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Shadows of
Yesterday
Chapter 5
by Tami
Las Vegas Branch of Wolfram & Hart
“When I said that I was signed on to help you investigate why Nina was here, I didn’t think that meant traveling through three miles of underground tunnels only to climb up a manhole in the floor of the underground garage of an evil law firm,” Booth commented as he followed Angel to the elevator.
“Why not, this is what we consider to be recreation,” Spike said.
“Yeah, well, it’s what I consider to be a one-way ticket to a lifetime suspension and a mediocre severance package courtesy of the federal government,” Booth said dryly.
“Just think, if that happens, you can always come out and work with us,” Spike smirked.
Angel pressed the UP arrow on the elevator. “We could always use one more person. Chase has a target on his back whenever he leaves the office.”
“If that’s the way you feel about me, then next time I won’t bother volunteering to be a distraction while you make your way through the Evil Empire,” Chase said as he joined the trio at the door.
“If he’s the distraction, then why am I here?” Booth asked as he followed them into the elevator and the doors closed.
The elevator’s back wall was a full-length mirror. The only two people it reflected were Booth and Chase. Spike gave Angel a critical eye. He turned to face Booth and ran his fingers through the agent’s hair until it resembled Angel’s.
“This is why you’re here. You two can get past the vampire detectors, create a diversion and we can get in,” Spike replied.
“How do you expect us to do that?” Booth asked, irritated that Spike was messing up his hair.
“Muscle,” Chase replied. “They want us to strong-arm our way in and take out the shamans. They can sense the moment a vampire crosses the threshold.”
“You brought me here to snipe shamans?” Booth asked incredulously.
“Not snipe them, just incapacitate them,” Angel corrected.
“And where will you be?” Booth inquired.
“Don’t worry; we’ll be there to back you up,” Spike grinned, “After you get the shaman out of the way.”
“Oh, gee, thanks. I feel so much better knowing you have my back after I’m dead,” Booth scoffed as he tried to fix his hair.
Spike smacked his hands away. “Would you quit that? Leave it alone, ponce.”
Booth raised a brow at being called a ponce. How did he get himself into these situations? He offered to help investigate that girl’s death. He didn’t volunteer to break into a law firm and immobilize the security system, however strange it was. But, here he stood with two vampires and a hybrid while his son was being watched by three gorgeous women back at the office. He could just imagine what they were doing to his son, probably brainwashing him into thinking he has the most awesome uncles in the world. If you asked him, Parker got the better end of the deal. The vampires were insane to go through with this plan.
“Spike, if I make it out of this alive, I’d be sleeping with one eye open if I were you,” Booth warned half-heartedly.
“Promises, promises, pet,” Spike smirked with a suggestive raise of his scarred brow.
“Children, we’re here,” Angel spoke up. The human and vampire turned to see him holding the elevator doors open.
The minute they stepped out and rounded the corner, two guards armed with stake-guns came towards them. Angel and Spike took them on. Angel grabbed the barrel of the gun, using it as leverage while he kicked the guard in the leg. The guard dropped to his knees and Angel smashed him in the face with the butt of the gun. Spike held his own, using the guard’s gun as a stick-fighter would.
“These aren’t the only ones we have to deal with,” Angel said, addressing Booth. “We’ll take care of the guards; just take care of the shaman.”
Chase snagged Booth’s arm and rushed down the hall in the direction of the security rooms. After a quick glance back to see that more guards were coming up behind Angel to help their buddies, Booth followed Chase.
Angel and Spike battled their way through the guards, leaving behind a trail of unconscious bodies. They came to their destination just as the door opened to reveal a dark-haired woman in a dark gray jacket and skirt.
“Hello, Lillian,” Angel drawled.
“Angel,” she squeaked, unable to hide her shock. He had to give her credit though. She recovered quickly. She took a step back and gripped the handle on the door. “I should have known it was you.”
Spike leaned against the outside of the double doors. “Is there anything you’d like to tell us, luv?”
“I don’t know what you mean,” Lillian replied coolly.
“A long-lost friend found us a few nights ago,” Angel filled in.
He advanced on the lawyer, forcing her back inside the office. Spike followed, shutting the door behind him and locking it. The room was similar to the law offices in Los Angeles when Angel was CEO.
Angel continued to advance on Lillian until the woman’s legs hit her chair and she fell into the seat. Angel gripped the arm rests, trapping her there. “You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that, would you?”
“How would I know about your ghosts from the past?” Lillian asked.
“Because you work for Wolfram & Hart,” Angel said. “You and the other one-hundred and ninety-nine lawyers who work here make it your business to know every nuance of my life. I’ve destroyed two Wolfram & Hart buildings. Do you want to see me destroy this one as well?” Angel leaned in so close, Lillian could feel his cool breath on her cheek as he whispered, “If I find out you had anything to do with bringing Nina back here to torment me, I’ll make you suffer in ways that you could never imagine.” Angel stepped back and nodded to her.
He and Spike walked to the door. Spike unlocked it and as they were headed out, Angel flippantly tossed over his shoulder, “I would make use of that pocket rocket you have locked away in your bottom drawer if I were you. Good night, Lillian.”
When the door shut behind him, Lillian’s head fell back against the headrest of her chair and she took a deep breath. Then, her eyes snapped open. How did he know she had a pocket rocket and where she kept it? Her heart pounded in her chest as she quickly checked to make sure the bottom drawer wasn’t tampered with. That’s when she felt the wetness between her legs. The damn vampire could smell her arousal!
