Part 10<\/b>: \u2026Reaction<\/p>\n
The sound of thunder echoed loudly, even in Room 17 at the Rest and Go Motel on the outskirts of Los Angeles.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know we\u2019re on a tight budget here,\u201d Lorne stated, \u201cbut couldn\u2019t we get a hotel a little less roach infested to hide out in?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe could have,\u201d Gunn agreed. \u201cBut that would entail staying in LA. It\u2019s best to clear ground zero for a while. At least until we get an idea what Wolfram and Hart\u2019s reaction in gonna be.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI guess,\u201d Lorne agreed. \u201cBut what do we do about him?\u201d All eyes turned to the still anesthetized figure of the \u2018fantasma\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cFirst, we get Angel\u2019s soul back. After that, well, I guess we\u2019ll figure something out.\u201d Crouching by the body, Gunn began to search his pockets for identification. Finding a passport, he read aloud. \u201cEveryone, say hello to Senor Carlos Ramirez Diaz.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHello,\u201d Groo said. Gunn and Lorne stared at him for a moment, wondering what the hell Cordy ever saw in him.<\/p>\n
\u201cSenor Diaz has been here since the 15th of February. This is a Peruvian passport,\u201d Gunn observed. \u201cWell, buddy, your passport has just been revoked.\u201d Tossing the passport aside, Gunn removed the necklace from Diaz\u2019s neck. \u201cAll we gotta do is bust this thing and the souls are released?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s what Red said. No incantations or anything.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, that\u2019ll make it easy.\u201d Gunn placed the necklace on a small table. Grabbing the complimentary Bible from the bedside drawers, Gunn prepared to do the job. Raising the book high above his head, he brought it back down hard on top of the beads.<\/p>\n
The three occupants watched in awe as souls of all colors drifted slowly into the air. Pinks, blues, oranges, and greens filled the room. \u201cThat\u2019s something you don\u2019t see every day,\u201d Lorne whispered.<\/p>\n
A hot white flash blinded the occupants for a moment. When they recovered their vision, the colors were gone.<\/p>\n
\u201cI guess that\u2019s it?\u201d Gunn asked.<\/p>\n
Any answer was interrupted by the sound of knocking. Crossing to the door, Lorne looked out the peephole. He quickly undid the bolt and opened the door. A drenched Willow, Tara, and Fred came in.<\/p>\n
\u201cDid you do it?\u201d Willow asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cDone and done, Red,\u201d Lorne answered. The women shed their rain-drenched coats and tossed them aside.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou might want to turn the television to a news station,\u201d Tara said. \u201cWe heard something pretty bad on the way here.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gunn grabbed the remote control and flipped the TV on. The sounds of a news report were quickly joined by images of the exterior of the Wolfram and Hart building.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is Debra Morris reporting live from Los Angeles at a scene that police are calling a massacre. Behind me is the law firm of Wolfram and Hart, a well-respected office. Inside are the bodies of two-dozen individuals reportedly the victims of a possible gang attack.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cThis brutal attack occurred only hours ago. Police are stunned by the discovery of the scene. At this time, authorities seem to have little idea who could possibly be behind the attacks.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cOnce again, this is Debra Morris reporting for Channel 8 news. We will provide more information as it becomes available.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n The scene went back to a newsroom shot of some gray haired man trying to look sympathetic. Gunn flipped the television off. Everyone was stunned by the news.<\/p>\n \u201cHe fucking led a massacre,\u201d Gunn said in disbelief. \u201cIf only we\u2019d destroyed the necklace in the van, maybe we could have stopped that.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo,\u201d Willow admonished. \u201cGiving Angel his soul back wouldn\u2019t have stopped that. There had to be at least a dozen other vampires to do that. We did all that we could do.\u201d Willow almost believed that, and she saw that Gunn almost believed it too.<\/p>\n \u201cI guess we\u2019ll never know for sure, will we?\u201d Gunn asked.<\/p>\n \u201cUm, I hate to ruin the guilt thing,\u201d Lorne started, \u201cbut I think Mister Diaz-Rahi or whatever is waking up.\u201d The \u2018fantasma\u2019 was beginning to move slightly.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, tape his mouth shut,\u201d Gunn said. \u201cCan\u2019t have the son of a bitch screaming.\u201d Looking at the gang, he asked, \u201cSo who votes we poor concrete around his feet and take him to the beach?\u201d<\/p>\n ************* Angel reached the end of the hallway. He grabbed the door handle and turned. Locked. \u201cHello?\u201d he called meekly. He was greeted by a pair of resounding knocks. \u201cDennis, please, it\u2019s Angel. Let me in.\u201d<\/p>\n Angel heard the deadbolt turn. The door swung open. Tentatively reaching out, his hand was stopped by the barrier. \u201cI can\u2019t come in,\u201d Angel said softly. \u201cPlease, I need to know where everyone is.