Part 4<\/b><\/p>\n
September 20, 1998 <\/em> Angel stared blankly at the young witch. Willow gave another nervous smile. Oz left the room to tell Giles that the vampire was now conscious. \u201cSo,\u201d Willow began, \u201cyou aren\u2019t here to kill everybody, are ya?\u201d<\/p>\n Even with that comment, Willow still talked to him as if he was her best friend. Angel always liked this girl. She had gumption, brains, and a weird sense of humor. If Angel hadn\u2019t been so awestruck by Buffy back then, he might have made a run at this girl.<\/p>\n \u201cI wasn\u2019t planning on it,\u201d Angel deadpanned. \u201cHow about setting me loose?\u201d Angel rattled the handcuffs for emphasize.<\/p>\n \u201cOh well, that\u2019s good then,\u201d Willow grinned. In a flash, she turned nervous again. \u201cAbout the handcuff thing, I can\u2019t really do that. Not to say you\u2019re a liar or anything, but last time we saw you, you tried to suck us into hell. No offense.\u201d<\/p>\n Angel smiled at Willow\u2019s niceties. \u201cNone taken,\u201d the vampire said. \u201cSince I assume Oz went to get Giles, you wanna turn the TV on while we wait. I want to see if Scooby-Doo is on.\u201d<\/p>\n Willow had hoped that Angel was all better, but now she knew. He was still evil. The Angel they knew didn\u2019t act like this.<\/p>\n \u201cI have my soul,\u201d Angel assured her, sensing Willow\u2019s thoughts. \u201cI have you to thank for that.\u201d<\/p>\n Giles stepped quickly into the room bearing a crossbow. Buffy was right behind him with a stake.<\/p>\n \u201cHi,\u201d Angel said, trying to be cheerful. \u201cI was about to watch Scooby-Doo, you wanna join me?\u201d<\/p>\n Giles glared at the vampire with a hardened look in his eyes. \u201cYou will tell me how you came to be here, and you will give me a damn good reason why you are here. Otherwise, I will send you back to hell.\u201d<\/p>\n Angle met the watcher\u2019s icy stare with one of his one. But after a few moments, the vampire\u2019s eyes softened. \u201cTake a seat,\u201d he said. \u201cYou might want to bring the rest of the gang in here, too. They should hear this.\u201d<\/p>\n ***********<\/p>\n Hyperion Hotel <\/em> \u201cDuncan Smyth is a very interesting character,\u201d Fred said. The girl sat behind her laptop and studied the web page before her. Everyone gathered around as she began to rattle off the details.<\/p>\n \u201cReceived his doctorate in physics from Cambridge at the age of 21. He was quickly given a professorship at Cambridge and instant recognition because of his youth. After that, his career ran into a lot of controversy. Most of it came in 1987 at the age of 24, when in a thesis published and reported at an international conference, he basically said all that Einstein reported about time and space was crap.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDamn,\u201d Gunn said. \u201cYou gotta have brass to say Einstein was full of shit.\u201d<\/p>\n Fred continued as if she had ever been interrupted. \u201cLike I said, his career went downhill. In 1989, his lost all university funding on his experiments to prove time travel was possible. In 1990, Cambridge finally had enough of his antics and forced him to resign.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cInteresting stuff,\u201d Cordelia said, \u201cbut what about Schuber?\u201d<\/p>\n Fred quickly jumped to another page she had book marked. \u201cFriedrich Schuber was a boy genius basically. As a teenager in the 1970\u2019s, he was helping design computer processors that would redefine the industry. After graduating from the University of Vienna with a doctorate in chemistry, Schuber became interested in electromagnetism.<\/p>\n \u201cHe gained quite a bit of fame in the field. Eventually, NASA hired him in an attempt to develop a fuel cell to use on lunar modules, and hopefully later on the space shuttle. Reportedly he came up with a revolutionary idea, but it seems he could never quite get it to work. His idea never got past the prototype stage. NASA fired him in the early 90\u2019s. After that, both Smyth and Schuber sank into anonymity.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUntil both began work at a small technology research company in London,\u201d Wesley observed.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s a hell of a story,\u201d Lilah admitted. \u201cBut why would some two-bit research institute hire a pair of disgraced scientists? Certainly not for prestige.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUnless it was an educated gamble,\u201d Cordelia inserted. \u201cMaybe they took the chance that both men had refined their work.