Subject: [SpikesSalvation] Phoenix Dreams- Chapter 28 Date: Sat, 1 Nov 2003 10:23:00 -0800 (PST) From: Jerusha Hancock Reply-To: SpikesSalvation@yahoogroups.com To: SpikesSalvation@yahoogroups.com Chapter 28 It was a tableau of shock. Angel and William stood shoulder to shoulder in the old warehouse watching as an old nemesis held a frightened Ty by the scruff of the neck. The light in the large open room was spotty, provided by ancient flourescent tubes. And they were out-numbered at least four to one, preventing them from making any move at all on Race, who laughed at their predicament. Only a few hours before, Willow had been working on the locator spell even as the phone rang. It wasn't a ransom demand, however, but a request for a meeting, directed at Angel mostly. "It was Race," Angel said quietly. Buffy didn't know what he was talking about, but Emmie and William recognized the name immediately. Race was a vampire, but he was also an arms dealer who delighted in spreading all kinds of chaos and mayhem any way he could. Angel had shut him down a few months before William had come to work at Wolfram & Hart, but it was a well-known story. The investigation and the ensuing fight had lasted a good three months, and Angel had lost four good fighters. The assumption had been that Race had been dusted sometime during the battle. Apparently, they had been wrong. Angel quickly explained the background to Buffy, who frowned. "Did he want money?" "No, he wants a meeting." He looked over at William, and they shared a look. For all their differences, they understood one another quite well, especially when it came to the battle. William's grim face was evidence of his understanding. "He's looking for revenge, Angel." There was a long silence. "We're going, of course." Buffy's eyebrows went up. "Wait a minute, Spike. Think about this." "Race wants a meeting, he'll get a meeting. Otherwise you know what he'll do to Ty." Buffy reached out and grabbed his arm. "Listen to yourself. If he wants revenge badly enough, the best way to do it would be to make sure you never get your son back. At least let Willow finish the locator spell, make sure that Ty is at the meeting place. If he is, fine. We'll go in and get him out. If not, you can make the meeting and send a different team to pull him out." William shook his head. "We don't have time, Buffy." "A few more minutes," Buffy insisted. "Listen to her, Will," Angel said quietly from his position leaning up against the wall. Emmie stood next to him, her hand tucked supportively through his arm in an unobtrusive gesture of affection. "She's right. We can't afford to go off half-cocked." "He's my son!" "I love him too, William," Angel replied calmly. He had learned it was best to keep a cool head when his former childe lost his temper. It seemed to calm things down eventually. William might have protested more, but just then Willow came dashing in. "I've got it," she said. "I've got a location." ~~~~~ It had been a command-level decision. Angel was the one to put his foot down this time, and William backed him up completely. "We're going in alone," the big vampire said. "Race sees anyone else and he'll shoot first and ask questions later." Buffy reluctantly agreed, knowing that they would be facing a superior force without the benefit of surprise. "What about us?" "Wes, Gunn, take a team and surround the outside. Give us fifteen minutes and then start working your way in," William said. Then he looked over at Buffy. "You and Emmie find a way in. Give us a few minutes to get inside and then follow however you can. If they don't have Ty right out in the open—" "We'll find him," Emmie finished. "We'll get him back, Will." He tried a smile and just managed it. "Sure we will." ~~~~~ Everything had gone according to plan up to that point. Angel and William had made their way inside with no interference, finding Race with his men and Ty where he'd said they'd be, in the main storage room of the warehouse. "So you showed," Race said smirking. "I didn't think you'd have it in you." "Hand over the boy," Angel said, his face dark with anger. He could feel William literally trembling beside him like a dog wanting off the leash, ready to attack. Race laughed. "Come on, Angelus. You didn't actually think you were going to march in here and demand his return just to have me turn him over, did you? This isn't about demands." "So what is this about?" William asked. "You have my son. I want him back." The vampire laughed again. "This is about revenge," he replied. "And you should choose your friends more carefully if you want to keep your brat safe, William. Angelus here has an unhealthy habit of acquiring enemies." "This is about you and me, Race," Angel said. "Leave the boy out of this." "You aren't getting your brat back, Angelus," Race replied. "I'm afraid it doesn't work that way. I didn't want you here to make a deal, I wanted you here to see my little present." And with that he impatiently shook Ty by the back of the shirt. William took a step forward as if to attack and then froze at what he saw. His son's face melted away to reveal the visage of a demon. There was something obscene about turning a child, but it seemed an even greater affront when that child was your own. "No," he protested. Angel was equally stunned, and a great rage flowed through him. "You bastard." He was already moving towards the vampire, superior numbers be damned, when Race drove a stake through the child-vampire, and he disappeared into a puff of dust. "NO!" William screamed, just as a compact body hit Race from the side. The vampire went down, but not before a knife appeared in his hand, and he drove it through Emmie's side. Race stood, knife still in hand, next to her lifeless body. "Next?" he called, his minions coming in to surround both Angel and William, cutting them off from all hope of getting out of there alive. It might have gotten really bad had Race not frozen, surprise written all over his face, even as a small wooden tip appeared on the other side of his chest. "You know," Emmie said conversationally from behind him, "next time you try to kill a Slayer, you might want to make sure she's really dead." And then she let out a scream at the top of her lungs, a pre-arranged signal to alert Wes and Gunn. The minions went down easily, as all were disoriented from losing their leader and none were great fighters. Wes and Gunn came in with their teams after having picked off the vampires around the perimeter, and finished with the clean up. And then it was all over, and William was still numb with shock. "Will," a hand on his shoulder turned him to face Angel. "I've got to get Emmie to a hospital." William nodded wordlessly. Now that the adrenalin had worn off, he couldn't move. "Do you want to come along?" When he received no answer, Angel looked over at Wes, who was also looking a little shell-shocked at the news of Ty's death. "Stay with him. Where's Buffy?" Wesley shook his head. "I don't know. She and Emmie went in together. I assume they must have split up for some reason." Angel nodded. "Gunn, see if you can find her. I doubt she needs any help, but check it out anyway." He looked back at William, who was now kneeling on the floor where Ty's ashes had fallen. He, too, would have to grieve, but he didn't have time to fall apart now. He had to get Emmie to a hospital or risk losing her as well. He scooped her up in his arms and hoped that Buffy got back soon. William was going to need her. "But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted but not forsaken; struck down but not destroyed." 2 Cor 4:7-9 ---------------------------------