The Soulmate Series

Espionage (Chapter Thirty-One of Soulmates)

The scent of books and the sound of voices beckon. Angel chooses to allow Willow to sense his presence, giving her notice that he’s nearby. He’d love to afford himself the luxury of observing her for a moment, but that’s hardly feasible. Too many others in the library, including one he knows is looking for an excuse to eclipse Buffy by proving her superiour skills, could spot him and give her reason to suspect the bond is not what he’s manipulated her into believing.

The clacking rhythm of the keys as Willow’s fingers nimbly roam across the keyboard of the computer is sure and confident and he’d have known she was there by that even if he were not so exquisitely aware of the singularity of her heartbeat and the nuances of her scent, even if there wasn't this connection between them. No one else here, after all, has her facility with that particular device. He hears her fingers halt for a split second when she realizes he’s in the room and decides it’s time for the others to be made aware that he’s here..

He artfully makes enough noise to alert the wary to his arrival without obviously signaling his presence. He enjoys robbing Faith of her chance to shine; her attitude towards Willow two nights ago leaves him in no mood to be indulgent. All his former sympathy for her is gone, replaced by a growing irritation and the good sense to keep her under close observation. She’s a loose cannon rolling around the decks, and who knows what direction her barrel will point in next, or when it will fire? Will the new Watcher have a clue? And when is he getting here anyway? Angel’s respect for the Council, meager enough to begin with, diminishes exponentially with each day that passes. Were Buffy not so much her own Slayer, she’d have been dead thanks to their pathetic “guidance.”

“Hello, Angel.” Giles’ tone is ever didactic, as if even the word ‘hello’ were a tutorial in the proper intonation of a greeting.

“Rupert.” Angel must confess to enjoying the slight stiffening of the man’s back as he chafes at that familiarity. Language is a grossly underrated tool of torture, the smallest of its distinctions can be used to exquisite and painful advantage.

“Angel.” Buffy gives him that longing, wistful look he’s finding both more risible and more repellent than ever all at once.

He nods at her, acknowledging the greeting. This shows a danger of turning into a monotonous round robin of name-saying, like in that hideously mawkish television show he can remember from decades back. Best to nip it in the bud before Xander calls him “John-Boy.” It would be just like that useless fool to spot the pop culture undercurrents and use them for a cheap laugh.

Having focused his attentions where they are expected first, it is now quite safe for him to speak to Willow. “I’m sorry about Oz.” Clumsiness is also what is expected of him, and he delivers, though it serves his own purposes as well.

She takes a moment before replying and Angel finally sees her face as she turns towards him, her eyes brimming with tears she is making a gallant effort not to shed. She’d feel better if she knew her departed swain was guilty of necrophagy, not murder, but that’s hardly a fact he’s willing to impart. Oz served quite well as Angel’s pawn, and if that means he’s treating his love, as well as the others, as dupes, well...it’s all for the worthiest of causes.

“Thanks.” The word is clipped at the end and Angel knows there is so much roiling within her under cover of that pathetic syllable. “He’s gone.” Anger emerges from the tumult, distinct and prominent. But is her rage directed at Angel? He’s not sure.

“I know. Buffy told me.”

An unwanted voice cuts in. “I thought you guys had broken up.” Great. Faith just has to butt in.

Unexpectedly, however, someone else comes to Willow’s defense, at least after a fashion. “She broke up with him because she’s sick. Hello? It’s not like Willow would have thrown away a boyfriend unless it was an emergency.” Ah, Cordelia. Nice try.

Of course, none of this really has a thing to do with Willow; Angel spots that in seconds. Cordelia’s arm tightens around Xander and she shoots a fairly intimidating glare at Faith. So that’s it, is it? Faith’s been circling Xander with her bitch-in-heat moves. It’s doubtful that Cordelia Chase would ever be willing to let someone like Faith walk off with her man, pathetic excuse for one though he might be, so she’s even willing to attempt some sort of conciliatory gesture towards Willow to ensure that his affections remain fixed on her. Seems she isn’t at all sure that her two best qualities, both located below her neck, are enough to keep Xander in line. Maybe she’s right. Because, in the absence of giving him what Angel’s sense of smell assures him she has not yet bestowed on him, being nice to the one person in the world Xander might just value above the gratification of his hormones seems a good tactic to keep her the winner in this hysterically pointless war.

