Part 3<\/b><\/p>\n
It burns through the cold<\/em> Still unrecognized<\/em> Called by many names<\/em> Cordelia struggled to stay on her feet and focus on the intruders standing across the lobby. With her head pounding, she wanted nothing more than to close her eyes to block out the artificial light brightening the lobby.<\/p>\n Though her vision hadn\u2019t revealed the identity of their assailants, it only took a moment for Cordelia to recognize just who had darkened their door.<\/p>\n \u201cJonathan?\u201d she blinked twice as she took in the sight of the young man who did not seem to have changed one bit since high school graduation.<\/p>\n A look of surprise came over his face, an out-of-place smile replacing his previously unyielding features. \u201cCordelia Chase? Wow! What are you doing here in LA?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, you know\u2026 stardom,\u201d she let out a fake laugh while grabbing Angel\u2019s shirt from behind and giving it a hard tug. Stage-whispering an order, \u201cMove your ass. Now.\u201d<\/p>\n Angel ignored the demand. \u201cYou know this guy?\u201d Obviously, she did. He stared back at the unimposing figure before letting his gaze move back to the one holding the weapon.<\/p>\n \u201cSunnydale,\u201d Cordelia explained. \u201cThat\u2019s Jonathan, who used to be a nice guy in a geeky kinda way.\u201d<\/p>\n A little pout came over Jonathan\u2019s mouth as he remembered the day Cordelia Chase almost had coffee with him at the Bronze, a cinnamon, chocolate, half-caf, non-fat cappuccino with extra foam to be precise.<\/p>\n Of course he hadn\u2019t gotten it right, so she took the muffin he\u2019d ordered and left him to drink the coffee alone.<\/p>\n \u201cMister He-Thinks-He\u2019s-So-Studly with the shiny weapon there is Warren. He always was a creep,\u201d Cordelia added with a glare. \u201cThe other guy\u2026I don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n Jonathan snapped out of his little trip down memory lane to say, \u201cAndrew is Tucker\u2019s brother.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOhhh! No wonder I don\u2019t remember you,\u201d a little bit of the old Queen C edging back into her tone. Cordelia settled her hands on her hips, now feeling the adrenalin rushing through her. This little conversation hadn\u2019t changed a damn thing about the reason these guys showed up here nor was it going to alter what she\u2019d seen in her vision.<\/p>\n Though the images that rattled in her head had to be wrong, she told herself. They had to be. Moving toward the bassinette, she quickly picked Connor up cradling him close. Angel knew exactly what she\u2019d done even though he was already inching away from them trying to draw Warren\u2019s attention.<\/p>\n \u201cCould you hand over the baby now?\u201d Andrew asked almost politely. \u201cWe need to get back to our lair before Warren\u2019s mom calls to check on us.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIxnay on the airlay.\u201d Warren griped at him while tracking Angel\u2019s progress across the room, pointing the laser gun directly at him. \u201cI don\u2019t care if the baby belongs to Queen C or Princess Leia. We\u2019re still taking the kid with us. He\u2019s way too valuable.\u201d<\/p>\n Cordelia\u2019s heart pounded a little faster as she realized Warren thought Connor was her baby too. He might as well be. She couldn\u2019t help but love the little guy. Damned if she was gonna let anything happen to him.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s the last time you threaten my son,\u201d Angel ground out the words through his teeth. He\u2019d reached a spot where he was far enough away from Cordelia and Connor not to put them in danger when he made his move. He only hoped he was fast enough.<\/p>\n Seeing the vampire\u2019s body tense a moment before his body became a blur of motion, Andrew called out, \u201cCharge the ray gun.\u201d<\/p>\n Warren was already on it, his eyes going wide as the distance between him and a very pissed off vampire closed quickly. \u201cCharging.\u201d<\/p>\n Simultaneously, Jonathan and Andrew started to run in opposite directions, both heading away from the main target zone as quickly as possible. Angel executed a flying leap, twisting around and landing directly behind Warren, grabbing him up in one hand and tossing him like a rag doll across the Hyperion lobby.<\/p>\n Letting out a screech, Warren slid from one side of the room to the other. \u201cIt\u2019s not working.\u201d He panicked as Angel stalked forward, this time taking one determined step after another. A ka-chink sounded from the laser followed by a low buzz.<\/p>\n Jonathan gasped as he realized the weapon was about to overload. \u201cThe blue button. Push the blue button.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAngel!\u201d Cordelia cried out his name as the sound signaled a resonant note from her vision. Having made it to the weapon cabinet, she was in the process of pulling out a crossbow and loading the bolt one-handed. It barely made it into place before she turned, crossbow in one hand and the baby cradled with the other.<\/p>\n One last time, a warning sounded on her lips, \u201cGet out of th\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Too late, her words accompanied a blinding flash of light discharged from the ray gun. Hitting Angel mid-chest, it threw him into the air, his body still aglow as it hit the ground. The agonizing sound of his scream faded and when the light dimmed, Cordelia saw that there was nothing left behind. Not even ashes.<\/p>\n Another wail sounded, but this came from Connor who awakened with a vengeance at the noise interrupting his sleep. Cordelia touched her cheek to his forehead, \u201cShh, sweetie.\u201d Stinging tears glistened in her eyes as she wondered why the PTB would send her a vision of Angel\u2019s death only minutes before it was to happen.<\/p>\n There was not enough time to avert it, not with Angel being so damn stubborn.<\/p>\n Cordelia glanced to her left noting that Andrew stood between her and the hall where the basement door was a possible route of escape. To her right was Jonathan, who now blocked the way to the stairs. Warren remained in the middle of the foyer. He got to his feet, a smug grin spread across his face.<\/p>\n \u201cThat wasn\u2019t so hard. Looks like we have a few bugs to work out with our\u2026 our…,\u201d he hesitated again.<\/p>\n Andrew piped up, \u201cSuper laser ele\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhatever!\u201d snapped Cordelia. Raising her crossbow, she pointed it directly at Warren. Betting he couldn\u2019t get the ray gun charged again before she pulled the trigger, Cordelia started moving forward. Right now Warren stood between her and a path out of the hotel. \u201cGet out of my way.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThree of us and one of you, Cordelia,\u201d he pointed out the odds. \u201cWanna bet your pom-poms we get outta here with the brat?\u201d<\/p>\n She knew without looking that Jonathan and Andrew were closing in on her from behind, but didn\u2019t take her eyes off of their over-confident cohort. \u201cLet\u2019s try to even out the numbers a little.\u201d<\/p>\n A second later, Warren screeched in pain as the crossbow bolt hit him in the leg. \u201cShe shot me,\u201d he sounded amazed. No matter that Cordelia Chase had hung out with Buffy Summers\u2019 crowd during Senior Year, he never expected the former May Queen to pull that trigger.<\/p>\n Cordelia didn\u2019t stop to enjoy what little revenge she had time to take; she dropped the crossbow, pulled the wailing baby into a more protected hold and made a run for the front door. Somehow, Andrew managed to get there first. \u201cAh-ah-ah! No escape. We can\u2019t let you go.\u201d<\/p>\n Taking a good look, Cordelia figured she could take out Andrew with a swift kick in the right location and was preparing to do just that when she felt something sharp poke her back. \u201cOw! Jonathan?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSorry, Cordelia,\u201d he told her honestly. Having taken a dagger from the weapons cabinet, he held its deadly tip against the thin material of her blouse pressing just hard enough for a red spot to form in a small patch across the gauzy white material. \u201cI don\u2019t want to hurt you, but I will.\u201d<\/p>\n Slowly, Cordelia turned around to face him. With Warren still writhing in pain on the floor, she figured it might be possible to convince Jonathan to let them go. \u201cDon\u2019t do this.\u201d<\/p>\n She bounced a little as she made the plea, trying to get Connor to go back to sleep. Her headache was all but forgotten with all that had happened in the past few minutes, but she didn\u2019t want his crying to irritate these guys into forcing him to shut up. Who knew what they might do to a baby.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy are you doing this?\u201d Cordelia asked trying to focus on Connor and not what they had done to Angel. \u201cLook at his tiny face, Jonathan. He\u2019s a little person with a heart and a soul.\u201d<\/p>\n Jonathan forced his guilt-ridden gaze away from the baby\u2019s face and back to Cordelia who kept trying to edge away from the dagger. \u201cMoney,\u201d he told her the simple truth. \u201cWe need big bucks to fund our operation. Taking over Sunnydale doesn\u2019t come cheap.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDoing what?\u201d Cordelia huffed in disbelief. \u201cYou three plan t\u2014 Buffy will stop you.\u201d<\/p>\n Struggling to his feet, Warren hobbled in their direction, the bolt still imbedded in his leg. \u201cThe Slayer will be powerless against us. Just like your vampire boyfriend.\u201d<\/p>\n Cordelia didn\u2019t bother correcting their oh-so wrong assumptions. \u201cIf it\u2019s money you want, let me call David Nabbit. He\u2019ll pay off whatever ransom you ask.