Part 28
“Whatcha doing, girl?” Gunn peeked around the door at Fred.
“Researching.” Fred said her eyes glued to the computer screen.
“I thought you said that Justin’s trail was a dead end on that thing.”
“I’m not doing that.”
Gunn moved slumping over Fred’s shoulders staring at what Fred was reading. “AMCE Private Eye School” Gunn’s brows shot up in question.
Fred shook her head pushing at her glasses “I’m going to register.”
“What?”
“Charles, I think is painfully clear, we have no idea how to investigate, sure kill demons, but investigate, nope. Well, I’m going to school and learn and you should too.”
“We don’t need to go to school to find Justine.”
“Oh, so you know where she is.” The wheels of her chair squeaked as she spun around.
“Well,” Gunn backed away. “Going to school won’t help.” He shot back.
“How can you say that? You don’t know. Just like we didn’t know where Angel and Cordy were.”
“Fred,” Gunn planted himself on the edge of the desk. “This ain’t the Rockford Files. No amount of class work would’ve explained how Wolfram & Hart shanghaied Cordy from the middle of the freeway with glowly lights and special effects or that Connor would deep six Angel. It wouldn’t of.”
Fred tugged on her ponytail in frustration not wanting to concede but fearing that Gunn was right.
It was just that Fred was a firm believer in education, if you didn’t know something you learned it through school and studying. Fred wasn’t arrogant by any stretch of the imagination, but she was well aware of her gift with science and math. But regardless of that talent, it was the classes, the mountains of homework and lectures that she attended when she was in high school and then later the University which gave her the educational foundation and research abilities to apply that talent beyond the limits of that education.
It was painfully clear, though that she didn’t have an iota of talent in detecting anything that required more than equations, a computer or microscope and if she didn’t have those particular talents she wanted at least to learn the fundamentals of detective work. Fred had thought she had known, detective work was asking questions and then getting the answers, but there had to be more to it, because she and Gunn had asked questions, but they didn’t get the answers.
Obviously, Fred was missing vital pieces of knowledge to the art of investigating and she wanted to know what they were. Therefore, to her, classes and school were the logical solution. Fred couldn’t help thinking that had she taken classes on detective work before now they might have been able to find Angel and Cordy, instead of just waiting around for them to rescue themselves and that they wouldn’t be facing a dead-end in the search for Justine.
“Fred,” Gunn rested his hands on her shoulders. “We did all that we could with what we had.”
“It wasn’t enough. Angel was in….”
“Damn’t Girl,” Gunn stomped off the edge of the desk. “I know where he was. At the bottom of the fuckin ocean. I know that Cordy was stuck being tortured by those bastards. Just like I know that I didn’t do a damn thing to help them. I know that I had Lilah in my fuckin fist and didn’t get the answers. Damn’t I know.” Gunn’s shoulders slumped, his voice lowering with his head in defeat.
Fred moved suddenly gripping Gunn by the shoulders. “It wasn’t your fault.” Fred cupped his face. “You’re right, we did all that we could. You did, we both did.” Fred whispered forcing Gunn to believe just as she forced herself.
Fred did know that Gunn was right in that the cases that came through Angel Investigation weren’t standard PI fare, but still more knowledge never hurt. But she would deal with that later, her boyfriend needed her support not her recriminations on their lack of that knowledge. Fred closed her eyes, resting her forehead against Gunn’s wide chest.
She wanted to cry. She should’ve known that Gunn would feel just as guilty as she did.
“It’s neither one of your faults.” Cordelia commanded from the doorway. “And I don’t want to hear anything like that again. There was no way that you could’ve figured out that Connor would attack Angel, not like that. Just like, you couldn’t have figured out that Wolfram & Hart had planned this elaborate power disguised kidnapping. You couldn’t. Wesley didn’t know and he was working from the inside. I’m the only one that should’ve known both. If it’s anybody’s fault then its mine.”
“Cordy?” Fred looked up from Gunn’s embrace.
Cordy strode in. “I saw how much anger and hatred Connor had in him, hell I felt it when I did the glowly number on him. I thought it was because of that place, but obviously there was more to it and I should’ve realized that a bright big hug wouldn’t get rid of it all. Just like I should’ve realized that Skip’s showing up wasn’t right, after all I had a vision and I don’t get those of warm and fuzzy happenings. I still have a lot to learn about my powers, though I don’t know how, except screw up by screw up, unless the Powers want to give some more quick how-to tips,”
Cordelia looked hopefully up towards the ceiling, “didn’t think so..” Cordy shook her head.
“Cordy, it…”
Cordelia looked up at Fred. “Fred, I don’t need reassurance. It happened and I could blame myself, but I’m not. Because the real blame goes to Wolfram & Hart and Holtz. Guilt isn’t the answer. What we need is to concentrate on how to fix it and the first step is finding out where Justine is- any luck.”
