illyria doing with Willow? It didn't matter; he needed to get her away from her right now.
"Faith," Spike was the first to speak. "Or should I say Illyria? Great to see you again." He looked around the room. "Where's the other bloke who cut your ropes?"
"I have let him be," Connor/Illyria responded for Faith. "I can bring him up here if you'd like. It's just another person for you to fight."
It was hard for Connor/Illyria to appear menacing, considering his hands were still behind his back by the handcuffs that couldn't be broken placed there by Willow's magic.
"What do you want with Willow?" Angel asked.
"What do you think?" Connor/Illyria sarcastically remarked. "She'll release me from these stupid handcuffs, and then I'll leave."
"And if we don't let that happen?"
"Then she dies. I have to wonder, how would a witch be under my control? I'm sure I could make her do all kinds of fun spells and such. Now wouldn't that just be great? It's so very tempting."
Angel wasn't going to let this happen. He had to do something, think quick.
"Tell me where you took the sarcophagus," Angel ordered. "Then Willow will release you."
"You really think I'll give you my sarcophagus? It's mine, technically. The rest of me is inside of there."
"Let me tell you something," Angel went on, walking towards his weapons. He grabbed a sword. "If we don't have that sarcophagus, we can't do our spell. If we can't do our spell, the only real option we have left is to kill you."
"That's the beauty of it," Connor/Illyria laughed. "You won't kill me. Your son is in here. You'll do anything to keep him from dying."
"Oh really?" Angel wasn't sure if he was really bluffing or not. "Why don't we test that out?"
"Fine," Connor/Illyria shrugged. There was no way that Illyria was buying that Angel would be able to kill Connor. Suddenly Faith, by Illyria's side, collapsed on the ground. Willow gasped, concerned. "Don't worry. I've just put her to sleep for now. She doesn't need to see this. If you think you can kill me, come on, Angel." Illyria was tempting him on purpose, knowing he wouldn't do anything and just back down, like they all should.
Angel stepped forward, closer to Connor/Illyria. Willow stepped aside. He brought the sword up, facing Connor. Not-his blue eyes looked up at Angel, hauntingly cold. Angel despised the feeling he got when he saw those eyes. They weren't Connors. Connor deserved to have his own mind, his own body. Connor didn't deserve this, and he didn't deserve to die. The thing about this situation now, though, was that Illyria couldn't fight and Angel had the advantage. He couldn't kill Connor, though, that much had to be obvious.
"Drogyn said to kill Connor and kill you, Connor would have to be in control. You're too powerful to kill."
"Of course I am," Illyria smiled. "Do you really think I'll let Connor up?"
"I've seen Connor take control again for many seconds, minutes, even. He hasn't done it for a while though. I figure maybe he's saving up for something, for one big take over for his own body. He's strong, and he could take control now if he needed to. That's why I'm begging you Connor, right now, come up."
A big breath came out of Connor's mouth and his eyes closed tightly. It seemed almost miraculous, but when his eyes opened, they weren't blue. They were the correct, original color.
Angel threw the sword on the floor and looked at his son. "Connor, how much time do we have?"
Connor, even when pushed down, could see everything Illyria could and hear everything she could. Therefore, he also knew what was going on and the situation. "I don't know," he admitted, speaking quickly, knowing that his time was limited.
"Connor, you can see what she sees, right, hear her thoughts?" Connor nodded. "Where's the sarcophagus? Where did she have the woman bring it?"
"Some old warehouse nearby. It-"
"I know the one," Angel interrupted. He knew which one because it was the only one nearby and the woman wouldn't have had that much time to get far with the giant sarcophagus. He looked out the window at the rising sun. "Willow, please, can you go wake Wes and Gunn? They need to go to the warehouse and get the sarcophagus."
Willow left.
"Connor, I need you to hang in there just a little longer." Angel told his son.
"I'll be okay." That was all Connor had the energy to say. His eyes closed once again when they opened, they were blue.
"I know what you did. I'll just have her move it again," Illyria threatened, but she actually seemed worried, like she knew there wasn't enough time.
Hurry Willow, Gunn, and Wes, Angel thought to himself. Please.