Part 3<\/b><\/p>\n
Rebecca Martin ignored the secretary\u2019s protest and entered the large office. John looked up in surprise to see his younger sister standing in his office. \u201cJohn, we have a problem.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d John asked nervously.<\/p>\n
\u201c\u201dMy blackbook,\u201d she said, \u201cit was stolen.\u201d<\/p>\n
John felt his heart catch in his throat. \u201cW-what?\u201d he stuttered.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy home was broken into. My desk was ransacked and my blackbook is gone. John,\u201d she choked, \u201call the names and codenames of the companies clients are in there. Even yours.\u201d<\/p>\n
John Martin leaned back in shock as he absorbed the news. His worst nightmare was coming true. If the information in that book were to become public, he could kiss re-election goodbye.<\/p>\n
\u201cShit, John, if this becomes public, we\u2019ll both go to jail.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t you think I know that?\u201d John snapped. \u201cThen I guess we better make sure it doesn\u2019t go public. Besides, I got a good idea on who might have it.\u201d John pressed the button on the intercom. \u201cShirley? Call Reynolds. Tell him he\u2019s going to have to add a second contingent to his plan.\u201d<\/p>\n
*************
\nCordelia hadn\u2019t let go of the notebook since the mail had been delivered ten minutes ago. Finally, she thought, they got the big break. In her hands she held the Holy Grail to this case.<\/p>\n
\u201cEww,\u201d she moaned as she recognized one of the names.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat is it?\u201d Angel asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cJohn Martin is in here,\u201d she said. At Angel\u2019s confused look she went on. \u201cSENATOR John Martin. Up for re-election this year. I was going to vote for the guy. To Hell with that, I\u2019m going Independent now.\u201d She ignored the look the vampire sent her way.<\/p>\n
Shutting the book, she tossed it to Fred. \u201cNow that we have this, we can contact people who have appointments in the near future.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd hopefully stop the next murder from occurring,\u201d Wes added.<\/p>\n
Fred\u2019s eyes widen as she saw the number of names listed in the book. There had to be two hundred names at least in here. \u201cI\u2019ll start getting addresses,\u201d she said going to the phone book.<\/p>\n
The members of AI smiled for the first time in days. They were getting very close.<\/p>\n
**************
\nThings were just going from bad to worse, Reynolds decided. He did not want to be doing this. He was a man who actually had some morals. What he was being asked to do went against all of them.<\/p>\n
But some things couldn\u2019t be avoided.<\/p>\n
The question was when to do it. It would have to be when the main crew was out of the hotel, leaving only the green Pylean refugee home. Reynolds didn\u2019t think it would take much to disable him. After that, the rest of the job should be easy.<\/p>\n
John seemed sure that the people at AI had the notebook, and Reynolds concurred with that. After knocking out the demon, it shouldn\u2019t take long to find the notebook. Reynolds had no problem with this. It was part two of the plan that he didn\u2019t like.<\/p>\n
The goal was to make the vampire chase after something more important than some demon murderer. The vampire would have to devote his energies to finding his missing son.<\/p>\n
**************
\nAngel couldn\u2019t shake off the nagging feeling he\u2019d been having. The feeling had nothing to do with this stakeout, but it was\u2026something else.<\/p>\n
He\u2019d read books and such about parenting. There had been stories where a parent would get this bad feeling that something was wrong with their child. Angel had thought the notion to be silly. But right now, he wasn\u2019t sure. He felt he should check on Connor.<\/p>\n
Angel, Fred, and Wes were set up in an empty apartment opposite one of a \u2018Palace\u2019 client. Gunn and Cordelia were staking another place across town. As much as Angel felt it his duty to stay, he just couldn\u2019t shake this feeling.<\/p>\n
\u201cWill you guys be okay if I run back to the hotel real fast?\u201d he asked his friends.<\/p>\n
Wes lowered the binoculars he was using to look back at the vampire. \u201cI suppose so. Why?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI dunno,\u201d Angel said. \u201cPaternal instinct thing. I need to check on Connor.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWell Angel, I\u2019m sure that Lorne would call if something were wrong, but if you need too,\u201d Wes said. Angel smiled at the watcher\u2019s understanding. Clapping his friend on the shoulder, Angel headed downstairs to the convertible.<\/p>\n
He was just being paranoid, Angel thought. Wes was right; if something were wrong Lorne would call on the cell phone. His worry was completely unsubstantiated. Right?<\/p>\n
**************
\nThe green demon had been more trouble than he originally thought, but in the end, he\u2019d knocked the creature out.<\/p>\n
