WHERE WE LEFT OFF. Spike stood next to Emma in the Lobby. The weapons cabinet broken on the floor, the pole of the counter punched into. Conner’s bleeding fist healed, Angel was still banged up, Conner hadn’t given him enough blood to really take the Angel man places. Wesley was still banged up from the battle Conner left him for in the chamber, but that really wasn’t the biggest priority.
“Spike, nice hair, it’s really going good for you,” answered Angel.
“Don’t get cute,” sneered Spike.
“What happened here?” asked Emma.
“Well Angel was being controlled,” started Wesley very calmly, “By some ritual spell, um…”
“I tried to kill a nice girl,” said Angel.
“And well, Conner left me in a chamber of very big demons, left me for dead so he could try to kill Angel,” answered Wesley folding his arms painfully across his chest.
“This place has really gone to hell without me,” she stated plainly.
“I would of killed him too,” growled Conner looking down at the shards of glass of the weapon case, “If Wesley didn’t use his magic to push me away from him.”
“I don’t want you to get anymore of those ideas, unless I’m Angelus,” growled Angel, “You understand, huh Conner?”
Conner looked at him distastefully, “These days we can never tell can we?” His eyes went yellow with anger.
“Well, no matter how satisfying it would be to get to see a remake of that famous battle,” answered Spike, “We’ve got grander problems.”
“What?” asked Wesley.
“I’ve been lead to think that you Wesley, may be the safest of us,” replied Spike walking towards them.
“Why?” asked Conner, never looking Emma in the eyes, looking at Spike.
“Well,” sighed Spike, “While I was in Vegas I was taken hostage by our good friend,” he looked at Angel, “Our good friend Riley Fin’s group, they’re interested in us all of a sudden.”
“Probably more now,” stated Emma, “Since I kind of hit his wife over the head.”
“That all?” asked Angel.
“No, and I tortured him for about 12 hrs. then tied him up and put him under the floor in an abandon apartment, it had termites too,” Emma seemed like she had been a little angered by Angel’s questioning of that having been ‘all’. She felt uncomfortable talking about it. Emma looked down shamefully.
“What did you do Spike?” asked Angel.
“Do?” questioned Spike, a little outraged, “You think I did something, bloody hell not. They’ve just suddenly started becoming interested in us.”
“Dad,” said Emma looking at him, like having to mention it stressed her, “You were feeding too.”
“But I’m over that okay,” said Spike, “Everything will be fine, as long as we get them off our asses.”
“So you attracted trouble,” answered Angel, “That’s it exactly right?”
“Angel,” said Wesley, “This situation being blamed on Spike, blaming it on him is logical-”
“Hey-” retorted Spike.
“-But most simple, if something is after the four of you the best thing you can do is work together, to stop it,” answered Wesley.
“As I said, ‘get it off our asses’,” sighed Spike, “Then, I’m going to get a good hair cut and bleach job.”
“Come on,” laughed Emma, “We look more related.”
“Someone want to repair my damn hotel?” growled Angel, “Incase you haven’t noticed, this place is a mess, and I’ve had the living day lights beaten out of me, in many ways, and the theatrics are above me. We need to fix stuff.”
“I got to hot wire a hummer,” stated Emma.
They were quiet, the five, together again, all of them. Looking at each other. Conner put his hand out and the weapons cabinet rebuilt itself the weapons going into their original place and the wall fixed itself, “I was angry,” sighed Conner. He went to the stairs and ran up them, “I’ll fix the other things too, princess.”
Angel painfully folded his arms across his chest, “Emma,” Emma looked at him innocently, “You’re a bad influence on him.”
________________________________
WESLEY STAYED OUT IN THE LOBBY. He went up the stairs towards his room. Angel and Spike went to his office. Spike looked at the broken table, “This place has really gone down hill.”
“Spike,” said Angel aggressively, “How long do we have you think till we are hunted down by Fin’s people.”
“I don’t know, how long do you think it’ll take them to figure out,” he pointed out into the Lobby, “I parked a hummer in front of here.”
“What?!” said Angel his eyes going wide.
“Come Angel, I may be foolish, but I’m not stupid,” he sighed, “At least not like most.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” demanded Angel.
“I ditched that hummer,” said Spike, “They just know we’re in L.A.”
“Do they know that I have business, Angel Investigations?” asked Angel.
“I don’t think Angel Inc. is going to shake their boots and wet their knickers for them, havin’ running for their mums,” answered Spike, “They’re the government.”
“No, if they know, Angel, vampire with a soul, or know enough about any of us, automatically they’ll come looking for you here,” replied Angel.
“You have a point,” sighed Spike looking down at the ground, he looked up, “If they know that I’ve done work with you, they’ll at least check us out.”
“And we don’t need them disturbing my work either,” stated Angel.
“Oh come on Angel,” said Spike, he arms out, like he was making a point, “Life hasn’t been all pretty and pink around here.”
“Well for the past, I don’t know, month I’ve been visited by dead people, hopefully that’s done with!” answered Angel.
“It’s a bleedin’ mess, the ball is in the court, all, deflated,” answered Spike.
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” asked Angel.
Spike sighed, never mind what he said, “We’ve got at least a day till we have to make with runnin’, or killin’, but I don’t think that’s the best idea right now.”
“Cause of Emma,” answered Angel.
“Of course, I can see the trauma in her eyes, and your bits, Boy doesn’t like you a bit,” answered Spike, “I wouldn’t either, for Emma. Of course, I know you better, man enough to say that. Pinch of nobility in me that way.”
“Nobility has nothing to do with anything now Spike,” answered Angel.
“Guess what Angel, we may be getting chased down by the government and it’s sodding wife, now, but, the world isn’t ending and I smelled that when I came in here, you think it’s the end,” said Spike, “Really?”
Angel sat down, “Things are going fine, other than the being controlled and, stuff like that, things are just fine, and we’ve got cases, saving lives. Things are fine.”
“You think you can’t swing the dead kitties without hitting an apocalypse and you’re livin’ on that idea,” answered Spike.
“You didn’t come here Spike to pep talk me,” answered Angel.
“A feeling in my gut, 5’9” skinny thing, with big blues feeling told me. I felt it was my place here,” replied Spike going towards Angel sitting down in the chair in front of his desk.
“For Emma,” stated Angel.
“Yeah, I do those things for my kid, you, I don’t see a happy peter pan anywhere on that child,” stated Spike.
“I don’t have enough time to care about everyone’s little feelings,” answered Angel, “He’s a grown man.”
“Stop livin’ in the possible Apocalypses Angel, there isn’t one yet, just the government.”
“Why do they want any of us?” asked Angel.
“Tests, this is the government,” answered Spike, “Or, put us in an army or something, study mostly. That’s my grand guess, anyway.”
“Not an apocalypse, just a threat,” sighed Angel.
