Title: Who Said You Only Live Once
Author: anne
Posted: 02-04-2003
Rating: NC17
Email:
Content: c/a is the goal, this is an Highlander cross-over.
Summary:
Spoilers: ATS- takes place in between S2 and S3 (but- I’ve mentioned things learned in Birthday (S3-); However, the important part- no Connor (baby or otherwise) or reappearance of Darla or Groo or anything remotely S4 - or when Wesley and Fred decided to get eye surgery or contacts thereby not needing their glasses:
Highlander- I don’t know the episodes well enough to say- the series has ended so there is no chance of anyone being ‘spoiled’ but I have included a brief history of certain characters…and the mention of the demon Ahriman was an arch at the end of S5& S6-
Disclaimer: The characters in the Angelverse were created by Joss Whedon & David Greenwalt. No infringement is intended, no profit is made. Highlander belongs to Gaumount/Davis.
Distribution:
Notes: if you don’t like crossovers or the Highlander you won’t like this- I hope that you’ll give it a chance but I’ll completely understand if you don’t.
Highlander Notes: (brief summary for those that are unaware-the Highlander was a show about Immortals- beings that were immortal except they could be killed by decapitation and their purpose was to live for the ‘gathering’ a final battle that left one with the power of all- main character- Duncan Macleod- Highlander- 450 years old-very nice looking- cool- (OK, my opinion) )
Methos- 5000 years old -yeah- that old. Really a cool character- history- (except- that he was one of the four horsemen of the apocalypse.
Cassandra- almost as old as Methos- the history- Methos with his friends killed her whole village-and I guess her (except she was also an Immortal)
I read from the great feedback that either people know all about the Highlander or barely nothing….this part tells a little more in depth about Immortals. Anything that is wrong- sorry to the purist. I’m going on memory and a quick refreshing from episode guides.
Feedback:
Dedication: Dannyblue - Thanks for reading my spirited ideas- more importantly your encouragement.Part 52
Angel took a second, focusing on Cordelia. She was battling two vampires. Their attacks kept at bay by her sword. Angel ran grabbing one and ripping the other’s head from his shoulder. Cordelia yelled as more vampires crowded her. “Angel, Wesley,” she yelled pushing at an ugly demon that was in her face. “Angel,” she yelled as she was dragged out of the fight. Cordy tried, but the blow that smacked her, was causing her head to vibrate.
Momentarily dazed, Cordelia couldn’t resist the vampires that were dragging her deeper into the tunnel away from her friends.
Angel swung his leg in a high arch, his boot impacted on the chest of a vampire that was separating him from Cordelia, knocking the demon against the wall.
“Shit, this a few?” Gunn grumbled spearing an attacking vampire. “Where’s the kid?”
Wesley concentrated on loading his cross bow not answering.
Angel growled, leaping over another vampire that blocked his path to Cordelia. Angel’s mind rang with the sound of the blow that the demon inflicted on the young woman, his rage fueling his jump.
He grabbed the nearest vampire, breaking the arm that was holding Cordelia.
“Cordy?”
The young woman blinked away her haze as the pain of her head injury disappeared. “I’m fine.” She elbowed the remaining vampire that was gripping her other arm.
Angel swung the staggered vampire around, plunging the stake that appeared from the sleeve of his coat.
“Thanks,” Cordy smiled. “Guess, I still need you to save me, uh?”
Angel shook his head, gently cupping her chin. “I always will.”
Cordelia grin disappeared as she pointed over Angel’s shoulder. “The boy.”
Angel saw the child at the same time as Gunn. Both started to run as more vampires converged on the crying, scrambling child.
Cordelia scanned the floor of the sewer grabbing up her fallen sword, heading towards the boy. “Wesley.”
The man nodded pointing his crossbow, shooting the vampire nearest to the child.
“Where are they all coming from,” Cordy yelled as she was knocked to the ground by a vampire that dropped from an over hang along the ceiling. “Wes,” she screamed as she kicked at the vampire that was pulling her along the ground. Her fists joined her feet, smacking at the vampire trying to get back to Wesley.
Wesley was engaged in his own close quarters fighting as another vampire dropped from the ceiling.
“No.” Cordy yelled, in panic as the vampire swung Wesley around exposing his neck.
Cordelia screamed again as more vampires appeared yanking her further away.
“Shit.” Gunn grunted looking over his shoulder and plunging his large stake into a vampire.
Angel jerked, cracking the neck of the vampire he was holding.
“Angel, I’ll get the boy,” Gunn urged the vampire towards Wesley.
“Where’s he going? Hey, kid.” Gunn watched as the striped t-shirt of the child vanished around the bend. Gunn shrugged, the kid was alive, healthy, running, and no vamps were following. He turned his attention to his friends.
Gunn took off in a run as Wesley’s body shook in spasms under the power of the vampire sucking him dead.
Angel leapt shooting his feet forward impacting with the vampire’s head. The demon jerked back as Gunn scrambled on his knees towards the fallen man “Wes, Come on Wes, man, come one,” Gunn pulled at his friend.
Angel dropped the vampire that he was about to decapitate. “Where is Cordelia?”
Gunn cradled an injured Wesley close. “Shit.” His hand clapped over the blood spurting from his friend’s neck wound.
“Get him out of here, to an hospital.” Angel picked up Cordelia’s abandoned sword, disappearing into the depths of the sewers following the scent of Cordy and her abductors.
Part 53
Walter counted to twenty then counted again at the silence. He peered out from his hiding place under the counter feeling fairly confident that the shooting finally stopped.
“What the hell?” He looked disgusted at the damaged glass plane window. Guns, bullets weren’t the norm at all. Sure, he had his share of rambunctious demons, but guns. He shook his head. What was the world coming too?
He groaned peering through the broken window. Dead people. Dead human people. Walter groaned again, dead humans meant police, police meant loss of money, no customers would want to come with the police asking a bunch of questions.
Walter blinked. Okay, now he had questions. But at least maybe there would be no police.
Walter watched as the both supposedly dead men moved, slowly getting to their feet, blood and bullet holes peppered their shirts and coats.
