Chapter Four
Cloak-and-Dagger
Meanwhile
Angel was on his way back to the Hyperion doing ninety down the freeway. His
hands clenched the steering wheel as his face contorted with anger staring down
the road, and weaving in and out of traffic.
It
was a good plan. He got in with no
problem. The complex security system was
easily overridden with a little help from the man that created it. Thank god Oz had enough sense to leave a
backdoor in the system. Of course, Uncle not being the most trusting soul in
the world, knew that and had hired someone else to go find them and wipe them
out. But Oz being so good at what he did planned for a situation just like that
and had two more backdoors hidden where no one could find them but him.
So
he made it in with no problem. He made it pass all the stupid oafs that worked
for Uncle and finally made it up to his private office. He had opened the safe
as easily as if it were his own, then opened it to look for the folder he knew
had to be there. To his astonishment the safe was empty…with the exception of
one piece of paper.
His
eyes blazed with anger when he saw it and he quickly snatched it up with his
gloved hand.
Dear Boy, did you think I would make it that easy for
you?
Uncle
It
took all the will power he had not to punch a hole in the wall, much less
crumple the paper up in his hands and then rip it to shreds. He wasn’t going to give that bastard the
pleasure. Carefully he placed the paper back in the safe, locked it up and left
the same way he came in.
“FUCKING BASTARD!” He screamed out as his hands landed heavily on the hood of his
Porsche, denting the metal.
He
stood outside ranting and raving, cursing the old man to hell and back for
about thirty minutes. His poor car had
taken the brunt of his anger and now had so many dents from his feet and hands,
it almost looked unrecognizable. Driving
now, the poor car rattled with every bump it drove over.
But
he didn’t care that his seventy thousand dollar car wasn’t worth a pot to piss
in now. All that mattered was that he had not succeeded in his plan, and
nothing pissed him off more. He learned absolutely nothing that he needed to
learn, and to top it all off he was thwarted by a fucking old bastard!
Slamming
on the brakes he slid easily into the Hyperion driveway and screeched the tires
down to the garage.
The
gang waited for him upstairs in the lobby, listening to every loud screech the
car made. There was the sound of a door slamming. Hands hitting metal and a whole bunch of loud
expletives that even made Spike blush, almost.
Spike
shook his head; he knew it wasn’t going to be that easy. Everyone else sat there quietly not knowing
what was going to come up from the basement. So they waited and waited.
Forty-five
minutes later Angel finally emerged from the basement. He walked in looking as cool as a cat. He was calm and he was all business.
“Okay. Oz what did you find out.”
The
gang used to this just went with it.
“His
name is Richard Wilkins the third aka The Mayor. He’s a multimillionaire, CEO of a publicity
firm that has some of the most prestigious clients in the world. On the outside he is a law abiding
squeaky-clean executive. But underneath
that we’re looking at your run of the mill scumbag with connections to the mob,
terrorist organizations and gangs. He
pretty much has his hands into everything. He also has very high connections in
the
Angel
was leaning against the counter as Oz filled him in. “Where does his money come
from?”
“It’s
old…very old. His great grandfather was
married to a Vanderbilt and had connections to the Queen. But his father blew a
lot of that money with some stock scam back in the fifties. He wasn’t left with much after that. Now must of his money comes
from his underground activities. There
also seems to be a hefty sum of money that is direct deposited to a hidden
Swiss account every month.”
“Who’s
sending it?”
“Well
that’s where it gets tricky. I can’t
trace it…yet. Whoever is sending it
knows what they’re doing and I would even take a guess as to say that they have
connections higher up in the financial world to help hide the transactions. But
I’m still working on it. I’ll get it eventually.”
“Why
do they call him the Mayor?” Fred asked.
“Well
before he started the publicity company he dabbled in politics. Remember about ten years ago the big scandal
that took place up in Sunnydale.”
“You
mean the dead mayor that was clogging the sewers?” Gunn asked.
Oz
nodded. “Yup that’s the one. Well guess
who took the vacant opening of Mayor?”
“Wilkens.”
Angel said.
