Part 2<\/b><\/p>\n
Serenity, California
\nJune 21, 2003<\/i><\/p>\n
The sun was already extraordinarily bright for 7:30 in the morning. Cordelia slipped off her shades as she entered the diner and brushed back a piece of highlighted hair. Scanning the tables for Faith, Cordelia idly wondered when this place last passed a health inspection.<\/p>\n
\u201cYo! Cordy!\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia turned and saw Faith sitting at a booth with a view out the front window. Cordelia was pleased to note Andrea was also there. She liked the young woman that she and Faith met the previous day. Cordelia ignored the glances a pair of old farmers gave her and sat down across from Faith.<\/p>\n
The women exchanged greetings and Cordelia called to the waitress for a cup of coffee. \u201cThe coffee is really great,\u201d Andrea explained. \u201cPerks ya right up. Removes some stomach lining too, but nothing better to wake a person up.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt also appears to be a good rust remover,\u201d Faith added.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, if I had some rusted farm equipment, I\u2019d be all set,\u201d Cordelia said.<\/p>\n
\u201cSpeaking of rusted farm equipment, did ya notice Jim Bob and Bubba Ray checking you out?\u201d Faith asked. Cordelia nodded that she had.<\/p>\n
\u201cThose guys freak me out,\u201d Andrea said. \u201cEvery morning I come in here, they sit there and stare at me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cJust stare right back,\u201d Cordelia explained. \u201cDrives them crazy when you show fear.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIsn\u2019t that wolves?\u201d Faith asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cRegardless,\u201d Andrea said. \u201cThis town gives me the creeps. I feel like I\u2019m in a town full of X-Files extras.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI admit, this town does give off a strange vibe,\u201d Cordelia said, \u201cbut I think we\u2019re reading too far into it. It\u2019s a small town. They\u2019re kinda far away from the city. They\u2019re entitled to be a bit quirky.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know if quirky is the word I\u2019d use,\u201d Andrea said. The blonde finished off her coffee. \u201cWell, I\u2019m going to check in with Henry and John Boy and the body shop. Maybe good news will actually await.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIf not, maybe you\u2019d like to drop by our room tonight?\u201d Cordelia suggested. \u201cPlay some poker or something to pass the time.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019d be great,\u201d Andrea said. \u201cSee you girls later.\u201d Andrea slid from her seat and dropped a five on the table. With a last wave, Andrea left.<\/p>\n
\u201cDrop by for poker or something to pass the time,\u201d Faith teased. \u201cYou looking for a threesome? Cause I might be game.\u201d Faith licked her lips suggestively.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou know it, Slayer. If there\u2019s one thing I like more than sleeping with a vampire, it\u2019s sleeping with two chicks.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve always wanted to ask about that. Does your screwing a vampire make you a necrophiliac?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDoes your screwing everyone make you a slut?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTouch\u00e9.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia reached into her jeans pocket and pulled out her cell phone. \u201cIf Gertrude ever arrives with the java, tell her I\u2019ll be back in a second. I\u2019m going to go call Angel. Anything you want me to tell him?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, tell him to buy me a Playstation.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShut up, Faith.\u201d<\/p>\n
****<\/p>\n
Angel hung the phone back on the hook. He didn\u2019t like it. He didn\u2019t like it one bit. And what the hell was a Playstation?<\/p>\n
\u201cYo, Angel. Was that Cordy?\u201d Gunn asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah,\u201d Angel answered. \u201cThey\u2019re still stuck in the middle of nowhere.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gunn could tell from the tone of voice that Angel was immensely displeased by the situation. And when the vampire got displeased, something usually lost appendages.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd you\u2019re still worried about them.\u201d Angel\u2019s noncommittal grunt was his answer. \u201cThere\u2019s nothing to worry about. You got two girls, one of them a half-demon with super powers and the other is a sometimes psychotic slayer with a fetish for sharp things. Both of them are big girls. Hell, I feel sorry for the first person that tries messing with them. What do you think Cordy would do to the guy?\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel had to smile in amusement at the thought. He certainly taught Cordelia how to take care of business. But the vampire sobered up quickly. But the fact remained, he was here, and she was there.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m going to guess my little pep talk did nothing for you, right?\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel\u2019s grunt was his answer.<\/p>\n
