Part 7<\/b><\/p>\n
Destiny or chance<\/em> A heart reaching out<\/em> Opportunity<\/em> With a powerful kick, Buffy sent the crushed soda can flying across the asphalt. The alley behind Willy\u2019s bar was darkened by shadows as the sun dipped low in the sky, but the Slayer found herself standing there despite the passing minutes. She had to psyche herself up before moving on to her next target.<\/p>\n Willy knew nothing. Apparently the Trio wasn\u2019t enough of a problem to cause much gossip. Now Buffy was left with no other recourse, but to contact Spike. He obviously knew how to get in touch with Warren having arranged for creation of the Buffybot.<\/p>\n Considering everything that happened between them over the past few days, Buffy had hoped to avoid all contact with him. She\u2019d even gone as far as hanging cloves of garlic across her bedroom windows. Not that Buffy was afraid of Spike; it was her own behavior that scared her. Stepping up from the lower cavern, Spike was surprised that she would come to him so soon, a fact that he immediately hid behind a confident leer. \u201cCouldn\u2019t stay away, luv? Told you I was in your blood.\u201d<\/p>\n Like a startled deer caught in the headlights of a moving car, Buffy watched as Spike strode across the short distance separating them. His hard torso was on display as he was dressed only in a pair of scruffy black jeans and his boots. \u201cI\u2019m not here for you, Spike. I need information.\u201d<\/p>\n He leaned in close, curling his fingers into her silky hair and drinking in the scent of vanilla. Spike expected her reaction when Buffy placed a hand against his chest and pushed him away.<\/p>\n Quirking an eyebrow up, he queried, \u201cRed giving you problems so soon or is it lil sis again?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBack off,\u201d Buffy warned him against getting too close when he deliberately moved into her space again. \u201cActually, it\u2019s Angel\u2019s problem and I\u2019m making it mine.\u201d<\/p>\n Emotion flared in Spike\u2019s blue eyes at the sound of that name, his expression shifting to stone-hard anger as his jaw tightened and the lines of his cheekbones sharpened. \u201cThat so? The big poof has more problems than even you could take on in a lifetime. He back in town again?\u201d<\/p>\n In a fight, Buffy used any and every weapon at her disposal. So she didn\u2019t even think twice about telling Spike, \u201cHe will be. On his way right now, not that it\u2019s any of your business.\u201d<\/p>\n The inference that Angel was also coming to see her wasn\u2019t lost on Spike. \u201cMaybe I think it is.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen you\u2019re just dreaming,\u201d Buffy snapped back. \u201cI don\u2019t have time to deal with you right now.\u201d<\/p>\n Spike reached out and put his hand on her shoulder, running his thumb across her collar bone. \u201cYou can deal with me however you like. Just tell me what you want that I have.\u201d<\/p>\n Slapping his hand away, Buffy reminded him, \u201cInformation.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGonna cost you, luv.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShut up with the pet names,\u201d she demanded before adding, \u201cI don\u2019t have any cash.\u201d<\/p>\n He loved to wind Buffy up. Spike shrugged, \u201cA kiss will do.\u201d<\/p>\n Fed up and suddenly subjected to the memory of the heated kisses they\u2019d shared amongst other things, Buffy curled up her fist. \u201cHow\u2019s this?\u201d She laid a punch right across his mouth before Spike even had time to react.<\/p>\n Crashing into the wall, Spike let out a growl, \u201cNot exactly what I had in mind.\u201d<\/p>\n She\u2019d stalked forward looking to do it again, only this time he caught her arms pulling her against him. One kiss of brutal fury fed from their mutual anger. Then somewhere in the middle anger turned to passion and it was only when Buffy came up gasping for air that they broke apart, Spike looking triumphant.<\/p>\n Buffy felt like punching that grin from his face. She wanted to throw him down to the hard floor of the crypt and\u2026 and there was really no time for any of that. Instead, demanding, \u201cWhere can I find Warren\u2019s hangout?\u201d<\/p>\n It took a moment for Spike to switch gears. \u201cWarren? Oh, you mean the King of the Geeks and his little goon squad.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAngel needs to find him pronto.\u201d<\/p>\n Snorting with laughter, Spike grabbed the opportunity to poke a little fun at his old grandsire. \u201cSo that\u2019s his problem. Curse finally getting to him. Figures he can use a little love\u2019bot of his own.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShut. Up. Spike,\u201d she gritted her teeth and barely restrained the urge to go after him again. Reminders of the Buffybot and its primary protocol were not exactly in his favor.<\/p>\n Then his voice softened, those blue eyes intent upon hers, \u201cDoesn\u2019t compare to the real thing, luv.\u201d<\/p>\n ***<\/p>\n Dawn opened the front door almost as soon as the doorbell rang. She\u2019d heard the tires screeching to a halt outside and knew that it had to be Angel and the gang from LA. She took a quick glance at the tall black man and the petite brunette before focusing on Wesley Wyndam-Pryce.