Part 7
Angel unrolled the blueprint for the Hilton Hotel as the gang gathered around. “Okay guys, let’s go over this one more time.” He pointed to a large section of the diagram.
“This is the main ballroom. The tables seating the most important guests will be along this wall, as will the podium for speeches. Above the room along that side and the two adjacent is a catwalk of sorts. Above on the opposite of the podium are conference rooms overlooking the ballroom.
“Dawn, Buffy, and Gunn will hang up top. Cor, myself, Fred, and Xander will keep to the floor. Everyone needs to stay to the access points. Elevators, stairwells, entrances, exits, all that. If we can keep him from moving around, that means we can corner him. Cor, do you have that picture?”
Cordelia passed around the photograph that Fred found on a government website. “This is the woman I saw in my vision. Her name is Hannah Morse She’s a press secretary for the California Democratic Party. I think this is the identity that Ramius will use.”
“If you see her,” Angel continued, “don’t do anything stupid.” He looked pointedly at Xander.
Xander quit munching on his bag of potato chips long enough to look offended. “Why is it that whenever the word stupid is mentioned people look at me?” The room fell silent for a few moments.
“Moving on,” Angel said. “If you see this Morse woman, get on your cell phone and let the rest of us know. If you can safely do so, hit her with the Hecate’s Essence and contain. If not, just call for backup and observe. Like I said, our best shot is to box Ramius into a corner.”
“The fundraiser starts at eight,” Cordelia informed everyone. “I want us to be there by seven so we can scout ahead. Maybe if we can spot Morse outside the building we can avoid an incident. So you should probably go up and change into your dress clothes.” She glanced at Xander. “You do have a suit, right?”
“What do you take me for?” Xander asked. “A heathen?” The room fell silent once more.
Buffy and Dawn avoided eye contact with their friend. “What?”
***
Hilton Hotel
“Oh, Jeremiah was a bullfrog. Was a good friend of mine. Didn’t understand a single word he said, but I helped him drink his wine.”
Ramius sang lightly to himself as he entered the conference room overlooking the ballroom. With his bundle wrapped in a blanket, he went about to make his preparations. It wasn’t the most ideal shot, but Ramius decided it would have to do.
A glass railing came up to his waist, which meant he would have to stand up to take his shot. He set the bundle on the table and peered over the railing. The carpenters were putting the final touches on the podium and the surrounding lighting. Ramius estimated the distance to be about 150 feet.
“Joy to the world. All the boys and girls.”
Ramius stepped up onto the table. Removing a screwdriver from his pocket, he quickly removed the ventilation grate. Bending down, Ramius gathered the bundle containing his rifle and stuck it into the opening. He quickly screwed the grill back into place.
“Joy to the fishes in the deepest sea. Joy to you and me.”
Ramius continued to sing softly as he took a last look around the room. Smiling, he decided that all was ready.
“It’s going to be a hell of a party.”
***
“May I ask what you are looking at?”
Shit, Angel thought. She caught him staring again. “I’m sorry. It’s just that you look very pretty tonight.”
Cordelia blushed at the complement. “You don’t look so bad yourself.” She didn’t really understand why he was gaping. It wasn’t like he hadn’t seen her in..and out of this dress. This was the dress she wore to the ballet. The shop hadn’t let her return it.
The seven man crew meandered outside the Hilton, watching for any sign of Hannah Morse. The sun had recently set, so the gang was able to move out without fear of Angel turning to dust. But as the clock began to move closer to eight, the group became worried.
“Do you think we missed her?” Buffy asked. The slayer looked very attractive in her pearl white dress.
“Maybe she used another identity to get into the hotel,” Dawn suggested. Kid sister was wearing a dark blue strapless. Angel thought she was a little young for the dress, but then again, he was an old fashioned guy.
“It’s possible,” Fred admitted. She also wore the same dress from the ballet. “You only need an ID or a ticket to get in the ballroom. Anyone can get in the lobby.”
“Or maybe Ramius checked in earlier when there wasn’t a crowd,” Gunn suggested.
“That was something we should have considered earlier,” Angel admitted.
“So what do we do?” Xander asked.
“Only thing we can do,” Cordelia said. “We join the party. Just follow the game plan and hope for the best. Okay, does everyone have your bag of the stuff and your cell phone?” The girls all reached into their handbags and pulled out the items.
The guys reached into the suit coats and did the same. “Good.” She turned to Angel and offered her arm. “Dear sir. Would you escort a lady to the party?”
“It would be my honor.” Angel gave that patented goofy grin that was usually reserved for Cordelia. “Milady.” He accepted her arm and led her down the carpet to the entrance. Gunn offered his arm to Fred and the two followed suit.
