An Angel/CSI crossover. This story is set immediately before Angel episode 3.01 "Hearthrob", and contains minor spoilers for that episode and for Buffy 6.15 "As You Were". All characters are the intellectual property of their respective creators and publishers; this story may not be sold or distributed on a profit-making basis.
This is the first of a series of BtVS / Angel / CSI crossovers which can be found archived on various sites, most notably fanfiction.net and Twisting the Hellmouth.
Should Have Gone To Vegas...
By Marcus L. Rowland
Part 3 of 3
"Here's a list of the ingredients for Calynthia powder," Nick said next day. "Maybe they were exotic in ancient Greek days, but most of them are things you can find if you visit a delicatessen with a good selection of spices and mushrooms, a florist, that sort of thing."
"But not all?" asked Grissom.
"No. We've got this one ingredient here, Lethe's Bramble. That 'Demons' database says it's the ingredient that affects memory. It grows in the Middle East; it's toxic to sheep and classified as a noxious weed. That means it's illegal to import the plant or seeds into this country without a special permit from the EPA. "
"But you've found someone with a permit in this area?"
"Not exactly. When I checked the EPA database I found that there were only three importers, none of them local, all of them companies that supply ingredients to Chinese herbalists. It comes in as the dried plant or as seeds, irradiated to ensure sterility."
"Which would explain the odd energy levels Greg mentioned?"
"Maybe, I'm not sure but it sounds likely. Anyway, I phoned the nearest supplier and asked about it, they say it's sometimes used as a headache cure. But they told me something else - the stuff is also bought by magic shops, the sort of place that sells crystals, tarot cards, incense, that sort of thing. Accounts for most of their trade in it. Most of their sales on this side of the country are along the coast, LA and Southern California especially, but they knew of four outlets in the city, another just outside the city line. The other suppliers gave me two more shops."
"Good work; I'll get the addresses to Brass, he's got the manpower to check it out. I'm still wondering why the rod hasn't been used again - if Rayne is this big bad-assed magician you'd think he'd want to play with it."
"Angel seemed to think that Rayne likes chaos, not evil as such, maybe he doesn't want to make things too easy for the bad guys," said Nick "Or maybe he's still trying to figure out how to use it properly, our forensics on the murder scene make it look like he actually touched her with it rather than using it at a distance. Must have left him really messed up."
"That's thin, but let's hope it's right. Something like that we might be able to stop before too many people get hurt."
* * * * *
"You're wrong," said Angel that evening, "I've checked with friends who knew him. Rayne likes chaos, likes scaring people, and he wouldn't care if he was giving evil a helping hand. He hurts people then gloats about it. He'd be aiming for maximum carnage, something to make the news. Maybe a convent or a monastery, a church school, something like that. Not necessarily Christian. If he doesn't already know how the rod works it'd slow him down, but my guess is he knows by now, he's waiting for some reason."
"Finn finally came through with some useful photographs," said Catherine, "We've circulated them to all the main religious organisations, if he's seen anywhere near any place of worship we ought to hear about it."
"That's a good start, but I'd be happier if there was some way to lure him into the open." said Grissom. "Finn says that he's got the airport and surface routes out of the city monitored in some way, so Rayne can't get out, what I don't understand is why Finn can't close in on him."
"They're using some sort of spell to locate him, maybe a psychic, and there's too much magic inside the city." said Angel.
"Now you've got me confused again."
"It's simple, really. Every night hundreds of thousands of people gamble here, and all of them want to change the odds. Enough of them have some magical talent that they swamp the place with random power, like static on a radar screen, most of it just cancelling out. Then there are the spells the casinos use to protect themselves from magical cheating, and the spells the real magicians are trying to use to get past the protective spells... What?"
Grissom, Catherine, and Nick were staring at him again. Finally Catherine said "I'm sorry, all this takes a little getting used to. I worked in casinos half my adult life, I don't think I ever saw any signs of magic being used there."
"You wouldn't - the protective magic goes on well behind the scenes, some of it before the buildings are even built. Some of it is in the shapes of the buildings, or the construction of the foundations. You wouldn't believe the spell they cast the night they broke ground on Caesar's Palace. Most of the employees, even most of the management, have no idea, and there are spells to make sure things stay that way. And on the other side magicians know better than to try anything overt inside the casinos, it's all well- hidden, like any other type of cheating."
"Okay, fine. The economy of this city is based on magic. Does this get us anywhere?"
"Damned if I know."
"One thing," said Grissom, "we've found where he bought the ingredients for the Calynthia powder. Little magic shop not far from here. He's been back once since he got the stuff, bought some more supplies. He might be back, I suppose. Here's the list of what he bought."