\u201d<\/p>\n As a puddle of rainwater pooled at his feet, Angel watched as a piece of paper was pulled from a desk drawer. A magic marker began to scribble upon it. Dennis then floated the paper to the door. \u2018Come in\u2019 it read.<\/p>\n Reaching out again, Angel was able to cross the threshold. \u201cThank you, Dennis,\u201d Angel said. The vampire hesitantly stepped into the apartment. The place was an absolute mess. Makeshift beds were strewn all over the living room floors. The dining room table looked like a SWAT team command center. Glancing through the schematics, Angel realized his friends performed some sort of operation.<\/p>\n \u201cBut that doesn\u2019t help me,\u201d Angel muttered. \u201cDennis, I need you to tell me where the others are at.\u201d When nothing happened after a few moments, Angel tried again. \u201cDennis, Cordelia is in danger. I need to know where everyone is so we can save her. Please, Dennis.\u201d<\/p>\n A phone book was pulled from a drawer at the desk. Angel stepped closer as the pages turned. It was a strange sight to see. It looked as if a wind picked through the apartment and opened the book. When the pages stopped, Angel glanced to see what the ghost wanted to show him.<\/p>\n In the Yellow Pages, the Rest and Go Motel was circled in red marker. \u201cIs this where they are?\u201d Angel asked the ghost. Two knocks was his answer. Ripping the page from the book, he stuck it in his pocket. \u201cThank you, Dennis,\u201d Angel said. \u201cNow we have to go save Cordelia.<\/p>\n *************** First, she would like to know what the hell just happened. She remembered arguing with Angelus, and then she woke up with a nasty hangover. A burning sensation shot through her body. It was nothing like she had ever felt before. It was nothing she ever wanted to feel again, either.<\/p>\n She also wondered if the gang went ahead with the plan. She sure as hell hoped so. Cordelia would much prefer not having to face Angelus again. She wouldn\u2019t have to stake him then.<\/p>\n But then, that made her wonder where the soulless wonder was. As much as Cordelia despised his presence, at least when he was around she could keep an eye on him. Who knew what he was doing, or killing, when he wasn\u2019t around.<\/p>\n Cordelia strained her ears to listen to the noises outside the room. She could barely distinguish the sound of the black vampire\u2019s voice. Kelemoke, she remembered. He sounded angry.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat the fuck is going on?\u201d Cordy wondered aloud.<\/p>\n ************ The minions stared at the spot where Peter had stood just moments before. A pile of dust was all that remained.<\/p>\n \u201cAngelus just vanished?\u201d Kelemoke shouted at his minions.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Master,\u201d Luke answered. \u201cHe disappeared as I went to inform the others of where to gather. He may have been the one to call the police.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDamn!\u201d Kelemoke screamed. \u201cGather up some of our best minions. Sweep the city. I want you to search every hole and kick over any rock that son of a bitch might be hiding under! I want him brought here so I can ask the bastard why he ran. Then I will kill him.\u201d<\/p>\n Luke obeyed his Master\u2019s order. Gathering a dozen men, the vampires set out upon the city, searching for the warrior that had given them victories<\/p>\n ************** As Groo played with the television remote in awe, the rest of the gang tried to come up with some sort of plan. They looked to Gunn for some sort of leadership, but he was clueless about any sort of action.<\/p>\n \u201cHey, I just said follow through with today\u2019s plan,\u201d he defended. \u201cThat doesn\u2019t make me Macarthur. Red, you\u2019re smart, what do you think?\u201d<\/p>\n As all eyes turned to her, she said, \u201cRight now I think we need to concentrate on finding Angel and Cordelia. I think we can put of dealing with him for a while.\u201d Everyone glanced at the him in question. Still unconscious.<\/p>\n \u201cEasier said than done, Sweetie,\u201d Lorne said. \u201cWe can assume Angel took Cordy to basecamp, but we have no idea where that is. And who\u2019s to say we\u2019ll find Broody. Wesley ran because he betrayed us. Angel\u2019s worst nightmare came true. His demon attacked the people he cares about. Who says that he won\u2019t try to run?\u201d<\/p>\n A knocking at the door stopped Lorne\u2019s speech. Rising to her feet, Tara crossed the short distance to the peephole. Turning back to Lorne, she said, \u201cYou were saying?\u201d Unlocking the door, she opened it to reveal a rain soaked Angel.<\/p>\n \u201cHello,\u201d Angel said softly. \u201cCan I come in?\u201d<\/p>\n
\nThe old woman shrank back from Angel as he stumbled through the halls of Cordelia\u2019s apartment complex. Edna Rhodes quickly unlocked her apartment and darted inside as the rain soaked form of the resouled vampire walked by.<\/p>\n
\nCordelia tried jerking on the handcuffs, but she only succeeded in making her wrists raw. \u201cThis would be a great time to manifest demon strength,\u201d she muttered. Cordelia adjusted to a more comfortable position against the pole as she contemplated the recent occurrences.<\/p>\n
\nPeter had the unfortunate assignment of telling his Master that Angelus was missing. He didn\u2019t like it, but he drew the short straw. It was also a bitch because Kelemoke had a habit of killing the bearer of bad news. This time was no exception.<\/p>\n
\nDiaz wouldn\u2019t be waking anytime soon. Willow gave him a shot of some kind of sedative. He could try mumbling some kind of spell, she reasoned. Not that the gang minded, they really didn\u2019t want to deal with the \u2018fantasma\u2019.<\/p>\n