<\/p>\n \u201cWow! You\u2019ve changed,\u201d Dawn\u2019s cupid-bowed mouth fell open as she stared at the stubble-jawed Englishman.<\/p>\n Wes blushed a little under her close stare, \u201cYes, haven\u2019t we all? You\u2019ve grown since I last saw you. Dawn, these two are Winifred Burkle and Charles Gunn, friends and associates at Angel Investigations.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHi, I\u2019m Fred,\u201d the Texan smiled big as she moved past Dawn into the house. \u201cYou\u2019re Buffy\u2019s<\/i> sister, right?\u201d<\/p>\n Nodding, Dawn concluded that Fred seemed friendly enough, though it was a little weird the way she emphasized Buffy\u2019s name that way. \u201cThe others are all in the living room.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAny word from Buffy?\u201d Angel\u2019s voice sounded from the doorway causing Dawn to look back in that direction.<\/p>\n Wide eyes staring, she decided she liked him a lot better this way. \u201cCool, you really are invisible.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDawn,\u201d the impatient undertone sounded.<\/p>\n So much for liking him, Dawn thought. \u201cNo, she\u2019s not back yet.\u201d<\/p>\n Wes moved into the foyer to greet Willow and Xander as they walked in from the adjacent living room. His eyes kept searching behind them, but he saw only one other person in the room, Anya. \u201cDid Mister Giles accompany Buffy?\u201d<\/p>\n It was Willow who finally answered him after she shared a surprised look with her friends. \u201cGiles is in England. We thought you knew.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo,\u201d Wes admitted. \u201cI had hoped for his assistance in researching an artifact.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI can help,\u201d Willow actually looked eager to do so. Using her computer skills again was just what she needed to keep her mind off of magick. \u201cBefore he left, Giles and I uploaded all of his books into PDF files on my laptop. We have a whole database.\u201d<\/p>\n With a relieved nod, Wes thanked her. Then turning back toward the door told Angel, \u201cI\u2019ll get started while you discuss the situation with everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n Wes followed Willow into the dining room where she had her laptop set up on one end of the table. Fred and Gunn were already in the living room and Dawn was about to follow when she heard Angel ask, \u201cDawn, could you invite me in?\u201d<\/p>\n For a few seconds of gleeful pleasure, Dawn stood with her back to the door and a smirk tugging at the corners of her lips. It was probably a good thing that she could not see his reaction when she told him, \u201cC\u2019mon in, Angel. It\u2019s not like you\u2019ll be the only vampire with free access to the house.\u201d<\/p>\n As soon as the words left her mouth, she regretted it. Though she could neither see nor hear him at the moment, Dawn felt Angel looming close. Spike wasn\u2019t exactly his favorite person and though she hadn\u2019t mentioned his name, she knew Angel would get it.<\/p>\n Dawn\u2019s words only stirred concerns that Angel had long since pushed to the back of his mind. He was aware that Spike had helped them out during Glory\u2019s defeat. On some level, he also knew Spike had stuck around during Buffy\u2019s\u2026absence.<\/p>\n The fact that he was still in town and still involved, with or without a behavioral chip, worried him, but this was hardly the time or place for that lecture.<\/p>\n \u201cSince Buffy\u2019s not back, here\u2019s what we\u2019re going to do,\u201d Angel told them without further delay. \u201cThe kidn\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Anya interrupted, \u201cCould you put on a hat? Xander, go get him a hat. It\u2019s very disconcerting to hear you, but not see you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt would also turn invisible,\u201d Angel calmly pointed out. Then he tried again, \u201cThe kidnappers live here in Sun\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cInvisible Vamp,\u201d Xander muttered thinking he was really glad it was Angel and not Spike. Even chipped, Spike could manage to get into trouble. Still, he had to admit, \u201cIt\u2019s kinda cool.\u201d<\/p>\n Angel was a little less calm about it when he said, \u201cNot from my perspective. Can we just focus on the problem? This is about Cordelia and my son being in the hands of three madmen.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut Buffy said that it was just Warren, Jonathan and Andrew,\u201d commented Willow as she made her way back from the dining room where Wes was now set up with her computer. \u201cThey\u2019re a little weird, but I don\u2019t think they\u2019re crazy. And why would they turn you invisible?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe invisibility was an accident,\u201d Angel explained. \u201cTheir energy weapon overloaded and this is the result. Whatever scheme they\u2019ve cooked up doesn\u2019t matter. We\u2019re going to stop them.\u201d<\/p>\n Xander knew he didn\u2019t like the idea of Cordelia being anywhere near Warren knowing the way he treated women. The guy was a creep extraordinaire. As for the idea of Angel being a father, Xander wasn\u2019t sure what to think.