Fred wanted so much to say yes, if for no other reason than to keep the confident look on Cordelia’s face.
“No.” Fred had to shake her head. “I did find out more about her, but nothing as to where she’s at now.”
“Yeah, and I went to their old hangout and that was clean, no forwarding address left. She and the rest of Holtz’s people just disappeared. Probably skipped town.” Gunn added with frustration.
Cordelia was about to speak, but shut her mouth with a wrinkled brow and looked around. “Where’s Angel?”
“Went to revisit my trail of snitches to see if they had told me everything.”
“Charles, I’m sure they did.” Fred nodded.
“Yeah, maybe, but if they didn’t I bet having an angry Angel in their faces will jog their memories.”
“Charles, you can be mean, too.” Fred urged supportively.
“Hell, girl, I ain’t a vamp, and the snitches know it. There ‘re certain inbred intimidating skills that come along with that undead gig.”
Cordy waved her hand brushing aside the conversation satisfied with Angel’s whereabouts -for the time being. “Back to Justine, Fred what did you find out about her other than she’s a bitch and slayer wanna be.”
Fred sat back at her computer pulling up her research on the woman. “I didn’t know her last name, but her hatred for vampires had to come from somewhere, so I started searching the obituaries- figuring that someone close to her had been killed by one.”
“Very smart, Fred. What did you find, mother- father- brother-lover- who?”
“Sister, twin sister.” Fred pulled up the newspaper clipping, her shoulders a bit straighter at Cordy’s praise and her confidence that Fred had in fact found the answer.
Cordelia peered in closer at the picture of Justine’s sister. “Yep, that’s looks just like that woman in my vision, well without the leather and desperado look. It doesn’t make any sense.”
“What?” Both Gunn and Fred responded.
“That the Powers would send me a vision to save Justine. I mean what’s up with that. If those vampires in the night club had killed her Angel might not have ended up….it might’ve all been avoided.” Cordelia let out a deep breath.
Those images of Angel trapped and alone just had to stop, they were distracting her from her goal to fix all of this. “Damn. I figured when Angel told me it was Justine that they had saved that the Powers must’ve had a use for her or something. You know maybe she’d see the error of her ways, maybe help in the mission become part of the team. But, if her use was just to warp Connor into putting Angel in that…. steel box-that- well- that will just piss me off. ”
Cordy slammed herself into the chair, inwardly yelling to get a grip and concentrate on finding Justine and not the pain Angel must’ve gone through.
Fred and Gunn just shrugged not knowing what to say.
Cordy leaned again over Fred’s shoulder and read the article. “So no other family.” Cordy leaned back her nose scrunched up in thought. “Vampires killed her only living relative, her twin, she hates them with a passion. Holtz found her, trained her and used that hatred to get her to follow him. I wonder….”
“You’ve an idea.”
“She’s become a slayer wanna be, though I’m not too worried about Buffy losing the title, Justine’s not blonde or supernatural, just a very angry bitter woman. But, she wouldn’t stop hating vampires just because Holtz is dead. In fact, it would probably just make her more kamikaze like. She hasn’t stopped hunting vampires and I doubt she’s left the city, where else would she go? Everything she knows is here, plus plenty of the ‘grr’ set.”
“Okay, so…” Gunn sat back on the desk.
“Well, we can’t find her, but maybe we can find a vampire that’s survived a run in with her recently.”
Gunn got on his feet. “Or maybe she’s hooked up with others that’s mission is to kill vampires.” He started to move to the door grabbing his jacket.
“Where are you going?”
“Rondell,” Gunn called back. “If there has been some dusting being done and he and his boys didn’t do and we didn’t do it, he just may know the somebody that did. The boys always like to keep an eye out for new players good and bad. Damn, should’ve thought about it sooner. Girl, maybe I should sign up for those classes.”
“Do you want us to call Angel?” Cordy yelled to the retreating man.
“Naw, I haven’t seen Rondell since…”
“Since, he held us hostage, destroyed Caritas and tried to kill Angel.”
“Yeah, since then. He might help me, he ain’t going to help Angel.”
“Call us, if you find out anything.”
“Done.”
Fred pushed at her glasses. “So, what do WE do?”
Cordelia curled up in a chair. “Fred, how long was Angel back before I was?”
Fred sat next to the other woman. “Two days maybe.”
“And in those two days did you see him eat anything? I saw that there was only old blood in the refrigerator.”
Fred hand flew guiltily to her mouth. “I know, I’m so sorry, I didn’t even think about it when he was gone. Then he came back and told us what happened. Of course, we had to force him to stay still to tell us, he wanted to go look for you. Then when he was here, he was in his room you know like when Connor first disappeared. You know not real approachable. I’m so glad you’re back. I can already tell he’s better. We all are. Why, did he say something about the old blood, is he mad?”