________________________________
CONNER SAT UP IN EMMA’S ROOM. He was taking a breather, Emma’s room had slowly over the time with Emma become there‘s. Except he thought the bed was kind of small but…
“Conner,” he turned around at the sound of his voice from Emma, he felt sick, but that feeling was over come by another deep feeling inside of him. He walked to Emma quickly and grabbed her and hugged her. Tears going down his cheeks.
Emma wrapped her arms around him too, didn’t hug him as tight as he hugged her. He hugged her like he woke from an eternity of dreams. He felt sickened with a happiness to see her. He pulled away from her, not believing she was, really, really there. Like when he pulled her from the coffin.
“You miss me alright,” she stated, she saw the tears on his face, she put her hand on his cheek and wiped the tears off slowly, “You feel different.”
“I missed you,” he said, firmly put his hands around her waist, “More then you could know.”
“I get that idea,” she smiled stroking back his hair from his face.
They just looked at each other for a long moment. She stroked his hair and slowly put her hands on his chest, letting slowly relax there against him.
“If I touch you, are you going to break?” asked Conner, he could feel her skin warming under her shirt as he gripped her waist.
Emma laughed, “What?” she questioned, “I wouldn’t break, why would I break?”
He slowly put his forehead against hers, slowly, lovingly, “It feels like you might brake.”
“No,” she said softly.
Conner leaned in closer, slowly and kissed her deeply. He gripped her tightly around the waist and slipped his hands on her back up her shirt just to feel her skin warm. To know she was right there. Held tight to her and wouldn’t let go.
She replied to the kisses with her own. Pulled away slowly and put her head against his neck, felt him warming. Emma slowly moved her hands between them and slipped them up the front of his shirt, she quickly lifted his shirt up and put it over her head.
This was a way of her being romantically silly, she put her head in through the head hole with his, “I should be able to go up your shirt too.” Conner smiled at her and kissed her neck, then her chin and slowly her lips holding her tight not letting her go.
Emma pushed him down against the bed and he automatically fell back. Emma laid on him, since they were practically wearing the same shirt and she, just laid against him and pulled the covers up over them slowly, it was kind of hard.
Conner helped not knowing what she would do next, things feeling weird to him, he was a nervous happy. He just let her do what she wanted, was willing to help. Emma kicked her shoes off, Conner felt her do that and she kicked his off for him.
Slowly she put her head back in the shirt and acted like she was looking down. Conner smiled, he laughed a little under his breath, “Are you untying my shoes with your feet?” [Memory serves me correct Emma wasn’t wearing her jacket anymore and so I didn’t mention her taking it off. But it’s off.] Emma came back up through the head hole.
Conner had pulled his arms into his own shirt and she used his hands inside the shirt and had him pull her shirt off her from inside the shirt. He forgot Angelus, just thought about, what weird thing she’d do next. Their skin was warm, felt great.
Emma tossed the shirt out of there, wearing her bra now. Conner just put his arms around her tightly. She laid her head on his chest, she closed her eyes, “Time to go to sleep now.” Her voice soft and quiet.
Conner kissed her lips and she leaned as close to him as naturally possible, romantically. Her skin soft to his touch, warm, staying a lovely warm. Her sweet smell filling him. He closed his eyes. Anger had disappeared completely. Not a thought at all but of Emma being right there resided in his mind.
Just some rest.
________________________________
MORNING CAME. Wesley was looking up things on the internet, places he could hack, etc. Or the Rare good trooper that went against his team mates and posted their plans on a forum or something. Angel sat in his office brooding, as usual, having a cup of blood. Wearing black.
Spike was wearing Angel’s clothes, wasn’t very happy about it, but at least he brought his coat. Stood in the Lobby wearing a green button up shirt and black jeans, sitting on one of the relaxing couch. Watching Conner.
Conner was at the weapons cabinet in his dark gray sleeveless shirt, jeans, a sword in hand spinning it around, maybe just for the ‘swoosh’ sound. Spike didn’t take his eyes off him, Conner knew that he was being watched.
Emma walked into the room from outside, wearing blue jeans and a short sleeve blue shirt with ‘Freak-a-Human’ on the front [I’ve never seen a shirt like that but I thought it’d be funny Ironic.] The letters in bold letters, and ‘Human’ looking Freaky.
“There’s nothing,” said Emma, “I’m not even picking up any activity hearing wise.”
Angel stepped out of his office, “Why don’t you try a little harder.” His voice hadn’t been harsh in any way, just a suggestion.
“Cause,” said Emma, “Conner and mines hearing, if we don’t keep track of it and just let it go we’ll pick up too much, not be able to hone in on one in particular conversation or something like that.”
“What about you accidentally hearing the right conversation?” asked Angel.
“Don’t push her,” stated Conner, no anger in his voice, just nothing as he scratched the back of his neck with the sword.
“1. You’re talking accidentally, and that’s rare, 2. I already just explained, I can’t hone in, 3. And it hurts really, really bad, I’m in no way exaggerating the pain either,” she explained simply.
“Don’t you pick up things in your sleep?” asked Wesley.
“Not really,” answered Emma, “The control is automatic sort of if I go to bed controlling it.”
“No matter how fascinating that is, we need to figure out what to do before the troopers come on in, cause, there’s no way out of it-” said Angel folding his arms across his chest.
“Unless they don’t want us that bad,” Spike replied earnestly, “Maybe Riley warned them that we’re not people, or she isn’t someone to be messing with and got them to back down.”
________________________________
TRAVIS STANDLE, VINCENT JOHNSON & Riley, were having a little talk. They were riding to their Las Angeles base in the back of a black van. Riley was cuffed. “Sir, Sirs, I don’t see a need to have me cuffed.”
“It’s just incase Fin, son, we can’t have anything bad happening. When one wants to be set free they are a many a time willing to do anything that the enemy wants them to do,” replied Johnson, “For their freedom.”
“Sir, I don’t think you need to not trust me, I endured,” he looked down, “All of it,” Riley looked back up to his superiors.
“We know you’ve been very loyal in the past years, but, at one time you were able to leave your country to fight on the side of a crazed vigilantly and her friends,” stated Johnson.
“But Buffy was right,” he said quickly in the ‘crazed vigilante’s’ defense.
“And we do understand that most completely,” spoke Standle, his voice was a thick British one, by the look of him he could of most likely been in The Watcher’s Council at one time or another. “You were right, but we have a greater amount of problems now, and of course, can’t have you taking to the side of the enemy-”
“I don’t trust that girl,” growled Riley, “She beat me, tied me up, beat me and tortured me some more, then tied me tightly to the rafters in the floor where I could breath or talk, or yell, or move-”
“We do understand that facts, you have been traumatized,” answered Standle, “But we need to keep every quality in mind.”
“I don’t think there’s words for what I’ve gone through, traumatized, that’s not even a close stretch,” growled Riley, “I don’t need to be held captive, I need to feel free, at least the cuffs.”
“I agree-” began Johnson.
