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May 2000 Guest Writer: Nick Bryan
It had been five days since this half-demon had last seen the light of day. His captor was at this moment strolling up and down the row of cages. As he passed his cage, Lyekka managed to force a contemptful smile. "How long is this going to go on for?" "Until youve learnt your lesson. Or died." Lyekka pounded at the bars, but was met with a massive surge of magical power straight into him. The discharge sent him back into the wall. "At least give us more food! This regime is killing me!" The jailer laughed quietly. "Thats the point." And then he left, leaving Lyekka laying on the floor filled with rage. Cordelia came into the office, checked the mail then paid the bills. She still had some money left from the last case, but they needed more. She was trying to decide whether to take this problem to Angel when Wesley entered. "Morning Wes. How are you?" "Annoyed. Someone took my parking space." Cordelia smirked. "How tragic for you. Wesley, we need money. Preferably now, maybe sooner." "Great. Any suggestions?" Cordelia was about to begin her reply. It could have been an actual fundraising idea or a sarcastic retort, but we may never know, because she started to have a vision at this point. She fell back into her chair and disjointed images went across her eyes again. Wesley went over to her and waited for her to recover. However, she didnt seem to be coming back. After a good two minutes had passed, he yelled for Angel. "ANGEL!" Angel heard the shout from his office and ran through. He saw Wesley standing next to Cordelia who was collapsed in her seat, eyes glazed and sporadically convulsing. "She went into a vision a few minutes ago and still hasnt come out of it. Angel came over to her and looked down at her, then she came out of it suddenly, coughing like someone who had just been held underwater then brought up just before drowning. Cordelia finished coughing then lay back on her chair. "Okay. Lots of weird stuff. Firstly, I saw you", pointing to Angel, "getting shot with an arrow. Then I saw Xander. It was weird. He was sort of falling away from me. Oh, and I saw Wesley making a moron of himself. So nothing new there. What do you think?" Angel looked puzzled. "Im not sure. Something about all that rings a bell. But I cant remember. Im sure itll come back to me." Angel wandered off to ponder this, and Wesley stayed with Cordelia. "Would you like a drink of water?" Lyekka was lying down in his cell. Finally, he heard footsteps. He hadnt moved for twenty minutes now. He was conserving energy. When the jailer was right outside, he moved. He lunged at the bars and pushed as hard as he could, using as much power as possible. The bars gave way, and Lyekka, racked with searing pain, threw himself at the jailer. Despite Lyekkas best efforts, the jailer was managing to push him back to his cell. Finally, he stopped trying to fight and moved right. The jailer tripped past him, and Lyekka made a break for freedom. Pilot Episode: Featuring: Angel jumped through the alley and straight into the vampire. He thrust a stake through its heart, and pulled it back out as the demon crumbled into dust. He turned to the victim, smiled at him very slightly then left. He was still thinking about Cordelias vision. There was something about all those elements that was familiar. He knew he should remember it. But he just couldnt. Meanwhile Lyekka was rushing through the streets of LA. He knew where he had to go to be safe. He just didnt want to risk being captured again. He knew in his weakened state that he would be an easy target. He ran like hell, not stopping for anything, until he reached the offices of Wolfram and Hart. Cordelia put the flowers on her desk, took a few steps back and looked at the whole picture. "Look, Wesley! Isnt it great? Doesnt it brighten the room up?" Wesley looked up from the ancient scroll he was deciphering. "Its amazing Cordelia. Or course, the complete absence of sunlight means the room can only get so bright." "Yeah, but thats why we always have all the lights on." She paused, thought, then carried on. "Do you think thats why the electricity bill is always so much?" "Probably." Wesley continued to use the key to decipher the ancient text, when Cordelia cried out and started to keel over. It was only a short vision this time. She was fully awake by the time Wesley got to her. "What did you see?" Cordelia was looking shaken. I saw this knife. Then I saw me. And this knife stabbed me in the stomach. All on its own. What do you think it means?" "Not sure." "Do you think the cutlery wants revenge?" Wesley stopped, shook his head and turned back. "Im sorry, I must have