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Booth and Chase came from the opposite direction and met Angel and Spike where they first parted ways. Booth was now sporting a bruise of his cheek and busted knuckles on one hand. Chase wasn’t much different.
“Did you get the info you wanted?” Booth asked.
“She wasn’t forthcoming with it, but there was a great deal of implication. She knows something, though,” Angel replied as they walked back to the elevator.
Booth raised a brow. “What did you do?”
“Threatened to destroy this building,” Angel said with a familiarity that sent a chill up Booth’s spine.
There were times when he had to remind himself that he was related to demons. This was one of those times. Angel’s comment of destroying Wolfram & Hart was said with such ease that he may have well been discussing the weather.
“You can’t be serious,” Booth said as they entered the elevator and Chase pressed the button for the underground garage.
“Do I look like I’m joking? These people make it their life’s ambition to fuck with me. If they want another war, fine. I have nothing to lose,” Angel said.
“Except your soul, the business, the new team and the few friends we have left,” Spike interjected.
“Except that,” Angel conceded dryly.
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Las Vegas, Angel Investigations Redux
Parker had been entertained for the last few hours by the girls. He and Denise looked through the huge toy catalog that was distributed by the local retail store. Frankie played computer games with him. Cassidy had taken on the mother hen role and fed the boy. She was reading to him when Angel, Spike, Chase and Booth walked in.
“God, what the hell happened to you?” Denise asked when she looked up and saw them.
All four men were mottled with various stages of bruising from their excursion.
“Wolfram & Hart’s version of a welcoming committee,” Chase replied as he sat down at his desk, nursing a bruise.
“Did you win, daddy?” Parker asked from his spot on Cassidy’s lap.
“Well, I didn’t lose,” Booth said more to himself than Parker.
Angel had disappeared in his office and came back tossing an ice pack to Booth and Chase. Booth took his and nursed the bruise on the side of his face. Chase used his to nurse his shoulder. There was a dinging sound, and Spike appeared in the doorway between the offices with two mugs. He handed one to Angel. Booth assumed it was blood. The mugs were solid so Parker couldn’t see the contents for which Booth was grateful.
“Lillian wasn’t forthcoming with information on your surprise visitor?” Frankie asked.
She’d been feeding data into the computer concerning previous closed cases. If she knew that Angel garnered any more money than she had on record, she’d have asked for a raise by now. She seemed to be the only one doing the bookkeeping which was technically Denise’s job.
With the way Denise has been lately, if they sent her out for coffee, she’d come back with an armload of shopping bags and completely forgotten about the coffee due to a clearance sale. It was bad enough that she couldn’t type or file. She barely answered the phone. Frankie sometimes wondered why Angel kept her around. But then, Angel always took in strays. They all came to be part of the team from one hardship or another.
“She’s involved in it. I just don’t know how yet.” Angel leaned against the doorway sipping his blood, oblivious of the surreptitious, adoring glances Denise threw his way from over the top of her magazine.
“I could hack into Wolfram & Hart’s phone records and see if they’ve made any questionable calls,” Cassidy offered as she situated Parker to a better position to type around him.
Booth moved around the desk and held out his hands. “Come on, buddy. Let’s get out of the way so Cassidy can work.”
Parker held out his arms towards him and Booth picked him up. “Denise and I went through the toy catalog. She said that if you were busy with Uncle Angel and Spike that she’d take me to the store and we could go shopping.”
“Well that was nice of her to offer,” Booth said. He looked over the boy’s head and shook his head at Denise.
“It’s all right, Booth. I don’t mind. Shopping is what I do best,” Denise commented.
“Don’t we all know it,” Frankie grumbled as she continued to input files into the database.
“What was that?” Denise asked.
“I said, you’d be a great babysitter,” Frankie said aloud.
“Really, we don’t want to impose,” Booth protested.
Denise held up her hand. “Say no more.”
“I found it’s best to just let her have her way,” Angel said as he watched the monitor over Cassidy’s shoulder.
“Do you want anything to eat or drink, Booth? The old Sire seems to have forgotten his manners,” Spike asked.
“I was just thinking about taking the little guy back to the hotel and fixing something in the kitchenette,” Booth begged off.
“No need to leave. You can fix something here. We have a kitchen and food in the fridge,” Spike said as he led the way to the elevator.
“Okay, but do you all eat here or should I just make enough for us?” Booth asked as he followed Spike with Parker in his arms.
“That’s up to you. Nothing goes to waste around here,” Spike shrugged as he shut the gate behind Booth and pressed the button that moved the lift down to the basement level.
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A dark figure watched the building from across the street. The people inside seemed to be unaware of his presence. He watched the men leave the little boy with the women and drive off. They’d returned an hour ago and he watched the four men go into the building. He watched dark vampire take the boy from the dark-haired woman wearing glasses. Then, the vampire carried the child out of sight, following the blonde vampire.
Where did Angel acquire the boy?
Somehow he had to find a way to make Angel pay for what he’d done. He’d paid for the airfare to bring Angel’s former demon lover back to the States, but she didn’t live long to accomplish his goal. Instead, she got sidetracked by the scent of that hybrid Angel has working for him.
The figure stepped back and disappeared into the darkness. He needed time to plan a strategy. Right now all he could do was wait until the most opportune moment to strike.
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