But if Angel were a betting man, he’d still say that Cordelia would do well to spread her legs in the near future. There’s only so long Xander can be expected to choose the high road, what with Faith’s low road laid wide and open before him.

“You’re still sick, huh?”

“Yeah.”

Faith is eyeing Willow speculatively and Angel’s anger at her moves from simmer to boil. “Well, it’s cool that you’re here.” Another pathetic try. Willow’s buying it even less than she bought Cordelia’s inept effort. Atta girl.

She turns back to her keyboard and Faith looks frustrated, a look not nearly as fetching as melancholy is on Willow. As much as Angel longs to make her smile, he must admit that on her, weltschmerz is quite fetching.

“With you back on the research, everything’s sure to be five-by-five.”

Faith’s neo-Runyonesque patter is grating as always; pity she doesn’t study her betters in the game of evocative colloquialisms and thus create a more vivid and colourful argot. Not for the first time, Angel wonders if the girl can actually read. It wouldn’t be the first time a Slayer’s education was neglected so woefully. She does ratchet up a bit of compassion from Angel at that possibility, but it’s subsumed by his dislike of her falseness and instability.

Willow ignores her, something that actually surprises Angel as she’s usually polite to a fault. Perhaps his senses have sharpened hers and she’s starting to see what everyone else seems to be missing: Faith isn’t just some annoying, posturing wannabe. No, the seeds of something darker are germinating in the fertile soil of an unbalanced psyche. Still, though, he worries about Willow if she gets on Faith’s bad side. Intelligence his love has to an extraordinary degree. But no amount of brains will serve should Faith’s anger manifest in physical action. He lets his concern filter through to her, wanting to keep her on guard.

Surprisingly, while the bond is not telepathic, Willow still gets the message. Angel’s in a bit of shock and makes a note to remain ever vigilant and cunning when it comes to her as well. His girl is clever, so very clever and intuitive, not just book smart by a long chalk.

“Thanks.” The response is belated, but that actually works to her advantage - her delayed reaction time serving as evidence of her continued suffering from the debilitating effects of CFS.

Faith makes a desultory head gesture and Willow goes back to her duties.

“What are we looking for, anyway?” Cordelia again. Angel’s pretty sure Giles has already gone over this, but considering her poor attention span when it comes to anything that isn’t about clothes or hairstyles, he’s not surprised that Cordelia has not retained the information.

A heavy sigh emerges as Giles performs the unenviable but commonplace task of explaining things at least one time too many for the oblivious girl still clinging to Xander’s arm.

“We’re looking for anything that might explain the sudden upsurge in demonic activity. There’s far too much for it to be simply a random sort of increase. There must be something behind it.”

“Shouldn’t this be a job for the new guy? I mean, whenever he finally gets here, that is? Because, am I wrong or weren’t you fired?”

She’s obviously hit a nerve with that remark and Giles winces slightly. Angel almost pities the man. While he himself enjoys discomfiting Giles, he’s loath to take Cordelia’s part for any reason and the pendulum in him now swings sharply to Giles’ side.

“The Hellmouth doesn’t shut down just because The Watcher’s Council says I’m no longer employed.”

“Besides, Giles, no matter what, you will always be my Watcher.” Buffy puts her arm around Giles’ shoulders for a moment.

“Yes, well...” Giles seems embarrassed, but pleased. Buffy has said those same words a multitude of times, but it seems they have yet to lose their impact. Angel does actually feel some admiration for her for being both loyal and demonstrative.“Shall we all get back to the matter at hand now?”

Cordelia looks confused again, but seeing Xander pick up a book seems to clear the matter up for her. The two sit down at one of the tables and begin to read. Cordelia humphs and sighs as she researches, just to make sure it’s known how put out she is, but when Xander shoots her a look, she stops. Perhaps the boy realizes that Faith’s interest, however prurient and however likely to be fleeting, has shifted the balance of power to him. Angel almost respects him for that.

Willow’s fingers never falter as she continues her work out in the limitless reaches of cyberspace. Angel doesn’t pretend to understand computers and the way Willow can use them to pry so many secrets from the ether, but he is impressed by her facility and skill.

He wonders if she’s been trying to find a way to sever the bond. No, considering her almost phobic avoidance of anything magickal (Buffy has told him that, especially since her near-immolation, she won’t even discuss performing it), he’s pretty sure she hasn’t been trying too hard - probably not at all. After all, with no one being aware of her connection to Angel in the first place, who would undertake whatever ritual was needed were there even one that could be done? Angel has never heard of such a thing, and he’s pretty sure he would have if there was something to hear about.

