Kellie startled by Lorne's appearance, ran behind the lobby counter, and huddled on the floor in the corner.
"Oh, did you kiddies botch this one up," Lorne said, as everyone huddled off to the side to discuss the situation out of Kellie's hearing.
"This chick upsets Fred," Gunn replied, "pulls a knife on Angel, puts him in a headlock, and then threatens to shoot us, and we botched it."
"He's right," Wesley said, "The girl woke up in a strange place after an attempted kidnapping and found Fred with no explanation. While she did pull the knife, she didn't really panic until Angel physically confronted her."
"And she realized at some point I am physically capable of overpowering her no matter what she does," Angel said.
"Most likely a subconscious realization," Wesley said, "For a girl that has experienced some of sort of traumatic event and being chased by someone, she finds security in knowing how to outsmart or outgun her opponents."
"She had two instincts, fight or flight," Lorne said, "You're lucky it's not worse than it is. What she's been through its bad."
"You can tell that," Angel asked, "What is it?"
"The pain rolls off of her," Lorne said, "All you need to know unless she wants to tell you is it's ugly. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to need you all to disappear while I calm our little nightingale down."
"Nightingale?" Gunn said, skeptically."
"Nightingales might surprise you," Lorne said, "Now scram."
Angel, Cordelia, Wesley, and Gunn made themselves scarce.
"Crowds gone, Nightingale," Lorne said, leaning against the counter, "You come out whenever you want."
Lorne was greeted by silence. He peaked over the counter to see Kellie crouched on the floor, debating her next move.
"Can you maybe just put the gun on the counter, along with any other weapons you might be carrying?" Lorne said, "I'd feel more comfortable. Weapons really aren't my thing."
More silence.
"What are you some sort of pretty boy actor?" Kellie asked, "Doing a horror film?"
"We'll go with that," Lorne said.
"And you came over in the middle of a film shoot because…." Kellie replied.
"My friends said they needed help," Lorne said, "That you might need some help."
"The girl upstairs, Fred?" Kellie asked, "What's her deal?"
"She went missing five years ago. Turned out she was enslaved by a group of people that whole time," Lorne said, "Caused her to lose her mind. The only place she feels safe is that room upstairs."
"There's specialists to help with that kind of trauma," Kellie said.
"Not with her's," Lorne said, "I can honestly say that because it was people I used to know that enslaved her. The type of specialists you're thinking of aren't equipped to help her."
Lorne startled as he saw the gun come up over the counter before Kellie laid it down on the counter.
"What about her family? Aren't they looking for her?" Kellie said, standing up slowly.
"We're still trying to figure that one out," Lorne said, "To be honest we're hoping she'll recover her senses before making that decision. Do we contact her parents just to have them see her like this or…."
"Consider that maybe it's better they don't know she's alive in the state she's in," Kellie said softly.
"You know something about that don't you," Lorne said.
Kellie didn't answer right away, but looked at Lorne strangely.
"Whatever," she said, unable to hide her disconcertedness. Then she took her jacket off, flashing the weapons for Lorne to see she was putting them down, "I have an ankle holster too."
"If you reach down, I'll know to take cover," Lorne said.
"So how exactly do your friends think you can help in this situation," Kellie asked
"You weren't talking," Lorne said, "I have what you'd call a gift for reading people, mostly their destinies."
"So you're like psychic or something," Kellie scoffed.
"Shhhh," Lorne said, looking at Kellie, assessing her.
"Now I'm just starting to think I walked into some sort of wacky cult," Kellie said.
"Close enough," Lorne said, "Now hush, I'm trying to sort through your aura. Lucky for you, I don't have to ask you to sing."
"I think I should just leave now," Kellie said, reaching for her jacket and gun.
"Shall we start with the big bad who kept you in a cabin, your mother if you can call her that, the love you left behind, or the father that didn't save you," Lorne replied, "Though I don't if you can really blame your father for not saving you when he doesn't know about you."
Kellie's face went white.
"I see I have your attention," Lorne said.
"How could you possibly know any of that?" Kellie asked.
"Your aura," Lorne said, "is clouded with distressed emotions. I can't get all of the details, but enough to get an idea of what you've been through. A lot of people have done a number on you."
"So you can kind of guess some things," Kellie said, "Still doesn't mean you or whatever this crack A-team is can help me. They don't seem to believe me when I tell them the guy chasing me has more power than I think they realize."
"You're right, they can't help you and not for the reasons you think," Lorne said, "My friends specialize in solving a very unique set of problems. Your problem doesn't really fit that bill. They'll want to try to help you because it's what they do. But beyond letting you recover from your injuries, they shouldn't get involved. It'll screw with your destiny."
"My destiny?" Kellie asked.
"It may seem unlikely now, Nightingale," Lorne said, "But you have a very powerful, albeit dark and dangerous destiny ahead of you. That can't be helped given your bloodlines. But you'll also have light and goodness in your life. The past won't always have to be just the past."
"What would you know about my bloodlines?" Kellie asked.
"Your father is a very influential man," Lorne said, "The kind of man equipped to help with your problem. Although I can't say his solutions would be my first choice, in your case I could see making an exception."
"Look," Kellie said, "The price of using that power is not one I really want to pay. It's bad enough the lifestyle that goes with that power found me any way."
"So then you what? Keep running until he catches up with you," Lorne said, "Sooner or later, he'll catch up to you and you might not get away."
"I don't know," Kellie yelled, "I haven't really had a chance to make a new plan since he found me. He obviously won't fall for me playing dead again."
"Nightingale," Lorne said as Kellie grabbed her jacket and weapons.
"I'm out of here," Kellie said, "You don't have to worry about me shooting up your friends okay."
Kellie rushed out from behind the counter and towards the door, until the pain from her injuries stopped her.
"Nightingale, you're not in any shape to be out on your own right now," Lorne said.
"I'll manage," Kellie said, "I always do."
"You take any painkillers at all?" Lorne asked.
"Enough to take the edge off," Kellie said, wanting to move forward.
"Cordelia," Lorne yelled, "Our new friend could use some more aspirin or something stronger if you got it."
Kellie shot Lorne a dirty look.
"You can't let your mom's issues with drugs keep you from taking what you actually need," Lorne said.
Once Cordelia had the aspirin, she headed for the lobby and stop, "Is she armed?"
Cordelia and Lorne looked at Kellie.
Kellie tried to move towards the door again and collapsed on the floor.
The commotion caused Angel and Gunn to look out into the lobby. No one was exactly sure what to do at that moment.
"Cordelia," Lorne said, nodding at her to go towards Kellie and then he stopped,
"Wait….Someone's coming….She needs out of here now….Angel….you're up."
Lorne knelt next to Kellie as Angel cautiously approached.
"I'm going to take the jacket and the weapons," Lorne said, "And you, Nightingale, are going to let Angel get you upstairs without freaking out."
"This is ridiculous," Kellie grimaced, trying to move again.
"Just get her out of here," Lorne said, grabbing the jacket and weapons, "Whoever's coming isn't friendly to her. Although it's kind of odd. I need to make myself scarce for the moment."
Lorne moved to the back office and Angel knelt next to Kellie.
"I know that you really don't know what to make of us right now," Angel said, "But if Lorne says you shouldn't be here at the moment, you probably shouldn't. I'd really rather get you out of here, willingly and not well…"
"Fine," Kellie said, "But your resident psychic doesn't have all my weapons."
"Noted," Angel said, picking her up and getting her out of the room. Cordelia followed. Gunn and Wesley headed to the desk to wait. Lorne left the back office door open so he could listen.