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s certainly possible,\u201d Wesley said. \u201cTwo men with ideas that if applicable could change the course of human history. It\u2019d be worth the gamble.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSo what?\u201d Gunn asked. \u201cTom and Harry finally get their toys to work? No, man. This chick was carrying around a piece of equipment that Fred said was flawed in its efficiency. That means the technology is probably still new.\u201d<\/p>\n Fred picked up where Charles was heading. \u201cWhich means that it will still be several years before the ideas will finally catch up to the technology.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWait a minute!\u201d Cordelia shouted. \u201cFlawed in its efficiency? Fred?\u201d That was not something she wanted to hear.<\/p>\n \u201cAngel will be fine,\u201d Fred assured her. \u201cI calculated wasted energy into the equation when I determined travel distance and stuff. Angel will get home.\u201d<\/p>\n Cordelia\u2019s blood pressure was still up five points from that. She needed to lie down, get off her feet. Patting her stomach, she decided Little One could use a rest two. \u201cFine,\u201d Cordelia said. \u201cI\u2019m going to go upstairs awhile. Come get me if you need me.\u201d<\/p>\n Once Cordelia was out of earshot, Wesley turned to Fred. \u201cYou\u2019re sure that there is enough energy for Angel to get home?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh yeah,\u201d Fred said confidently. There was a 94% chance he had sufficient energy to come home. Certainly better odds than at Lotto.<\/p>\n ***********<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re here from the future,\u201d Giles said skeptically. Angel nodded in response.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd you\u2019re here to protect CORDELIA?\u201d Buffy added. After the tears had ceased falling when she learned her love had returned, Buffy had gone into business mode. She prepared himself for when he woke up. But she was not ready for this.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy?\u201d Giles demanded. \u201cWhy would you care about what happens to Cordelia? Why would you care if she lives or dies? You two have never been close.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHey!\u201d Cordelia said. \u201cI\u2019m in the room!\u201d<\/p>\n Angel turned his head to give his full attention to the woman that would love him completely in a few short years. \u201cBecause you can\u2019t even begin to realize the importance of the role Cordelia will play in the coming years. Hundreds of lives will be lost in the future if she were to die.\u201d Softly, Angel said, \u201cBecause she\u2019s my best friend.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHow can we even believe you?\u201d Giles questioned. \u201cOnly a few months ago you tried to suck the world into hell.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah,\u201d Angel muttered. \u201cNot my finest moment. But you have to believe me. I NEED her to stay alive. For my own survival as well.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy does this assassin want Cordelia dead?\u201d Giles asked.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not Cordelia she wants dead,\u201d Angel said quietly.<\/p>\n \u201cFunny,\u201d Cordelia snapped. \u201cIt sure seemed like she was shooting at ME.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not you she wants dead,\u201d Angel repeated loudly. \u201cIt\u2019s the child you will eventually carry that she wants dead.\u201d<\/p>\n The room fell silent. For several minutes nobody spoke. They were all shocked at the revelation. Finally, Cordelia spoke, a slight trace of amazement in her voice. \u201cI\u2019ll be a mom?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy does this woman want to prevent this child\u2019s eventual birth?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOur, uh, her child will evidently become someone of great importance in the future. I don\u2019t know the exact reasons why she wants to prevent it. All I know is that she\u2019s jumped to two different points in time to try and prevent this child\u2019s birth.\u201d<\/p>\n Angel hoped to God that no one caught his little slip of the tongue. They all seemed to have missed it, all except Giles that is.<\/p>\n \u201cWho is the child\u2019s father?\u201d Giles questioned. The damn Watcher caught his slip. He had to lie quick.