“Fred.” Methos quickly bent down brushing at the unconscious young woman’s hair.
“Is she alright?” Duncan knelt down.
Methos searched for injuries. “Not shot. Unconscious. Fred.” He called again.
Walter slunk back into the store. Just great, just great. Those were the same men that had questioned him about Cordelia Chase and wasn’t Fred the name of the other human female under Angel’s protection. He could have sworn that was what he heard. Walter groaned thinking about migrating to Arizona, it was sunny there. He just knew somehow the vampire would blame him.
***
Duncan and Methos breathed sighs of relief as Fred moved and moaned.
Methos helped her up to a seated position. Fred straightened her glasses. “Were we just shot at?” She asked shakily. Her eyes widened as she saw the blood on the Immortals’ clothing. “Oh my god, you both were shot? Are you…?”
“We’re fine. Immortals remember.” Methos smiled.
“Right. Wow,” her eyes widened again on Methos. “You saved me.”
Methos stood, holding out his hand for the young woman. “Don’t look at me like that young lady, I’m not a hero, I just needed someone to fall on.”
Fred narrowed her eyes. “You did TO save me.”
Duncan smiled as his friend fidgeted under the young woman’s awed gaze.
Methos shook his head, scanning the ground. “The book.”
Fred shook her head up and down frantically. “The men who shot us, they took it, I saw it, drove away in a black van, not the book, but the men with the book.”
“Little overkill to steal a book.” Methos looked around at all the damage.
“I suggest we take this conversation away from here, before we have to explain why we’re not dead or we both will end up on tabloid cover.”
Part 54
Lindsay tossed the book on Lilah’s desk.
She reached for the text. “This is what’s so important?”
Lindsay shrugged. “It’s a spell book.”
Lilah flipped through the pages. “Which one has our Immortal so interested?
“Inconveniently none had a big red X exclaiming read me, read me.
Lilah rolled her eyes. “Any problems?”
“Nope, just another example of city violence- luckily no deaths or reportable ones anyway. What about the vision?”
“Not quite so successful. Cordelia Chase was taken but it seems Wyndham-Price may still live.” She shrugged. “But we have the book, live or die, he won’t using that research brain of his on it. Though, I wouldn’t mind knowing just what he was reading.”
Lindsay picked the book back up. “I said there wasn’t a big red X, but there is this,” He opened the book showing coffee ruined pages.
Lilah grabbed at the text. “Get it to research, they may be able to do something with it.”
“I thought our partner wanted it.”
“Funny, how you don’t always get what you want. We need to know what’s going on. I don’t trust her.”
“You don’t trust anyone.”
“And you do?” Lilah scoffed.
Lindsay nodded conceding her point. “I assume that we have Cordelia then.”
“I told our men to keep her safely under lock and key. The Immortal will get her when we know exactly why she wants her.” Lilah paused and answered the shrilling of her phone.
Lilah listened getting more aggitated. “Christ. Find her.” Lilah slammed the phone down. “The team sent to intercept the vampires has been compromised.”
“Angel?”
“Good guess, but no, it seems our Immortal doesn’t trust us either. Took a few heads and Cordelia.”
Lindsay picked up the book. “I think I’ll just hurry this down to research while you handle your little problem.”
“Our problem, our problem,” Lilah called after him. “Don’t forget this is both our asses.”
Lindsay waved the book and kept walking.
Part 55
Duncan stripped off his jacket throwing it on the couch. Methos mimicked his actions. “Fred?”
The young woman winced as she peered at her hand. “I think I got a splinter of glass,” she held out her hand.
Methos studied the young woman’s palm. “Yep, do you have any tweezers around here.”
“First aid kit. It stings a little.”
“Come on.”
“I’m okay. You probably think I’m a baby, whining about a tiny piece of glass after you just have been shot to death. That had to have hurt. Are you sure you’re all right.”
“Yes. Just in dire need of a shirt change and a new jacket. But first, let’s get you all healed.”
Duncan’s bemusement at Metho’s rare show of concern for anyone other than himself was interrupted as the front door burst opened and Gunn straggled in holding up Wesley.
“Jesus, what happened?” Duncan hurried to help Gunn.
“Vamp bit him.”
“Oh god, Wesley.” Fred ran up to the men. “Charles, put him on the couch, hurry. Shouldn’t he be in the hospital?”
Wesley groaned. “I’ll be okay, the bleeding has stopped. Fred, perhaps you could get me some bandages?”
“Oh god, of course.” Fred ran to get the first aid kit.
Gabriel paused on the bottom steps, her wide eyes blinking, and hands clasped over her ample chest. “Oh, what happened? Wesley,” she cried her blue eye’s tearing up. “Is he going to die?” Gabriel started to sob.
“Of course, he’s not dying.” Fred glared running past Gabriel back to Wesley a roll of bandages in her hand. She started pulling long strips of gauze. “Cordy, usually does this,” she muttered nervously.
Duncan looked around. “Where is Cordy?”
Gunn flopped down on the seat next to Wesley. “The vamps took her. Angel went after them.”
Methos frowned. “Took her, not bit her.”
Gunn shrugged. “I don’t get it” he shot a look towards Gabriel. “It was more than a few, girl. The place was crawling with vamps.”
Gabriel sniffled. “It wasn’t my fault, I only can tell you what I see. I only saw a few.” She whined.
“The boy?” Fred bit her lips.
“Escaped, the blood suckers seemed more interested in getting Cordy and snacking on Wes.” Gun shook his head. “Don’t get it, man,” the black man repeated, rubbing his smooth head in frustration. He stopped as she noticed Duncan’s bloodied shirt and then Methos’. “What the hell happened to you?”
“We were shot outside Walter’s and the book stolen.”
Wesley and Gunn’s eyes went directly to Fred. “Are you all right?” They both asked.
Fred nodded. “Methos saved me, threw me down, covered me with his body. He died, they both did. How’s that Wesley?” She gently smoothed the tape over the gauze securing the bandage to his throat.
Wesley nodded. “Perfect.”
