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Thanks to the information from Harmony, Spike and Illyria were able to avoid the helicopters, hiding out in the hills for several hours. When the helicopters left, the pair continued on their travel, arriving in New York City a few days later
“What is this place?” Illyria asked, looking around at the buildings
“This, love, is New York City. One of the grander major-cities of America,” Spike said as he drove around, “Last time I was here was about thirty years ago”
He drove to the nearest motel, hiding under his blanket as they headed inside. Illyria had assumed Fred’s form and changed into a set of normal clothes as they walked up to the reception desk
“What can I do for you?” the receptionist asked
“Room for two,” Spike answered, “May be staying here for at least a week”
“Very well and what are your names”
“William and Winifred Pratt,” Spike replied quickly
The receptionist wrote their names down in the book, before handing them a key and telling them the directions to their room
“Pratt?” Illyria asked in Fred’s personality, “What a funny-sounding last name”
“It’s my last name of old,” Spike said, “And drop the Fred act”
“If you wish,” Illyria said, now in her personality
The elevator dinged and they headed out, reaching their room and stepping inside
“Hmm, not bad,” Spike commented
The room was large and spacious, with two bedrooms next to each other, a large living room connected to the kitchen and a bathroom next to the closest room. Spike walked into a room, quickly stepping back from the sunlight pouring into the room. He noticed the other room didn’t have any sunlight and walked in
“The other room’s for you, Leery”
Spike dropped down onto the bed and closed his eyes, glad he was able to put his tired body to rest at last…for the time being at least
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“So, this Spike vampire, how much of a challenge is he?” Ava asked
She was in the car with Gunn as they tore along the road, continuing on from Spike’s last known location and going from there. The CEO had a feeling that Spike was heading towards New York, which was where Ava, Gunn and two cars filled with vampires were heading, all armed and ready to take Spike and Illyria on
“He’s killed two Slayers, as you told me, so you tell me,” Gunn answered
It was hard to resist the urge to attack and kill Ava. Her Slayer blood would be like an aphrodisiac to vampires and Gunn so badly wanted to taste it, but he knew the CEO wouldn’t be very happy at all if he killed Ava, so he had to sit tight and think of things other than her blood. Such as killing Spike and Illyria. That brought a smile to his face
“Yeah, he should be fun to fight against,” Ava said
“I guess you like fighting for fun?” Gunn asked, “I mean, I’m just curious”
“Well, yeah I do. Nothing wrong with that. I enjoy the feeling of being so free while fighting. It could be the meaning of life and death. It’s so exciting”
“It turns you on, doesn’t it?”
“Doesn’t you?”
Gunn gave her a piercing glare as he continued driving. Ava gave him a sexy smile and he just shook his head, turning his eyes back to the road
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Spike and Illyria patrolled through the streets of New York. Spike was looking for a demon bar to get drunk in, while Illyria wanted to release some tension by pummelling something into dust. Which led to Spike convincing her to join him to the bar, stating that there would be drunk demons to fight with and Illyria had agreed
“Here we are,” Spike said with a smile
He headed into the bar, as Illyria closely followed him, looking around in repulsion at the groups of demons hanging out at the bar. Although she was in her normal form, she wasn’t wearing her leather outfit, opting for the low-key civilian clothes. Actually, Spike had forced her to wear the civilians clothes
“One quart of blood and a bottle of whiskey,” Spike ordered the barkeeper, “You can sit down if you like, pet”
“Is there a reason why I should?”
“Because there is no point in standing around”
Illyria looked around at the bar with disgust, as Spike drank all of his blood, before starting on the whiskey. A Grox’lar Beast had gotten onto a stage and started singing a song. It was a good song, Spike thought, but the demon was killing it…in a bad way
“Sit down, Leery, it’s not like the stool is gonna kill you”
“I will sit because it suits me”
She sat down next to him, clasping her hands together on the bar, as Spike ordered another bottle of whiskey
“What will you have?” the demonic barkeeper growled to Illyria
“Don’t worry about it,” Spike said, “She doesn’t like ‘ingesting toxics’”
“A non-drinker huh. Guess we’re gonna have to change that”
“Yeah, good luck with that”
Thankfully, the Grox’lar Beast had finished singing, as someone joined him on stage
“Give good old Maurice an applaud,” said the person, “Not bad on that song. The chorus was a bit of an issue, but otherwise, just fine”
Both Illyria and Spike froze when they heard that voice. Slowly, Spike turned around and looked towards the stage. Sure enough, there he was, on stage and mic in hand
“Lorne?”
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“Wow, New York City,” Ava said
They had arrived upon nightfall and were currently driving through the city, searching for the New York branch of Wolfram and Hart. Harmony had phoned through earlier and told the CEO there about Spike and Illyria, as well as telling them to provide hospitality for Gunn and Ava when they arrived
“Yeah, it’s boring,” Gunn said
He led the small convey through the streets, arriving at Wolfram and Hart after about nearly an hour of driving through the city. He got out of the car, as Ava and the vampires followed him into the building
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“Lorne?” Spike said
The Pylean heard him and looked over, his mouth dropping slightly
“And I’m afraid folks, that’s all for tonight”
There were only a few groans here and there, as Lorne left the stage and made his way over to the pair, sitting down and getting a sea breeze nearly automatically
“This is where you’ve been?” Spike asked, “New York City?”
“Yes, I suppose,” Lorne said, “Been trying to recapture my former glory days. The ones spent at Caritas and not fighting for Angel’s side”
“Killing Lindsey got you down that bad? You’ll get over it”
“Easy for you to say. Anyhow, how have things been? Illyria, I see you’re looking good”
“Only because the half-breed forced me to wear these clothes,” Illyria said
“Yes, true, but you look good,” Lorne said, noticing a couple of demons leering at her behind her back, “So, what’s been going on?”
“Wes’ dead, Gunn’s a vampire, Angel Shanshued and left with a resurrected Cordelia,” Spike explained, “Me and Blue here are on the run from Wolfram and Hart, who Gunn still works for”
“Oh dear. Hey, why don’t you sing for me, champ? See where your path is”
“I’m not singing, green boy”
“Only a few words. That’s all I need”
“Okay, fine,” Spike sighed, “I died…so many years ago. But you can make me feel like it isn’t so. Why you come to be with me, I think I already know”
“What a lovely song,” Lorne commented, “Never heard of it”
“I sang it to Buffy,” Spike said, “Anyhow, what you get?”
“You got a hell of a journey ahead of you and that’s literally,” Lorne said, “First off, you have to head to Rome to tie off some loose ends. And something from your past will come back to haunt you”
“Haunt me?” Spike asked surprised, “Like my soul isn’t enough of a reminder?”
“Well, it depends on how you look at it,” Lorne said, “I know it’s gonna shock you. And to find this ‘haunting’ thing, you have to visit an old…well ‘friend’”
“Angel?”
“No, not that old friend. Can you think of another old friend?”
“Yeah, I guess I can”
“Great. Well, that’s all my reading done for tonight. I’m gonna head off home and I might see you two guys around another time”
Lorne tipped the bartender and headed off, as Spike thought about his words, sipping at his third bottle of whiskey, as Illyria watched him curiously
“What?”
“Did any of that make any sense to you?”
“Dunno just yet. Guess I’ll have to find out. Anyhow, bottoms up”
And with that, he skulled the rest of his whiskey in one hit and smacked his lips
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