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Banner by Me
Chapter 2
After the big reveal, everyone had been silent, each processing what Xander had said… and what he hadn’t. Spike had started getting antsy and Angel took that as his cue to get the others to leave.
He invited Oz to bunk down on the floor in his living room, not wanting him to have to spend another night sleeping in his van. Oz had agreed, and he left to retrieve his sleeping bag.
Doyle was putting up Wesley for the night, after they picked up Wesley’s motorcycle from the bar.
They’d all agreed to meet back at Angel Investigations bright and early to begin researching the Initiative in earnest. Wesley had claimed to have a few contacts in the Council and he was going to make discreet inquires. Doyle was hoping the Powers were going to be forthcoming, but as yet, nothing had happened.
Cordelia had given Xander a hug and a kiss on the cheek and told him to get some rest. He didn’t mention the tears in her eyes, and neither did she.
“You ate, pet?” Spike asked after the others had left.
“Not really hungry.”
“Shower and bed then?”
“Yeah. That’ll be good.”
Xander doubted that he’d be getting much sleep that night however.
~*~*~*~*~
Spike blamed the fact that he’d taken to keeping human hours while caring for Xander as to the reason he’d not heard the commotion until it was almost too late. Seeing the swarm of men decked out in all black, their faces covered by masks, had him freezing for a moment before galvanizing into action.
He jumped from the bed snarling and heard an echoing growl come from Angel out in the living room. A dart embedded itself in his upper chest, and Spike yanked it out and tossed it aside. As a vampire at full strength, it was going to take a lot more than a single knock-out dart to slow him down. He leapt onto the man that had fired it and grinned maniacally at his scream of terror.
Smoke soon filled Angel’s apartment making it difficult, if not impossible, to see, and the noxious smell filled Spike’s nostrils until he remembered not to breathe. He grabbed the nearest soldier and yanked his mask off; his suspicions were confirmed when the man choked once, twice, then passed out.
Xander!
Spike turned around and tried to see the bed, but the smoke was too thick. He raced forward and ran his hands over the surface, praying he’d encounter a lump that was Xander, but the bed was empty.
“Angelus!”
Something small slammed into his chest.
“Hold onto him,” Angel said as he barricaded the bedroom door. “Come on. We don’t have much time.”
“They’ve got him. They’ve got Xander.”
Spike planted his feet, intending on putting Oz down and going after the soldiers. Angel had other ideas.
“We can’t, Spike. They’re gonna blow the place. We’ve got to get to the sewers. Now!”
Spike concentrated and he heard the retreating footsteps. Heard, too, the timer that was steadily counting down.
“Here, let me have him,” Angel said once he had the sewer access door open. “Go!”
There was a small splash as Spike landed in the water that covered the bottom few inches of the sewers.
“Ready?”
“Yeah. Drop him.”
Spike caught Oz easily and a second later Angel was through the hole and taking Oz back from Spike.
“Run!”
Spike needed no further urging.
They’d barely taken a handful of steps when the explosion nearly knocked them off their feet.
~*~*~*~*~
“Got a destination in mind, or are we just gonna run until we reach the ocean?” Spike wanted to know.
“Cordelia’s.”
“The cheerleader?”
“Yes. She’s got a ghost. Dennis. He’ll let us know if someone approaches. Should give us some time to regroup… get you some clothes. Get me some clothes.”
“Bloody hell.”
Spike just realized he was running around the sewers of Los Angeles wearing just a pair of boxers, and that only because Xander had refused to allow him to, in his words, “run around starkers while Oz was here”. Angel wasn’t faring much better, although he at least had some sleep pants on.
Thinking about Xander made Spike stop, forcing Angel to stop as well.
“Tell me we’re gonna get him back, Angelus.”
“We’ll get him back, Spike.”
“Promise me.”
“I promise. We’ll get him back, Spike. Now come on. We need to get to Cordy’s. Then figure out how the soldiers knew where you were.”