“Do you need anything else, aspirin, food, don’t they give crackers to people that donate blood?”
“I’ll be fine.” Wesley tried to stand. Gunn caught him as he started to fall. “Man, stay down.”
“No, I need to get to my office.” Wesley took a deep breath.
“Wesley, Charles is right, you should lie down.” Fred chewed worriedly at her lips.
Wesley shook his head, toping when his gaze landed on the Immortals. “Where’s Cassandra?”
“What?” Duncan asked in surprised.
Methos let out a loud breath. “Damn.”
Wesley glared at the man. “Yes, damn. You should’ve come to me sooner. Cordelia’s life is in danger. If anything happens to her….”
“Whoa, Wes, what loop are we out of.”
“Wes.” A deep restrained voice penetrated the room.
“Angel,” Gabriel ran up, brushing at her tears. “I was so worried about you.”
Angel didn’t acknowledge the woman except to push her away. “Wesley, what do you know?”
“Cordy?” Fred asked, yanking at Gabriel keeping her at arms length from the vampire.
“I lost her,” the words choked in Angel’s throat. Rage forced Angel motionless. “Wesley, what do you know, will it find her? I need to find her.”
“I…” Wesley closed his eyes briefly at the need exposed in Angel’s dark gaze. “We need to find Cassandra, where is she?” He asked the Immortal’s again.
“What does…?”
Methos interrupted Duncan and faced Wesley. “We don’t know. Duncan asked Joe to find her watcher. He hasn’t called yet”
Wesley took a step closer to the Immortal, his voice tense. “You called Dawson, you should've come to me. I AM Cordelia's watcher, I've access to the same information.”
Methos shrugged.
Wesley swayed as he turned too quickly. “Wes.” Gunn lent an arm to steady his friend.
Wesley nodded his thanks. “My office.”
Angel resisted his urge to grab the injured man by the shirt and shake some answers out of the watcher. But, Angel recognized the need for patience; Wesley was preparing to tell what he knew. Angel just hoped that whatever Wesley had to say gave him the ability to find Cordelia and a responsible party to kill.
Part 56
Duncan pulled at Methos' arms, holding him back from following Wesley and the others into the office.
“What does Cassandra have to do with Cordelia being in danger?”
Methos sighed. “I’d hoped that my suspicion was wrong. I asked Wesley to interpret one of the spells in the book she sent you for. Obviously, he came to the same conclusion, a lot quicker than I did, but then again, he didn’t want to be wrong.”
“What?”
“He’ll explain better than I can, I imagine, and possibly you’ll believe him.”
***
Wesley pushed at the papers on his desk, pulling out a legal pad from the stack.
“Methos asked me to translate a spell of Baba Yaga. Baba Yaga was an Eastern European witch, attributed to myth…”
“Wesley,” Angel’s patience was riding thin. He needed hear the part where he could go find Cordelia not a lecture on witches.
Wesley nodded seeing the balance the vampire was trying to maintain. “The spell once performed would not only give the enchanter immortality but ultimate power over the day and night, or in other words everything, the world and beyond. In most tales, she commands the ‘Other World’ as well as the day and night.”
Angel interrupted Wesley. “I don’t have time for this. I have to find Cordelia.”
“Wes, man, I got agree, what’s a wicked witch got to do with Cordy?”
“Baba Yaga’s wickedness is the fabrication of folklore, in fact…Right,” Wesley stopped at Angel’s growl. “The spell requires certain ingredients, one the eyes of a seer…”
“My eyes,” Gabriel squealed. “Angel, you have to save me.” She lurched onto his jacket.
“Get her off me,” he shoved the woman. Fred happily tugged at the woman’s arm.
“If you don’t shut up right now, I AM going to lock you in a closet. This is about Cordy, not you, so be quiet.” Fred gave another yank for good measure.
“I’m Angel’s seer, not Cordelia, I’m the one in danger, not her, she just got herself killed by vampires, I’m the one that could lose my eyes.”
“GET HER OUT.” Angel growled ready to take his anger out on the woman.
“Happily.” Fred dragged the blonde seer out of the office, her slight form hiding a surprising strength. “I warned you.” Fred pushed the blonde towards the utility closet.
“You wouldn’t.” Gabriel squealed digging her feet in.
“No, but I will, if you so much as look in that office again.” Fred glared her arms crossed against her chest.
“Everyone is so mean to me.” Gabriel ran up the stairs crying.
“God, she just isn’t normal.” Fred mumbled and hurried back into the office to hear the rest of what Wesley had to say.
***
“Gabby’s got a point,” Gunn backed up. “Not about Cordy being killed, whoa.” He said quickly at Angel’s growl. “But, Gabby is the seer in this picture, not Cordy, which is cool – so no one will be wanting her eyes.”
Wesley shook his head. “That was my first thought, but these words CHIJIa, ObJierYeHHe, OrHeBaR MOIlLb, fire power, lightening, power,” Wesley translated for the room. “Their placement in the spell emphasizes their importance. It’s describing a Quickening.” Wesley shot a look at Methos. “You had to realize this.”
“I could’ve been wrong. My familiarity with ancient Slavic languages and spells is limited and I hoped I was wrong.”
“Quick what?” Gunn asked.
“A Quickening- it happens when one Immortal takes the head of another. A surge of power that leaves the decapitated Immortal and effuses the winner, it’s best understood as an Immortal’s life force, energy. It's his or hers power. It’s transferred at the moment of death. And it’s a phenomenon that only occurs when an Immortal kills another Immortal. Taking Gabriel’s eyes then killing her would not create the requisite Quickening needed for the spell to be successful.”
Duncan shook his head, “You’re not suggesting Cassandra wanted to use that spell? No. Hell, she could be the one in danger, she has the sight. She doesn’t need a spell to be Immortal, she already is.”
“She does to be all powerful,” Methos said quietly.
“I thought about that to,” Wesley responded. “But this word, IiyXoBHblH, other worldly. As both you and Methos pointed out, Cassandra’s gift isn’t from the Power’s- which could be classified as ‘other worldly’, Cordy’s was, and Cassandra did want this book.” He held up the Baba Yaga text.
