Chapter 6
Author: Ellen
Rating: NC-17 (overall story)
Spoilers: Up Through "She"
Summary: A retelling of the episode "She" as it might have happened in the Power of Three universe.
Disclaimer: We don't own any of these characters, or the basic plot of the episode "She," written by David Greenwalt and Marti Noxon, from which this story is adapted. Angel, Doyle, Cordelia, Wesley et al. are the property of Joss Whedon's Mutant Enemy Productions, 20th Century Fox and/or The WB.
Thoughts between Angel, Doyle and Cordelia are marked //like this.//
We're becoming quite the spy team these days, Cordy and myself. I'm finding all kinds of new uses for this mental talk. Comes in very handy sometimes.
Wesley though, he'll be a problem.
As the three of us eavesdropped on the Vigories, we heard the leader speaking. I sent a quick image of him back to Angel, who confirmed for us that it was Tay.
Tay was saying something about "the portal will open soon but only for a short while, so we must move to the entry point immediately." I couldn't get where it was they were going, though.
One of the other aliens came up in a great hurry, saying, "I believe we've found them."
"Where?"
The other Vigory showed Tay a paper, saying something about a worker at an ice plant. While Tay was saying, "We need to be prepared to capture the princess and cut thdm all quickly," Cordelia was quietly checking in with Angel. It wasn't on the cell phone, either.
//There's an address on a piece of paper. We can't see it but they say an ice plant is shipping two tons of ice a week there.//
//I know the address. I've got a shipping order. Palm Ridge Spa.// He gave her the address. //Do you know the place?//
//Laura never stops talking about it,// Cordelia responded. //We can find it.//
It suddenly struck me ironic that out of the four of us, including Wesley, not even one of us was native to L.A. I'd been here longest and that wasn't all that long and spas had never been on my itinerary. Why didn't this alien broad hide in some nice, cool pub where demons liked to hang about? She'd fit in well enough. Why, I could remember... Best not to go there.
//Now who's getting distracted?// Cordelia chided.
//Yeah, sure, we'll find it,// I echoed hastily.
//I'll meet you there,// Angel sent, amusement mixing with determination.
//As soon as we can get away without being seen, we're on it,// I responded.
Wesley, who couldn't hear any of this mental conversation, was inching closer to the aliens. I realized that he was trying to get into a position where he could read the address on the piece of paper. He had no way of knowing that we'd already taken care of that.
I sent a quick warning thought to Cordelia, who watched Wesley in growing dismay.
//He's too far away and he's not looking at us,// she sent. //We can't get his attention without getting theirs.//
Through the link, I felt her touch Angel's mind lightly. //We may have trouble. If we do, I want to try something.//
She sent a quick image of herself transforming into an exaggerated vamp-face. It was truly hideous.
Angel thought back wryly, //You look like Russell Winters.//
//Ewww, beyond gross but that's the idea. If we have to rush them.// She was looking at Wesley, who was ducking behind barrels and seemed almost close enough to touch the Vigories. I was surprised they hadn't seen him yet.
I protested, //We don't know if you can even do that.//
//Each one of us is supposed to have the powers of the others. It's about time we found out how to use them.//
Before she could even send the next image, I sharply warned, //Don't.//
//You can do your own demon then,// she snapped back, irritated.
Then we both had to duck down lower as the Vigories came rushing past. This time, we were the ones who were almost close enough to touch them. I felt Cordelia bracing herself to try the vamp-out but the aliens were so preoccupied, they went past us without a sideways look. I sagged a bit with relief.
A frustrated looking Wesley followed soon after.
"Couldn't get that address," he muttered, glancing around.
"Don't worry," Cordelia chirped, standing up and brushing off her clothes. "I reached Angel on the cell phone. He already has it."
//Smooth cover,// I sent admiringly to her. //You're quite the actress after all, darlin'.//
//Did you ever have any doubt?//
As we all headed to the spa to meet Angel, Cordelia kept up a covering line of inane chatter to Wesley, mostly about how much her friend Laura adored the red clay massage and couldn't afford to go as often as she wanted and how unfair it was that Serena could afford to go more often but she didn't even like it and more of that sort of nonsense. Underneath, she was talking to me.
//So, if we have to fight, I don't want Wesley attacking you by mistake.//
//Simple solution to that. I stick with the face you love best.//
//Didn't we teach you anything last night?//
For a moment, I couldn't even think anything in return, as my body remembered exactly what Angel and Cordelia had taught me last night.
//Wes here wouldn't be able to cope at all,// I finally came back. //Don't want to rock his little world, darlin'.//
//He's a dweeb but he was trained as a Watcher and now he's working for Angel. After a girly-scream or two, he'll deal.//
Our mental argument continued, without any real resolution, until we arrived at the spa.
Angel's convertible was already there.
I reached out. //Angel, man, where are you?//
In response, he opened his mind to show us the argument he was having with Jheira, who was still refusing his help. Hmmm... developin' a serious case of dislike for that woman.