“Yeah.
It was never proven but the rumor underground was that he had his right hand
man, Mr. Trick, take care of the old mayor because he doesn’t like to lose, and
according to the polls…he was losing.”
“Hence the name The Mayor.” Wesley added.
“Okay,
so we have one unscrupulous CEO with dirty hands and possible connections to
the government. Oz what did he get out
of our last job?”
“Well
besides the fact that he got 5.5 million dollars in un-cut, untraceable
diamonds, he also got his ties severed with one of the most notorious mobs in
Angel
was stumped why would a man who seemed to get everything he wanted be uptight
about the way it was done.
“Wes
did we miss something, in our initial recon on the mark?”
Wesley
shook his head confident in his answer. “No Angel, I researched him thoroughly
I did not miss a thing.”
“Well
there has to be something that we missed.
I want you to double check everything Wes.”
Wesley
started to argue but Angel held up his hand. “I know Wes you’re very thorough,
but it makes no sense. We must have
missed something, why would Wilkens care about who did the job as long as the
job got done?”
Spike
silently agreed with Angel it made no sense.
Angel
turned his piercing brown eyes to Wesley. “What did you see at the hotel?”
“He
didn’t leave the hotel. But he did have a visitor.” He stood up and walked over
to the counter pulling a picture out of his briefcase. “One very unkempt looking gentleman came at
three o’clock carrying a package.” He handed the photo to Angel. “He stayed for
about one hour and then left empty handed.”
Angel
stared at the photo his eyes as black as midnight. His voice was hard and crisp when he spoke.
“Do we know who is?”
“Not
yet but I’m still working on it.” Wes answered.
“Thanks
guys. We’ll find out what Wilkens has to say later tonight.” Looking up at the clock on the wall he turned
to them. “Why don’t you all get ready and we’ll head to The Graveyard for a
little r and r before we get busy.”
“Now
you’re talking boss!” Gunn got up and
grabbed a smiling Fred around the waist picking her up and carrying her up the
stairs. “Come on baby let’s get ready for a night of fun!”
Oz
and Wesley gathered the papers together and headed to the office to secure
them.
Angel
walked over to the bar and poured him self a shot.
“I
want to come with you tonight.” Spike said from behind him.
“No.
You stay at The Graveyard or come back to the Hotel, I don’t care which.”
“You
need back up on this mate you don’t know what’s going to go down.”
Angel
ignored him and shoved the photo to the side. “What does this look like to
you?” He asked quietly, pouring himself another shot.
Spike
grabbed the photo and looked at. “This doesn’t mean anything Angelus. You heard
Oz the man has his hands in everything – including gangs.” He slapped the photo back down on the
counter.
Angel
drank another shot, “Look closer. Look at his left arm.”
Spike
perplexed picked the picture up again and looked closer at the man. His heart almost stopped at what he saw.
“Look
familiar?” Angel asked, his hand clenching tighter around the glass, as he
poured himself yet another shot then quickly drank it down.
“Bullocks.”
Spike put the photo back down. “Even more reason for me to go with you
tonight.”
Angel
turned to his best friend. “Spike it’s alright nothing will happen. The man
can’t touch me and he knows it. “
Spike
wasn’t too sure about that. “Angel the man could have more connections to Uncle
than you know of. What if it’s a set up to finally get rid of you?”
Angel
drank down another shot and slammed the glass on the counter. Turning to Spike he
put his arm around his shoulder steering him toward the door. “You worry too
much Will. Uncle’s not ready to kill me…yet. Besides the plot just got thicker
and I have to say that I’m really looking forward to meeting The Mayor.”
“Yeah
I bet you are.”
Angel
turned toward the door and Spike followed him. “Just promise me you won’t do
anything stupid.”
“Brother
stupid isn’t in my vocabulary. Let’s go
people the bus is heading out!” Angel
called out walking out the door.
“Yeah
but it’s not your vocabulary I’m worried about, it’s the Beast’s.” Spike
mumbled.