\u201d Plus have the cops on your ass so fast you wouldn\u2019t have time to blink.<\/i><\/p>\n \u201cNabbit?\u201d asked Andrew sounding eager. \u201cThe software guru. He\u2019s like my Obi-Wan. You actually know David Nabbit? Maybe we could we just ask for the prototype of GameStar\u2019s \u2018Dungeon of Dread\u2019. It\u2019s not supposed to come out for distribution for another six months.\u201d<\/p>\n A weighty pause filled the air and Cordelia realized the trio was actually considering the option. Then Warren broke the silence, \u201cWe can buy all of the games we want after the pay-off. Forget David Nabbit,\u201d he turned to Cordelia, his face twisted into a scowl. \u201cYou think I\u2019d let you off so easy after what you did to me, bitch?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou K-I-L-L-E-D Angel,\u201d Cordelia whispered furiously, conscious of the fact that Connor was right there and too upset to even consider that it was a little over the top to think that hearing the news might scar the infant\u2019s developing psyche. \u201cAnd don\u2019t use that tone with me, buddy. Not in front of the baby.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJust fork over the kid. Andrew, you take him,\u201d Warren growled impatiently. \u201cIf Jonathan won\u2019t use that dagger, I certainly will.\u201d<\/p>\n Standing her ground, Cordelia clutched Connor close to her breast, arms covering as much of his tiny form as she could manage to shield him. \u201cConnor stays with me. I go where he goes.\u201d<\/p>\n Maybe she couldn\u2019t get out of this now, but Cordelia was determined not to let the baby out of her sight. She owed it to Angel to protect his son. Oh, God. Oh, God! Angel.<\/i><\/p>\n Jonathan tightened his grip on the dagger. He really had no intention of stabbing Cordelia. He wasn\u2019t a murderer, at least, not when it came to killing his friends. And though he wasn\u2019t exactly likely to be on her top ten list of favorite people, especially now, he\u2019d always had a soft spot for her.<\/p>\n \u201cW-We could use her to look after the baby while we\u2019re waiting for the bids to come in.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI second that,\u201d Andrew quickly raised his hand to agree. Somehow he\u2019d drawn the short straw in being assigned to baby-sitting duties. Being the youngest child in his own family had not exactly given him experience when it came to squalling infants.<\/p>\n \u201cAgreed,\u201d sighed Warren concurring with the rationale. Besides, it might be a bad idea to leave Cordelia behind. She knew too much about them. \u201cIt\u2019s been quite a while since High School. Guess we\u2019ll have time to catch up.\u201d<\/p>\n Cordelia tried not to shudder as his gaze followed the curves of her body. Ignoring the innuendo in his voice, she pointed out, \u201cYou\u2019ll need stuff for Connor.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cStuff?\u201d Warren asked absently.<\/p>\n \u201cBaby things, dumbass,\u201d she told him, \u201cformula, bottles, diapers.\u201d<\/p>\n Andrew was suddenly glad Warren had agreed to bringing her along. \u201cAre we really gonna have him that long?\u201d<\/p>\n Then he answered his own question as he thought back to their plan. \u201cIt may take a couple of days to set up the secure online auction and make sure all of the interested parties are participating.\u201d<\/p>\n Cordelia fought to hold her tongue knowing that anything she might say could make them change their mind about letting her go with them. Hearing Warren tell Andrew and Jonathan to keep an eye on her as she gathered the things she needed, Cordelia wondered if she could stall long enough for the others to get back from the carnival.<\/p>\n She had no idea what time they were planning to come home, but if fortune was on her side, it would be soon.<\/p>\n Not bothering to hide his pain, Warren pulled out the crossbow bolt and wrapped up his leg with bandages she\u2019d given him\u2014 only after he demanded them. She wasn\u2019t about to help him with it.<\/p>\n Moving as slowly as possible as she gathered up Connor\u2019s belongings, Cordelia tried to find the opportunity to jot down a note or leave some kind of message that would point the way to Sunnydale, but Andrew and Jonathan watched her too closely.<\/p>\n The baby remained awake, but quiet. His tiny hand held a fistful of Cordelia\u2019s blouse as if trying to hold on to her as snuggly as she held him.<\/p>\n \u201cCome on guys,\u201d she whispered, continuously glancing toward the hotel doors. \u201cNeed a little rescuing here.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n Leaving behind winter\u2019s chill<\/em>
\n Existing unnamed<\/em><\/p>\n
\n Welling from the darkest depths<\/em>
\n Unspoken but there<\/em><\/p>\n
\n Soaring to heights unmeasured<\/em>
\n Bolstered by dreams<\/em><\/p>\n