Part 8
Images paraded through Cordelia’s mind, past pictures of her young and beautiful, stylishly lording her popularity, wealth and opinions over her high school minions with a delicate silk sledgehammer.
The old feeling of satisfaction came drifting back through her body as the images took hold. More recent memories of her in princess finery being regaled and honored came swarming back as did the alternate visions of awards and adoring fans worshiping at her feet. Cordelia smiled happily in her bright prison, those memories brought her pleasure.
The other ones, the ones she couldn’t focus on, they were the ones that brought her piercing pain. Imagines of Angel, the helpless of her visions, her first dingy worn down apartment in LA, Doyle’s death, the first time she was tortured for the cause, even Sunnydale- not the pleasurable moments- the other ones all cascaded through her mind and with each came an excruciating agony. Cordelia forced her mind away from the pain, it was so much easier to just think about the could’ve beens and not the realities of her life.
She sighed a breath of relief as the pain subsided and a moment of true clarity overcame her. Little evil Pollyanna was right, Cordelia did know what she wanted and she knew how to get it. Cordelia sank back and started to smile. She hadn’t gone that far from the girl she had been. Thank god.
“Cordelia, you’ve made your decision.”
Cordelia stood in front of the little girl as the magical bright confines of her prison disappeared. “I know what I want.” Her grin widened at her freedom.
The young girl acknowledged Cordelia’s smile as she leaned forward in her small chair. “And that is?”
“What I deserve, what I’ve always deserved.”
“I’m glad you’ve come to reason. You know the price.”
“My soul. Got it. But, don’t you want to hear mine?”
“You aren’t in a bargaining position.”
“I think I am. You haven’t killed me, so you want me. Why, that’s the big question, and then again maybe not, I’ve my guesses. I’ll be what you want once you’ve given me what I want. It’s called negotiations. Don’t all the big law firms know that?”
“What is it you want? You’ll get power, fame, wealth, all that you’ve ever desired.”
“Nice, very nice opening bid, but I want Angel too.”
“You.”
Cordelia held up a glowing hand to the now aggravated little girl. “I’m not rejecting your generous offer, I’m just adding an extra clause an easy one for you. I want Angel, you want Angel, it’s a frickin ‘We want Angel’ party- though you’re a little young for him and you’re not blonde.” Cordelia wrinkled her brow.
“I’m not really either anymore” she pulled at her hair, the artificial blonde color fading fast at the lack of touch ups. With a grunt, Cordelia turned her attention from her hair to the girl. “But, either way, you’re too young or look it anyway, as long as I’ve known Angel and his various chippies, he isn’t into the young ones, well, they have to be at least 16,” Cordelia studied the little girl.
“It could be that he’s a breast man,” Cordelia cocked her head at the little girl’s flat chest. “Sorry, honey, you don’t got any, what are you playing at 9.” Cordelia shook her head. “Not the age I’d want to be if I was all powerful.”
“What?” The girl’s annoyance turned to confusion.
“Keep up with me, what, are the pigtails too tight, I want Angel. I’ve had time to think in your pleasant accommodations as cramped as they were. I’ve wanted Angel from way back when, salty goodness and all. He’s hot. And Cordelia Chase does not, will not, in the future travel without a mantoy on her arm, a very hot mantoy- or in this case, a very very hot mampire-toy on her arm.”
“Angel’s indisposed.” The girl’s eyes glared into bottomless black holes.
Cordelia rolled her eyes at the little girl’s words and expression. “Then un-indisposed him. You know where he is, so do it. It’s not like this wasn ‘t your plan if ‘in case of’ happened. I’m just saying make the ‘in case of’ happen. Cordelia smiled at the perched lips of the little girl.
“Oh, Polly, come on,” she cajoled as the girl’s eyes fluttered back to their normal color and her expression became confused again at Cordy’s total obliviousness to the death stare she just shot Cordelia. “I’m here just in case Angel breaks out of whatever trouble he’s got himself into while I was gone- I know it and you know it. You said it yourself, I affect the vampire, I’ll admit I was a little clueless at first, it was the losing the whole focus of what I want thing- but now I can see it, I do- a lot. And I want him- a lot. You say he’ll come over to your side of the street eventually. I say give him to me now and that eventually will become a lot sooner.”