Her brow furrows as she keeps typing and stopping to look at the pages she brings up, then types again. Giles, too, notices her puzzled expression. “Is there something wrong? Have you found out anything?”

“No. And that’s kind of the problem. I’m not seeing things I should be seeing. Maybe I’m just off my game.”

Angel braces himself for some sort of admonition from Giles that Willow needs to do better, but it never comes. Instead, there’s a look both indulgent and understanding on his face and a tome to match when he speaks. “You’re too hard on yourself. I’m sure it’s the same trouble I had with the guides. Information is harder and harder to come by lately...for all of us.”

A cloud comes over the man’s features.

“This is really bad, isn’t it?” Willow sounds extremely worried.

“Yes, I’m afraid so. As dramatic as they were, I fear that The Sisterhood of Jhe were more of a symptom than a problem in and of themselves. Perhaps this energy called to them, rather then being called up by them...” His voice trails off as he gets lost in troubled and troubling thought.

Angel’s greatly concerned as well. After all, it’s not as if he’s no longer one of the good guys. Perhaps he needs to devote a bit more time and energy to this particular crisis they are now facing. His campaign to set things right with Willow is proceeding apace, and besides, it will all be for naught should the world end.

“I’ll nose around, see if any of my old sources have anything to say.”

“That would be most helpful, Angel. Thank you.”

Angel’s surprised that Giles says the words without the usual reluctance and distaste. One more confirmation that the situation is likely dire.

Faith’s looking restless. “Slaying time, B.” She heads over to grab some stakes, obviously eager to kill and equally eager not to be in the library any longer. Xander hasn’t so much as looked her way in the past few minutes. Maybe he’s actually in love with Cordelia. Why, Angel has no idea, but she’s probably a wiser choice than Faith.

“Yeah, we better head out. With any luck, we’ll hear something.” Buffy looks at Angel as she weapons up, then heads for the door, Faith having preceded her into the hall. She approximates a jaunty wave and then is gone.

Angel’s surprised that both were almost rude - in fact, scratch the almost. Something’s up with the pair, and that’s a fact. Angel’s just about to find a way to slip out and follow them when Giles’ voice stops him cold.

“Why don’t you go see what you can find out, Angel.” Ah, so Giles noticed, too. Nobody’s fool, that one. Neither is Angel, who knows that what Giles is really asking for is a bit of Slayer reconnaissance. Buffy’s in a vulnerable state and could easily be led astray. Angel’s not actually surprised that he isn’t the only one who recognizes that Faith is far from the most stable Slayer ever called, and that she might lead Buffy into temptation - and through it straight to trouble.

Loath as he is to leave his love’s side, Angel knows what needs to be done, so he nods at Giles and departs without a word. Saying goodbye just to Willow might arouse the man’s suspicions - he’s aware that Giles still questions the nature of his feelings for her. There’s a pang as he relinquishes the intensity of that precious bond as he departs, but there’s naught to be done about it - cunning and prudence must prevail.

It’s not hard to track Buffy and Faith, two Slayers together give off an aura so powerful that he’s surprised humans can’t feel it. For an odd moment, he’s grateful not to be one of them. There’s something to be said for heightened senses, superiour strength...for all the differences, especially considering the fact that he possesses his soul in the bargain. He harkens back to his former craven behaviour and self-abnegation and feels more than a trace of disgust with himself.

Making sure to stay far enough out of range that his own aura blends into the general one of the demonic forces that rule the town after dark, Angel listens to what he can pick up of the conversation the two girls are in the midst of as they walk through the cemetery.

“You and Angel, that’s got to be frustrating, huh, B.”

“What do you mean?”

“You guys can’t relieve all that tension.” Faith runs her hands up and down her body on the word ‘tension’ and Angel half expects her to do a pornographic pantomime. “I mean, one step over the line and...well, having to stake your boyfriend would kinda kill the mood.”

“Yeah. But we’re not really together anymore, so...” Buffy looks uncomfortable, as if she’s revealed more than she wanted to, and Faith pounces.

“Oh, you mean that Scott guy Willow’s boyfriend munched on? Was he any good?”