been deciphering too many nonsensical ancient prophecies. I thought you just said that the cutlery wants revenge?" "Well. We spend all our time sticking it in really icky things. If that was me, Id want revenge." Wesley barely had time to raise an indulgent eyebrow when Angel came in. "Good morning everyone." "Hello Angel." "Have we worked out why Cordelia had that strange vision?" "Well, she had another one, and she thinks shes solved it." Wesley informed him. "Really. Whats doing this?" "Cordelia can explain. Im not sure I can do it justice." Wesley sat down and returned to his scroll. "Its the cutlery. The cutlerys out to get me! Maybe because I stuck my knife in that really icky slimy thing last week." This time, Angel raised an indulgent eyebrow. "Sarcasm fails me. Wesley, any actual ideas?" "Not a one. Im not even sure how something would mess with the visions. Theyre meant to be direct communications from the powers that be." Lyekka sat in the reception at Wolfram and Hart waiting to be seen by his attorney. Finally he entered. Mr Kane sat down. "Mr Lyekka. Im so sorry for keeping you busy." "Not bothered really. I just wanted to be here for the safety." Kane looked up from a document he had been reading. "Ah yes, you mentioned you felt you were under threat. What from exactly?" "Theres this guy. Im not sure who or what he is. He locks demons up in this underground cell complex to punish them for their crimes." "And you were locked up there?" "Yeah! I only just escaped, then I ran all the way here." "Interesting..." Kane scribbled more notes, then spoke to Lyekka again. "So what would you like the firm to do?" "I dont know! Sue him! Throw him in jail! Just shut the bastard down so I can live my life in peace!" Kane nodded. "Right. Use the law to stop him doing this. If you could just indicate on this piece of paper the location of the prison you mentioned, that would be fine." As Lyekka drew a map on the paper, Kane continued. "Ill need to discuss it with the partners, but I believe we should be able to do something for you." Kane left the room, and Lyekka prepared to do the same, twitching noticeably. The jailer climbed over the fence and crept stealthily through the alley, sneaking up on the demon. As he got closer, the demon stirred in his sleep. Finally, he settled again, and the jailer began to force the window open. As he stepped into the room, the floor creaked. With that, the demon woke up and saw the intruder. No words were exchanged., he simply charged, swinging his fists. The jailer managed to dodge, then pulled a weapon out of a sheath slung across his back. Another blow having been thrown by the demon, the jailer slicked a switch at the base of the weapon then struck the demons head with it. The massive electric shock rendered the demon immediately down and out. The jailer smiled and began to drag hm back. Cordelias visions were becoming more frequent. She was starting to collapse three or four times a day. And every time, she received more bizarre clues. And still none of them could piece it together. She saw Buffy battling vampires, then she saw another Buffy fighting the undead with the first one. Then this second image of the Slayer began to twist out of shape and contort. Then the vision ended. Two days after it began she stormed into the offices. "I want it to stop right now!" Welsy continued to eat his bagel. "Cordelia, I dont believe that approach works on the powers of the occult. Not yet, anyway." She went over to her chair, still in a huff. "I dont care! I couldnt sleep at all last night! Just lots of thrashing around and vision-having. Even Dennis complained I was disturbing him and he doesnt sleep!" "Just stay calm, and Im sure well find a solution." Wesley reassured her as he continued to eat his bagel and read the newspaper. Cordelia was annoyed at this. "WELL DO SOMETHING THEN!" "Like what?" "I DONT KNOW! LOOK STUFF UP! RESEARCH THE OCCULT! PHONE GILES AND ASK HIM WHAT YOURE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING! JUST DO SOMETHING!" Angel strolled in from downstairs, also eating a bagel. "Morning everyone." "FINE! TAKE HIS SIDE!" At this point Cordelia stormed out. "Did I say something?" Angel asked. "No, the visions are just really getting to her. Either that or PMT." "The second ones a little unlikely." Wesley put the newspaper to one side and started reading a scroll he had picked up as part of his research to discover what was wrong with Cordelias visions. "I know. Not for another two weeks at least." Angel grabbed Wesleys newspaper. "How?" "Got bored yesterday. Flicked through her diary." Angel chuckled. "We really have corrupted you." Kane waited patiently outside the office of the partners of the