****<\/p>\n
\u201cFull House,\u201d Faith grinned. \u201cEights and threes. Beat that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia threw away her ninth consecutive losing hand in disgust. \u201cI just remembered why I stick to Monopoly.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd I just remembered why I love Vegas,\u201d Andrea smirked. \u201cFour of a kind.\u201d Andrea laid out four nines as Faith\u2019s jaw dropped in shock.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we were playing for money, I\u2019d so be beating your ass right now,\u201d Faith said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd if we were playing for money, you\u2019d be flat broke right now.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cJust deal five new ones.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia leaned back on her bed and rested for a moment. Clad in her nighttime wear, tank top and sweatpants, Cordelia sighed heavily. She hated this town and she missed Angel.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo Andrea, where you from?\u201d Faith asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cPortland. I was heading to San Diego because of a job offer.\u201d Andrea huffed in annoyance. \u201cI doubt that the job\u2019s even available anymore. I got sixty thousand miles on my Mustang and never a problem until now.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLife\u2019s a bitch,\u201d Faith said.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo what\u2019s the story with you two?\u201d Andrea asked.<\/p>\n
Faith fielded that one easily enough. \u201cI just got out of jail and Cordy\u2019s horny because her lovey dovey is back in Los Angeles.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShut up, Faith,\u201d Cordelia groaned.<\/p>\n
\u201cIs it my fault you forgot your vibrator at home?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFaith, be warned that I will suffocate you in your sleep.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCourse, there\u2019s always the fingers, but it just don\u2019t have the same feel.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShut up, Faith.\u201d<\/p>\n
Andrea just laughed at the two and put the cards back in the box. \u201cYou two are very sad. And I also must call it a night. Need to get some sleep before I go out on the road.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia looked up. \u201cYou got your car fixed?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBubba Carl Ray Bob or whatever said they got the part in early this evening. They\u2019ll install it tomorrow morning and hopefully I\u2019ll be on the road by noon.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd leave us alone in Hellburg? You bitch,\u201d Faith retorted in mock anger.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat I am, but I\u2019m the bitch that\u2019s got a ride outta here.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia and Faith were both saddened by the prospect of spending the rest of their time in Serenity without the company of Andrea. They both really liked the woman. \u201cWell, look us up if you\u2019re ever in LA. The Hyperion Hotel is where we run our investigation agency. We can paint the town red.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSounds like fun. Faith an I can pick us up some hunks while you sit in the corner sipping tonic water and telling the barkeep how happy your relationship is.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia just grinned. \u201cFaith was right. You are a bitch.\u201d<\/p>\n
Andrea stood and stretched her tired muscles. \u201cMeet you chicks for breakfast?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSure thing,\u201d Cordy agreed. The girls said their goodbyes as Andrea left for the night.<\/p>\n
\u201cI must be going soft in my post-rehab state. Did I actually go out of my way to be nice to her?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou did,\u201d Cordy agreed. \u201cAnd you know what? You may have made\u2026a friend.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAw fuck.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou came out of prison acting almost human.\u201d<\/p>\n
****<\/p>\n
Andrea made her way down the metal steps to the first floor of the two-floor hotel building. Automatically, her hand went to pat her back pocket to find her keys. But realizing she was wearing pajama pants, she remembered she had the room key in her jacket pocket.<\/p>\n
She had just pulled the key out and was about to stick it in the lock when a strong hand covered her mouth. More hands grabbed her waist and arms. Before the young Oregon girl knew what was going on, her hands were bound and she was blindfolded.<\/p>\n
\u201cTake her to the field,\u201d a voice ordered. Wasn\u2019t that the guy that worked at the diner?<\/p>\n
\u201cDo you think Josiah will be pleased?\u201d an eager voice asked. Didn\u2019t that voice greet her at the dollar store?<\/p>\n
\u201cSilence!\u201d the first voice ordered. \u201cDo what you are told. It is not for me to decide if Josiah will be pleased. Only He can make that judgment.\u201d<\/p>\n
The second voice obeyed and helped toss Andrea into the back of a truck. Moments later the truck fired up and pulled onto the highway. The half dozen men that were left went to gather their own vehicles and drive out to the cornfield. The first voice, Ernie Connell pulled out his cell phone.<\/p>\n
\u201cSheriff Brady? We have the first. She is being taken to the cornfield now. Yes, we let the other two be, just as you instructed.\u201d Connell disconnected the phone. It was time to take another before Josiah. He couldn\u2019t afford to be late.<\/p>\n