A Very Ordinary Evil

Part 35 End Game


One hour before dawn. About three hours after the previous part.


Willow began packing as soon as everyone else had left. Not that she needed a lot, just a set of street clothes that would not encumber her and a sports bag.

Spike watched, highly concerned as Willow made her preparations. “I’d really rather you waited pet. I could come as well if we went after dark.”

“No, Spike. This is about me. To Angel you just were an inconvenience; I was the real target. He needs to find out that not everyone is available at his beck and call. And it’ll be the last thing he ever learns,” Willow promised. “Oh, has Cordy rung Wesley and Gunn, warning them to get out of the line of fire?”

“I dunno luv. D’you want me to check?”

“Please.” Willow was looking for someg tog to include in her bag. Finding them, still in their plastic, she opened the bag and dumped the contents inside.”

Spike looked into the bag and winced. “Pet, that’s a just a bit nasty!”

Willow grinned mirthlessly back. “Good. I want to be very sure. Now, go call Cordy for me.”

Spike smiled, dropped into a very bad impersonation of a hunchback, poked out his tongue and responded lispingly, “Yeth Mithtreth. Immediately Mithtreth.”

As he shuffled off, swinging his right arm and right leg together, Willow dissolved into a giggling puddle.

A little later, Spike returned. “Bad news pet. The Prom Queen did call, but …” As he trailed off he winced and looked exceptionally uncomfortable.

“What Spike?” Willow’s arms were folded and her foot tapped impatiently.

“But they didn’t believe her. They think Angel’s in no danger at all, and nor are they.”

“The idiots! Call Giles. Get him to call Wesley. I hope at least Giles can get it through their skulls. I’m taking that bastard apart, and Goddess help anyone who gets in my way.”

Spike nodded and left, thinking {I have to remember never to get her this pissed at me.}

By the time Spike returned, Willow was sitting and trying to read, however, images of what she was about to do filled her head. “Pet? The Watcher set up a conference call. Between us, we eventually convinced those two tossers to go out and stay out. With a bit of luck they’ll actually listen. I’ll be honest though, luv. I’m not sure how sincere they were.”

Willow nodded. “I won’t hurt them, but nothing will stop me doing this, Spike.”

“I know kitten. And to be truthful, it scares me. I also know that if I try and stop you, or go with you, I’d end up the only vampiric cockroach in Sunnydale. Which is something I want even less.”

Willow smiled and looked up at her lover. “At least you understand. I’m sure that Giles and the others don’t. Not properly. It’s about more than being angry. If I don’t do this I’ll never feel safe again.”

Spike nodded and wrapped his arms around her. “I ustanstand that kitten. Angelus terrified me when the shit was around. I just … it’s hard, y’know, letting you head off when I can’t protect you. It’s the realities of the situation conflicting with the nature of our relationship. I should be the protector, not you.”

Willow nodded as she thought about what Spike was saying. “I understand that, but the real world doesn’t allow those … desires to always be fulfilled. Part of me wants to just hide and say ‘Do it for me,’ if I do that, though, I’ll never be able to stop hiding.”

Spike held Willow tight. “Just come back safe pet. That’s all I ask,”

Willow grinned up. “I will. Remember, I have an advantage. He wants me alive. Anyway, it’s time for me to go.”

Spike kissed her forehead and watched as she walked to the car, sports bag in hand.

* * * *

Willow pulled up outside the Hyperion Hotel, and got out, locking the car as she did so. Carrying the bag, she walked inside, looking around curiously. She saw no-one in the foyer at all. {So what do I do? Ring the bell for service?} She thought, suppressing the giggles that threatened to overtake her.

At length she decided that it couldn’t hurt to try, so she walked boldly up and rang the bell. While she waited, she unzipped the sports bag and looked down, smiling. {If what’s in here doesn’t do the job,} she thought, {nothing will.}

She waited for a few minutes, but again nothing happened. She decided that the only way to find Angel would be to search the hotel. {But how do I do it? This place is a labyrinth. I could miss him and he’d just be here all the time, not even realising I had been in the building.}

As she thought, she remembered something Tara had taught her, a spell which unlocked doors. Tara had used it when she forgot her key. {It’s no different to do it the other way though, all the spell does is move the tumblers. So, if I was to move through the building methodically, I could lock each door and make sure he and I didn’t miss each other.}

First, Willow locked the front doors, and then checked the offices behind the counter. There was no-one inside. She made sure there was only one exit from the office and then locked it behind her. She decided to cover the ground floor and the basement first, thinking that they would be more likely places for Angel to be.