Cordelia wasn’t even amazed anymore that she knew exactly what Fred was saying in all those words. Cordy smiled at her friend. “I missed you too. No, of course not, I was just wondering. It’s just that I used to be able to clock when he ate, now….he’s changing eating habits on me.”
“Are you worried, should we be worried? I mean, weird-eating habits was how we figured out that Wolfram & Hart spiked his blood. It was pretty scary. You should’ve seen it, he was getting really erratic, loud, and gulping down the blood by cupfuls- though if you had been here instead of on vacation, you’d probably would’ve figured out sooner that something was wrong and maybe, Wesley would’ve talked to you, maybe……”
Fred widened her eyes finally listening to her own words and noticing Cordelia’s blank stare. “I wasn’t saying it was your fault, honest. I just…”
Cordelia put up her hand to stop Fred’s babbled apology, her expression understanding. “I should’ve been here, but I wasn’t and maybe your maybes are right or… not. I just thought it was safe to leave everything seemed to be in sync, life was as good as it gets for us-the baddies at bay for the time being. Angel enjoying his new fatherhood- he was no longer uptight and frantic- well at least only semi uptight and frantic- almost back to his normal uptightness and franticy self.” Cordy took a deep breath.
“ I should’ve known then.” Cordelia looked up to Fred, her tone suddenly questioning almost defensive. “But, I mean, sure we have a mission and an important job, but everyone is entitled to some time off, right?” Cordy searched Fred’s face for some sort of answer, the compassion she found wasn’t what she was looking for, but then again Cordelia wasn’t sure what she was looking for.
She took a deep breath. “ I just thought it was my time. I thought maybe I earned it. I thought everything was all right. I wanted to believe Angel when he told me to go. I wanted to have a real vacation with the man….” Cordelia blew out a burst of air. “That I didn’t love, leaving the man I did alone to face….Errgh,” Cordelia threw her face into her hands. “I HATE THIS,” she yelled into her fingers.
“Cordy,” Fred jerked towards the other woman in surprise at her out burst. “It’s not your fault. It’s not. If anybody deserves a break from this madness you do, you and Angel both. It’s not your fault, you said so and it’s not. You know that- what’s wrong?”
Cordelia shook her head pushing her hair out of her face. “I know? What’s wrong?” she gave a choked laugh. “I don’t know anything and I’ve been wrong about so much lately. I could make a list since Groo came. I was so distracted but,” Cordy sighed.
“I can’t blame it on Groo, he was wonderful just not…” Cordelia paused looking at the strains of blonde hair in between her fingers. “Blonde.”
“Uh.” Fred really wanted to reassure Cordelia, because Fred did know that Cordy was what made them all family, but she had no idea what the other woman was talking about now. Groo not blonde, how was that the problem.
“Blonde. I’m going to blame it on the blonde hair, the color soaked into my brain making me as clueless as a real one and see I was about to whine and go broody-I refuse to ache and feel guilty about what happened to Angel, it happened and it will be fixed. I can’t fix it if I think about it, not now. And it will be all right, Fred it will.” Cordelia shot up.
Fred jumped back a little at Cordy’s manic declarations and Fred still wasn’t sure about the blonde bit.
“You asked what we’re going to do- WE are going to the hair salon and get me back to normal.” Cordelia said decisively.
“Um, Cordy, now. I mean we’re kind of in a crisis….aren’t we?” Fred was more than confused and a little worried about her pacing friend.
Cordelia glared and grunted tugging at her hair for Fred to see all of the blonde. “I want to be normal. Hair salon, let’s go.”
“Um, Angel said that you shouldn’t leave the hotel since Wolfram & Hart think you’re dead.” Fred dodged Cordelia’s grasping hands.
Cordelia almost growled at the other woman. “You can be that way, you’ve got your hair.”
“You have your….Okay, how about I go to the drug store, you stay here and I’ll do it.” Fred offered in attempt to stop Cordelia from getting rid of the offending blonde in fistfuls or leaving the hotel.
Cordelia stopped yanking at her hair and narrowed her eyes into hazel slits. “Have you ever colored hair before?”
“It comes with directions, right?” Fred didn’t understand but if it calmed Cordy she would do it.
“I…don’t…”
“Cordy, you’re dead.” Fred pointed out again, hopefully this time it would work.
“Hmmph. Okay, but make sure you get the right color.”
Fred nodded. “Sure.” She hid her puzzlement until she got out the door. She was little perturbed by Cordy’s warning. How hard could it be, brown was brown.
Part 29
Cordelia was pacing the lobby floor alternating looking at her watch and the clock on the wall. She ignored the basement door opening, to concentrate on the figure that was coming in the front door.
“Pfft,” she continued her pacing as Gunn entered into the lobby and Angel came in from downstairs.