<\/p>\n He\u2019d seen the look in Buffy\u2019s eyes that told him not to ask too many questions and so he\u2019d let her run out of the house on her own.<\/p>\n \u201cSo what\u2019s the plan?\u201d Xander asked quite seriously.<\/p>\n Wondering if he was going to get it out on this third attempt, Angel explained that while Buffy was searching for the Trio\u2019s official hideout, it might be possible to find some clues in their homes. \u201cThey all live here in Sunnydale, right?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cRight,\u201d Willow and Xander answered.<\/p>\n \u201cSo we\u2019ll split up and head to each location.\u201d Angel verified that they could find the places where each of the guys lived.<\/p>\n Xander figured it was easy, \u201cWith their parents. I\u2019ll grab the phonebook.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDawn, you\u2019ll stay here with Wes,\u201d instructed Angel as he started to divide them all into teams. \u201cStick to the phone. We\u2019ll call if we find something and you relay the message to everyone else. As soon as Buffy arrives, send her to that location.\u201d<\/p>\n Realizing that Angel was actually trusting her with some responsibility, Dawn promised, \u201cI can do that.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWes?\u201d Angel called out to him.<\/p>\n Glancing up from the computer, Wes commented, \u201cI\u2019ve found something. It\u2019s very preliminary, though. This will take time to translate.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cKeep at it.\u201d<\/p>\n Xander and Anya were assigned to go to Andrew\u2019s house. Considering the fact that Andrew\u2019s brother Tucker had raised the Hellhounds that attacked the prom, there was no telling what they might find. They borrowed Wesley\u2019s cell phone in order to call in a report.<\/p>\n Angel had Willow map out directions for Fred and Gunn to get to Jonathan\u2019s house, which was apparently within walking distance. Xander would drop them off at the nearest crossroads before heading to the south side of town.<\/p>\n \u201cWillow, you\u2019re coming with me,\u201d Angel told her. Warren\u2019s parent\u2019s house was the furthest away. \u201cWe\u2019ll take the Plymouth.\u201d<\/p>\n Gunn tossed the keys in the air in the direction of Angel\u2019s voice. They were caught, appearing to be suspended in midair until they vanished after a few seconds. Angel asked Willow, \u201cDo you drive?\u201d<\/p>\n Nibbling on her lower lip, Willow mumbled her answer, \u201cI\u2019m not really comfortable driving right now. I wrecked a car a couple of days ago.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen I hope you don\u2019t mind the passenger seat,\u201d Angel took hold of her arm and was already heading out the door. They\u2019d delayed things long enough.<\/p>\n Buffy would get the information they needed or one of them would find it first. \u201cConsidering that this is Sunnydale, the locals shouldn\u2019t be too shocked by an invisible driver.\u201d<\/p>\n ***<\/p>\n Connor\u2019s crying settled down only as Cordelia picked him up. Holding him against her shoulder, she whispered to him, \u201cHang in there, little guy.\u201d<\/p>\n She\u2019d conned Andrew into learning how to make the baby\u2019s formula. He was running back and forth around the kitchen completely distracted. Jonathan, however, was not quite so easy to maneuver away from his spot near the door.<\/p>\n Carefully putting Connor down again having moved his carrier to a safer location, Cordelia eyed a heavy frying pan lying in the sink. She edged toward it while making it appear that she was just there to check on Andrew\u2019s progress with warming up the baby\u2019s milk. By the time Jonathan got over here, she figured Andrew would be laid out cold on the floor.<\/p>\n Just as her hand moved along the edge of the sink, Warren appeared in the doorway behind Jonathan. \u201cYou won\u2019t believe it.\u201d<\/p>\n Cordelia snatched her hand away from the sink. Opportunity lost she waved Andrew out of the way and took over the task of getting Connor\u2019s bottle ready. The baby was hungry and if they weren\u2019t going to get out of here right now, he needed to eat.<\/p>\n The trio congregated in the middle of the kitchen as she watched them from the corner of her eye.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve checked out the fried conduits,\u201d Warren explained. \u201cThey triggered a response from the power source.\u201d<\/p>\n Jonathan nodded, \u201cI thought that might be it. Feedback from the energy build-up caused a mystical purge from the stone.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe beam looked different than our test,\u201d Andrew commented. \u201cThe light waves from the laser were dispersed into a wider spread than they should have been.\u201d<\/p>\n Warren told them the worst of his findings, \u201cThe magick power source caused some kind of alteration in the weapon\u2019s primary function. Watch this.\u201d<\/p>\n He pointed the ray gun at Andrew who backed away, hands in the air. \u201cWatch where you\u2019re pointing that, dude. You\u2019re not exactly Boba Fett.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGot the vampire, didn\u2019t I?\u201d Warren frowned at the insult to his shooting skills. \u201cMove out of the way; I\u2019m aiming at Mom\u2019s begonias.