Part 6
There are people who say that in life there is simply black and white. Good and evil. Right and wrong.
You know what? That’s bullshit.
There are many gray areas in life. Oftentimes, I like to think that I fall into this category. I can’t deny the fact that for nearly 150 years I was as ruthless and brutal a killer as ever walked the Earth. There was no humanity inside me; I was the essence of evil. But what of me now?
I’ll never claim that my having a soul makes me a good and righteous man. I know better than anyone that I’m still capable of some heinous and vile acts. But without the soul, I wouldn’t care. I wouldn’t do the things that I do.
How many are alive because of the things I’ve done in the past few years? I am a being capable of extraordinary evil, but instead I’ve made the conscious decision to save lives instead. Doesn’t that make me a gray?
The same philosophy can be applied to a situation. I don’t think that anyone would disagree with the suggestion that Lilith is evil. Regardless of the fact that she kills to survive, she is still evil. I know that from personal experience.
But there is a life inside her. An entity that has yet to be corrupted by the world. A being that if given a choice could choose the path of righteousness. How in any good conscience could I, or anyone else be asked to sacrifice this soul to destroy the malevolent one which houses it?
This is a gray area. The child isn’t guilty of anything. It’s merely caught in a situation it has no control over. But the question still remains: how do you resolve the situation?
I have no doubt that Wolfram and Hart would destroy both if given the opportunity. But maybe by beating them to the punch we can save at least one innocent soul. As I look at Cordelia, I can tell this is the option she prefers. She wants this child to live.
I know that she sees this child as Connor. Cordy risked her life by trying to protect Darla so she could give birth. I know she’ll try to do the same for Lilith. And so will I.
************
“I thought we agreed the next time we had to do this we’d check the last place first.” Wesley just ignored Gunn’s comment, while Angel slapped him in the back of the head. “What?” Gunn asked.
They had checked the first six possible locations and had turned up empty. Deciding to try the seventh local together, the party discovered they were a little late.
“I’m sorry,” Cordelia said, “but is that a Hummer with a machine gun?” The guys all looked to where Cordelia was pointing. Sure enough, it was a Hummer with a machine gun.
“Damn,” Gunn said. “I gotta get me one of those.”
“It looks like they’ve laid siege to the house,” Wesley said. It appeared the Watcher was right. From what Angel’s demon senses could detect, there were at least two-dozen fully armed riflemen waiting to storm the house.
“This could be really bad,” Angel said.
“What do we do?” Cordelia asked. “We can’t let them just go in and kill the baby.”
“We also can’t take on two army platoons loaded with automatic weapons,” Wesley calmly replied. “I think we’ll have to wait and see what happens.”
A small explosion at the front door quickly ended the debate. Three troopers were sent flying when they tried to break down it down. Another explosion in back told of the same story happening at the back door.
“Somehow, it seems as if Lilith isn’t completely defenseless,” Angel pointed out. Medics quickly approached the fallen men and pulled them to the woods surrounding the house. The man apparently in charge began barking orders to the troops now in disarray.
“Perhaps we should get closer,” Wesley suggested. The four began to sneak downhill towards the edge of the trees. Another team stormed the house from the front, but soon, their screams were heard resonating through the forest.
“Uh, now we were going to go in there?” Gunn questioned. “I’m sorry, but I’m not looking to walk into a massacre.”
“What do you think, Angel?” Cordelia asked. Everyone looked when he didn’t answer. Angel wasn’t to be found.
****************
Angel quietly slipped away from the others and approached the house from in back. With an easy jump, Angel was on the balcony outside an upstairs window. A swift kick shattered the door and Angel was granted access.
The vampire paused a moment to tune his sense to the surroundings. He felt the weakened pulses of the second assault team that stormed the front door. He could also smell a distinct scent. It was one he had smelled before. Once at ‘The Palace’, the other time at Martin’s mansion.
“Lilith?” Angel called. “I know you’re here.” Angel stepped into the hallway. Trying to determine which direction the scent was freshest, he allowed his nose to lead him downstairs. At the bottom, he saw the mangled bodies of the assault team. One man was missing a leg, another appeared to have a large piece of shrapnel embedded in his head.
“Lilith?” Angel called once more. “I want to help you. I want to help your baby.” Cautiously, Angel stepped past the fallen soldiers, ignoring the survivors’ pleas for help. He couldn’t stop. He had to find her. Angel noticed and managed to avoid stepping over a tripwire running along the entrance to the kitchen. His eyes finally settled on a door that led to the cellar. Pushing it open slowly, he allowed his eyes to adjust to the dark below.
“Lilith?” Against all better judgment, Angel stepped down onto the first step. Only his vampire reflexes prevented his decapitation by an axe swinging from above. Taking in several unneeded breaths, and thanking a God that damned him, the vampire collected himself and crept downstairs.
“Hold it there,” a voice called as he reached bottom. Angel turned to find Lilith aiming a very large pump action shotgun at him.
“I don’t know what you plan to do with that, but I guarantee it won’t work,” Angel said pointing to the gun.
Lilith stepped closer, sniffing the air as she approached. “You’re a vampire,” she said flatly. Angel nodded. “You have a soul. Who do you work for?”
“The Powers That Be,” Angel told her.
Lilith’s eyes widened. “I’m not going back to that place,” she said. The demon pumped a shell into the chamber and fully prepared to fire.
“Whoa,” Angel said. He put his hands up to show no harm. “I don’t have any idea what you’re talking about. I’m here to help you and the baby. And what do you mean go back? Go back where?”
A stampede of footsteps stopped any further questions. Within moments, a storm of commandos had the area surrounded.
“Freeze!” one commando yelled. “Put down the weapon!”
Angel groaned at the sight of the soldiers. Lilith began to slowly back away from them until her back was against the wall. She did not like this at all. And she damn sure wasn’t going back.