She moved back into the kitchens, and immediately noticed that recent renovations had been made. It seemed designed for a small group of people, rather than catering for large crowds. She moved cautiously into the kitchen and locked the door behind her. If Angel was in here, he couldn’t get past her now. She could only see one other exit from the kitchen, and it was shrouded in gloom. Murmuring another incantation, she created a magical version of low light goggles, and, now able to see into the gloom, she was able to see a passage stretching out ahead of her.

She very gingerly entered the passage and willed the door shut and locked behind her. As she moved forward into the gathering darkness, she could see doors to either side of her. She realised that she would have to open each one. She had never learned how to see through solid objects.

Willow very cautiously turned the handle of the first door, only to discover it locked. Focusing the spell she had been using once more, she mentally unlocked the door and opened it. The room, much to her disappointment, was empty. Closing and locking the door again, she moved to the door opposite. This one, she discovered, was unlocked. Opening it, she saw an unused bedroom. From the decoration, she was fairly sure it was Wesley’s.

Shutting and locking the door, she moved nervously forward, reaching the third door. This was also unlocked, and upon opening it, she found another unused bedroom-n’s.n’s.

Once more moving on after locking the door securely behind her, Willow came to a set of steps going down. {Well, of course, idiot girl. He’s gonna be lurking in the sewers … again}

Willow moved down the steps and eventually reached a passage that led even further underground. She walked cautiously down it and saw a door ahead of her. She slowly turned the door handle and opened it. Ahead of her was Angel … asleep.

“Dead boy! Wake up!” Willow bellowed as loud as she could. The response was gratifying. Angel shuddered and sat up, looking utterly confused. “On your feet! Now!” Willow pressed her advantage.

Angel clambered out, looking very confused. “What on earth’s wrong Willow?”

“You know, Angel, and don’t try and play dumb. The Order of Taraka is what’s wrong. I told you that you shouldn’t to interfere in my life. But you did! Why? Simple jealousy. You’re vile. A hypocrite.”

“I don’t know what …”

“ ‘She doesn’t deserve him, she deserves me.’ Does that ring any bells?”

“How …”

“I walked inside her mind Angel. After she told us, and I didn’t believe her. How dare you! Did you know that the first time the order attacked, both Spike and I were nearly killed? Or, that on the second attempt the whole of the Magic Box was blown apart by grenades? The only reason I’m here is that Spike deliberately took the full force of the blast! He saved everyone in there. Me, Giles, Anya, Xander and Cordy.”

“I was doing what was needed Willow. Spike’ll hurt you. Kill you.”

“Liar! You’re jealous. You’re a small-minded little toad. Can you give me a good reason not to kill you?”

Angel chuckled, and it wasn’t a sound Willow recognised. There was nothing of the Angel she knew in that laugh. “I chose you, when I wasn’t encumbered by my soul, Willow. After I had killed Buffy, I was going to make you mine. I’ve decided that was the right decision, and now nothing, and no-one, will stop me.”

Willow shook her head sadly. “I don’t know what’s happened to you Angel, but it’s made you into what you’ve always feared you’d be--a monster. But what you’ve said has made this decision a lot easier for me.” As she spoke, she unzipped her sports bag and dropped it to the floor.

Angel smiled nastily. “And what can a little thing like you do, other than accept that you’ll be mine?”

Willow looked him straight in the eye and answered. “This.” As she spoke, the bag’s contents rose. Some four hundred pencils hovered, the points all facing Angel. Willow focused her will and without another word, accelerated all of the pencils at fantastic speed towards Angel.

He was unaware of the danger he was in until the last second, and by that time he was too late to do anything. He shuddered in repeated agony as pencil after pencil hammered like nails into him. Eventually, one penetrated his heart, and he spasmed, muscles and bone locking up briefly before the inevitable disintegration overtook him. Seconds later, there was nothing more than a scattered pile of dust on the floor.

As she looked at all that remained of Angel, Willow was surprised by her lack of feelings. There was no vindication, no grief, nothing, other than a vague sense of tragic rightness. She imagined that dog owners whose pets became rabid felt much the same.

She turned and began to leave the Hyperion. She was not foolish enough to think herself safe--no-one is in Sunnydale. But she felt less threatened than she had in the past weeks, and more at ease.

End.