\u201d<\/p>\n Cordelia saw Warren turn the laser gun toward the small pot of flowers sitting in the middle of the kitchen table. After he charged the device, a beam of blue light flashed and an instant later there was nothing left behind.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s so different about that?\u201d Jonathan asked. \u201cIt\u2019s the same as before: total obliteration.\u201d<\/p>\n Smirking at his own discovery, Warren walked to the table, put down the gun and reached forward. It appeared that he was holding nothing, but a moment later, he let his hands drop to his sides and a loud crash sounded as something hit the floor.<\/p>\n Warren laughed at their confusion, explaining, \u201cWe\u2019ve got an invisibility ray.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCool,\u201d Jonathan gasped as he bent down to touch the evidence of the broken clay pot and the soft flower petals now invisible to his eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cCool,\u201d Andrew\u2019s response came at the same time. \u201cThat\u2019s way better than just a Destructo Ray.\u201d<\/p>\n In total agreement, Warren had to add, \u201cJust think of what we can do now.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCool.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCool.\u201d<\/p>\n Listening in, Cordelia clutched the edge of the kitchen counter, holding on tight until her hands hurt from the effort. The gun made things invisible. Did that happen after they shot Angel or before? A thread of hope curled up inside her.<\/p>\n Please let it be true,<\/i> the words repeated in her head.<\/p>\n She wasn\u2019t the only one thinking about Angel. Jonathan glanced her way and then asked his buddies, \u201cWarren, what if the overload fried those circuits before you hit the vampire?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI got him,\u201d Warren sounded certain. \u201cHe felt that shot.\u201d<\/p>\n Andrew thought back to the incident, remembering the pulse of the light and the way the vampire had hit the floor before he vanished. They\u2019d assumed he was completely obliterated, but a laser would probably have a different affect on a vampire. \u201cThere should have been dust.\u201d<\/p>\n Picking Connor up from his carrier, Cordelia gave him his bottle as she walked over to stand next to her three captors. She didn\u2019t know why the PTB would send her a vision that made her think Angel was about to die, but right now she didn\u2019t care. If he was still alive\u2026undead\u2026whatever\u2026Cordelia knew one thing for certain.<\/p>\n \u201cYou three are so going to have your asses kicked,\u201d she grinned saying it. \u201cNot just by me.\u201d<\/p>\n They stared at her for a few seconds before taking her threat to heart. In panic mode they jockeyed for position closer to the door, Warren grabbing the Invisibility Ray from the table.<\/p>\n \u201cCrap!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe knows we\u2019re from Sunnydale.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019ll bring the Slayer.\u201d<\/p>\n Cordelia was almost enjoying their Keystone Cops maneuvers when Warren swung around and grabbed her arm. \u201cHey! Watch it. I\u2019ve got the baby.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBack down to the lair,\u201d Warren told them.<\/p>\n Jonathan figured they\u2019d be headed out the door. \u201cNow?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve got to get our stuff. Who knows when it will be safe to come back,\u201d Warren explained.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll grab the video games and you get the magazines,\u201d suggested Andrew as he ran down the basement steps ahead of Jonathan.<\/p>\n Warren called down to them, \u201cI meant the important<\/i> stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, right. Got it. Autographed scripts and mint condition comic books only,\u201d nodded Jonathan as he moved toward the safe holding their most precious possessions.<\/p>\n All of their plans and blueprints were already onboard the van up in the garage, so it was just a matter of securing these last remaining items and verifying that it was safe to make their escape. \u201cAndrew, check the perimeter.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cChecking,\u201d Andrew left Jonathan to his task and moved over to their makeshift periscope that popped up in the middle of Warren\u2019s mother\u2019s rose garden. \u201cWe\u2019re clear on the west lawn. We\u2019re clear to the north. Wait\u2026no! The perimeter has been breached. There\u2019s someone behind the oak tree.\u201d<\/p>\n Warren and Jonathan both ran to the periscope trying to push Andrew out of the way. Being larger than the other two, Warren won the shoving match. \u201cOh, no. It\u2019s her.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n Bounding to its pinnacle<\/em>
\n To be acknowledged<\/em><\/p>\n
\n Offering tokens of trust<\/em>
\n Seeking a return<\/em><\/p>\n
\n Revelations lost and found<\/em>
\n Speaking from the heart.<\/em><\/p>\n
\nWith a decisive flip of her lush golden hair, Buffy squared her shoulders and marched off in the direction of Spike\u2019s crypt. No knocking required. She booted open the door, calling out his name when he wasn\u2019t immediately there to complain about her forced entry.<\/p>\n