company. He had given them his notes the previous day, and now he had been summoned back to discuss them. Finally, he heard a call of "Enter, Mr Kane" from within. So he did indeed enter. The man in the centre of the table addressed him first. "Mr Kane, we believe this information would be very helpful to us. We may have a use for this jailer. We believe you have a meeting with Mr Lyekka today, is that correct?" "Yes sir." Kane nodded. "Excellent. Tell him to drop the case. Offer him any amount of financial compensation. Within reason." "And if he refuses?" "Have him killed. Then go to the jailer and deliver this message. Do not open it until you reach the jail." The partner handed him an envelope, which Kane took. Then he went off to his meeting with Lyekka. Lyekka had been sitting in the waiting room of the firm for a few minutes when Kane entered. The sudden entry caused Lyekka to jump slightly. Kane looked at him quizzically, and Lyekka replied. "Sorry Mr Kane. I just get a little jumpy since the whole prison thing, yknow." Kane nodded. "Certainly. Anyway, we have an important matter to discuss. I have made legal inquiries. They wish to negotiate with you about an amount of money to be paid to you in return for your case to be dropped." Lyekka looked outraged, and for a few seconds Kane feared for his own life. "NO! I have a legitimate grievance here! I want...." Exasperatedly, Kane interrupted him. "Look, Lyekka, with no proof but your word, our case is very weak. You really would benefit a lot more from just taking the money." Lyekka slumped back and thought for a few minutes. Finally he nodded slowly. "Fine. How much?" "Five hundred thousand? Will that be adequate?" "I want a million." Kane sighed. The partners would be irritated, but he knew that just about came under acceptable for this sort of situation. "Fine. Here." He wrote the check and handed it to Lyekka. "Enjoy it." "I will." And with that, Lyekka left, leaving Kane with just one more errand to perform. It was nearly the end of that day when Cordelia stormed back into the offices of Angel Investigations. "Oh, hello" muttered Wesley, not looking up from his work. ""Have you found my cure yet?" "Afraid not. Have you had any more visions yet?" "I had this one actually. There was a diagram on this bit of paper. It had pictures of me, Xander, Oz, Cordelia, Willow and Buffy on it, and all these lines indicating who dated who and who had a crush on who. Then that knife from the last vision came through and cut straight through the sheet." Wesley muttered something, then handed her some paper. "Could you draw this knife you keep seeing?" Cordelia scribbled away for a while, then handed him the result. Wesley looked at it, and a spark of something crossed his face. "Ive definitely seen this knife. Somewhere." "Was I eating lunch with it yesterday? Because I had this really disgusting stuff, and......" "Oh, drop it will you?" Wesley muttered irritably. He then looked across at the notes he had made on all of Cordelias visions. "What is still niggling at me is how whoever is doing this can interfere with the visions." "Yeah! Dont they realise theyre tying up the line if someone who needs help tries to get through?" "I doubt they care." Wesley replied shortly, before returning to staring at the notes. Kane went to the door built into the side of a building and knocked lightly on it. After a minute or two, it opened and a strongly built, angry looking man came out. "Can I help you?" "Perhaps you can. Im looking for someone who locks up demons in a prison complex under his house. Do you know him?" The man grabbed his electric stick, turned the voltage down out of Kanes sight, then brought it quickly out and jabbed it into his leg. Kane collapsed immediately and was dragged inside. Angel and Wesley were both having quite similar thoughts. They were both thinking about the collection of information they had on the visions, and how the strange pictures seemed eerily familiar to them. After Angel had finished training, he went up to see Wesley. Cordelia had gone home and he was still there, scribbling on his notes. Angel looked over his shoulder. "Why are you focusing on the knife?" "I cant help think thats the key. It seems so familiar." Angel shook his head. "Someones using the knife to maybe represent something. Or someone. Themselves possibly. What about the other visions?" Wesley scanned the pages. "Which one? The second slayer? You being shot with a bow?" Angels eyes widened. "The second slayer?" Wesley nodded. "Yeah. The..................oh my god." He paused for a second, shocked. "You dont think it is do you?" Angel looked grim. "Yeah. I think so. She did shoot an arrow into me." When Kane woke up, he