“You’ll bring us Angel’s soul?” The little girl studies Cordelia waiting for her reply.
“Hell no.” Cordelia shook her head adamantly. “His soul stays safely where it needs to be. No one wants Angelus running free- believe you me. That vampire wouldn’t only come over to your side of the street- he would kill everything on both sides because that would make a good day for him. No Angelus.” Cordelia nodded with conviction.
“Then what is it you offer?” The girl nodded accepting Cordelia’s answer.
“I offer you Angel soul and all. He won’t go after you. You know where he is. You know that Connor put him there. I’m here. Congratulations, you got the drop on his family. Keep me here unwillingly; he’ll come after you. Please, Polly, who are you kidding, this will be the first place he’ll look. Me, here willingly, Angel won’t touch you. He won’t fight me and with Connor against him, he’ll need me. Like, this wasn’t your plan. Geez.”
The little girl stood straightening her flowered dress. “Maybe.” She turned. “Angel has returned, as we predicted the storm has released him.” The girl stilled looking inwards, her voice soft. “He’s on the edge the right push one way or the other will send him across the line.”
“I can push him, whichever way I want him.” Cordelia smiled.
“Which way is that?” Polly turned back to Cordy.
“You’ve read my mind, put the thoughts there even, you doubt your power. Hmmph.”
“I don’t doubt mine or minimize what the Powers gave you. We’ll make sure.”
In a flash Cordelia was back in her coffin, Pollyanna looking down at her. “A little precaution.” She lifted the object in her hand to Cordelia’s neck. “Think of this as a polygraph that can see all so we’ll really know,” she said as she pressed the object into Cordelia skin. Cordelia screamed.
Part 9
“I’m not sure that tonight you did so well.” Lilah scowled over at Wesley.
“Second meeting.” Wesley said shrugging his shoulders. “He called.”
“You told him that Angel didn’t kill Holtz.” Lilah stomped her foot, standing with her hands on her hips in front of Wesley.
“I gave him something to think about.” Wesley pushed past the woman.
“Wesley, I’m taking a chance on you.”
“Never asked you to. In fact, I remember repeatedly telling you to stay away.”
“Wesley,” Lilah grabbed the man jerked him around. “Why?”
Wesley shook his head he was tired too tired to go for the obvious. He sighed. “Lilah, Connor’s loyalty is to Holtz, Holtz alive wasn’t loyal to Wolfram & Hart. That man had his own agenda. I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know. Connor has to see it too, then and only then will Connor turn to me.”
“What if he swings all the way back to Angel.”
“I’ll be there for that and say the appropriate things when it’s time. But first, he needs to be separated from Holtz. The man may be dead but his presence still influences Connor.”
Lilah stalled. “I don’t know.”
“Lilah, Holtz hated demons not just vampires and he taught that hatred to Connor. Wolfram & Hart’s main client base is demon, unless Holtz’s influence is diluted and then extinguished Connor will hate you too. He’ ll never trust you.”
Lilah bit her lip. “All right.”
“Lilah, where is Cordelia?”
“The kid killed her.”
“No.”
“He was lying.”
“Did your readers’ tell you that because that’s not what he told me and I believe him. Find her. If Angel comes back we are going to need her too.”
***
Angel watched from a distance. He couldn’t make out their words completely the indiscriminate blare of a car alarm and the concrete pillars placed strategically between the vampire and the couple muffled the voices. But he heard enough. He stood still as Wesley then Lilah passed. Angel jumped in his car and followed them out of Wolfram & Hart’s parking garage.
***
“Well, he didn’t kill them. Wesley with that bitch-when did that happen? Why didn’t I know that happened? Wesley shouldn’t be with her at all. She’ s skanky and evil.” Fred thrust her arms against her chest.
“Fred.”
“Oh, so you knew this, too. Just like you knew Angel was in the bottom of the ocean.”
“I didn’t.no.”
“Just drive, you’re losing them. I hope Angel kills her, skanky bitch.”
Gunn shot a look at his mumbling girlfriend as he pressed down on the gas to keep up with Angel’s car.
Part 10
Angel didn’t pause before kicking in the door. He had the shotgun out of Wesley’s hands before it could be raised.
Wesley looked down at the useless weapon then up at the vampire. “Seems that I neglected to revoke your invitation. Damn.”
“Where is she?”