**********************
Buffy
headed home from Willy’s in a daze and miraculously reached the loft without
getting into an accident. After taking a quick shower, she sat on the bed, took
a deep breath, and opened the folder.
She
pulled out the birth certificate.
Angelus Liam O’Rourke born June 6, 1975 to one Patricia and Liam
O’Rourke in
There
was no record of him ever attending high school or college. There was no record
of a marriage to one Darla McKinnon. There was nothing! Not even a death certificate! Nothing.
There
was one small news clipping on the car accident that
took the life of his parents but that was it.
There was no mention of the little ten-year-old boy that got left
behind. There wasn’t even a legally
written obituary it was more like just a spot in the local newspaper about some
car accident. It simply stated that the accident claimed the lives of two
people, seemingly nobody’s, whose bodies had been burned beyond recognition.
Then
it stopped. It was just like Willy had
said…it was like he didn’t even exist!
She
threw the papers down angrily and stood up walking over to the window and
looked out into the night.
Well
there was one good thing about this. At least
now she knew that it wasn’t another woman. What Willy found out was extremely
disconcerting to say the least but after the initial shock passed, which
totally flattened her, she was relieved.
The idea of him being with another woman was more devastating then
anything else.
But
still he had lied, lied to her about something that was really, really
big. Her eyes darkened as anger filled
her. Her own secrets didn’t even enter her mind. She could only think of the
folder and its contents.
It
made no sense. She knew he existed. She
touched him every night. She had licked
every inch of that gorgeous body. She
had felt many, many times, his body gloriously pressed next to hers. She had heard his softly spoken words of love
and passion in her ear. What the hell
was he involved in? Who the hell was he?
Was Spike involved too? Did Faith
know something that she wasn’t telling her?
Her mind was running wild again with questions and paranoia set in. Was everyone against her? Just what the hell was going on?
Looking
at the street below she could see the crowd lining up to get into The
Graveyard. It was another busy
night. She was about to turn away when
she saw a black hummer pull up. The passenger side door opened and a very
familiar bleached blond head stepped out. Then the back door opened and a
red-haired man stepped out followed by an older man wearing glasses. A black man came around from the other side
of the Hummer, his arm around a slight framed brunette.
The
valet ran around the Hummer and opened the driver’s side door. Buffy’s stomach
was clenched with dread as she watched her lover walk around the Hummer to join
his associates.
When
the fuck did he get a Hummer? Her eyes were slits as she watched him speak
with Danny the valet. She then watched
as Danny got in and drove away from the Graveyard. Where the hell was he going? Why wasn’t he parking in the VIP’s spot like
he usually does?
She
looked back down to the group standing on the sidewalk laughing and joking with
each other. They looked like they had
known each other for years. It was easy
to see the familiarity that they shared as they stood close talking. She had
known Angel for eight months and she knew that she had never met any of these
people nor had he ever mentioned having any close friends beside Spike.
She
spun away from the window violently knocking over a picture as she did. She went into the bedroom to get changed. She
was going to get to the bottom of this tonight.
Angel
listened to the gang chat happily when he suddenly got the distinct feeling
that he was being watched. He looked up
at the window on the fourth floor. It was empty.
Jesus
he was so muddled inside that even his normally astute senses were wrong. He
had to calm himself down. He was extremely uptight and stressed out. He felt
like he was about to break. There was
something very important that she never told him and he had the feeling that
tonight he would find out. The worst part was that he knew it wouldn’t come
from her beautiful ripe lips. His gut
told him that it would come from his enemy.
The
gang headed toward the door, Oz, Gunn and Fred were excited and couldn’t wait
to get in. Wesley was searching for his
ear plugs and Spike watched Angel.
“Stop
worrying. What the hell could she have possibly done that was bad enough for
Uncle to use against you?”
Seeing
Angel still staring up at the window, he socked him on the shoulder finally
getting his attention. “I’m telling you the bastard just mentioned her to throw
you off that’s all. You know how that sneaky fuck
works. Now come on. Let’s go in. Have a drink, you’ll see your woman, and
you’ll feel much better.”
Angel
nodded but wasn’t so sure. What he did
know was that he couldn’t wait to see her.