found he was strapped to a chair. The room he was in was dingy, he couldnt see much. His eyes eventually refocused and he started to take in he surroundings. It wasnt much more impressive when he could see it. Cobwebs, old bricks. His captor had been watching him from behind the chair. When he noticed that Kane was awake, he strolled around in front of the lawyers fixed position and showed him the ID papers he had pulled from his wallet. "So. Mr Kane. You work for Wolfram and Hart?" Kane nodded. "And you came here why? To serve me with a cease and desist?" Kane shook his head. "No. I came to help you." "You work for demons. Why would you help me?" Kane shook his head, more violently. "No. Were on the same side." The jailer chuckled. "Of course you are. Lets see some proof then. Should be funny." Kane launch into his speech. "We at Wolfram and Hart wish to aid what we feel is a very worthwhile enterprise. So, we are offering you our aid in finding and aprehending a legendary demonic killer." The jailer looked interested. "Who?" "This creature is running free right here in LA. We want to help you end its reign of terror." His audience smirked again. "Enough with the melodrama. Just tell me the damn name." Kane smiled back at him. "Angelus." The jailer didnt reply. The aforementioned legendary demonic killer was currently rushing to Cordelias apartment with Wesley. Both were looking grim. "Do you think shell hurt Cordelia?" Wesley asked. "I dont think so. Shes probably after me." "I still dont get how shes doing this." Wesley pondered. "She never had mystical powers. She just beat people up and occasionally killed them." "Well, Im sure Wolfram and Hart or someone would provide the necessary mystical backup. Not to mention a nice cash incentive." "I wouldnt think Faith would need a cash incentive to attack you." Wesley pointed out. Angel shrugged his shoulders. "Every little helps." Cordelia had noticed something odd when she came back home. Dennis had tried to stop her getting in. She then saw that one of her vases had been knocked over. She picked it up muttering "Damn ghost! You couldnt have stopped me from finding out. God, the undead have no respect for good pottery!" As she began to pick the pieces up from under the shelf it had fallen from, she saw a shadow on the floor moving towards her. And before she could even cry out, she stopped seeing anything for the moment, and ended up sprawled on the floor. Angel and Wesley pulled up outside Cordelias apartment building. As they did, Kane saw them from the roof, and muttered into his intercom. "Theyre here. Get ready." Angel and Wesley began to get worried after Cordelia failed to answer the door five minutes after they knocked. Finally, Wesley went up to the door and tried to speak through it. "Cordelia! Are you there?" No reply. "Cordelia!" After this also failed to elicit a response, Wesley turned to Angel. "Nothing. Do it." And with that, he stepped away from the door to let Angel get a run up to kick open. Then lock was torn away and the door swung open. Angel led Wesley cautiously inside. They called Cordelias name a few more times, but still there was nothing. Then Angel turned a corner. Wesley didnt come behind him. He realised this and turned back, expecting to find Wesley and tripped over something. Instead, he saw Wesley twitching on the floor. He whirled around, looking for the attacker. He saw a shadow dart across the room, and tried to face it. "Faith? Is that you?" He then heard a quick sound to his left and punched at it. He connected, and the jailer stumbled back. Angel saw that it wasnt Faith and pounced. "Who are you?" Kane watched this scene through his binoculars and sighed. The jailer had assured him he could handle Angel. Wolfram and Hart hadnt gone to all the trouble of setting the situation up just for the jailer to mess up and Angel to escape. The senior partners would not be happy. Which is why Kane had brought a grenade launcher. As Angel leapt at the other man, the jailer returned to a combative stance. Too late, the vampire realised that his opponent had just been faking. He tried to pull back, he flew straight into the path of a punch, then only had time to gasp before the shock stick was plunged at his stomach, delivering enough electricity to render him totally unconscious. Kane breathed a sigh of relief and put away the grenade launcher. He knew the senior partners would not have wanted any unnecessary explosions. This had worked out well. Then his intercom buzzed. "Do you think I should take his associates?" Kane immediately replied "No, dont bother. Save prison space for the real threats. Besides, they wont be able to do much without their leader." "Agreed." With that, the