Angel read it, thought for a minute, then said "Disguise spell, I think. You'd have to concentrate on your appearance while you were using it, but it'd get you past someone with a photo."
"Damn. Back to square one." said Grissom. "What about cameras and mirrors?"
"They'd be affected too, I think. Let me make a call, there's a witch I know who could confirm that."
"A witch?" asked Catherine.
"Yeah, nice kid. You two have a lot in common. For one thing her name's Willow."
"Willows the witch..." mused Nick as Angel dialled.
"Don't even think it," said Catherine flatly. "I can make your life a living hell given suitable provocation."
* * * * *
"Willow confirmed it." said Angel. "It's a powerful spell, but you have to concentrate all the time you use it. Any distraction, try to do anything else, and it starts to slip."
"That's something, I suppose, but it still doesn't tell us his target," said Grissom. "I've got the security camera tape for the shop, it shows Rayne buying that stuff. He's carrying some bags, but I can't tell what they are. Greg is having some stills enhanced."
"Let me see it," said Angel "Maybe I'll spot something you've missed."
The tape was black and white and split into four images, the view from different cameras. One of them showed Rayne at the counter. Angel watched intensely. "That's him, all right. Talkative, isn't he."
"Talkative?" asked Grissom.
"Talking non-stop. Look here... she's going into the back room now, he's still talking to her. Be nice to know what he's saying."
"You're right." He picked up the phone. "Greg, I want the whole of that tape enlarged and enhanced, and call Mrs. Webster in to take a look at it."
"Mrs. Webster?" asked Angel.
"She's a lip reader."
* * * * *
"Well, here he's asking for powdered ram's spleen... eye of newt..." said Mrs. Webster, an elderly lady who seemed totally unphased at being called out in the middle of the night. On screen the clerk went into the back room. "Now he's saying something I can't catch... no, he's humming something, I think." the clerk came back. "Holly berries, and a half-dozen beeswax candles." she went out again. "Still humming.... dum dum di dum di dum di di." Grissom and Angel stared at her. "tum tum ti tum tum, tum tum ti tum tum, get me to the church on time."
"I'm getting married in the morning." said Grissom.
"That's right, Mr. Grissom." said Mrs. Webster. "My Fair Lady."
"A wedding." breathed Angel.
"There must be a couple of hundred churches and chapels in town." said Grissom, gloomily.
"But there's only one that fits the profile," said Catherine "Rayne wants an event with maximum publicity. He wants something so frightening that it'll scare people away. I think he's planning to make a run for it in the confusion. So it has to be seen by thousands, by millions. There's only one wedding coming up that fits the bill. This one." She showed them the evening paper.
* * * * *
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today..."
Catherine and Riley watched the scene on monitors in the TV control van next to the church, trying to stay out of the way of the technicians and producer. "How the hell did Angel persuade him to let us do this?" whispered Catherine.
"Apparently he once removed a curse that was killing the band's drummers," replied Riley. "Nigel was grateful."
"Known Angel long?" asked Catherine.
"Met him a year or so ago. There was a girl..."
"Angel said something."
"I'll bet he didn't tell you the full story," Riley whispered grimly. "Did he mention where he loses his soul and starts killing people if they get together again?"
"Kind of glossed over that part. Where is he hiding, anyway?"
"I'm not sure, he's somewhere in the church. Went in last night."
"I thought that vampires couldn't go near crosses. Is it because he has a soul?"
"It's mostly a myth - fortunately a lot of them believe it. Crosses and holy water burn them, but if they don't actually touch them they don't get hurt. Wait a minute.... There, camera five."
The picture showed the gallery of the church, rows of seats in front of bright stained-glass windows, with white statues in niches between the windows. Most of the seats were filled with the sort of people Catherine expected to see at a rock-star's wedding; burned-out looking hippies, Goths, punks, rockers. The small nattily dressed man in the third row, now getting to his feet, didn't look anything out of the ordinary, maybe a celebrity tailor or a florist. Until his face started to change...
"All units, all units, target identified. Gallery, man in third row left starting to stand. Move!"
Rayne was pulling something from under his jacket. On another camera Catherine could see ushers, Riley's men, trying to get into position for taser shots. Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion, and she somehow knew that they were going to be too late.