“Then give me that,” stated Riley, “It’s uncomfortable.”
Johnson took a breath, he pulled the cuff keys from his vest pocket and Riley sat up letting them undo the cuffs. Riley then sat back, rubbing his sore wrists. “Thank You sir.”
“You’re Welcome,” sighed Johnson.
“Fin, when we reach the base we will run a couple of test on you for, any-” started Standle.
“Sir, I haven’t been turned we know that well,” answered Riley, “I feel fine. Achy but, alright.”
“Well we were going to test for contaminants in your blood, say you were cut with a rusty nail or something close to it,” replied Standle.
“Nothing was rusty, there were dull things, not rusty, and she healed me,” sighed Riley.
“Healed you?” asked Johnson, “I saw it with my own eyes a bullet taking but, that is most-”
“Sir, I don’t mean to respect you in anyway, but I wish to move on from this,” said Riley, “Just don’t search for them.”
“Fin, they’re of a value-” blurted Standle.
“They’re dangerous, 2 age old vamps, and 2 of something we’ve never seen, we can’t just kidnap them. They’re dangerous-”
“We’ve seen that,” answered Johnson.
“Then take what you’ve seen and don’t go after them,” Riley spoke most aggressively.
“Stand down soldier,” scolded Standle.
“I don’t mean any respect,” replied Riley.
“I’m not here for consoling,” remarked Standle, “None of us are, you’ll do 100 hrs. of therapy for your inquiring defeat, then be back on the mission with your wife, but hopefully we’ll have all the hostiles captured by then. is that affirmative Fin?”
“Of course,” sighed Riley, he looked down, “Sorry.”
“Don’t sorry us, just sit and wait, at least you’ll be able to reunite with your wife in no time,” answered Johnson. “Have hope for us, our teams are very unique, we’ve got special ops in out government that shouldn’t have a bit of a problem getting the hostiles.”
Riley looked back up at him smugly, but then back down.
________________________________
BY NIGHT, ANGEL AND THE GANG, were gathering supplies to leave if that idea was necessary. Weapons in a large bag, and so on. Angel went up to Wesley who was gathering weapons, “Wesley, you should leave, go away for a little while, contact back here in a couple of days.”
“No Angel, that’s not how it works, alright, I’m going in this with you, all of you,” replied Wesley, “I’m not going to just sit back.”
“Percy’s got guts,” stated Emma sitting down on the red couch, Conner already sitting there.
“I’ve been around to long,” answered Wesley.
“Fine,” said Angel, “Just don’t get yourself killed.”
Wesley smiled at him, “I’ve been doing a good job at that so far haven’t I?”
“Descent,” answered Angel.
“This isn’t the bloody time for sexual tension now,” said Spike looking at Wesley, his arms crossed over his chest, “What’s the next step, I’m not the shiniest penny in the jar but, we can’t just wait for them to come around and do us in really well.”
“He has a point,” said Conner, Spike looked at him, innocent face, not really believing Conner would say something like that. “We’re vulnerable here, if they find out that Angel is here-”
“Which is practically by all means written on every sodding business card we’ve ever given out,” answered Spike.
“Phone book,” replied Wesley.
“And the random piece of paper floating around on bulletin bored city wide,” stated Spike.
“And once a week in the newspaper,” answered Angel.
“We’re in deep shit, cause you, you poofter, wanted money,” laughed Emma looking at Angel.
“Fine, we just pick up and leave,” answered Angel.
“I got Cordelia’s old laptop working,” said Wesley, “We just need to hide somewhere with running electricity.”
Emma and Conner stood up, “Then why don’t we?” asked Conner, “Now.”
“Before they pull one over on us,” stated Emma plainly.
“We can take the sewers,” answered Angel.
“Wouldn’t they know that’s what we’d do?” asked Spike going towards Angel.
“It’s night, they’d think we were above ground,” replied Angel.
Emma shook her head, “They might not, these guys are supposed to be like smart, they’re going to look above ground and under, I know military types too much.”
“No that’s common sense,” said Angel.
“Shut up,” growled Conner, “Emma’s got a point, wouldn’t they?”
“What about Wolfram & Hart?” asked Wesley, “The old building, it’s up.”
“It’s a mall now,” answered Angel.
“Wouldn’t it be closed?” asked Emma, “Stay there till people come around, hey cops, knock them out that’s what.”
“Good enough plan for me,” said Spike.
“Alright, lets go,” said Angel.
________________________________
THE BLACK VAN pulled up in front of the hotel, across the street. A van pulled up at the end of the road as well. People inside the van closest to the hotel had their faces covered over by ski masks. No weapons on them, these special ops were thinking about the job. They thought also that it wouldn’t be very hard to retrieve the hostiles without weapons.
One, a female, was being spoken to by Johnson through a radio, “We’ll wait for the signal.”
Johnson through the radio spoke, “Anything going on now?”
“Nope, the hostiles aren’t doing anything outside of the building,” answered the woman.
“Good, when I give you the signal,” replied Johnson.
“Wait,” said the woman, “They’re leaving.”
“Alright, go, wait for there move, then take yours,” stated Johnson.
“Alright sir, 10-4,” finished the woman through her ski mask.
The gang walked through the garden and out to the sidewalk. The van turned it’s engine off. Conner and Emma quickly noticed that, “Hey,” said Emma, looking at the van, “Black van.”
“Just turned off,” said Conner.
Angel walked closer to the Spike, Emma, and Conner, Wesley behind him. Wesley then asked, “Do you think it’s government?”
“Black van wasn’t here before now,” answered Conner.
“Plus,” answered Emma, “Someone in there just said, ‘The hostiles have noticed the van.’”
“Wait for them to make a move,” said Angel.
“Is that really that good of an idea, really?” asked Spike, we’ve got the up.”
“Attack them, before they attack us,” answered Emma.
“That’s what I’m saying,” replied Spike acting like he had never seen that van and hasn’t noticed it.
“That could lead to some consequences,” replied Wesley, “What if-”
“No time for what ifs Percy, they’re human, we can take them down, easy, no real biggy,” stated Emma.
“What do you suggest?” asked Angel, “Run at the van?”
Conner walked forward, “I’ve got one.” He stayed cautious walking towards the parked vehicle, treated it like wild animal. He went up to the window, the people inside were utterly quiet.
Suddenly Conner slammed his hand through the window glass shattering and he pulled the driver out by his neck. Threw him down then kicked him in the head. The Special ops started getting out of the van. None of them armed.
Conner backed up. Emma, Wesley, Angel and Spike went over to him. “That was blunt,” replied Wesley.
The soldiers started going towards them. Emma sniffed the air, one of the people spoke, that woman, “I take it you’re not going to come easy.”
“I take it you’re not smart enough to get another colored van to do these jobs, a lot bleedin’ less suspicious looking,” stated Spike.
“Ha, ha,” said the woman.