He was consumed with the horror that he was going to lose her and that
bloodcurdling thought fueled a primal need to fuck her. It was so archaic Buffy would call it cavemanny…Angel just called it claiming what was his.
His
feet moved forward as the gang walked inside the club. He numbly followed
along, his mind only on one thing. He
heard no music and no voices. He only heard hot panting and screams of ecstasy.
He only felt her tight sheath soaking his cock and nails digging into his back.
The
doors opened and they all walked inside. “Evening Mr. Spike, Mr. Angel.” The
bouncer greeted them.
“Evening
Earl.” Spike answered slapping him on the back as he passed him and walked
inside. Angel’s only acknowledgement was
a low guttural grunt.
“Whew now this is what I’m talking about
people!” Gunn shouted to his friends as
they stood in the doorway overlooking the club as 50 Cents blared over the
speakers.
Wesley
leaned into to Spike. “I thought you said they played rock and roll.” He
screamed.
Spike
nodding his head to the music turned to Wesley. “Yeah The Crypt is
upstairs. This is The Coffin, the dance
club. It’s all about the bass down here mate.”
Wesley
looked confused while he continued to stare at Spike who was bobbing his head
to the music.
“Come
on Fred lets dance!” Gunn started to
pull Fred on the dance floor.
“Angel?” Wes said. When he got no answer he screamed
it again, louder this time. “ANGEL!”
Spike
looked at his friend and saw the look in his eyes. He shook his head and elbowed
him in the side. “Snap out of it sex fiend.”
Angel
shook his head and looked at Spike, who nodded to Wesley. “What?”
Wesley
had never seen such a look of desperation on his friend’s face before. It was
extremely…lust filled, and it made him uncomfortable. “Um…how long do we plan
on staying here?”
It
took Angel a few seconds to get a grip on his lust. He cleared his throat and
answered him. “Just a few hours.” Wesley nodded, pleased that he wouldn’t have
to endure an entire night of this racket.
“Gunn?”
Angel called out. “See the elevator with the mammoth standing in front of it,
when you’re ready head over there.”
“Got you brother.” Gunn twirled Fred out on
the dance floor where they started to gyrate and move with the music.
“C’mon
mates I’m dying for a drink.” Spike
plowed his way through the crowd, stopping to greet people who called his name.
Wesley
followed closely behind Angel. “Angel this is very peculiar isn’t it? I mean
rock and disco in the same place?”
Angel
smiled at him as Oz answered. “Peculiar? It’s fucking brilliant is what it is
Wes. Think about it, they got their
hands in both demographics.”
He
turned a blaring smile to Angel, “Really fucking brilliant Angel, your girl’s
got quite a head on her shoulders to come up with this.”
Angel
smiled back at Oz as his chest filled with pride. His girl.
His girl who had no idea how good he was going to give it to her – and how
soon. Feeling Oz’s eyes on him he
cleared his throat again and looked around the club. It was busy. Thriving was more like it, it
started when it opened and it showed no signs of slowing down. His baby was pretty fucking smart.
He
scowled, maybe too smart, maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. His thoughts flew back to the initial feeling
of being watched when they first arrived. And he was suddenly filled with a
sense of dread. But he was stopped with his line of thinking as they reached
the VIP elevator where Spike was already talking with the bouncer.
“Hey Roscoe how’s it going tonight?” Angel shook hands
with the monster that stood guard at the elevator.
“Evening
Mr. O’Rourke I hope your party is enjoying themselves this evening?”
Angel
smiled at him, no matter how many times he told the brute to call him Angel he
never did. “I’m sure they will be. Roscoe, see the couple dancing on the floor
over there?” He pointed to Gunn and
Fred.
“Yes
sir.”
“When
they’re ready send them up okay.” He palmed him fifty bucks and slapped him on
the back.
“Yes
sir.” The elevator doors opened up and they all stepped inside.
“Thank
you Mr. O’Rourke. Mr. Spike, gentlemen enjoy your evening.” Roscoe said as the doors closed.