Duncan’s shaking head became more aggressive. “She wanted it for research, she had no idea that we would even find Cordelia here in LA and Cordy’s isn’t a seer any more. It’s just a coincidence.”
“One that we can’t afford, one that Cordy can’t. We need to know where Cassandra is. The fact that Cordelia is no longer Angel’s seer may not matter. Her experience as one is embedded in her being, it is part of her life essence, her power.”
“She’s in Russia, half the world away.” Duncan refused to believe what he was hearing.
“Mac, we don’t know that.”
“You believe this.”
“I don’t like coincidences, Duncan, and if it’s true than all Immortal’s are in danger, not just Cordelia. She’s cheating.”
“I don’t care about any other Immortals, just Cordy.” Angel swung around to face Methos. “Why didn’t you tell us sooner. I would’ve never allowed Cordy to leave this hotel.” He growled. “You put her in danger.”
“Angel.” Wesley held out his hand, a weak gesture to be sure in preventing the vampire from attacking but Wesley wasn’t up to full strength. “We need to find Cordy and Cassandra. Duncan, I would suggest calling Joe again, find out if his search as come up with anything.” Wesley braced his arms against the desk lowering his body back into the chair. “Why would vampires take Cordelia, would Cassandra employ vampires?” saying out loud his one unanswered question.
“We don’t know that Cass….”
Methos laid a hand on Duncan’s arm. “Call Joe again, find her then we’ll know.”
Duncan shook his head and stormed out of the office.
“Humans, also.” Angel said suddenly.
“Pardon me.” Wesley adjusted his glasses looking at the vampire.
“I followed Cordy’s scent to an upper level of the sewers, there the scents were a mixture of human, vampires and Cordy. It led to another room, closer to the surface there I found dust, headless human bodies and no Cordy. I lost her to the daylight.”
“It wasn’t vampires that shot us up.” Methos commented. “But, I can’t see Cassandra working with vampires.”
“Humans with guns, vampires, all powerful potential baddie, danger to Cordy, leave out the live forever bitch, I’d be saying it screams of the evil ass lawyers.” Gunn slumped on the edge of Wesley’s desk.
Wesley considered. “It could be possible, maybe they’re working together. Angel.” But the vampire was already gone.
“Gunn?”
“I’ll take the car, you coming,” the black man nodded to Methos.
The Immortal jerked his head up and down.
Gunn and Methos stopped as Duncan came back in. “Where’s Angel going?”
“Evil lawyers, it seems.” Methos shrugged. “Joe?”
“He heard from the watcher he sent to Russia. Cassandra’s watcher has been located- in a morgue. Found headless in the woods, a victim of bizarre hunting accident. No one knows where Cassandra is.” His brain finally accepting what his feelings were still fighting.
Wesley rubbed his forehead. “Go, Gunn.”
“I’m going.” Duncan grabbed his bloodied jacket and Cordelia’s sword as he followed Methos and Gunn out of the hotel.
Fred chewed on her lips. “Wesley, you really should lie down, there’s nothing more you can do.”
“I can still worry.”
Fred shrugged. “You can do that in bed, right?” The paleness of Wesley’s complexion made Fred uneasy.
Part 57
Lilah knocked her head on her desk.
“A sign of weakness, not attractive.” Lindsay leaned up in the doorway.
“Did you read this?” She held up the folder.
Lindsay waved an identical folder. “Got it and the memo.”
“What are the chances that this isn’t going to come back and bite us in the ass.”
Lindsay settled in the chair. “We should be okay, there’s nothing to link us to the Immortal.”
Lilah nodded. “So, we’re just pulling out.”
“That’s what the memo from the higher ups says, after we prevent the spell from occurring. No body wants an all powerful Immortal, that's too much of crossing the lines for the senior partners.” Lindsay threw a piece of paper on the desk. “We found her.”
Lilah knocked her head on the desk again. “I can’t believe that we’re going to save Cordelia Chase.”
“I do. But leave the saving to me. Good choice, pulling out otherwise it would’ve been regretful, thanks for the hand,” Angel nodded to Lindsay. The vampire strode in snatching the address from the desk. Angel was gone as quickly and silently as he appeared.
“God damn, do the vampire detectors ever work?” Lilah pounded her head on the surface again.
“Doesn’t that give you an headache?” Lindsay concentrated on flexing his Playtex fingers. “Look on the bright side, bad joke, minimum implied threat, the all powerful out of our hands and into Angel’s, Gabriel still in position, her cover solid as long as the big headed freak keeps the brain juice flowing. We’re golden.”
“You are sick, you know that,” Lilah peered up from the desk.
“Oh, come on, Lilah, the glass is always half full.”
“Until someone drinks it.”
***
Cordelia struggled for consciousness, a buzzing penetrating the fog the clouded her brain. What the hell? She winced. She felt like she was swimming a losing battle against mud. Cordelia groaned raising her hand to her head. She squinted open her eyes, her hands weren’t moving. She squirmed. Now what? It took her mind a minute to identify the problem. Her hands were tied behind her back. The return of her ability to think didn’t make her jump for joy. It only upgraded the now what to What the Fuck?
Cordelia searched for the source of buzzing, hoping to see Duncan or Methos. “Who are you?” She stared at the woman before her.
“Hello.”
“Yeah, hi, nice to meet you, blah, blah, and all the hypocritical BS pleasantries.”
“You don’t think I’m happy to see you.”
Cordelia squirmed again, jerking her back up against the wall. “I guess that depends, are you happy that I’m tied up and most likely your prisoner.”
“Actually, yes.”
“Then I guess you are.” Cordelia sighed. “How many rules are you breaking?” Cordelia eyed the sword in the woman’s hand.
“This isn’t holy ground and we’re not fighting.”
“You seem to know me, I don’t know you. Who are you and what did you give me?”
“The name’s Cassandra and just a little drug to keep you immobilized, it seems to be wearing off.” The woman smiled going over to a long table.