The slayers quickly in quick movements had surrounded, our, ‘hostiles.’ “I didn’t know that many people could fit in a van,” said Angel plainly.
“It doesn’t matter how many can fit in a van,” growled Spike.
“Spike’s right,” said Wesley.
The group was getting closed in on, “Why are we still even talking and not kicking ass?” asked Emma.
Two of the Special ops had visible nets. Spike quickly looked around the kicked one across the face and punched them in their face, he jumped up and kicked them in the head. He landed on his feet and two grabbed him.
One threw a net at Emma, Emma dodged out of the way as Conner did. Angel pushed Wes out of the way. Quickly he kicked one down and punched them in the face, he slammed his fist into their stomach and pushed them down.
Emma punched two of them in the head that was in front of her. She jumped up kicked the both in the head landed and slammed her heads together. One came up from behind. Emma jumped up and kicked them across their face landed and the punch, her, in the face knocking her backwards.
“They’re slayers!” yelled Emma.
Wesley was having a tough time. He’d dropped the weapons bag and was being beaten. Conner tapped on the woman’s shoulder all of a sudden and head butted her and she fell on the ground her face bleeding, not his though. Conner helped Wes up.
Two of them went to punch Conner, he grabbed their wrists and bent their arms behind both their backs at once and threw them down.
Angel got punched in the face and was grabbed and thrown onto the top of the van. He slowly stood up and one ran up their with him. Angel ducked a blow then punched her in the face. Punched her again. He kicked her in the chest and down the front of the hood while one came up behind him.
Conner and Emma backed up into each other. The slayers still coming, that van did fit a lot of slayers. Emma grabbed Conner’s hands lifted herself up on him and kicked one across the face quickly, grabbed her with her feet and threw her down. Emma went down, Conner bent forward, Emma leaned against his back flipping over him and flipping up kicking down two more slayers.
Emma landed in front of Conner. Conner saw her, cherished this, for some reason. He loved having her fight with him, on his side fighting with him. Emma was suddenly shot with a tranquilizer.
Conner’s temper hit the roof all of a sudden. His eyes went yellow. He angrily leapt at the shoot grabbed her by the gun she held and hit her in the head with it killing her. Conner pulled away and jabbed the gun into another one’s neck, fatally.
Another went to Emma, Emma was still going, sleepy, but still going. She kicked one down, the slammed her fist into that one’s face, she was shot with another tranquilizer. Conner was going to lesson the pack. Emma pulled the tranquilizer out. And she backed up into the van. Conner slammed his fists through one’s chest then pulled them out, looking Spike in the eyes.
Spike was suddenly punched. Conner grabbed the fist before it could get Spike, Conner drew her to him grabbed her head and broke her neck. He leapt up and twirled around kicking another in the head and landing punching another in the head. 1 left, trying to get away.
Conner ran at the van, leapt over Emma flipped backwards and landed on the shoulder of the final slayer and knelt down quickly and grabbed her head braking her neck. Then he leapt off of her as she fell to the ground.
Emma yawned standing up slowly, Conner went over to her, looked at her, his eyes going normal again. “You alright Emma?” asked Spike.
“Yeah,” said Emma sleepily, she started sinking backwards, “I’ll be great.”
Conner quickly grabbed her by the waist to catch her and put his hand on her head to see about if that healing technique from him would make her wake up. Spike watched, he kind of cared what was going on there, that guy, with his hands on his daughter. No harm in it really though?
Emma started waking back up as the sound of an engine came through the air, “There’s more,” she said standing up on her own.
They looked to the van at the end of the street. Emma and Conner started running at the van. Their eyes changed colors and Emma leapt over the front as Conner grabbed the back and lifted it off the ground. Emma at the same time grabbed the front and held it in place. The van couldn’t drive off.
The people inside stopped trying to drive off and turned the van off. Conner dropped the van back. Emma let go of the front and went to the driver’s side, kicked one of the wheels were it wouldn’t be able to drive off because there was the loud bang of the tire popping. She ripped the door off. Conner did the same on the other side.
Emma grabbed the steering wheel form the fearing driver and ripped that off then pulled out the ignition. “No one is going anywhere,” said Angel going up to the driver’s side, “Alright.”
The slayers weren’t making a move, “We should take them hostage,” stated Emma.
________________________________
“THE SPECIAL OPS aren’t replying,” answered a young commander, walking into the office of Johnson. Riley was there, sitting in a chair in front of the desk. Standle was there as well. The young commander was followed by a couple of older ones. Their faces giving off the feeling of ruthless.
“Shit,” stated Johnson, “You sure?”
“They were parked in front of the Hyperion, and now they’re not, their vehicles from what I’m told have been destroyed and there are bodies,” replied the youngest one, Rimfauld.
“I said you shouldn’t chase them,” answered Riley.
“Stand down Fin,” replied Johnson, he turned back to the other men, “Yes, we’ve had a miner set back, are all the bodies accounted for?”
“Most of them, but we’re missing everyone that was in van 2,” stated Rimfauld.
One of the older ones, Gibson, had to speak, “We can’t let them keep such girls.”
“Slayers,” said Riley, “They’re slayers, not just run of the mill little girls sir. And they were taken down.”
“Riley believes we should stop the hunt,” answered Standle.
“Son,” stated Gibson, “We’ve put to much money into it now.”
“For imaginary Wars?!” demanded Riley.
“Son, they’re in no way imaginary,” replied the other one, Garfield.
“No, they’re wars fought by humans, against humans, what we’re dealing with is a whole new level,” stated Riley making his point, “This was supposed to stop years ago, we can’t control them, even if we could trap them.”
“We’ve considered the fact that the wars are fought by humans, but if we bring in the higher level thinkers, vamps, etc. Train them as we will-” Gibson was interrupted.
“They’ll use it against us, no one, wants to be, may I say it?” he replied, “Someone else’s bitch, especially if they have the strength and will to go against the system.”
“We’re the government, they can’t go against us,” stated Garfield.
“There’s consequences to everyone’s actions,” replied Standle.
“And ours just as much as the next, we need to get back to defending the people, not enslaving them,” retorted Riley.
“That’s what we’re doing, saving the people,” replied Johnson, “Fin, you understand that most perfectly.”
Riley folded his hands across his chest, took a breath, feeling a bit fed up of the officers not listening to his pleas, “Angel, one of the hostiles, he’s saved the world a number of times, Spike, saved the world, as far as I know, the others have too.”
“The girl that tortured you is noble, is that what you’re saying?” asked Standle.
“Not exactly,” replied Riley.
“Fin, why don’t you stop trying to fight a battle that you won’t win?” questioned Garfield as an authority.
“They’ll fight you, that’s just known,” stated Riley.
“Really?” asked Johnson, “We’ve got bodies on our hands that say that.”
“Then why won’t you listen to what they’re saying?” questioned Riley.