Oz
whistled, “This is some place Angel.”
“Yes
very fancy, not at all what I was expecting.” Wes said.
Angel
smiled. “Believe it or not Wes they get a lot of high profile customers
here. Actors, musicians, models, sports
figures, you name it, in the past six months they have all crossed the
threshold at some point.”
“Yeah
it’s a bloody mecca of stars boys. Some of the most beautiful women in the world
have been here and I’ve met them all!”
Angel
smirked. “Yeah then got his head cracked open by Faith for…meeting them all.”
Spike
snorted, “Hey I can bloody well look!”
He leaned into Oz “Just no touchy-touchy…” He snickered as the doors
opened.
They
stepped out of the elevator and were greeted by another brute. “Evening George.” Angel said.
“Angel, Spike good to see you.”
“Georgie
old boy how’s it hanging?” Spike answered.
“It’s
hanging strong sir.”
Spike
smiled, “I bet it is you thug!”
Angel
stepped up to him, “George these are our good friends Wesley and Oz and they
should be treated as very special VIPS.”
“No
problem with that sir, we treat all our VIPs at The Graveyard with special
care.”
He
turned too Wes and Oz. “Good evening gentlemen. What is your pleasure
tonight?”
Wesley
started to sputter. “P…ppleasure?”
Oz
laughed at him, sometimes Wesley was so nerdy.
Angel
laughed too. “Don’t worry about it George I’ll take care of it.”
“Sure thing boss.”
Spike
started to lead Wes and Oz through the room as Angel spoke quietly to George.
“Is Buffy here?”
George
nodded toward the VIP lounge and Angel smiled at him then slipped fifty bucks
in his hand as he shook it. “Thank you
George.”
The
VIP lounge was the ultimate hang out spot at The Graveyard. It was actually a hidden room. The wall behind the bar of The Crypt was a
two-way mirror and the VIP lounge was behind it. Anyone who was anyone hung out there. Most
nights it was rented out as a party room for special events. But tonight it was empty.
Spike
and Oz walked over to the bouncer standing in the corner on the left side of
the bar. Wesley, who was behind them
with Angel, looked at the man and his eyes popped out of his head. He was huge.
He had to be about six foot seven and he was all muscle. Plus every inch
of skin that showed was tattooed, even his bald head. The man was a walking
picture and he made Wesley nervous. “Angel, where did she find all
these…bouncers, the WWF?” Wesley asked
as he eyed the burly man.
Angel
laughed, “They’re Hell’s Angels.”
Wesley
stopped in his tracks and looked at Angel. “Hell’s Angels? As in the biker gang Hell’s Angels?”
Angel
couldn’t stop smirking at Wes’s obvious distress. “Yes Wes ‘the’ Hell’s
Angels. Buffy and Faith know some people
and they hired a bunch of them to be bouncers.
Best bouncers in the world don’t you think?”
Wes
looked at the brawny man standing guard and had to admit they were very
intimidating. “Yes indeed.” He swallowed.
Behind
the mirror Faith, Buffy and
“New friends?” Faith asked.
“Who’s
the redhead? He’s cute,”
Buffy
just ignored both of them while she continued to stare at Angel. His eyes
suddenly lifted to the mirror and stared right back at her. It was almost as if
he knew she was watching him. They made direct contact and the heat and pulse
of his hot gaze burned right through her anger and enflamed her body. He had
that look in his eye. The same look he had last night. Her pulse started to
race and she could feel her nipples tighten – no this man was most definitely
not dead.
He
smirked and then winked at her; she scowled just as he turned toward the door
that was now opening.
“Here
you go Gentlemen enjoy your stay.”
“Thanks
Bubba.” Spike said as he spied Faith at the bar. “I most certainly will.”
“They
speak very eloquently for bikers don’t they.” Wes said
to no one in particular.
Angel
smiled at him. ”Yeah well its part of the job Wes.” He looked up feeling eyes on him and spotted
her sitting at the end of the bar with
It
never failed to take his breath away, the first moment of eye contact with
her. She was so beautiful and every time
he looked at her he thanked god that she was his. HIS. The bloodlust
to fuck her returned two fold and he found it extremely hard to concentrate on
anything else but that.