“Cassandra? Duncan and Methos’ friend?”
“Methos, never.”
“Sorry, heard about your history. Why am I here?”
“Well, you see there’s this spell and I need your head and your eyes, not exactly in that order.”
“That’s got to be against the rules.”
Cassandra shrugged. “I’ve been alive for a long time. I’ve come to learn that the only rules that should be followed are your own. Methos was the first one that taught me that as he killed my family, raped me, kept me as his slave and than gave me to Chronos.” Cassandra poured a bag full of power into a clay colander.
“You’re just stock full with issues aren’t you. Have you tried therapy?” Cordelia’s fingers tugged at her shirt, grateful for the paranoid, overprotective, obsessive vampire that she loved. If it weren’t for his insistent nagging and need to always be prepared her fingers wouldn’t have found the small blade tucked in the waistband of her jeans.
“Don’t analyze or try to chat,” Cassandra shot over her shoulder. “You won’t be alive long enough for us to be friends.”
“I don’t think that’s an option. I tend to like friends that don’t want my eyes or me dead.” Cordelia’s nimble fingers worked overtime trying to pull the blade from its holster. She kept her face blank as the blade slid out. Cordelia sawed at the ropes that made her helpless. Now all she needed was her sword but she’d settle for getting the fuck out of there.
Part 58
Gunn slammed on the brakes pulling half on, half off the curb in the circular drive in front of the Wolfram & Hart building.
“Now what? Just walk in and ask where the vampire happens to be threatening a bunch of evil lawyers.” Methos leaned up over the seat, studying the imposing multi-story high-rise.
Gunn shrugged. “Sounds like a plan,” vaulting over the driver's door.
“That’s not a plan.” Methos followed Duncan out.
Gunn stood in the doorway of the big glassed in lobby. “I’m saying Angel’s come and gone.” He jerked his head towards the security guards armed with guns and crossbows that poured into lobby, most going to the elevators, the others heading towards the front glassed in doors.
“Sir, we’re going to have to ask you to leave,” a guard pushed at Gunn. “We’re closed.” The guard slammed the door, initiating a metal door that clanked down over the glass securing the lobby.
“I think your plan is no longer an option.” Methos watched the building become a metal fortress. He half expected the drive to disappear into a moat equipped with the requisite flesh eating fish.
“Plan B,” Gunn pulled out his cell phone. “Let’s just hope the vamp remembered his.”
“Surprise, he did, cool.” Gunn nodded to the Immortals, turning back to the phone. “Angel, Whatcha got.”
“Done.” Gunn flipped his phone closed. “He’s got an address. We’ll meet him there. He's sticking to the sewers. Let’s go.”
***
Angel clenched the small piece of paper tightly in his fist. The address was burnt into his brain as soon as he saw the letters that made up the words, just as the path along the sewers he would need to take was flashing along with those words guiding his feet to his destination. But the crumbled paper gave him assurance. The feel of the paper was real in his palm. It was a tangible link to finding Cordelia. And Angel would find her. She would be alive, he would eradicate the threat, and he would take her home. There was no other option. Except, Angel would have to make a return visit to Wolfram & Hart, he hadn’t wanted to waste the time to emphasize to the lawyers that putting Cordelia in harms way, would result in an equal and opposite harm to them. Once, Cordelia was safe, he would make sure they realized the inevitability of his own particular law of nature.
Part 59
Cordelia kept her fingers working. Soon she would be free- then what? She glanced at the other Immortal. Duncan never mentioned that his friend was insane. She scrunched up her nose at the pungent sweetness of the incense that was burning. Cordelia wasn’t an expert on spells, but incense and candles always seemed to signal the final stage. Well, the Immortal said she needed Cordy’s eyes and they were still in her head, so Cassandra wasn’t quite at the final stage.
Cordelia inwardly groaned, eyeing the nasty looking thin dagger and forceps resting near the candles. It wasn’t fair. She wasn’t Angel’s seer anymore but people still wanted her eyes. Cordelia quickened the pace of the blade, hiding her wince as the sharp edge sliced into her wrist.
Cordelia studied the layout of the room as she worked. She had no idea where she was. Obviously, the dirty floor, the bare walls, the big industrial windows broken through years of disuse, the crisscross metal beams creating a make shift second floor indicated that she was being held prisoner in abandoned warehouse. But, that really didn’t help her; LA was filled with dilapidated old buildings. Well, she would worry about where she was once she got out of there.
Cordelia glanced up at the high windows. It would be really wonderful to see Angel crashing through. She frowned. Actually, that would be horrifying as she saw the beams of sunlight dancing along the ground. Angel would be a crashing fireball before he even landed.
Cordelia took a deep breath. She would just have to save herself this time. There was no possible way Angel could even know where she had been taken. God, she hoped Angel got Wesley out of the sewers in time. Please God, let Wesley be alive.
“You’re awful quiet.”
Cordelia blinked away her worry and raised her brows in an elegant question. “Now you want to chat?”
Cassandra chuckled. “Quiet means thinking, thinking means plans of escape.”
“If you have any ideas, I’m listening. But, actually, I was thinking that I’m definitely letting my hair grow out, get it back to its natural color.” Cordelia jerked her chin to Cassandra’s long thick dark hair. “I used to have great hair. Short, highlights, I don’t know what I was thinking, it had to be that damn migraine medicine, you should’ve seen some of the outfits I was wearing. Embarrassing.”
“You were thinking about your hair?” Cassandra was momentarily flabbergasted.
“Got to think about something.” Cordelia shrugged.
“How about your death?”
“No, don’t like to think about that. Anyway, I’m not going to die.”
“Taking that Immortality thing a little to seriously, aren’t you. Don’t you even care why I want your eyes and your head?”
“No to both. I haven’t been an Immortal long enough to rely on it, but I have been threatened, tortured, and kidnapped more times than I can count for more reasons than I can count, it gets old after awhile. I used to ask, scream, and yell a lot, but the answers never seemed to help, and the screaming only worked when someone could hear me, or my kidnappers have a low tolerance for such stuff. I don’t think either would help too much now and you don’t want to chat, so talking you out of it doesn’t seem to be an option, so I’m left with thinking about my hair.”