________________________________
THE SLAYERS were lead into the Mall, no longer the building of Wolfram & Hart, it was now, Walters & Show State. [I think that name is stupid, I made it up though, :-P lol.] Just a nice little place you could find everything, but the vulgar. Unless the Store of Victoria Secret merchandise counts.
“We need to go where they won’t expect us,” said Spike at the front of the slayers, the young, now ski mask- less girls were tied in a line with tight rope.
“Where do you suggest we do that Spike?” questioned Angel.
________________________________
“THEY HAVE STORES for this stuff?” asked Emma looking at her surroundings of the chosen hiding place.
“Spike still has a bit of seeing women ambition in him,” stated Wesley.
Emma looked at Spike who was rather proud of where he picked, the Victoria’s Secret store. Emma slapped herself in the head. The Slayers were a little at awe by what they thought of Spike and him being stupid. But they were gagged so they couldn’t put their two cents in.
Conner was a little weirded out by the thong rack. Kind of confused, and disturbed. Emma looked at the posters on the walls, women in pajamas- etc. “This place has a sure way of showing what degrading is.”
“It’ll be fine,” said Angel, “We can all ignore Spike’s lust for Eye candy. Just figure out somewhere we can put the girls, and then we’ll move on to the next thing.”
Emma shook her head ashamed of the things around her. Wesley looked around the room, “We can tie them to the pillars.” [Pillars that held up the ceiling something like that.]
“That sounds good, get to that,” directed Angel.
“Who made you boss?’ questioned Spike, “I’m all fine with tying them to the pillars, whatever they’re bleedin’ called, but for some reason you speak like you’re the proper leader.”
“This is Angel Investigations,” said Angel.
Emma and Conner were taking the slayers and tying them to pillars. Spike and Angel kept up their ranting, “Well, this isn’t, that’s a job, this is keeping each other safe-”
“Spike, you aren’t the best for the job either,” said Angel.
“Just because you’re older than me doesn’t mean anything,” growled Angel, “Best for the job.” Spike mocked.
“Dad, just let him run the place,” said Emma, “Doesn’t matter as long as we’re not ginger pigs.”
“No, Emma,” corrected Wesley, “Guinea pigs.”
“Still,” said Emma, then she said calmly, plainly, “Or uh, lab rats.”
Spike looked over to Emma who was standing next with Conner. Conner still looking around at the room somewhat. “Fine,” scoffed Spike, “But if I don’t think it’ll save me and mines, then I’m not doing it.”
“Are we just going to sit around and wait to see what happens?” questioned Conner.
“We could ask the slayers what’s what,” suggested Emma.
“So which one of you are the leader?” asked Angel looking around at the slayers, they were tied to two of the pillars, not many of them, still enough missing from the base to defiantly notice. They were unable to untie each other if they’d tried and the Pillars were to thick to try and brake through them.
None of them answered.
“I can smell lies,” said Conner, “We can ask each one of you if you’re the leader, if you lie we’ll know it.”
“So speak now-” stated Emma, “Or,” she looked over to Angel, “Do you think we’ll end up needing to torture them.”
“I’ll think about it when the time comes,” said Angel, “They might start talking.”
________________________________
THE ROOM WAS QUIET. Riley was left alone in the room that most were put in to be questioned. No one in there, he couldn’t here anyone outside of the room. There wasn’t any mirrors on the wall. Not a camera in the room.
Riley was just tied to a chair. They had tied him up because they didn’t want him to run. But then why leave him alone. Riley looked for the cameras, none. He started rubbing the ropes against the back of the metal chair, that didn’t work.
He looked down to the rope around his waist and his hands tied behind him he untied the rope. Then he unsteadily stood up and his hands came out from behind the chair. His feet were tied though. Riley went to bend down to see if he could reach the rope.
No, he wasn’t that flexible, his legs were tied too tight to the metal. He sat back down, taking a breath, he was a little fed up. He sat there, breathing, “I could use my teeth,” he suggested to himself. Riley took a breath then bent down.
He was that way for a little while. He pulled up after a moment, “Shit,” he said aggressively. Then he got back to working on his hands, trying to wiggle them out of the rope. That felt like it would work. He felt the rope loosening a little.
Riley kept trying to get his wrists out, finally, he was able to untie the rope. He bent forward effortlessly and untied his feet. Riley got up and went to the door. Which, might be locked.
Took his right hand and opened the door. Unlocked, he then walked out into the hall. No one there, lights on. He started walking down the hall purposefully.
________________________________
THE SLAYERS TALKED IN NO TIME OF WHO WAS WHO. The one that had done the radio talking, even confessed. Emma went up to her, “Are you the leader?” There was no reply, there wasn’t a reply from any of them so far. They were just seeing who it was that would do the talking.
Emma knelt down to her level, she made her eyes go yellow and then spoke, fangs revealed with the movement of her lips, “I’m the daughter of a slayer.” Emma then bluntly said, “If that doesn’t make you want to tell me who’s leader, well, I’ve killed 87 of you guys-”
A bunch of the slayers started blurting out, “She is, that one” And throwing their heads towards the one Emma was threatening. Emma’s eyes changed back, “See, it worked.”
Angel went forward to the slayer, “What’s your goal?”
The young woman swallowed, “I’m not sure, exactly.”
“Then what do you know?” questioned Angel.
“We were being killed by something a couple of years back, before we had our powers, some of us, had watchers,” she stated.
“And?” asked Spike his arms folded across his chest, he knew she had something she hadn’t said yet.
“Then, ‘the’ slayer and her friends started recruiting us of course, but there was a lot of us, and ‘The’ Slayer left us in the hands of a Travis Standle. We’re only after you on orders.”
“Well, you can back off your frolicking orders, cause we’re not evil,” said Emma.
“You said you killed our kind?” questioned the Slayer.
“I used to, I’ve stopped,” said Emma.
“He’s killed us,” replied that slayer looking at Conner.
“I’ve stopped,” answered Conner innocently.
The Slayer cocked her head to the side, “It was defense,” replied Wesley, “We were wrongfully attacked, and we defended ourselves, all of us.”
“Cause,” started Spike, “Angel and I are old friends of ‘The’ Slayer’s.”
“Then what’s her name?” asked the slayer.
“Buffy,” said Emma, “That’s that simple, and we’re asking the questions, not you.”
“Okay,” said The Slayer.
“What else?” questioned Angel.
“We were trained by the military, Standle then gave us orders to stake you guys out,” replied the Young Woman, “Said you were highly dangerous.”
“How do we contact Standle?” asked Angel.
“Well, the radio,” sighed the slayer.
Emma walked over to Wesley’s weapons bag and pulled out the radio, all good, and taken care of, “So we click a button and talk to him?”
“Of course,” said Wesley.
“Can we be set free?” asked the slayer.
“No,” said Conner harshly.
“Not till we know we can trust you,” replied Angel.
“We should be saying that,” said the slayer.