He
smiled at her hungrily as her eyes lifted to his. She read every silent message they spoke –
mine – take – now - and her body responded to it. As her pulse continued to
race and her nipples got harder, she shifted on her seat as her panties grew
wet with anticipation.
His
mouth curved into that sensual smirk that made her insides weak, and she
scowled back. She was mad at him damn
it! He apparently was dead but he wasn’t
dead. That was a BIG fucking secret to keep from the person you supposedly
loved. She had to repeat that over and
over again in her head to stomp down her ever growing lust. She was not going
to just spread her legs for him, even though she really, really wanted to. No she needed answers first. She needed to
know the truth.
Seeing
her scowl cooled his lust and he looked back at her with questioning eyes. She looked pissed off. Mentally he went over the last two days. Did he do something wrong? There was that
moment in the kitchen yesterday morning, maybe she did hear something. Suddenly he was hit with the notion that she
might actually be suspicious of him. He
scowled, that wouldn’t do. He needed to
find out what she was keeping from him first.
Damage control, that was what he needed now, just incase she was having
doubts.
He
looked at all of them, Buffy, Faith & Willow, and then blasted them with
his biggest no-girl-can-resist-me smile.
It wouldn’t hurt to schmooze the friends a
little, get them on his side, just in case his gut was right and the shit
really did it the fan tonight.
Faith
was still mad at Angel and seeing that smile and the look in his eyes, told her
one thing. He was covering all his
bases. She glared at him, but he was no
longer looking at her. His eyes were
solely on Buffy as he walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her
waist pulling her back against his chest. He leaned down breathing in her scent
and amorously nuzzling her neck.
Buffy
closed her eyes and tried to resist him but she found her head automatically
turned to meet his lips as they grazed a path from her neck to her cheek.
“Hey
baby.” He whispered just as their lips touched. Slowly at first, his lips moved
over hers as his tongue lightly licked them.
She held back a moan of pleasure but she couldn’t stop her mouth from
opening and her own tongue thrusting deep inside his warm mouth.
Angel
grunted pleased with her hungry response which matched his. His arms tightened
around her waist and he fought the urge to throw her up on the bar and sink
inside of her.
Buffy
shivered against him as their kiss slowed. Her eyes opened and she looked into
his. “Hey yourself.” She whispered back.
He
kept smiling at her, his eyes searching her face. Sensing that something was
different about him tonight she asked, “What was that for?”
His
palm cupped her cheek. “Do I need a reason to kiss you?” he asked as he
continued to study her face, his own face slightly more serious than it was a
second ago.
“I
hope not.” She answered him quietly then looked down at her beer as fear and
sadness entered her soul.
The
emotion he saw in her eyes before she turned away reflected his own and he
gently cupped her chin turning her head to the side and bringing her lips to
his once more. He kissed her slow and
sensually, lingering as long as he could in a room full of people. When he
pulled back, her eyes were closed and she was softly panting. “I love you” He
whispered and without opening her eyes she croaked back, “I love you.”
He
smiled at her, his fingers grazing her lips back and forth. “I brought some
friends I wanted you to meet.”
His
words broke through the passionate haze she had been in and her eyes snapped
open. “I can see that, did you also bring me a new hummer?” She had to ask, she wanted to be blunt to try
to catch him in a lie.
He
didn’t miss a beat. “That’s Oz’s nice eh?” He leaned in closer to her and
whispered in her ear, “I thought I was being watched.” He gave her ear a lick and a nibble and
smiled when he felt her shiver. “I can always feel when those beautiful green
eyes touch my body.” She had to smile he
was just so sexy and sweet, and quick on his feet.
She
turned to greet his friends; she’d work them.
She stood up and out of his grasp.
Angel scowled.
She
sundered over to them putting on her friendliest smile. “Hi guys welcome to The
Graveyard.”
Angel
looked at Faith who shot him a nasty look shaking her head while Spike sat
there watching the interplay between the two and sipping his beer. Angel glared back at her silently telling her
to mind her own business.