“You’re serious, you were thinking about your hair.”
“Yeah, well, that and escaping.” Cordelia snapped the remaining thin pieces of rope as she rolled to her feet.
Cassandra had her sword out in an instant.
“Killing me before you get my eyes, I don’t think the spell works that way.” Cordelia dropped to the ground swinging out her legs. Cassandra was knocked to the ground only to jump back to her feet, her sword held high ready to attack. But, Cordelia was already running, she dodged past the Immortal, knocking the long table over destroying Cassandra’s careful preparations.
“Damn you.” Cassandra glared at the useless, meaningless ingredients of her spell littering the floor.
Cordelia didn’t even bother to stop running.
Part 60
“You have two choices, Cordelia. Run or fight. In case you miss my point, you’re being challenged. “
Cordelia scrambled up the metal staircase.
“You can’t play hide and seek with me.”
Duh. The buzzing in her brain was getting louder. Cordelia searched the area trying to see the other woman in the hazy mixture of sunbeams and shadows. She quickened her pace as she got a glimpse of brown hair and glint of steel through blurry dim light.
Cordelia jumped off the ladder, landing on her knees on a metal platform. She ran dodging rusted holes. Stupid. Never run up. She read that somewhere, she should’ve paid attention to the advice. Cordelia scanned the area. How in the hell was she going to get out now? Cordelia looked longingly at the windows. She shook her head, jumping didn’t guarantee safety, if she landed wrong and broke something or god forbid died Cassandra would have time to take her eyes and her head. Cordelia had no clue why the Immortal wanted her eyes or the spell and really she didn't care to know the specifics, it was bad enough knowing what she did know.
Cordelia needed a weapon.
“Should’ve run down.” Cassandra took a step on the platform.
“Duh, Geez, talking about saying the obvious.” Cordelia backed up, looking as her boot kicked at a metal pipe. Not a sword, but it would have to do.
“Pipe against sword?” Cassandra swung her blade. Cordelia jerked the pipe up to meet the swing.
***
Angel wrapped his leather coat around his hand and arm and then punched open the manhole cover. He squished his body against the ladder, placing his boots on the outside of the rails and smoothly dropped to the ground mindful of keeping his body out of the stream of daylight that beamed straight down into the cavern of the sewer.
Angel took his coat and covered his head and hands, leaping straight upwards into the daylight, once his feet it the ground, he ran diving into the glass window of the warehouse. Angel kept rolling instinctively searching for shade.
***
“I told him to wait.” Gunn threw the blanket back in the car. “Let’s go.” He held up his axe.
Duncan grabbed at the black man’s arm. “Cassandra’s in there so is Cordelia. We can rescue Cordelia, but if she and Cassandra are fighting you can’t interfere, no one can, not even the vampire.”
“Yeah, like hell. That bitch ain’t taking Cordy’s head,” Gunn ran into the warehouse.
“Methos.”
Methos shrugged. “Cass is bending the rules, Mac, gun toting humans, vampires, spells.”
“But, she hasn’t broken any yet. So we can’t, Cordelia can’t.”
“Cordelia doesn’t have her sword, possibly not her eyes, if you don’t want 'a by the rules massacre', I suggest we go in there and challenge as Gunn correctly stated ‘that bitch’. Don’t worry, I’ll do it.”
“You can’t kill her, you didn’t.”
“She’s already had her one shot at my head. And don’t be so sure that I would’ve let her take it then, she’s your friend never mine.” Methos followed Gunn into the warehouse.
Part 61
Angel stood in the shadows, his eyes searching for the source of the heartbeat that seemed too resonant in his chest, calling to his every need and thought. His gaze locked up on the fighting women twenty feet above. Angel took only a moment to recognize that Cordelia was managing to fight off the other Immortal with a pipe. With a growl, Angel leapt into the air, his boots smacking on the metal platform as he landed several feet behind Cassandra.
“Angel.” Cordelia's call of surprise turned into one of a plea. “You can’t.” She yelled as she saw the vampire prepare to tackle Cassandra.
Cassandra swirled her sword slicing into the approaching vampire as she kicked out.
“Angel.” Cordelia screamed.
Cassandra turned. “Thanks for the warning. And you thought I was a cheater, getting your boyfriend to try to interfere.”
Cordelia watched in horror as Angel’s body fell through the spattering of sunlight causing his body to smoke as it tumbled to the ground.
“Uhuh,” Cassandra held up her sword to Cordelia’s neck stopping the young woman’s movement to the edge of the platform. “You aren’t going anywhere.”
Cordelia swung out with her fist, her anger and fear for Angel directing her blow. Cassandra staggered back. Cordelia followed through with a kick pushing the Immortal and her sword further away. Cordelia twirled, kicking high knocking Cassandra’s sword from her grasp.
***
“Shit. Angel.” Gunn ran towards the prone smoking vampire. Gunn yanked at Angel’s jacket pulling him into more shaded area.
Stunned, Angel groaned, slowly moving his head.
“Man.” Gunn tried to keep the vampire down as Angel started to sit up.
“I’m fine.” Angel shook off Gunn’s hands and stood.
Duncan grabbed at the vampire. “You can’t go back up there.”
Angel growled, seeing red. The Immortal was the embodiment of all that made up Angel’s fear and rage about the change in Cordelia’s life. The vampire seized Duncan’s jacket throwing the Immortal far, Duncan’s body slammed into a steel beam.
“Great.” Methos blew out a frustrated loud breath and ran to his friend.
***
Cassandra jerked up her empty hand blocking Cordelia’s next punch, swinging her left fist.
The metal platform swayed under the violence of the Immortal’s fight, the rusted surface straining under the pressure.
***
“NO.” Angel growled as the platform broke. His body was blur-catching Cordelia before she hit the ground. He rolled with her clutching her tight to his chest. Cordelia blinked, looking down at the vampire underneath her. “Saving me again,” she said softly.
“It’s something I just like to do.” He whispered cupping her chin.