“Whom would you be speaking of?”
“The bitch, I know she’s here.”
“Oh, her. Bedroom.” Wesley pointed.
Angel glanced, the disgust apparent on his face, at the half dressed man. “Betrayal breeds bad taste?”
“Pot calling the kettle a little black isn’t that. After all, you know about betrayal and how ‘going through a bad time’ can lead to unimaginable bedfellows. At least this union won’t lead to the ‘ruination of mankind’.”
“I wouldn’t be too confident of the ‘innocence’ of anything spawned from you two.”
“How flattering, love to see men fighting over me, even it’s too trade snappy insults about me.” Lilah stood in the doorway of the bedroom. “And thanks for selling me out,” she added shooting a glare at Wesley.
“It’s not like he didn’t know you were here and I didn’t feel like ending up bruised or dead.” Wesley turned back to the vampire. “Or is this it, you planning to finish what you started in the hospital? Why the long wait, something new tick you off?”
Angel ignored the man and stalked towards Lilah. “Where is she?”
“I don’t know who you are taking about.” Lilah stepped back.
“Stalling isn’t a real smart idea right now, Lilah. I’m in no mood for games.” Angel stepped closer, his face looming in front of hers.
“Fine. I don’t know where your seer is,” Lilah backed up into the wall. “Wesley, do something.”
“Don’t kill her, don’t kill her. How’s that.” Wesley made no move towards the threatening vampire or the woman.
“Bastard.”
Wesley rolled his eyes and stepped closer. “Angel, we don’t know where Cordy is, okay.”
“You know that she’s gone.” Angel swung around.
“Only just recently. It seems that Gunn imparted that knowledge to Lilah as well as that you were also missing. I assumed that you were together. I take it my assumption was incorrect considering you are here and she’s not. Possibly, she’s back in Mexico enjoying the sun with her boyfriend. I mean, if you were gone, why not.”
“He’s not her boyfriend.”
“Well then, if she’s not with you or with Groo, I suggest asking Lorne for a hot line to the Powers after all she is one of theirs. We don’t know where she is. Please leave.”
“Or what.” Angel growled.
“Or kill us.”
“Wesley.” Lilah squeaked.
“Why waste my time.” Angel left.
“Or kill us?” Lilah jerked on Wesley’s arm. “Are you crazy and why didn’t you do the uninvite spell, he did try to kill you before. I can’t believe I ‘ve been sleeping here unprotected.”
“What’s the point, you came without being invited why wouldn’t he.”
“He’s a vampire.”
“I’m not grasping the distinction. Anyway, I had other things on my mind.”
Lilah scoffed. “Right your head in the sand and a death wish. Lilah paused. “Why didn’t he threaten us more? In fact, I’ve seen him madder. Do you think that the stint underwater mellowed him?”
Wesley slowly closed the door the vampire had stormed out of. “No. I just think that killing us would’ve been a distraction and he’s very focused right now- on Cordelia. If that goal’s not met soon, he’ll come back.” Wesley turned towards Lilah. “It’s imperative that we find Cordelia.”
“If the kid didn’t kill her, I don’t have clue what happened to her.”
“Connor didn’t. Wolfram & Hart has to have a way to tap into the Powers.”
“Not my league.” Lilah answered accepting Wesley’s assertion.
“Then find someone who’s in that league. Cordelia isn’t just dead or gone. She wouldn’t leave Angel and if one of his other enemies, beside Wolfram & Hart, had her or killed her they would let him know even if it was just to gloat.” Wesley shook his head. “Wolfram & Hart and the Powers are the only ones that I can think of that would take her without wanting an immediate reaction from Angel.”
“Why would the Powers take her? She’s their link to Angel.”
“They offered her a charmed life just to keep her alive. They made her a demon because she chose to remain Angel’s seer. They may feel their actions give them possessor rights to her, even more so than Angel.”
“Well, we don’t have her. I’ll talk to Linwood.”
Lilah jerked as a loud a banging resounded through the door. “Decided that it wasn’t a distraction?”
“Angel doesn’t knock.” Wesley headed for the door. “Can we help you?” He said to Gunn and Fred, the girl’s hand in midair ready to bang again.
“What did you tell him?” Gunn pushed forward.
“Ask him,” Wesley turned away.
