Part 8<\/b><\/p>\n
As the two cars containing Angel and the Scoobies pulled up outside Sunnydale General, they were greeted by dozens of police cruisers. Officers in black Kevlar and carrying automatic rifles scurried about the perimeter. News vans were setting up all through the parking lot.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat the hell?\u201d Xander asked. \u201cDid someone forget to tell me they were remaking ‘Die Hard’ in Sunnydale?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cXander, you’re a moron,\u201d Angel said.<\/p>\n
\u201cGot you again, mate,\u201d Spike agreed. \u201cBut obviously we are too late.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, I knew that,\u201d Xander mumbled.<\/p>\n
\u201cI need to find a way in there,\u201d Angel stated.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat? Why?\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel glared at Buffy as if she were an idiot. The answer should have been obvious. \u201cBecause Cordelia is in there. She’s in danger.\u201d He looked at the rest of the group. \u201cAnybody have any suggestions?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cElectrical access tunnels leading to air vents in the basement,\u201d Spike answered. The Scoobies stared at him strangely. \u201cWhat? Sometimes a bloke gets a hankering for something other than pig’s blood.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSpike, you’re sick.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cXander, you’re a dick.\u201d<\/p>\n
Willow and Buffy each grabbed onto an arm and held Xander back. Chip or no chip, Spike could probably beat his ass. Angel grabbed onto Spike and led his grandchilde to the side.<\/p>\n
\u201cCan you lead the way into the tunnels?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLead the way?\u201d Spike asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want you to come in with me,\u201d Angel explained. Spike looked like he wanted to protest, and Angel knew what he would say.<\/p>\n
\u201cCordelia’s in there and while I deal with the kids, I want somebody with superpowers to protect her in case something goes wrong. I know Buffy would do it. It’s in her job description. But she’d bitch and moan the whole way, especially after all the cutting remarks we’ve both made. I just need someone in there to keep innocents from getting hurt.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat are you going to do about Joshua and Jordan? And don’t even pretend like you could kill them. I know you, Poof. Once upon a time you loved the little buggers. And I’m betting you still think you’re at fault for mommy dying. Add one and one and you get two. And two equals you couldn’t bring yourself to kill them even if it costs your own life.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel shook his head and smiled slightly at Spike. \u201cSince when the hell have you been so rational?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cRight around the time you became someone I could relate to,\u201d Spike quoted.<\/p>\n
\u201cSmart ass. Now are you going to help me?\u201d<\/p>\n
Spike grinned and pointed to the hills on the far side of the hospital. \u201cThat way. There’s an access tunnel for city workers.\u201d<\/p>\n
As the Scoobies argued amongst themselves about whether Xander could take Spike, the two vampires slipped away from the group. They avoided the rolling patrols of police officers and climbed the hill to the tunnel on the far side.<\/p>\n
Nobody noticed the absence of the duo until they were already in the tunnel.<\/p>\n
\u201cUh, where did Angel go?\u201d a disappointed Willow asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere did Spike go?\u201d Xander interrupted. \u201cGuess he chickened out, huh? Wuss.\u201d<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
It took a few seconds for vampire vision to adjust to the dim tunnels underneath the hospital, but once it did, Angel and Spike were able to move quickly.<\/p>\n
\u201cWill I be able to enter into the ICU?\u201d Angel asked.<\/p>\n
Spike stopped a moment as he tried to remember which fork in the tunnel to take. \u201cNo. We’ll enter the basement under the pediatric wing. We go up to the main floor, then we just crawl around in the ceiling for a bit and we can drop right in.\u201d<\/p>\n
Spike remembered that he needed to take the left fork. The two walked in silence for several minutes as they wound through the corridors. Finally, Spike couldn’t stand it anymore.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat’s on your mind, Angelus?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI can feel you staring at me. So what’s on your mind?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cJust wondering when you turned into a decent bloke.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe I always had it in me,\u201d Spike answered.<\/p>\n
\u201cOr maybe you getting that soul finally made you realize you could show it,\u201d Angel countered. \u201cAnyway, I like it. One day you will tell me the story about how you got it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat sounded distinctly like an order,\u201d Spike smirked.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was. Maybe you could use that soul and that Romeo lesson I gave to woo Buffy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Spike glared at him as he climbed a steal ladder up to a grate. \u201cYou are not going to tell me how you know about Buffy, are you?\u201d Angel grinned at him. \u201cFine. Be an ass. I guess I’m going to have to settle for Buffy. She’s the only damn woman in this town who doesn’t want to jump your bones.\u201d Spike pushed aside the grate to the basement. \u201cReady to save your chit?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYup.\u201d<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