“Yeah. Okay.”
~*~*~*~*~
Cordelia immediately invited them in and quickly shut the door, throwing the bolt home. For good measure, she added the chain.
“Where’s Xander?”
“Bastards took him.”
“What? Angel!”
“I know, Cordy. We’ll get him back. But first we need to figure out how they found us.”
“Yeah. Okay. Here, set Oz down on the couch. What happened to him?”
“Sleeping gas, I think,” Angel replied. “He should be fine in a few hours.”
The lights flickered and Cordelia turned towards the kitchen. Saw a flashlight and a kitchen knife float towards her.
“Right!” She snapped her fingers. “Dennis you’re a genius. Spike, sit down.”
“I don’t think so.” Spike eyed the flashlight and knife warily.
“It’s a tracer, dummy. Sit. Dennis will find it and Angel can cut it out.”
“Spike…” Angel began.
“Fine. Just be careful with that thing,” Spike said to Angel, indicating the knife he snatched out of thin air. Muttered, “Been cut up enough by those bloody soldiers to last me a lifetime.”
~*~*~*~*~
They found the tracer and Angel cut it out.
“See you haven’t lost your touch,” Spike muttered.
“Shut up, Spike.”
Dennis brought them a hammer, ending whatever Spike might have said, and he snatched it out of the air with a mumbled thanks, then completely smashed the small piece of metal that had been hidden under his skin.
“We probably shouldn’t stay here,” Cordelia announced. “I mean. They might have gotten a fix on us before the tracer was destroyed.”
“Cordy’s right,” Angel agreed. “We should go.”
“Where?” Spike asked.
“My van,” Oz said, groaning as he sat up on the couch. “Got some supplies in there. Cash. Enough to rent us a few motel rooms.”
“We should get Doyle and Wesley.” This from Angel.
“Well, what are we waiting for?”
Angel frown at Spike then turned to Cordelia, “Pack a bag. Quickly. Just grab enough stuff for a few days. We’re out of here in five minutes.”
A small duffle came floating down the hall. Cordelia grabbed it and smiled, thanking Dennis.
“I’m ready.”
“Does he clean too?” Spike wanted to know.
“Of course.”
“Guys! Leaving now. Spike, help Oz.”
Angel took the lead and stepped out the front door, motioning for the others to follow.
“Be careful, Dennis,” Cordelia said and followed Angel.
Spike and Oz brought up the rear.
~*~*~*~*~
“You are so buying me a new pair of shoes, Angel,” Cordelia muttered, levering herself out of the sewer and into the parking garage where Oz had left his van. She wiggled her foot and a piece of slime slid off her shoe. “Ugh! Disgusting.”
“Shut it, Princess. Least you have shoes,” Spike growled. He was still in a pair of boxers.
“Enough!” Angel roared. “Just get in the van. Oz?”
Oz produced the hide-a-key box and shook it. “Key.” His other set was probably ash among the rubble that was once Angel’s apartment.
He unlocked the door and everyone piled in. Angel sat up front with Oz so that he could give him directions to Doyle’s place. Spike picked a back corner, grabbed a blanket, and huddled in it.
Surprisingly, Cordelia joined him.
“We’re gonna find him, Spike.”
She laid a reassuring hand on his arm.
Spike didn’t say anything, but he didn’t dislodge her hand either. He sat there unmoving, staring off into space and wondered about Xander. If he was being treated to more of the same at the hands of the soldiers. He was still sitting there, locked away in his memories, when the van stopped and Angel left to get Doyle and Wesley.
It wasn’t until Oz knelt before him and said “Sunnydale” with knowing eyes that Spike seemed to come alive.
“You sure, mutt?” he asked, not daring to believe. Or hope.
Oz nodded.
“Right. It’s back to the hellmouth for us, then.”
Oz grimaced. After the drama of his departure, the last thing he wanted to do was return to Sunnydale. But, Xander was his friend. He couldn’t not go.
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