Meanwhile, Cordelia and I were running in, with Wesley following us. We found ourselves in a room with several nearly nude women, lying stretched out on tubs of ice. I couldn't help taking just a moment to enjoy the view.
Angel turned away from Jheira.
"Wesley, help get the girls out the back way. There's a truck out there."
He started to instruct me and Cordelia mentally, then switched to speaking aloud. "Cordelia, help Wesley with the girls. Doyle, with me."
//Always,// he added through the link and even that one, quick word called to mind how Cordelia and I had claimed him as our own.
On her way out the door with Wesley, propping up one of the semi-nude girls between them, Cordelia shot back at us, //So you want to send little old me out with Wesley and the girls? If either one of you gets hurt defending the bitch from outer space, I might just kill you both myself and spare these alien creeps the trouble.//
//They're not after us, for a change,// I sent back, as Angel and I found hiding places to await the arrival of the Vigories. //Chill.//
//Yeah, tell the gibbering idiot out here.// She sent us a quick picture of Wesley drooling over the alien woman as they helped her into a box filled with ice. Through the link I heard her telling Wesley, "You're pathetic and about to get your eyeballs fried!"
I sent her back a warm flash of agreement.
Then the Vigories arrived and Angel and I and our unlikely ally with the flame-throwing hands, set to it.
As we fought, I realized that I'd been right. These Vigories weren't fighting to kill us; they were only trying to get through us, to get to the gals that Wesley and Cordelia were putting on ice and all we had to do was block them. I'd been up against more vicious fighters in barroom brawls. I could defend myself well enough in human form against this lot.
There would be plenty of time to test out that theory of Cordelia's, I was thinking. Some other time. Not now.
You know what they say about gettin' overconfident in a fight. Makes you sloppy.
All of a sudden I heard Cordelia swearing up a storm in our minds, using words I hadn't thought she knew. //One of them grabbed Wesley,// she sent tensely. //I'm going back in there after him.//
//'Delia, no, let us handle it,// I sent back.
She flared up, her anger scalding me through the link. //Don't treat me like — //
The interruption scared me. //Cordelia!//
Angel's eyes met mine. After a chilling pause, she sent back, //I'm all right. One of them grabbed me, too but it's all right. They're not really trying to hurt us.//
I felt Cordelia's humiliation and fury as she and Wesley were dragged into the room. Angel and I had stopped fighting and stood warily, watching. Jheira had stopped too but reluctantly. Her hands were still glowing.
My eyes met Cordelia's. I could feel that she was more angry than frightened.
The fear that I felt for her was my own.
Tay said in a calm voice: "Jhiera and the runaways are ours."
Angel faced him down. "No they're not."
I knew what Tay would say next, even without being able to read his mind. "Give them back or the humans die."
Jhiera shrugged, indifferent. "Then they die."
I felt something snap inside Angel and I felt the echo of it in me. In a soft, cold voice, he said, "No, they don't. Not today."
He and I moved at the same moment toward Cordelia. Jheira was heading off in another direction but I couldn't have cared less where she went. At that moment, I knew that Angel couldn't care less, either.
There was only one thing that mattered to us and that was keeping Cordelia safe and alive.
As we approached the Vigory who was holding Cordelia, she wriggled in his grasp and drove an elbow back into his midsection. It shouldn't have been enough to make him drop her, if he really wanted to hold on.
Seems like he didn't care any more about Cordelia than I did about Jheira. With a movement like a shrug, he shoved her, hard, toward me and took off after Jheira. The alien holding Wesley did the same, tossing him aside like yesterday's news. Wesley stumbled and fell.
Cordelia fell, too... straight into my arms, with Angel right behind.
//I'm all right, I'm all right,// she sent irritably. //Get out there. They're going to catch up with her and the, uh, girls.//
Angel gave her a quick once-over, nodded and headed out. I lingered for just a moment more, allowing my fingers to brush her cheek as she regained her feet.
//Next time,// she sent warningly. //I will defend myself, any way I can. That's a promise.//
//We'll talk later,// I stalled her, as I followed Angel.
Someone had already grabbed Jheira but as I watched, Angel grabbed Tay and made them let Jheira go. I wasn't needed, at least not at the moment, so I let Wesley catch up with me. I was conscious of Cordelia following, at a more leisurely pace.
Wesley grabbed my arm. Still out of breath from his fall to the floor, he hissed: "What is it with you three?"
"What?" I wasn't paying much attention to him, just watching to make sure that Angel was in no danger.
The little group broke up as Jheira roared off in the truck and Angel walked back toward us.
"The three of you. Are you all insane?"
"What'd y'say, man?" My eyes were all on Angel.
"If I didn't know better, I'd say you were reading each other's thoughts."
//Whoops,// I sent.
//Think we've been careless?// Angel responded.
//Guess he's not quite as stupid as he looks,// Cordelia teased.
Yeah, Wesley's going to be a problem.