jailer switched off the device and dragged Angel to the waiting car, leaving Kane to congratulate himself on a job well done. By the time Cordelia woke up, Angel was halfway across town. She looked around and saw the kicked in door, and the unconscious Wesley, then immediately wondered what had happened here. To find out, she wasted no time in shaking Wesley awake. "WESLEY! WAKE UP YOU IDIOT!" After a minute or two of this, he began to stir. "Oh god.........what happened?" "I dont know. You got knocked unconscious. As you idiots frequently are." "Where were you?" "Knocked unconscious. But in a cool way." Wesley looked at her head, then felt gingerly his own. "Excuse me? Could you stop eyeing me up and stop feeling yourself?" Cordelia protested. "Dont you see the problem? Can you see an injury on either of our heads? Shouldnt there be at least a bruise if we were knocked unconscious? I think it was something else. Maybe a drug or electricity." "Oh. Weird. And not particularly important." "Yes it is. I think punching is more Faiths style." Cordelia was perplexed. "Faith? When did she even come into this?" "Oh yeah. Angel and I found that she was probably the one behind your visions. We came here to save you. And where is Angel anyway?" "Faith? I knew it. Shes a psycho. I mean, we should have known she was mentally challenged from the second she slept with Xander, but still........." "We didnt find out she slept with Xander until after she killed that guy." "Oh yeah." She changed the subject. "Anyway, where is Angel?" "And come to think of it," Wesley continued, "Didnt you sleep with Xander? More than once?" "Shut up." Cordelia replied firmly. Wesley smiled slightly. "Sorry. ANGEL!" He didnt come. Finally, Cordelia went over and turned the lights on. Angel was nowhere to be seen. "Maybe Faith took him as............a sex toy!" Cordelia hypothesised. "I really dont think its Faith. She didnt punch us. Not her style. Shes into the physical brutality of it, and we dont have a single mark on us from a blow or stab." "So you mean that while Faith is messing with my visions, something entirely different decides to attack us and vampnap Angel. Wow, when it rains around here it really does pour." Wesley nodded. "We need to decide on a strategy. Back to the office." And they went to start driving. Angel was out of it for about an hour. More than long enough for the jailer to drive him back and throw him into a cell. After that had happened, Angel did eventually wake up. He looked around and took in his surroundings. It was a bare, nondescript room with a basic bed and not much else. Finally, he took in the bars keeping him in. They were made entirely of energy. As he approached them, they began to buzz, and when he got too near, they zapped him right back. In his weakened state, this proved devastating. As he lay there, trying to catch his breath, his captor arrived. "Angelus. Welcome to my little establishment." Angel managed to sit up, and spit a half-question at him. "Who the hell..........." "Some people call me Kyhan. I run this place." Angel smiled indulgently. "And you made up that name, yes?" "Indeed. Feel free to have your little jokes. Youll have a long time to enjoy them." "So, Mr Warden, how long am I sentenced to?" Kyhan thought for a minute. "About a hundred years. Sound good?" Angel didnt think for any time. "No, actually." "Well Angelus, Im afraid you have no say in the matter." Angel sighed. "Look, I know youre deluded and you think this is a big good turn, but you really dont want to........." "I know what I want to do. I want to keep people safe from demons who prey on their weakness. Like you." "Fine. Im evil. What are you going to do with me?" "Very little. You just stay here, I feed you a small amount, and you either go free in a century or die." "Great. Thats heartening stuff." "Okay. See you in a hundred years Angelus." And with that, he left, leaving Angel slumped on his cell floor. At the offices of Angel Investigations, Wesley and Cordelia were burning the midnight oil. Cordelia looked over all Wesleys notes on her strange visions. "Okay, I think I can see why its Faith. So what do we do?" Wesley shrugged. "Well, Angel would be a bit of a necessity if we want to go up against Faith." "Who do you think took him?" Wesley was again clueless. "No idea. If they used drugs or electricity, it would be a modern thing that got him. And there hasnt really been time to write ancient texts about modern things." "What about prophecies?" "Ive already scanned prophecies about this time to try and find out about your visions. Nothing there." Cordelia suddenly had an idea. "Why dont we go and see those Oracle guys? The ones Angel knows. Arent they meant to have