________________________________
STANDLE WAS WITH HIS OTHER MEN. They walked into the room that was holding Riley. Garfield was the first in and the utmost alert of them, “Fin has escaped.”
“What?” growled Standle getting into the room quickly, “Fin?”
“Of course, he went back,” growled Rimfauld, “Just like a tortured soul.”
“You stop that tree hugging act Rimfauld, we’ve got serious business to attend to,” said Standle.
“Of course sir,” replied Rimfauld.
“Standle,” stated Garfield, “He could end up leading them here.”
“Of course,” answered Standle, “That was always something I thought could happen. But I had faith in my men that someone would, NOTICE HE’D LEFT!!”
“Of course, we’ll get right on the job,” said Gibson.
“Really, and you won’t screw up?!” demanded Standle.
“We’ll do what we can sir,” answered Garfield.
Standle looked at the door, no sign of struggle to get it open, “Who the hell was the dumb ass who left this door unlocked!”
Rimfauld bowed his head, “I am sir.”
Standle turned him angrily, “What pissing brain of an idea did you get?”
“Sir,” said Rimfauld turning his head and looking to his superior, “I thought it’d be a little humane, what if he’d wanted some air?”
“Bloody hell, you were expecting him to hop over to this damned door in that chair, open it and just sit here, relaxing in the damned breeze we don’t have!”
“I’m, I apologize sir,” said Rimfauld.
Quickly Rimfauld was shot in the head by the bullet of the gun Standle had pulled out on him, Standle took a breath, “10, 9, ..8.…7.…6.…5...4, 3,2, 1,” he took another breath, slowly, calmed himself, “How about we not screw up like that again?”
Garfield, Johnson, and Gibson agreed. They shook their heads and Gibson got out of the room, “What next?” asked Johnson, “What do you suggest?”
“1. Get this cleaned up,” he pointed to the very dead Rimfauld, “2. Figure out where Angel and his little groupies are, 3. Someone get me some scotch.”
Gibson came into the room, “Standle,” said Gibson his radio in hand, “There’s someone who wants to talk to you.”
“Who?” asked Standle looking at the radio in Gibson’s hand.
Gibson handed the radio to Standle, a voice spoke into it, “Standle?”
“Who is this?” asked Standle taking the radio, holding down the button to reply.
“Angel,” said Angel on the other end, “A wanted man now.”
“Where are you?” questioned Standle.
“Do you really think I’d tell you?” stated Angel, “I wouldn’t, all you should know is that I’m safe, and that I’ve got some very valuable soldiers of yours.”
“The slayers,” answered Standle, “Why do you want to play this game, I mean, I just killed a man.”
“That nothing to do with this,” Angel said, “We didn’t do anything-”
“But you exist,” Standle spoke bluntly, “All of you, something that has never been till now.”
“I’ve been a vampire with a soul for only 100 yr. Come on, I’m nothing new,” replied Angel.
“What are you going to do with my slayers?” asked Standle.
“I just want to say,” replied Angel, “They’re not yours, and incase you didn’t know, I’ve got a crafty, 17 yr. Old here who is very inventive of ways to torture, and isn’t afraid to.”
“Really,” taunted Standle.
“Don’t mock me, taunt me, I’ll let you here a little bit,” said Angel, “Emma.”
There was a scream in the radio. Standle, he just looked at it. The girls stopped screaming, breathing as if she was crying. “Angel,” said Standle, “Do you know what I think about when I get into a case like this?”
“What is that?” asked Angel.
“Am I willing to loose everything?” he spoke, “That includes my men, women, Slayers.”
“So you don’t care that they’re being tortured?” asked Angel.
________________________________
ON THE OTHER END. Emma then whispered, “So I screamed for nothing.”
The Slayers were un harmed, just a bit bruised and beaten from the battle in front of the hotel.
There came a reply into the radio from Standle, “I don’t care one bit, I’ve got more from where those came from, more, stronger, and I will not go down without a fight my friend.”
“Then fight till the end,” growled Angel into the radio, then he slammed the radio into a wall and it broke, “We need to do more.”
“That hurt my throat,” said Emma swallowing.
________________________________
TIME WAS PASSING with the utmost slowness, that had it’s good points, and bad. Emma took Spike into the back rooms. Into the dressing rooms, far enough away from the group to be alone, even from the superior hearers.
Emma held Conner’s hand leading him into a dressing facility and closing the curtain. “I don’t like this place,” stated Emma, “Why this place?”
“I don’t see anything wrong with this place,” answered Conner leaning against the wall behind him.
“Because, you’re a guy you, bleedin’ sod,” said Emma, keeping her voice down to a whisper.
“Bleeding sod?” laughed Conner.
“Shut up,” she smiled.
“Emma,” began Conner, rubbing her shoulders lovingly stepping closer to her, using the same tone of voice, “You’re my ‘Eye Candy’,” he said quoting Angel, “I don’t care about those pictures. Models, whatever they are.”
“I’m never wearing that stuff for you,” she said plainly.
Conner slid his hands slowly to her waist, then pretended he was going to take her shirt off, “I think you have the body to wear that stuff,” he joked.
Emma smacked his hands, Conner got closer to her. Emma smiled at him, putting her head on his shoulder.
Conner had felt happiness being so close to her, feeling happy. Emma kissed his cheek, slowly and the guilt slowly flowed back in to him. Guilt he hadn’t been strong enough to save her from Angelus.
The guilt that he knew, what had happened to her, she didn’t even know. Emma looked at him confused, “Conner?” she questioned, “What wrong?”
Conner looked at her his eyes wet. He didn’t move, Emma caressed his cheek comfortingly, “I feel everything you feel, when you feel it, in the back ground of me. I feel something’s wrong. Why?”
Conner took a breath, “I thought something bad had happened to you.”
“Is that all?” questioned Emma.
“Angel,” replied Conner bluntly, “Him.”
“So you tried to kill him why?” asked Emma, “I don’t care that Angelus tortured me. That’s all he did, and it was just Angelus, not Angel.”
Conner looked down at the ground, “Angel is a mask.”
“No, no,” sighed Emma, “Angel is Liam, Angelus, but they’re still different people.”
“He killed while he was being controlled,” groaned Conner, Emma stroked Conner’s hair, kissed him lightly, wrapped her hands behind his neck, gently, stroking his hair. Conner loved having her so close to him.
Emma kept speaking, “He was being controlled. And, Angel is Angelus, all the time, just has a soul to give him better ideas, a conscience, make him feel for what he’s done. Like learning a lesson. The soul takes Angel‘s freedom as a vampire to kill. Angelus is him with the freedom.”
“So it’s not his fault,” said Conner.
“No, it’s not.”
Conner looked at her for a long time. Then he leaned in a kissed her, “I just want you to be safe, keep me going.”
“That’s Corny,” laughed Emma, leaning in closer to him.
“I’m yours,” said Conner, said Conner, like in a breath.