Cordelia closed her eyes, burying her head into his chest for a moment. Her head jerked up and she scrambled off him, her hands going to his jacket. “You were cut and you fell.” She pulled at Angel’s shirt.
“I’m fine.”
“Angel,” her finger lightly traced the thin line of blood showing through his shirt.
“It’s not deep.”
Cordelia bit her lip, her eyes tearing up. “I yelled, it’s my fault,” her finger going back to the wound.
“Shh,” Angel lifted her chin. “Come on.” Angel stood, pulling Cordelia to her feet.
“Angel?”
“I want you to go with Gunn.” Angel beckoned their friend over. “Take Cordy home.” Angel’s eyes remained fixed on Cassandra struggling to get to her feet.
“Gottcha ya.” Gunn held out his hand.
“Angel, no.” Cordelia shook her head, moving to stand in between the vampire and the Immortal.
“Cordy, go home.” Angel said forcibly.
“And leave you here, no, I can’t.” Cordelia clutched on to his arm.
“She’s still a danger to you, Cordy.”
“I know that’s why I have to finish it, you can’t save me from this, not this way.”
***
“That hurt.” Cassandra brushed off her clothes and scanned the floor for her sword. “Ah, there it is.”
“Cass, don’t do this.” Duncan pleaded.
“Little late.”
“You can leave. Just go.”
Cassandra laughed. “Oh Mac, look around. I just can’t go.”
“I won’t let the vampire touch you.”
“And Methos.” Cassandra waved her sword towards the other Immortal.
“He won’t…”
“Don’t speak for me Duncan.” Interrupted Methos. “But, I do agree, drop your challenge against Cordy. She’s useless to you now. The spell won’t work. She has her eyes. You don’t need her quickening. Come on, Cass, you know you always wanted to have another go at my head.”
“Tempting, but no. But, maybe after I finish what I started with Cordelia.”
“You aren’t doing anything to Cordy,” Angel stepped forward. “You want a fight, you’ll get one.” Angel moved swiftly snatching the sword from Methos’ hand.
“Didn’t anyone tell the vampire that’s not how we play?” Cassandra tsked.
“I don’t play your game and neither does Cordelia.”
“NO.” Cordelia ran up to the vampire grapping at the sword. “You can’t do this, Angel. This is the one time you can’t save me. Please.”
“Cordy.”
“No, Angel, I mean it, you can’t interfere anymore.” Cordelia’s eyes begged the vampire to understand.
“Listen, to your girlfriend.” Cassandra mocked. “It’ll be over soon.”
“Shut up, Cassandra.” Duncan shook his head, finally his feelings of friendship for the old Immortal died, realizing what Methos had been trying to tell him. “Cordy,” Duncan pulled out Cordy’s sword, tossing it to her.
Cordelia nodded her thanks, catching the blade confidently in the air.
“Are you fuckin nuts?” Gunn yelled.
“Cordy.” Angel grabbed at her arm.
“I love you, now stay put. I have to do this. Don’t make me take this outside, please, Angel.”
Part 62
Cordelia faced Cassandra. She tried not to think about Angel or her fear. She raised her sword as she had done everyday since she became an Immortal, swinging with the skill Duncan taught her.
The blades clashed echoing in the silence of the warehouse. The women danced gracefully around each other dodging and parrying, the violence of the opposing weapons a direct contrast to the beauty of their movements.
Angel stood motionless, his clenched fists the only outward evidence of the brutal battle waging inside. Every muscle, every blind instinct screamed for him to protect Cordelia, to tear apart the woman that was threatening her. One and only one thing was keeping him still and that was the plea in Cordelia’s eyes, begging him not to interfere. Cordelia had implored him not to save her. For her, Angel would have to accept that the Immortal’s game was real. That knowledge galled him and made him need to react in violence to give his rage and fear an outlet.
Angel remained still. He would do what Cordelia wanted, but he vowed if she died, then he had no reason to abide by the Immortals’ rules, they all would die.
Cordelia circled her opponent trying to pinpoint her weakness. Unfortunately, all Cordy was figuring out was the woman’s strengths. Cassandra was good, very good. Which wasn’t surprising, the Immortal had almost five thousands years to hone her craft. But, she had to have a weakness both Angel and Duncan said everyone had them and if the vampire and the Immortal agreed on anything, they did agree on that and Cordelia believed them.
Cordelia just couldn’t see it. Cassandra’s techniques were flawless. Cordy thought about it -that was her weakness. Cassandra relied too much on her skill with a sword. On the platform, unarmed Cordelia had the advantage.
Cordelia lowered her guard, dropping to her left hand, kicking out with her feet. Cassandra jumped back avoiding the blow. “I saw that.”
“But, have you seen this.” Cordelia pushed up from ground punching Cassandra straight in the face, blooding her nose.
Cordelia let her sword fall to the ground, as she punched again with her left fist.
“What the hell is she doing? She dropped her sword. She needs that, right?” Gunn looked around frantically for some one to answer him.
Cordelia jabbed again, knocking Cassandra’s sword from her hand. Cordelia kicked the blade causing it to skitter across the floor away from the Immortals.
“Now, let’s see what you can do.” Cordelia yanked at Cassandra’s hair, preventing the other woman from going to her sword. She swirled the Immortal around again, back handing Cassandra with a harsh blow.
Cordelia was always a fast learner and had a talent for mimicking any routine she ever saw and she utilized every dirty trick, punch, kick that she ever saw Angel use in his unarmed battles.
Angel’s rage was being replaced by pride and amazement as he watched Cordelia execute a perfect copy of one of his more unorthodox vicious moves. “I never taught her that.” Angel grinned as Cordelia plummeted Cassandra to the ground.
“I didn’t, either.” Duncan smiled.
Angel shot a look over to the Immortal. Fuck, he was standing again. “I know. That’s my move.”
Duncan ignored Angel’s glare and looked back to the fight. “Cordy’s going to do it.”
“What’s with you? She doesn’t have her sword.” Gunn yelled.