something to do with the visions?" Wesley nodded. "I think so. But I doubt the Oracles will see us." "How about we just go back to Sunnydale and see if anythings changed. If Faiths still there. Maybe Buffy and her evil battling buddies have seen her." Wesley shook his head. "No. We havent got time. It might not be Faith, and if it isnt, we waste valuable time." "Its obviously Faith with the visions! And as far as Angel goes, well, hes a big boy, he can handle himself." Wesley contemplated this. He knew they had to do something, and he honestly didnt have any better ideas. "We cant afford to spend too long. A day at the most." Cordelia nodded. "Right. Well leave early in the morning. Lets get going. Ill go pack." As she left to drive home, Wesley called after her. "Remember! Travel LIGHT!" Then he lent back and sighed. He knew this one could be hard. But this had been a tough decision. He didnt like abandoning Angel. He knew he could fend for himself, but he wasnt sure if he was in a position to. For all he knew, Faith was out of her coma and prowling the streets of LA. Or she could be lying comatose in her bed in Sunnydale and this could be a complete waste of time. Either way, the margin for error was huge, and they couldnt afford to make any errors. Kane came back to the offices of Wolfram and Hart with a smile. He went straight to the offices of the partners and stood outside waiting to be summoned. He gave the grenade launched to the secretary while he waited, and shortly afterwards he heard a call of "Enter, Mr Kane." Kane opened the doors and went in. "Gentlemen, the mission was a success. Kyhan has captured Angel, he is imprisoned underground." "Will he be out of the way long enough?" "Easily. Its nothing more than a matter of time." "Good. His friends should be out of town for a day or so, so completing your task should be childs play." Kane nodded. "And Mr Kane. If you are fully successful in everything, you may be next in line for a promotion. Were always looking for good people to move up the company ladder." Kane smiled. "Thank you. It would be a great honour." "Just dont disappoint us, Mr Kane." "Never." And then he left the room, letting the doors swing shut behind him. He felt like he really had achieved something today. Cordelia brouht her suitcase out from the apartment and loaded it back into the car. She went back in to lock up, pausing briefly only to say "Bye Dennis. And remember: No wild parties." Then she jumped into the driver;s seat, next to Wesley. The former Watcher was looking somewhat nervous. "With you being liable to collapse with a vision at any time, should you really be driving?" She smiled in her cute little girl way. "Dont worry. Ill be fine. Just............ARGH!" With that she collapsed onto the steering wheel, hooting the horn in the process, and apparently having a very vivid vision. "Cordelia! Are you alright?" She sprang back up. "Fine. Just kidding." Wesley rolled his eyes, and indicated the road. "In your own time." Cordelia smiled slightly. "Thank you kind sir." And with that she sped away. As they were cruising down the highway to Sunnydale, Wesley was still making notes. "What are you writing now, shut-eyed Watcher?" Wesley laughed quietly. "Funny. Nothing much. Just trying to think about whats happened to Angel." "Hey! I thought we agreed: No depressing conversation on this journey." "Okay, okay. Like you say. Wherever he is, he can take care of himself." Angel got up from the makeshift bed, having caught an hour of sleep. He was sweating all over. He was convinced Kyhan somehow heated up the cells to make them more uncomfortable. His muscles were feeling weak. He stumbled across the room, unthinkingly venturing too close to the barrier. The magical blast he received was the final straw. He tumbled to the floor, not unconscious, but simply too utterly spent to move. TO BE CONTINUED.... NEXT, IN AN ALL NEW BUFFY: In a special cross-over feature Wesley and Cordelia arrive back on the town above the Hellmouth in their attempt to discover whether Faith is out of her coma and causing Cordelias disturbing visions. Meanwhile, the Scooby Gang are pre-occupied with the Initiatives activity and the large chaos demon on the loose. Thats "Prisoners", out soon. AFTER THAT, IN AN ALL NEW ANGEL: Returning from their little holiday in Sunnydale, Wesley and Cordelia resume the hunt for Angel. Did they solve the vision problem in Sunnydale? Will Angel himself be able to do anything to escape from Kyhan? And why did Wolfram and Hart want them all out of the way? Find out in "The Lockdown", the conclusion of this entire story, next episode in the moderately distant future. Did you like this episode? E-Mail Nick and let him know! |