“I’m starting to think this ‘Slayer-bonding-night’ was a bad idea.” There’s an expression of disgust and horror on Buffy’s face and Angel can hardly blame her. Though he is actually the author of the boy’s demise, it revolts him to hear the death treated so cavalierly. Whatever happened to Slayers who understood the sacredness of life? He finds it hard to believe Faith was considered fit to be Buffy’s replacement.

Out of nowhere, two burly vampire of a type Angel hasn’t seen in quite a long time appear and attack, pinning both Slayers to a crypt in seconds. Angel readies himself to join the fray if things get out of hand.

“Okay, I’m guessing that look meant you never got a chance to take Scott for a test drive. So what about Xander?”

“Faith, now is really not the time.” Both girls are struggling, but only Buffy seems to see the danger as something consequential. Faith should have studied Buffy more closely in times past. She’d have learned that, even in the midst of repartee, Buffy took everything seriously. All Faith seems to have learned is the flip facade...only with her, it’s not a facade.

“I’m curious, I mean, the boy’s cute. What gives?”

Maybe Faith is giving things a bit of thought, however, because she catches Buffy’s movements and begins to mirror them. In tandem, the two flip the vampires over and the fight starts to go their way.

“First...” Buffy throws a punch that unsettles her foe, then deftly stakes him before finishing her sentence. “He’s in love with Cordelia. And second, I don’t think of him that way.” Angel’s impressed. Faith may have rattled her briefly, but Buffy’s still on top of her game.

“Oh, c’mon.” Faith pulls a copycat and stakes her own opponent, a task greatly simplified by his anger at the dusting of his companion. Rage never serves one well in battle. “All that sweating-nightly, side-by-side action and you never wanted to get a little after hours action? I’ll bet he’d be up for it.” Faith’s crude hand gestures and hip-thrusting are hardly necessary to illustrate her point, but far be it from her to trust that she’d be understood without them. Subtlety, thou art lost on Faith. “I wouldn’t mind, that’s for sure.”

Buffy’s none-too-thrilled with that last pronouncement. “Faith, did you miss the part where he’s in love with Cordelia?”

Another hand gesture from Faith, at least this one isn’t bawdy. “Please. That uptight priss? I’ll bet Xander’s dying for some, ‘cause I know she’s not givin’ it up.”

Buffy’s about to respond when her eye catches what Angel was hoping she’d notice: a third set of footprints in the damp earth. Atta girl.

“There’s a third one.”

“How do you know?”

“I spend way too much time with Willow...helps me think.” Oh. Nice dig. Remind Faith of an ally she doesn’t have. Angel’s respect for Buffy increases exponentially. He truly does regret that they can’t ever be friends.

The two creep slowly towards a large tombstone. There’s a vampire back there, just like the other two.

“On the count of three. One...” Of course, Faith being Faith, she doesn’t wait and hurls herself over the crumbling marble, getting herself knocked to the ground in a trice. Normally, this would not be something dire, but this particular vampire bears a sword. That’s a spanner in the works for Buffy, whose trusty stake is halved by the blade, leaving her as close to defenseless as she can get. Where the hell is Faith?

Luckily, that question is answered just as Buffy’s plight is about to necessitate Angel joining the fray. Faith finally stakes the brutish creature just before he sinks his fangs into Buffy’s throat.

Two swords are on the ground...and then not. Buffy was wrong - there were four. A dark-skinned vampire with too much stealth to be a youngster or a minion scoops them up without either Slayer being the wiser. Still, he took a risk, which means these swords are more than just sharpened steel. It might well be a good idea to change plans and go after this creature instead. After all, he’s already confirmed that his suspicions about Faith were correct: she’s looking to remake Buffy in her own image. The rest of Angel’s time tonight would be better spent on dealing with the one who made away with the weaponry.

Unfortunately, this vampire is too wary and exudes an aura of too much power to make it worth the risk of a confrontation. He’s on guard and on a mission. So Angel decides to follow him and see where he goes, making sure to stay far enough away to keep his surveillance a secret.

It’s not long before tailing this demon proves fruitful. Angel has indeed made a wise choice, one which stands to prove at least as helpful as retrieving the swords might have done. Why? Because this vampire heads straight into City Hall. For the second time Angel has observed, evil is centered around that place. That cannot be a coincidence. There’s something far worse than the normal municipal corruption afflicting Sunnydale’s government.

He can hardly wait to tell Giles (and Willow) what he’s discovered. This is information they can really sink their teeth into. Angel decides to head back to the library. With everything he’s learned tonight, he just might be everyone’s favorite vampire.


Tbc...