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Angel said. \u201cCordelia never told me, and I didn\u2019t press her. I figured she\u2019d tell me when she was ready to say.\u201d<\/p>\n Giles seemed pacified for the time being. The Brit thought perhaps his hearing was going bad for a moment.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m going to be a mom,\u201d Cordelia whispered again.<\/p>\n Everyone tried to process the information they had just been told. It was a lot to take in, and was quite difficult to comprehend. Cordelia was silently marveling in the fact she\u2019d eventually become a mother.<\/p>\n Xander wondered who the hell the father was. Giles pondered whether he should kill Angel. Buffy, however, didn\u2019t believe a word of it. It was all a lot of trouble to go through over someone like Cordelia.<\/p>\n \u201cAre you going to let me go?\u201d Angel asked. \u201cAre you going to let me do the job that I came to do?\u201d<\/p>\n After a moments thought, Giles responded simply. \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n Angel glared at the Watcher. He respected the man a great deal back then. Hell, he respected him still. And he was truly sorry for taking Jenny away from him. But \u201cno\u201d was not the answer he wanted.<\/p>\n \u201cTough shit then.\u201d With a jerk, Angel tore the handcuff chain in half, instantly freeing himself of the bed. \u201cI won\u2019t let you stop me from protecting her.\u201d<\/p>\n Giles quickly leveled the crossbow as the vampire gingerly rose to his feet. The Scoobies quickly pulled out their stakes, prepared to use them if necessary.<\/p>\n Angel glanced around the room, knowing full well that they would kill him. \u201cIn the future,\u201d Angel started, \u201cCordelia is my best friend. She knows me inside and out, better than anyone has since my mother over two centuries ago. She means too damn much to me to simply bow down. I will protect her, and I will kill anyone who threatens to harm her.\u201d<\/p>\n Angel cracked the handcuffs around his wrists like walnuts. He discarded the useless metal on the bed. \u201cNext time you handcuff a vampire,\u201d Angel advised, \u201cmake sure the metal is enchanted. Otherwise, you\u2019d be dead.\u201d<\/p>\n Slowly, Angel grabbed his duster from the chair by the bed. Any second he expected the crossbow bolt to pierce his heart, ending his existence. Wrapping the duster around his body to cover his bloodstained shirt, Angel slowly moved to the bedroom door. Everyone moved to the side to get out of his way, although none of them knew quite why. Head lowered, the vampire eased his way out the door and down the stairs to safety.<\/p>\n All the while, Giles had the crossbow trained on Angel\u2019s heart. When the vampire disappeared, he lowered the weapon with a sigh, not really understanding what just happened.<\/p>\n \u201cWe just let that monster walk out of here,\u201d Xander exclaimed. \u201cWe just let that damn vampire walk out of here! Who knows who he could kill! We should get him!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo,\u201d Giles said. \u201cLeave him be.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d everyone, including Buffy exclaimed.<\/p>\n \u201cNeed it be said that the demon that tried to suck the world into hell just walked out that door?\u201d Xander asked.<\/p>\n Calming down, Buffy spoke. \u201cMaybe Giles is right. He could have easily killed Willow when Oz left the room. But he didn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSo? He knew we\u2019d kill him if he did.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo,\u201d Willow said. \u201cI admit, that wasn\u2019t the Angel that we all know but it wasn\u2019t Angelus either.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSo the question remains: what do we do?\u201d Oz asked.<\/p>\n \u201cI honestly don\u2019t know,\u201d Giles said. The Watcher dropped the crossbow on his bed and proceeded to wipe his glasses. \u201cBut what I can suggest is that we gather to offer Cordelia some sort of protection, whether it be from this mystery assassin Angel spoke of, or Angel himself.\u201d<\/p>\n Giles turned to Cordelia to get her opinion. \u201cCordelia? Do you have anything to say on the matter?\u201d<\/p>\n Cordelia was still staring off into space, a slight smile on her face. \u201cI\u2019m going to be a mom,\u201d she repeated. \u201cThat\u2019s so cool.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nRupert Giles\u2019 Home <\/em>
\n8:21 PM<\/em><\/p>\n
\nOctober 17, 2003<\/em><\/p>\n