Angel shot a look to Gunn when Cordelia refused to respond to his greeting. Gunn shrugged. “Hey, Cordy?” Gunn tried, but the young woman refused to acknowledge either man.
“Cordelia.” Angel reached out to stop her from crossing the lobby again.
“What? Hi.” She leaned up and gave him a quick kiss and then resumed her pacing.
“Cordy, what’s wrong.” Angel said.
Cordy turned with hands on her hips. “It’s Fred, she’s been gone for over two hours, TWO HOURS. Geez.” Throwing up her hands.
“Where is she? Where’d she go?” Gunn reached back for his jacket determined to find his girlfriend.
Cordelia waved her hands. “She’s fine, just LATE.”
“Cordy.” Angel said starting to share Gunn’s concern.
“Really, she’s fine.” Cordelia blew out some air. “Until I get a hold of her,” she added mumbling under her breath. Cordelia looked up. “So, how did it go with you two?”
“Cordy, FRED.”
“I told you she’s fine. Geez, I talked to her like five time already.” Cordy shook her head. “I knew I should’ve gone with her, she’ll screw it all up.”
“Where did you send her?” Gunn was getting even more agitated.
“Cordy, I’m back,” Fred ran huffing into the hotel, her arms filled with bags. Fred had raced like a madwoman to get back after her last phone conversation with Cordelia. She could tell that Cordy was getting irritated by all of her questions.
“It’s about time.” Cordy ran up.
“I know but who knew that there were so many brands and colors. There must have been seven different shades of brown multiply that by number of brands. There were fifteen, which made 105, give or take. There were the reddish- browns that I’m not sure I can legitimately count and then the black- browns. I don’t know there was just a lot and they all had these patches of hair attached to them. It was hard.” Fred puffed.
“ Brown….hair…attached…, girl, what are you talking about.” Gunn moved closer his relief at seeing Fred turning into confusion.
Cordy waved away Gunn and pulled at the plastic bags. “So, you bought all of them? I told you ‘Espresso’. Simple, I told you that over a half hour ago after you called me for the fourth time.”
“I know but it didn’t look right on the hair thingy, so I got some more, rather than call you again. And then I saw the ‘French Roast’ and it was so pretty. Then each box said that it works best with their shampoo’s so…” Fred lifted up the bags proudly.
Cordelia maintained her grip on the bags and yanked. “Come on.” She swirled in the directions of the stairs.
“Cordelia, STOP.” Angel yelled. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing.” She squinted at the vampire. “So, did either of you find Justine.”
“Yeah” “yes”
“Both of you, great.”
Gunn and Angel shot looks at each other. “5th street.” They both said out loud and then both nodded at the other’s answer.
“How’d you find her?” Gunn asked.
“Murray.”
Gunn remembered the little weasel Baccus demon. That purple warted low-life snitch hadn’t told him a thing. “He said he didn’t…right, how’d you get it out of him.”
“Hung him upside down and dunked him repeatedly into the sewer. Baccus’ hate the stench, don’t know why since they live in the sewer but they hate being dipped in it. Damn. I forgot to let him go. Oh well, he’ll either drown or something will find him and release him. I was in a hurry.” Angel shrugged.
“He said you had been there before,” Angel nodded to Gunn. “He should’ve told you, he knows we work together.”
Gunn nodded impressed. He’d have to remember that piece of knowledge. He could dip some Baccus.
“You?” Angel said.
“Rondell. Went to visit the boys. He, after a few let’s get reacquainted formalities … told me that there was action on 5th street, dust they weren’t responsible for. One of the boys said he saw a woman doing the dusting but she was gone before he could catch up with her. I’m figuring its our girl.”
“Good work.” Angel nodded.
“I should’ve thought of it sooner.” Gunn begrudgingly admitted.
“No, good work.” Angel slapped the other man on the back.
“Excuse me. The plan was to bring her here.” Cordelia quickly doused cold water on the congratulatory man-moment.
“I was coming to get Angel,” “Gunn” Angel pointed adding his excuse quickly.
“Then go to it boys. Come on Fred.” Cordelia pulled at the young woman.
Fred leaned up and kissed Gunn on cheek. “Very good detecting.” She whispered before running after Cordelia.
Angel’s forlorn gaze followed Cordy ascent until she was out of sight then switched to Gunn. Angel smiled he figured out the feeling he was having. He felt like whining that Cordy didn’t kiss him and tell him that he did a good job. He was getting back to normal.
Angel frowned, he did still have a question however. “Did you understand any of that?” He asked the other man.
Gunn shrugged. “Only the go get her part. The coffee and hair part, completely over my head.”
Angel nodded relieved. He thought maybe it was a human vs. vampire thing, but it was just a woman vs. man thing. “We better go get her then.”
“Yeah.”