“And I will be yours,” she leaned in and kissed him again, pulled away her forehead on his, “No matter how corny it sounds.”
Conner kissed her deeply. In reply, the heat rising between them, Emma slowly ran her hands through his hair. He backed up into the wall without a sound, slowly running his hands down to her hips. Never pulling apart.
Their skin warming much. He pulled her closer to him, as close as possible locking his arms around her back all the way slipping one up the back of her shirt to feel her skin. She rubbed his neck with her warm hands and his chest. Suddenly Angel pulled the curtain open.
Emma and Conner pulled away their kissing lips, looking to Angel. Conner cocked his head to the side, “Want to watch?”
Angel looked at Conner sternly, then addressed them both, “Riley is here.”
They pulled apart all the way, “Alone?” asked Emma.
“Yes,” said Angel.
Emma and Conner started walking out of the dressing room. Angel grabbed Conner’s arm, “Conner.”
“What?” sneered Conner.
“You should, brush your hair a little or something,” replied Angel, “You don’t want Spike to know that his daughter has been, fondling you.”
“Okay,” answered Conner.
________________________________
RILEY HAD BEEN TIED UP. Emma and Angel walked into the room, slowly followed by Conner behind, who was fixing his hair back to normal. Spike noticed that, watching Conner sternly.
Riley looked down at his ordeal going on, being tied up, “You know, I’m really tired of being tied up.”
“Have to make sure we can trust you,” said Wesley, “I mean, you could be leading them here right now.”
“Wouldn’t they have already attacked?” questioned Riley, “I don’t think they’re following me, but I think they would of attacked by now.”
“He has a good point,” said Spike.
“Shut up Spike,” answered Angel.
Emma walked towards Riley, “Are you sorry for calling me a freak?”
“This isn’t time for apologies,” stated Riley.
“What time is it?” asked Conner.
“Two a.m., why?” asked Wesley.
“What’s that mean?” asked Emma quickly.
“Huh?” asked Riley, “ Yeah, It’s, Two o’clock.”
“Is that late or early?” questioned Conner.
“What?” asked Spike, “The time?”
“Okay, everyone stop talking,” said Angel, “When we get everything fixed, Wes, I’m putting you to work, teaching them how to read a watch. Now back to Riley.”
“Oh, I feel lucky,” said Riley sarcastically.
“Don’t give me that,” stated Angel.
“How’d you bloody well find us fish boy?” asked Spike.
“I just started looking around,” stated Riley.
“Where we that obvious?” asked Emma.
“Well, this is the only place in L.A. at this time of the night that ironically doesn’t have guards ever on duty,” said Riley, “Lucky guess.”
“So you found us on a lucky guess,” stated Spike, “We’re going to end up in mazes, like a bunch of lab rats.”
“Not unless I can help you,” said Riley.
“Why the hell would you want to help us?” asked Conner.
Riley didn’t reply for a moment, “I know my greater good.”
“No,” said Spike, “That’s not it, boys still got the walkers for Buffy. Being nice, knowing the history, and what not.”
“I’m a happily married man, thank you, Fish face,” said Riley towards Spike.
Spike gave him a bad look, Emma looked a Spike knowing that he hadn’t like being called that, “I’ll punch him if you want.”
“Nobody’s punching anyone,” groaned Angel, “That’s not how it’s going to work okay.”
“What if he doesn’t start talkin’?” asked Emma, “Then can I punch him.”
“No,” scolded Angel.
“You know if you don’t start asking me valuable questions, I’m going to run for it,” said Riley.
“Now can I punch him?” asked Emma going towards Riley.
Then everyone but Conner went, “No,” even Riley had said no. The slayers were gagged so, you can figure they were in agreement.
“Why are you even talking?” asked Spike, “We didn’t ask you to talk.”
Everyone got quiet. They were all quiet for a moment, “Ask me questions, I’ll answer them, what are you waiting for?”
“Who’s running this job?” asked Angel.
“Standle,” replied Riley.
“Why?” asked Angel.
“I can’t really give you a great answer on that but, I do know it’s personal, something like that,” replied Riley.
“What else do you know?” asked Spike.
“Standle has been abducting the slayers into our military training service, so he can train them, to be the ultimate army. He’s doing this under the Superior’s noses, they were agreeing to train slayers but Standle is just using them,” answered Riley.
“Tell us something we don’t know,” said Conner.
“I have a disk, it has information on Standle on it,” said Riley, “I myself haven’t read it but, It fell into my lap when I was sneaking out of the base.”
Wesley went over to Riley, “I’d like to see it.”
“I’d like to be untied,” stated Riley.
“Angel,” answered Wesley, turning to Angel, “I think he’s earned it.”
“We can’t just have him running loose,” replied Angel.
“I won’t leave this store,” Riley stated, “Won’t.”
“He’s not lying,” Emma spoke putting her hands on her waist like she didn’t know where to put them.
“Alright,” said Angel, “Untie him. If he tries to run though, Emma, you can punch him.”
Spike walked up behind Riley and untied his wrists. Riley turned towards Spike, “Nice hair.”
Spike smiled, “You’ve got major wrinkles.”
Riley didn’t, but he would in the future. Conner and Emma walked off to the couches next to the dressing room. They sat down. “I’m going to go patrol the mall,” said Angel, “You’ll know if something happens.” He had looked at Conner when he had spoken that.
Wesley was handed the disc, and Wesley started setting up his lap top on the check out counter. Riley stood in front of Spike, nothing much to do, besides wait. “I hope you get what you need from that disc,” said Riley to Wesley.
“I’ll do what I will,” said Wesley in reply going looking at the laptop monitor.
Spike and Riley looked at each other for along moment. Riley and Spike both folded their hands across their chests.
“How’s Buffy, if you know?” asked Spike.
“Contacted me last month, she’s getting married, nice man named Alex,” said Riley.
Emma leaned on Conner’s shoulder sleepily, “I had a dream in that coffin that she’d get married.”
“Nice guy, Rogue demon hunter,” replied Riley.
“That’s my Buffy, always had to have a little demon in her life, some how, some way,” said Spike.
“Makes you realize she doesn’t love you, though, doesn‘t it?” said Riley.
“That wasn’t what she said when I saved the world, closing the hell mouth, not what she said when she came L.A. last year. Did she tell you that she didn’t love me, on the phone to you, or maybe in an email, cause, she doesn’t care your voice anymore,” smiled Spike, “I could go on forever making wise cracks at you.”
“Not if I staked you,” said Riley, “You may be nobler then the last time I saw you but, you’re still the annoying William the Bloody.”
“Fin boy, You pick the fight, I’ll pick back. Your deal. But Buffy may move on, I’m man enough to say, I don’t encourage anyone to wait around for me,” stated Spike.
“Is that really what you feel Hostile17?” asked Riley.
“Hostile, that’s right, incase you can’t remember, I don’t have chip in my head. I may have a soul but doesn’t mean I can’t ignore it,” growled Spike.