Walking
up next to Buffy he put his arm around her shoulders and brought her flush
against his body. “Baby I want you to meet Wesley and Oz, guys this is Buffy,
that’s Faith behind the bar, and the quiet red-head is
“Hey…”
Faith smiled, “can I get you guys something to drink?”
Oz
couldn’t respond he was too busy staring at the gorgeous creature sitting at
the other end of the bar. She looked
like a vision to his sad and lonely eyes and he rushed over to the bar to meet
her. Sitting down next to
Meanwhile
Wesley couldn’t seem to take his eyes off of Buffy. He had seen the swimsuit edition many times.
When it first came out Gunn took great pleasure rankling Angel with it by
ogling it and making comments about how hot she looked. And silently, not
wanting to irk his boss, Wesley had agreed.
But now standing in front of her, he was blown away by just how
beautiful she was.
Buffy
smirked at the speechless look on his face. She was used to the effect that she
had on men and she knew how to use it to her advantage. She pushed her chest out further and adjusted
her already low cut blouse.
Angel
growled low in his throat and unconsciously pressed Buffy further into his
side. So green with jealousy he missed
Buffy’s actions. “Wes?” Angel sneered at him.
Spike
laughed. “The bloke’s spellbound. Don’t think I’ve ever seen him speechless!”
Buffy
smiled kindly at Wes as she abstracted herself from Angel’s side. She walked up to Wesley and took his hand
leading him to the bar. “Faith, give this man a drink, whiskey I think.”
“You
got it B.” Faith smiled.
“I
apologize I…I…don’t know what to say to excuse my behavior, how rude of
me.” He cleared his throat “I’m Wesley
Wyndham Price, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Buffy
chuckled at his embarrassment. “You too Wes.”
Angel
stood staring daggers at Wesley and Wesley just sheepishly looked back at him
shrugging his shoulders. “She’s a beautiful woman Angel.”
Angel
was about to respond but instead was stopped by Buffy slapping him on the
chest. “Don’t worry about it Wes, he can take it, he’s a big boy.” She then moved behind the bar to help Faith
and to get away from a growling Angel, which only seemed to turn her into a
puddle of mush.
“So
how do you guys know each other?” She
casually asked. To the newcomers in the
room it sounded like an innocent question.
But to Angel, Spike & Faith who knew her, it sounded like an
inquisition.
Wesley
was still too awestruck by Buffy’s smiling face to see the question behind the
question, but he wasn’t that dazed to remember how to answer. “We went to
school together.”
Buffy
looked at Wes suspiciously, “Really school? Ah go figure.”
She
poured Wesley a shot deciding that he would be the one to crack. “If you don’t
mind me asking Wes, how old are you? I mean no offense but school? You look old enough to be their uncle or
something?” She sneaked a look at Angel
to see him causally drinking down a shot that Faith poured him. Then she looked back to Wesley.
Wesley
laughed at her bluntness. “I am really not that much older. I was a student
teacher at their school and we all became quick friends.” Smooth, Buffy thought, and a well-planned and
well-used lied.
“And
what school would that be?” She asked.
Angel
almost choked on his whiskey but was saved by the door opening and Gunn and
Fred coming in.
“Damn
this place rocks!” Gunn said as he strolled into the room.
“It’s really something, I don’t think I’ve
ever been anywhere like it.” Fred said
agreeing.
“And
you never will Sugerpie!” Faith proudly
stated.
“Whoa
hold up here…who are these three gorgeous women?”
“Charles!”
Fred playfully scolded him as Spike and Angel glowered at him.
Buffy
didn’t wait for Angel to make the introductions, instead she held out her hand.
“Hi I’m Buffy and this is Faith, and that’s
Faith
nodded to them.
“Hi”
“Hey
all I’m Charles Gunn and this beauty to my left is Winifred Burkle.”
“Call
me Fred please.” Then she extended her
hand and shook Buffy’s. “I can’t tell you how happy I am to finally meet you.