“Her. How could you?” Fred glared at Lilah dressed only in Wesley’s shirt.
“I don’t see how that is any of your business. Now, please leave.” Wesley went to shut the door.
“Whoa, your traveling down the darkside isn’t, except when it effects us and ours. What did you tell Angel?” Gunn aggressively blocked the door.
“Gunn, Angel just paid us a call and left us alive, do you really think that you can scare us. Ask him.”
“Tell us.” Gunn grabbed at Wesley.
“If it will make you leave, fine. I told him to check with the Powers because we don’t know anything. Satisfied, now go.”
“Wesley, how..”
“Come on, girl, the bastard’s made his choice.” Gunn pulled Fred back.
Wesley stepped forward halting their departure. “I believe that choice was made for me when my friends abandoned me without a consideration or a word.Oh, wait there were words.Angel’s were- I’m going to kill you and let’s see, Fred- weren’t yours- something like never come back. Charles, I think just asked for my help but gave no support and sweet missing Cordelia never said a word, ignoring me- did she even remember that I existed. I don’t think so. I made the choice that was left for me. Leave.”
“Wesley..”
“First abandonment and censure- and now self-righteous indignation or is that a hint of pity, really Fred, why should I give a damn what any of you think? You want answers, ask Angel. Goodbye,” Wesley said slamming the door.
“That was impressive.” Lilah smiled.
“Let’s go to bed.”
Lilah’s eyes widened. “I think I’ll like the new you.”
“I’m not new, I just now know what I want. Coming?”
“Oh, yeah.”
“Tomorrow, you will ask Linwood about Cordelia.” Wesley ordered pushing Lilah to the bed.
“Sure.” Lilah mumbled as Wesley’s weight covered her body.
Part 11
“Angel’s gone again.” Fred swirled around the empty hotel.
“Wesley told him something. He’ll be back.”
“Why?” Fred flopped down on the sofa. “Why, is this happening? How could everything go so wrong- Connor dumping Angel into the bottom of the ocean, INSANE,” Fred took a deep breath, ” Cordelia missing, Wesley shacking up with that..that evil bitch. Why?”
“Angel will find Cordelia.” Gunn said mustering all of his confidence trying to reassure the young woman.
Fred blinked up at her boyfriend. “Connor?”
“He’ll fix that too.”
“Wesley?”
“Who cares.”
Fred buried her head in her hands. “Why?”
***
Angel stood outside the chamber of the Conduits. Wesley had given the vampire a possibility.
Angel pushed his way through the barriers of the Conduit’s sanctuary. He stood in the middle of the chamber, a bit surprised that it had been easier than the last time.
“Talk to me.” He yelled. “Where’s Cordelia?” Angel braced himself for the Conduit’s welcoming toss against the wall. He waited more surprised when voices answered and he was still standing.
“He wishes his seer.”
“We can not help him, not anymore.”
“Yes, you can. Tell me where she is. Do you have her?” Angel yelled moving and pacing.
“The seer is out of our reach at this time. Her return will come with her strength and his trust. It is still possible. “
“Trust? Who? You? You would’ve let her die. Talk to me.” Angel stormed yelling.
“She was given the choice of lives. She chose. She will choose again.”
“She’s dying again? Where is she?”
This time Angel was thrown up against the wall. He staggered back to his feet. “I need her. Tell me.” He yelled as he was thrown again.
“His need is as real as it’s transparent. He will fail. He’s weak. He’s killed innocents at the demon’s need. He’s unworthy.”
Angel stalled at the voices became rapid blurs bouncing off the walls, shifting into nothing but mere whispers in the winds circling around the cavern. He started to yell again, beg again, when the murmuring breeze froze around him, solidifying into an unbreakable barrier.
“He will prove his worthiness as she will, if they can.”
“What do you mean?” Angel tried to force his strength against the invisible cage that held him still.
“We will tell you this, you will be a great force for the Powers or an utter failure the choice is yours, just as your seer’s choice will be hers. Trust.”
“Trust? What? Who? You?” Angel paused, as the words seemed to be directed to him for the first time.
“The meaning of the words spoken in this chamber before. That what scares you the most, you must trust. She may, she is stronger than expected. Can you?”
Silence filled the empty room as the voices drifted away. Suddenly, Angel was thrown not at the wall, but through it and left huddled in the alley where he started.