“Shows them,” Xander huffed at the retreating forms of Angel and Gunn. “I’m left with two hot chicks, right? Hey!” Buffy and Dawn had left Xander standing alone in the middle of the sidewalk. “I’m not feeling the love. Wait up!”
Xander trotted after them, but was rewarded by the door swinging back and hitting his forehead. “I need a hug,” he whined.
***
Hannah Morse flashed her ID card at the security officer before she entered the ballroom. The fundraiser was just beginning. Local politicians, business executives, and Hollywood types mingled.
In a few minutes dinner would be served. Lamb chops, if Ramius’ memory served correctly. A few bands would play, a comedy troop would perform afterwards, and then the speeches would begin.
The mayor would open the talks. Then Mary La Pierre, a congresswoman from the district including Sacramento would follow. Peter McDowell would speak afterwards.
Ramius had heard a great deal about that young man. He was barely thirty, and was self-made. He had to earn his way into SDSU, and now, he attempted to defeat incumbent Linda Wofford for the congressional seat down there.
It would then be Doyle’s turn to speak. Glancing at his watch, Ramius decided it would likely be an hour before he took the podium. “Until then, a spot of champagne won’t do any harm,” he decided.
Hannah Morse reached out as a waiter walked by and took a glass. She took a long sip as she prepared to wait for the moment.
“Hello,” a voice said from behind her. Hannah turned to find some middle-aged loser leering at her. “My name is Tim Harris, and you are?”
“Not interested. Fuck off.”
Ramius savored the look of utter shock that crossed Harris’ face. Better to be rejected now. Although Ramius thought it might be interesting if he were to ‘shift’ during the moment. That could have produced a few laughs, as well as some interesting blackmail.
Harris walked away like a dejected puppy, leaving Ramius alone once again.
“The one trouble shifting into a woman,” he muttered. “I have every pendejo in the room trying to get his mack on.” Ramius decided to head upstairs where he would have less chance of some dickhead trying to smooze their way under his skirt.
He began to climb the stairs just as Angel and gang entered the room.
“Okay people, it’s show time. Buffy, go ahead and take Dawn and Gunn up. Keep tight, make the rounds. Remember, don’t do anything stupid. You find Ramius or Morse or whatever body he’s in, you call for backup.” They all nodded agreement.
Before they could go, Angel grabbed Gunn’s wrist. “Gunn, make sure to keep an extra eye on Dawn. Buffy’s a little worried about letting her be here.”
“No problem,” Gunn assured. “Nothing will happen to her.”
“I know.” Gunn jogged to catch up with the girls. Angel turned to give instruction to Fred and Xander. “You two mingle on that side of the room. And Fred?”
“Yeah?”
“Make sure Xander doesn’t make an ass of himself.”
“As if,” Cordelia snorted.
“Okay,” Fred answered. She then drug Xander across the room, the boy still complaining that he wasn’t feeling the love.
“And that leaves you and me,” Cordelia smiled slightly.
“That’s not such an unpleasant proposition,” Angel told her. “We still have a lot of unfinished business, Cor.”
“I know. And when this is over, we will resolve it. But for now, we need to keep our minds on the here and now.”
“That wouldn’t be so difficult if you didn’t look so beautiful.”
Cordelia smiled that smile that turned him into a bumbling idiot. “Watch it mister. Flattery will get you anywhere.” Cordelia left a stunned Angel in her wake as she went to get some champagne.
“I need to keep with the flattery.”
***
Buffy reached into her purse and pulled her cell phone out. She hit speed dial one and tucked the phone to her ear. “Angel? It’s me. Have you seen anything?”
Angel and Cordelia sat at a table where they could watch access points and most of the floor. “No, and neither have Fred and Xander. You?”
“Nothing,” a frustrated Buffy responded. “We’ve made at least eight sweeps up here. We haven’t seen anyone matching Morse’s or Ramius’ description.”
“Well, Doyle is about to take the podium. Keep your spider senses on high, Buffy. If Ramius strikes, it’ll be now. Wait. He’s going up now.”
***
Ramius shifted from Hannah’s form back to his own as he pulled the loaded rifle from the ventilation duct. “Yesterday,” he sang. “Love was such an easy game to play.” He leveled the gun and peered through the sight.
It was good to go. Calmly he walked to the railing and took aim.
***
Cordelia felt her blood run cold. She knew it was time. She jerked around nervously until she finally spotted the figure standing by the railing of the conference room above.
She grabbed the cell phone from Angel’s hand.
“Buffy! He’s in the conference room! He’s taking aim!” She glared right at Angel. “Get to Doyle, now!”
Angel leapt from his chair and used a burst of vampire speed to cross the room.
***
“Oh shit,” Buffy groaned. “Dawn! Gunn! Conference room! Now!”
***
Ramius sighted the crosshairs right between Doyle’s eyes. “I am the walrus. Coo coo ca choo.” He then gently pulled the trigger.