Deanna was surprised to find that she didn’t panic when the first rifle blast echoed through the halls of the ICU. She was busy changing Cordelia’s IV when the shot was fired. Her first instinct had been to lock the door and flip off the lights.<\/p>\n
As calm as she might have been, a now very lucid Cordelia Chase was like an ice cube. While nurses and patients alike began to scream, Cordelia immediately ceased her end of a conversation regarding the Spring line of Gucci shoes. The few words she did speak were in a hushed whisper.<\/p>\n
\u201cI assume that was a gunshot?\u201d Cordelia asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cI assume so, yes,\u201d Deanna answered as she crawled into a nearby corner.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat’s bad.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYup.\u201d<\/p>\n
Several more gunshots were heard as Joshua systematically shot out all the security cameras. Silence then reigned for several minutes before loud crashing was heard. A beat of silence. Then another loud crash.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat the hell is that?\u201d Deanna whispered.<\/p>\n
\u201cSomeone is kicking in the doors,\u201d Cordelia replied.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause they are looking for someone. And I’m guessing it’s me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Deanna stared at her in confusion. \u201cYou? Why you?\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia just stared at the door, expecting it to break down any moment. \u201cWeird shit. Long story. I don’t even know most of it. Not that I ever do.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia wasn’t disappointed. The lock to the door was rattled violently. When whoever saw that it was locked, a shotgun blast blew the handle off. Cordelia wasn’t even surprised to see the man that had beaten her and murdered her cousin standing in the doorway.<\/p>\n
\u201cI’ve been vaguely wondering when you would show up,\u201d she said calmly.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat all you have to say?\u201d Joshua snapped. \u201cI’m the guy that beat the shit out of you, killed that little ass you were with, and I’m the guy with the gun. You’re not even going to cringe in fear?\u201d Cordelia could clearly tell that he was disappointed with that.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo. Now I don’t know you, but I think that Angel does.\u201d Cordelia saw his eyes fill with rage at the name. She took a deep breath. \u201cYou’re human. I can smell it. So it confuses me as to what grudge you could possibly have against him. All his major enemies are over one hundred years old.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat the hell are you?\u201d Joshua asked. This woman wasn’t quite\u2026right.<\/p>\n
\u201cSomeone that cares for Angel very much. Now you can do whatever it is that you want with me, but don’t hurt Angel.\u201d<\/p>\n
Joshua snorted in contempt. \u201cThat bastard is a liar. He deserves to be hurt.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia merely stared at him. \u201cI can’t talk you out of this, can I?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNope.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen we have a problem.\u201d<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
After popping up in the hospital’s basement, the vampires quickly found their way to the main floor. They were mindful to avoid the police SWAT teams that were busily forming in strike positions.<\/p>\n
With inherent vampire stealth, it wasn’t a difficult task. Finding an access panel in the ceiling, the duo deftly hoisted themselves up.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don’t suppose I need to tell you that it would be bad if the SWAT teams are forced to attack?\u201d Spike whispered as they crawled quietly about.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know. But I’m going to make sure it doesn’t come to that.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSo am I to assume you have a plan?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI’m flying by the seat of my pants,\u201d Angel answered.<\/p>\n
\u201cLovely.\u201d<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
Joshua continued to point his shotgun at Cordelia. Deanna tried to burrow herself further into the corner in which she occupied, but she stayed relatively calm.<\/p>\n
Cordelia stared almost sympathetically at Joshua as he detailed the reasons why Angel deserved to die.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe lied to us!\u201d Joshua screamed. \u201cHe promised to protect mom! But he didn’t! Why shouldn’t he die? Why shouldn’t others feel the pain that we’ve felt?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause it doesn’t justify anything,\u201d a voice called from behind him. Joshua spun around to find Angel holding tightly onto a very disarmed Jordan. Angel pointed the pistol at the young man.<\/p>\n
Joshua sneered at him, the distaste clearly evident on his face. \u201cYou killed our mother, now you’re going to kill me. How fitting.\u201d Jordan squirmed mightily in Angel’s grip. This was so not what was supposed to be happening.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat are you waiting for?\u201d Joshua taunted. \u201cGo ahead and shoot.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel leveled the gun and pulled the trigger.<\/p>\n