Behind the seats something was moving. Impossibly, one of the statues, a figure wearing a monk's cowl and cloak, was turning and throwing something - a spear or a trident - no, a crucifix on a long pole. Dust flew from its hands and face, and Catherine thought she could see wisps of smoke. The cross flew with blurring speed, hitting Rayne in the shoulder and slamming him forward to sprawl into the second row. A fight started, and one of the rockers grabbed the rod from Rayne and hit him with it. By the time the ushers reached Rayne he was more than ready to be arrested.
* * * * *
"How did you do that?" asked Catherine a couple of hours later, back at CSI headquarters.
"I got there before dawn, moved the real statue to a store room, and took its place. Then I just stayed still until you saw Rayne."
"For seven hours?" asked Grissom.
"I'm dead, remember. Immobility comes easy."
"But vampires can't stand sunlight. You were right next to a window."
"In a deep recess, not in front of it. I wasn't in direct sunlight there, and the cloak and hood and the sun-block and plaster of Paris I put on my hands and face gave me just enough protection. Of course I had to move quickly once it had cracked off, but I didn't have to go far - it was only fifty feet or so to the storeroom. Then Riley's men got me out under a blanket."
"How did you hold the crucifix?" asked Catherine.
"It was on a pole, I made sure that I only touched the pole. It was a strain, but Rayne was alert for a vampire, I wanted to be sure he wouldn't spot me. I'm just sorry I had to use a cross disrespectfully."
"I think you can say it was justified by the circumstances."
Nick said "We were lucky that the rod didn't hurt anyone."
"Rayne didn't think it through. You just don't find many saints at a show- business wedding. It's possible that there were a couple of people there that were genuinely virtuous, but what are the odds he would point it at them? Even the preacher... well, let's just say that he was the best that they could hire, and that the fee didn't go to charity. Love of money is the root of all evil. The hard part was making sure that there weren't going to be any children there, they might have been at risk, but Nigel was very good about arranging for a crèche. Fortunately they hadn't planned to have a choir."
"What about the rod?" asked Catherine.
"Riley Finn has it, one of his men snagged it while they were arresting Rayne and breaking up the fight. He ought to be bringing it along soon, they're just checking Rayne's motel."
"Which brings us to Rayne." said Grissom quietly.
"There's no way you can convict him," said Angel, flatly. "You'd be laughed out of court if you tried. Even if you could, he's a powerful enough magician to get out of any ordinary prison. Anyway, I doubt that Finn will give you the opportunity. Rayne isn't going to go free, you can count on that."
Finn came in as they were talking. "Rayne is going to be joining one of our field teams, with a couple of powerful shamen to keep him under control. We'll see how he likes being on the receiving end of magic for a change."
"Field team? What the hell does that mean?" asked Nick.
"A few months in the nastiest jungle in South America fighting demons, then maybe a trip to sunny Bosnia, or Afghanistan if we ever get clearance to operate there. After that I'm sure we can find other things to do with him. Believe me, he's not going to be enjoying himself."
"And the rod?" asked Catherine.
"Here. Although I'm not sure that I should be giving it to a vampire."
"I don't think you need worry too much," said Angel, examining it. "The wood's split, must have happened when that rocker hit Rayne with it, and nothing catastrophic happened. That means that we can get rid of it by destroying it, and I'm willing to bet you have a really good incinerator somewhere here. Burn it, pulverise the ashes and wash them away."
"No problem, we have to dispose of hazardous waste all the time," said Grissom. "Feels like we're destroying evidence, but I can see why it's necessary."
"Now about the other stuff in this bag," said Riley, "I take it you have a permit to export antiquities from Sri Lanka, and the jewellery appears to be modern, but would you mind telling me what the hell you're doing with a shrunken head..."
* * * * *
"Well, I suppose that's over." Catherine said later that evening. "It feels really strange, knowing that there's all this weirdness going on in Las Vegas. Things we never even suspected. Magic, vampires, wizards, shamen and demons."
"Well, we know now," said Grissom. "The question is, what do we do about it?"
"Damned if I know. I suppose call for help if we need it, I got Angel's number and Brass knows how to reach Finn and his men. It's not a problem we run into every day."
"Sounds about right. After all, we've got a budget for consultants, might as well use it."
"Where is Angel anyway?" asked Nick.
"He hit the road for LA as soon as the sun set, said he wanted to get back to normality," said Catherine.
"In LA? Oh well, I suppose it depends on your definition of normality," said Nick.
"He promised he'd try to stay out of our hair if he visited Vegas again. I hope he does."
"Hope he visits, or hope he stays out of our hair?" asked Nick
"Work it out for yourself."
"Okay, we've closed one case, we still have others," said Grissom, "Now about the treehouse killings, did you hear anything from Springfield PD about that Simpson kid..?"
The End
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