“She doesn’t need it yet, she just needs to remember where it is. Cass always did rely to much on her blade.” Duncan nodded in admiration.
Cordelia swung one more time landing a sharp blow to Cassandra’s neck. The Immortal fell to ground, choking.
Cordelia moved quickly, picking up her sword.
Cordelia stood over Cassandra as the woman got to her knees.
“There can only be one.” Cassandra coughed.
Cordelia gulped in a tired heavy breath. “Not you.” She swung.
Cordelia staggered back, her sword falling to the ground as her hands dropped to her knees. She looked at the headless body and wanted to throw up.
Duncan held Angel back as the vampire moved towards Cordelia. “The Quickening.”
Angel didn’t have the time to shove the Immortal again as the air vibrated with static, blue streaks of electric charges swirled from the headless body up and around Cordelia’s slumped form. The young woman screamed out as the energy pierced through her lifting her off the ground.
“It’s okay.” Duncan pulled at a stunned Angel. “It will be over in a minute, she’ll be fine.”
Angel shot a look at the Immortal, shaking off his hand. He’s eyes targeted Cordelia as her body sparked and small spasms shook her body.
The phenomenon suddenly stopped. Cordelia dropped to the ground, slowly trying to stand. “Wow.” She blinked giving a shaky smile to Angel. “I’m….” she screamed clutching at her head, her body jerking on the floor, writhing in agony.
“Is that normal, for the quick whatever jazz?” Gunn looked at the Immortals.
“No.” both Duncan and Methos shook their head.
Angel stared as he recognized the symptoms. “A vision,” Angel ran to Cordelia, gathering her shaking body his arms. Angel struggled to restrain Cordelia’s flailing arms. “Shush, baby, shush,” he whispered trying to calm her strangled cries.
“Yep, that’s a vision.” Gunn blinked.
“That’s what a vision did to her.” Duncan and Methos stared at the black man.
Gunn nodded, his eyes staying on Cordelia and Angel. “She doesn’t have them anymore. This one is really bad. How?”
“Cordy,” Angel yelled as the young woman froze in his arms. “Gunn.”
The black man scrambled to the other side of the still woman. “Now what’s going on? That never happened before."
Angel stared at the sightless hazel eyes, twitching at some hidden horror, silent tears streaming from the blank eyes.
“Yes it did,” real fear creeping into Angel’s voice. “Once before, Vocah’s curse. For forty-eight hours, she stayed, strapped in the hospital sedated seeing, experiencing endless visions, they were driving her insane, killing her.” Angel cradled Cordelia’s body closer. “What did that woman do to her?” He yelled to the Immortals.
“We got to get her to a hospital.” Gunn urged.
“No. They can’t do anything.” Angel brushed at Cordelia’s face. “Baby, come on.”
As in answer to Angel’s prayers, Cordelia blinked once showing glistening beautiful seeing eyes. “Angel,” she whispered.
“Shush, baby, you had a vision…”
Cordelia struggled, pushing his arms off of her. “We have to go the hotel now.”
“Cordy, the vision.”
“Now.” She jumped to her feet, anger replacing her previous weakened state.
“Okay, now what the hell is happening?” Gunn shook his head and ran after Cordy and Angel.
***
“Okay, now what the hell is happening.”? Lilah paced back and forth in front of the prone body lying on her couch.
“Looks like his brain short-circuited.” Lindsay pointed to the stain seeping into the leather that cushioned the demon’s overly large head. “It’s leaking. You’re going to need to get a new couch I think that’s one ruined.”
“He’s still breathing.”
“He’s not moving.”
“Well, some one needs MOVE his spattered brain off my sofa and tell me what the hell is going on.” Lilah picked up the phone.
***
“Go faster.” Cordelia called from the back seat.
“Cordy, talk to me.” Angel reached for the woman. Cordelia shook her head and scrunched further into the side of the door. Angel dropped his hand and stared out at the horizon, the glow of the dangerous sun disappearing.
***
Cordelia could feel the tension in Angel at her silence. She wanted to reassure him, but she couldn't. How could she? She couldn’t reassure herself. She couldn’t tell him what the Quickening had done. If she tired to explain she would break down, the memory of the visions to close, the pain still vibrating in her head. Cordelia couldn’t indulge her self in self-pity or seek out Angel's comfort. She needed to be directed not by her despair but by her rage. She closed her eyes and pushed away the visions and the countless past terrors and screams of the victims she hadn't saved.
Angel stole a look at the young woman, grudgingly grateful that the other Immortals chose not to crowd her. They left her to him. Finally, they realized where she belonged. But, Angel didn’t understand. Cordelia kept moving, disappearing into the other side of car to get away from him. He looked again and calmed enough to use his other senses.
The heartbeat that he loved was frantic with fear or anger, or was it something else? Angel closed his eyes concentrating on his other senses. Anger, definitely, he smelled her blood spike with the emotional additive, fear, though was also present. He stole another glance. The tears had started to silently trail down her smooth cheeks again. Angel ignored his vampire instincts and concentrated on what he knew about Cordelia. Tears did not run down her cheeks, not willing, not without cause. Anger, fear, yes, he sensed them from Cordelia before but those emotions were usually accompanied by loud yelling, talking or babbling, but true pain, sadness, they were never volunteered they were hidden in silence. His Cordy was truly hurting.
”Cordy, tell me,” Angel turned.
Cordelia brushed at her face and stared at Angel. “Not now, Angel, not now,” she bit her lips giving a small smile grabbing at the vampire’s hand. “Don’t make me, not yet, please," She rubbed her lips together trying to smile. “ Please.”
Angel’s first reaction was to kill, kill what ever made Cordelia so helpless and pleading, unfortunately, luckily there was no one to kill, so Angel concentrated on the young woman’s tears. Angel slowly nodded.
Cordelia gasped and scooted quickly up against Angel’s body, “Hold me, please.”
Angel jerked trying to be gentle but at Cordy’s gasp, he was sure he failed, but otherwise she wasn’t complaining and she was now securely against his body, Angel wouldn’t worry too much about the rest until he had to.
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