Reynolds searched the Hyperion\u2019s offices a good thirty minutes before he finally found the notebook. With a slight grin, he tucked the notebook into his pant waist and headed up the stairs. Entering Connor\u2019s room, he found the demon still unconscious on the floor. Just as he reached the crib, a voice from behind stopped him cold.<\/p>\n
\u201cI really wouldn\u2019t touch him.\u201d<\/p>\n
Reynolds was out cold before he realized who it was.<\/p>\n
**************
\nAngelus had always been a master at torture. He had turned torture into an art form.<\/p>\n
But having a soul really put a damper on that.<\/p>\n
Not to say that Angel couldn\u2019t be a royal bad ass when he wanted to be. He could. It was just the fact that killing would weigh on his conscience. But having a demon inside insured you could be evil when necessary.<\/p>\n
But what Angel was doing to this man was hardly lethal. Unless of course he breathed at the wrong moment. And Angel really hoped that didn\u2019t happen. Being breathless himself prevented the whole doing CPR thing.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019d start talking,\u201d Angel said. \u201cBecause if you don\u2019t, I might just see how long you can hold your breath.\u201d When the man refused to respond, Angel lowered him headfirst into the bathtub. After a minute, Angel pulled on the rope and raised him back out. \u201cWell?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFuck you,\u201d the man spat.<\/p>\n
\u201cNothing\u2019s ever easy around here,\u201d Angel muttered. Angel tied the rope so the man was left hanging over the water. Disappearing for a minute, the vampire reappeared carrying something wrapped in cloth.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen Cordy and I broke into \u2018The Palace\u2019 offices, I got a good look at some invoices.\u201d Unwrapping the cloth, he revealed a cattle prod. \u201cAnd I just said I have got to get me one of these. Just scream if I get the voltage too high.\u201d<\/p>\n
**************
\nCordelia clutched Connor closer as the first scream reverberated through the hotel. Normally she would strongly disapprove of Angel doing something so Angelus like. But not today. Trying to hurt her baby was simply unacceptable. She almost smiled at the sound of the second scream.<\/p>\n
\u201cAre you sure we should allow Angel to be doing this?\u201d Wes asked her.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat man tried to hurt Connor.\u201d The tone in her voice left no room for argument. Wesley wasn\u2019t stupid. You do not mess with a pissed off mother.<\/p>\n
The screams continued for several more minutes. The gang watched as Angel carried the man over his shoulder down the stairs. Angel dropped the man unceremoniously on a couch in the lobby.<\/p>\n
Cordelia glared at the man who tried to hurt her baby. As much as she would like to play with the cattle prod, she knew that such action would be pointless now. Evidently the man had decided to talk, and she wouldn\u2019t risk changing his mind.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s your name?\u201d Angel asked.<\/p>\n
The man glared at Angel a moment before answering. \u201cPeter Reynolds.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWho do you work for?\u201d<\/p>\n
Reynolds smirked a bit. \u201cThe Powers That Be.\u201d<\/p>\n
****************
\nJohn Martin was sore from his latest \u2018session\u2019 with Lilith. He knew fully well he was a sick man for enjoying this. And this little fetish of his might be the cause of his ruination.<\/p>\n
Rubbing his sore wrists, he entered his office and checked his answering machine. No word from Reynolds yet. Glancing at the clock he saw it was well past two in the morning. Perhaps he\u2019d wait to call in the morning. There was no reason to worry.<\/p>\n
Sitting gingerly in his plush leather chair, Martin wondered when things became so complicated. His sister had always known of his particular sexual preferences. Hell, she shared most of them. Otherwise she wouldn\u2019t be running \u2018The Palace\u2019.<\/p>\n
But one visit his sister told him of a new arrival. She called herself Lilith. Only much later would he learn how appropriate the name was. John sometimes wondered why she never killed him like the others. He liked to believe it was because she cared for him. But more likely it was the protection he could give her.<\/p>\n
His Lilith had a mean streak matched only by her hunger for survival. As much as she killed for the pleasure of hurting tortured souls, she did it for a much more primal purpose as well.<\/p>\n
And he wondered when Lilith would decide she didn\u2019t need him anymore.<\/p>\n
****************
\n\u201cShe\u2019s not of this world,\u201d Reynolds explained. \u201cThis is a creature straight from the depths of Hell. The victims she chooses, they aren\u2019t random, you understand that?\u201d<\/p>\n
Most everyone but Angel was confused. He had seen the similarities in the files. \u201cAll of them were alone,\u201d he said sadly. \u201cNo families. Some divorced, some widowed. They had all been hurt at some point. She feeds on that.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPsychologically, yes\u201d Reynolds agreed. \u201cBut she needs them for something more. Something far more basic. They have something she needs.\u201d<\/p>\n