“Is that a threat?” questioned Riley.
“However you want it, I’ve killed two slayers, it was fate I didn’t kill Buffy. I was bad man, demon, stronger then you are, always will be. You’re a simple human there Mr. Iowa, just so happens you have military training,” smiled Spike, “Doesn’t mean I can’t kill you.”
“Another threat,” stated Riley.
“And if I don’t kill you, I fail, Emma will. I’d be worried, because no matter how much we all deny it, or wish differently, Emma is good at Killing, just keep that in the back of your tiny skull,” Spike got close enough to be a threat to him, to be ‘in his face.’ “Cause, I’m not looking for a fight. Maybe you are.”
Spike gave him a final smile and walked away from him. Riley stood there, looking down at the ground. Stood like he was in thought, blinking slowly, like he didn’t expect that. But on the inside, he did expect that, and kind of didn’t like being reminded about Emma, being mean.
________________________________
3:00PM. The disc had given them all something. Wesley found it, Riley, Spike, and Angel crowded around. Emma and Conner were asleep but it wouldn’t take anything to catch them up on information. Spike had watched them sleeping on the couch.
Emma was leaning on Conner’s shoulder and his head on hers. Kind of romantically. Spike still didn’t approve.
“Travis Standle, he’s ex- member of The Watcher’s Council. He left the Council when the 1st was attacking, went into hiding. He was found last year in a cave in Ireland unconscious. He didn’t wake up till 3 days later. He thought that the first was still attacking the slayers. From psychiatric accounts, Standle said that, he has a plan to defeat the 1st. Acquire and army of slayers-”
“Anything that could be pivotal?” asked Spike, “So he’s nuts.”
“That’s not the whole story,” replied Wesley, “That was his first goal. Once he researched into what was really going on, he realized that there were beings out there that would hold pivotal for what he called, The next battle.”
“So,” started Angel, “He thinks there’s going to be another war and he wants a great army, counting us as part of the army.”
“I read more,” said Wesley, “NO, not that, he thinks we’re going to start it, we’re a trigger, unless of course he was lying to his psychiatrist.”
“So he wants to kill us?” asked Spike, “That’s the usual.”
“Not exactly,” said Wesley, “He wants to make sure we’re not the trigger, now he wants power.”
“Can’t the man make up his mind?” demanded Riley.
“Alright,” said Wesley stressfully.
“I understand now,” said Spike, “He went nuts in Ireland, got so wonky he hit his noggin, didn’t figure what was going on till he found out that The First wasn’t around. But he’s so paranoid he thinks there’s going to be another war, and he’s thinks we’re going to start it through some kind of trigger. So he found out if he kidnapped us he could stop that. But then he found out, Hey, maybe if I had some power, I’d be able take over more bleedin’ things, make sure that doesn‘t happen. And now the slayers are my lab rats to power, and we will be too.”
They looked at each other for a long moment, “That’s it,” said Wesley, he was a little awed, “Pretty much.”
Angel was a little outraged in a selfish way, “How in the hell did you figure that out?”
“I used to watch a lot of ‘Passions’,” stated Spike calmly.
“It’s all about the power,” said Riley looking down.
________________________________
5:00A.M. Still dark out. Riley sat alone outside of the store. “I thought you weren’t supposed to go this far?” Riley looked up to see Emma.
“Well, Spike took my shoes, and pants,” said Riley, he said calmly, “I don’t think I’ll be leaving.”
“Did you tell him you want some fresh air or something?” asked Emma.
“Of course, bad move, I should of just started making candid conversation with one of those tied up girls, but their gagged of course,” said Riley.
“Gagged, yes,” sighed Emma sitting down next to him.
“What’s a girl like you doing hanging out in a place like this?” asked Riley looking around the mall.
“You know, if you’re trying to put the moves on me, my boy friend will kill you,” she laughed.
“You know, after being threatened to be killed so many times, it not as funny,” said Riley, “I wouldn’t put the moves on you, too young for me, and I’m married.”
“At least you tried,” smiled Emma, “Good on you. Though, come to think about it, Conner was going to get married, then I kind of stole him, and he’s 20 going to be 21.” [I think, my years are so screw up :-P]
Riley just looked straight forward, “Okay.” He thought that was kind of odd to say.
“I wanted to say I was sorry,” said Emma.
“Why?” asked Riley looking at her confused.
“Why else?” stated Emma.
“Well I know, why, but you don’t sound merciful,” said Riley, “That kind of thing.”
“Because,” she looked up at the far up glass ceiling, “Most of the time, I never get to say I’m sorry for the things I do to others. I’ve always been a little crazy.”
“A little?” asked Riley going wide eyed.
“Act mature,” she growled.
Riley took a breath, “Alright, I’m all ears. I hear you.”
“As I was saying, I’m sorry,” said Emma, “I went a bit over board, and all. I really wanted to find my dad, and I thought you were keeping him from me.” She sighed, long breath, “I have tendency to react badly to those kind of situations.”
“So you feel sorry and you want to apologize,” Riley didn’t quite know what to think, then he said, “I’ll give it to you, you’re really creative.”
Emma looked at him a little like he was crazy, “Okay. Thanks, I guess.”
“I heard that Sam is alright,” stated Riley.
“I didn’t go for hurting her, I just knocked her unconscious, I also know these grips that are like the Vulcan death grip, but they’ll knock you unconscious,” stated Emma, then she automatically said, “Wanna see one?”
“No,” said Riley quickly.
“I was joking,” said Emma.
“Good,” said Riley.
“Well, I’ve done the apologizing part, now to something that I won’t apologize for,” Riley looked at her.
“What?” asked Riley.
“I know, you and my dad have a bad past, what ever you want to call it. You’re really getting on his nerves, and he’s on yours, you two are adults. I see it heating up between you two, I don’t like it,” her voice got low, and threatening. She looked him in the eyes, “You hurt my dad, I’ll hurt you back. This is getting old, my attitude, but, I will kill the people who are dearest to you, and then figure out where else I can put you.”
Riley swallowed, he wasn’t afraid, that wasn’t on him. Felt he had to be too man at the moment. Just looked at her. Emma’s face than changed, “Wait. What’s that beeping sound?”
“What?” asked Riley.
“Beeping sound,” said Emma, there was beeping sound in Emma’s ears, like the equivalent of a dog whistle.
“Why?” asked Riley.
Emma grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him up and pushed him into the store, like grabbing a child by the ear.
Conner was standing up, alert, “What’s that sound?”
“I don’t know,” said Emma.
“There’s a sound?” questioned Spike coming forward.
“Yes,” said Conner, “Loud, beeping sound.”
“That beeping,” Emma jerked Riley closer to her and put her ear to his chest where his heart was, Emma pulled her head away and walked towards them man handling Riley, who felt completely innocent. “He’s got a tracker in him!” she said disgustedly.
[In gist,] To be Continued….
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