I’ve heard so much about you.” Fred said smiling not even realizing the can of
worms that she just opened up.
Buffy’s
eyebrow rose, “really. Well it’s nice to meet you too Fred. I wish I could say
the same about you.” She added on a sourly note.
Fred’s
smile faltered when she realized that she erred. Her eyes quickly looked up to
see Angel glaring at her blackly and Spike once more shaking his head.
“Well
Fred and Gunn what can I get you to drink?” Faith asked, quickly jumping in to
avert a possible eruption.
“Oh, um…just some red wine for me please.” Fred said as she sat
down at the bar feeling like a complete idiot.
“I’ll
take a beer, thanks.” Gunn sat down next
too Fred. His hand gently rubbing her back, “it’s okay baby.” He kissed her on
the cheek and she smiled warmly at him.
Buffy
looked at all the new players in the room and quickly studied them.
Gunn
and Fred: obviously they were in love it was easy to see with the looks and the
way they always seemed to stay in contact with each other. She watched Gunn as he deftly pulled his
wallet out to pay for their drinks.
“It’s
on the house big guy.” Faith said, and Gunn snapped the wallet closed and had
it in his pocket so fast that Buffy almost missed it.
Meanwhile
Fred and
Next
she looked at Oz, he sat by Willow listening to her and Fred’s conversation and
every so often putting in a comment about the financial or political end of it,
and how computers and technology had both helped and hurt the justice system.
Finally
she looked back at Wesley, who was looking around the room. Looking at
everything and reading every word that his eye saw.
In
less than a minute she had summed them all up.
Gunn
was the man with the fast hands and extra muscle.
Fred
was the intuitive and insightful person in the group.
Oz
was the techno guy.
And
Wesley was the research man.
Then
there was Spike. She looked over to see him whispering in a giggling Faith’s
ear. She knew him as well as she knew Angel. Spike was the number two man.
She
didn’t need a freaking diploma to know that something was definitely up with this
group. In fact she’d bet her life that if she had Willy check all of them that
he would come up with the same bullshit information that he did on Angel.
Angel,
her sweet lying Angel, he was the head cheese.
She
turned to look at her lying lover and found his dark piercing eyes on her. She smiled at him then turned back to his
friends.
“So…Gunn, Fred, where did you two meet the rest of these
hooligans?” She sweetly asked.
Angel
got up from his seat and went around the bar.
She was making him anxious. The questions, the looks, and the tone of
her voice, she was being extremely cagey. He figured the best way to rankle her
was to be near her. Smother her with his
presence; totally and completely consume her with him that always seemed to
work.
Walking
up behind her he leaned back against the counter and took her with him,
wrapping his arms around her waist and placing her securely against his chest
with his chin leaning against her head.
Buffy
just let him have control and relaxed against him. Grabbing his hand she brought it up to her
mouth and kissed his knuckle sensually and slowly, giving him a little lick
along the way. She laughed inside when
she felt his response nudging her in the ass.
He thought he could get one over on her!
Well he had another thing coming.
“School.” Fred answered.
“Yup,
we all went too school together.” Gunn added.
Buffy
turned and looked at Faith with a smirk of disbelief. When she looked back to
Gunn, Faith snuck a murderous glare at Angel.
“You mean to tell me that all of you went to
school together and still remain friends?” Buffy asked.
“We
were all very close baby.” Angel said kissing her head.
“Mmmm
I can see that.”
“What’s
the problem Blondie don’t you still know any of your old school chums?” Spike
asked. The need to aid Angel in his charade took control of his mouth and he
spoke without thinking.
Buffy
quickly looked at him and coldly answered. “No.” She then disengaged herself from Angel and
walked around to the other side of the bar.
“You’ll
have to excuse me. I have an early day tomorrow. Please stay and enjoy yourselves if you need
anything just let Bubba know. It was nice meeting you all.”
Faith
turned and quickly slapped Spike upside the head. “Idiot.”
“Ouch!”
Spike said as he rubbed his head. “Why’d you do that for?”
Faith
ignored him and watched as Buffy stiffly walked out the room followed by Angel.
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