A/N In this story, the timeline for events in canon on “Angel the Series” is not as seen on the screen. Some events, such as the birth of Connor and Cordy becoming half demon, happen a bit sooner.
 
Screen names for Angel and Willow are the product of my wonderful Beta, Scarlett2U’s contribution.  I could not think of better for either character.


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Chapter 14
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“For a little guy, he weighs a ton!  Does dark magic add pounds?” Xander huffed.  “I mean, I’m no Schwarzenegger, but I am ‘Construction Guy,’ able to frame a house, lathe and plaster with the best of them and I’m seriously winded!”  He mopped the sweat from his brow and took several deep breaths.

“I’m very grateful for your occupation tonight,” Giles puffed and moaned softly as he massaged his sore shoulder.  “You are certain that this is the location they will be pouring cement in the morning?”

“Yup, Max is already riding the crew to get it done muy pronto.  With all the crew he’s lost with his demon purges, we’re behind schedule.  The foundation was supposed to be laid last week.” Xander liked all the overtime pay he’d gotten lately, but he was really longing for the good old days with full crews and normal work days.

“Not that I was a big fan of your old partner in crime, G-Man, but what do you think did him in?  I know he’d been shot, but it didn’t look like it was anything vital that got hit.”

“I believe Ethan bit the hand that fed him once too often and paid the price,” Giles looked down at the undetectable shallow grave where he and Xander had just buried a significant part of his past.  “I daresay Quentin Travers knew better than to trust Ethan.  He used him and his abilities, then arranged to remove him permanently.”

“Yeah, yeah, Travers and his lab boys are the who…I was wondering about the how,” Xander clarified.

“My guess would be poison of some sort.  I am assuming Ethan tried to get to me in hopes that I would assist him in administering a cure.”  Giles shook his head sadly.   “There is no way to know for certain without a proper autopsy, of course, but based upon some of the symptoms he was exhibiting and knowing that beastly Travers, I am fairly confident that was the means to his end.”

Xander laid a comforting hand on the older man’s shoulder in sympathy.  “Sorry, big guy.  Rayne may have been a first class rat bastard, but I know he was important in your life.”

“Once, a lifetime ago, we were like brothers…well, that’s how I saw him at any rate.”  Giles’ voice drifted off along with his memories.  “Even then, Ethan was never satisfied.  No matter what he got in life, it was never enough.”

“And now he is in an unmarked grave that’ll be the foundation for Sunnydale’s newest Pre-School.” Xander shook his head then looked at Giles.  “Well, at least he’s not completely unmourned.”

“No, no, he is not.” Giles remained silent for a moment while Xander returned the shovels they had used to the company tool shed.

“You going back to the cave tonight or do you want to bunk with me and Ahn?” offered Xander.  “I mean, I know you want to share what Ethan said about Buffy, but it’s not like we can do anything tonight.”

“Thank you, but I’ll go back to our hiding place. Willow and Dawn would worry.  Besides, I have the books we need to prepare for any special care that Tara might need when we get her released from hospital.”

“I’m hoping that’ll be soon, before Willow goes all Itchy Witchy on us.  She’s really not a happy camper being kept away from her girl,” Xander shivered.

“Indeed.” Giles picked up the backpack with the volumes he’d retrieved from the Box, then gave a last salute to the grave of his oldest friend.  He gave a small chuckle, startling Xander.  “You know, Ethan would likely find his final resting place amusing.  In days long gone, people used to sacrifice a human and put the body into the foundation of a new construction to appease the gods.  I think he’d like this final resting place, all in all.

“As for the information that Ethan gave us regarding the whereabouts of Buffy, such as it is,” Giles cleared his throat and prayed his voice wouldn’t break like a schoolboy.  “Yes, well, perhaps you and Anya would be good enough to join us after your shift is complete.  We need to verify our suspicions and then begin to work out a rescue plan.  Time is of the essence.”

Xander bit back a curse.  “All these years she’s been fighting all the nasty uglies, stopping apocalypse after apocalypse, only to have it be humans trying to do her in!”

“Not all nasty uglies are demons, you know,” Giles reminded the young man.

Xander thought of his father’s drunken tirades and abuse.  “Yeah, I liked it better when I could ignore that part.”

“Indeed.  Growing up is rarely easy, nor is it painless.”

***

“So you’re Angel,” Kate Perkins gave the vampire a look cold enough to freeze boiling water.  She had been Joyce’s sounding board during all the Buffy and Angel drama a few years ago and also a shoulder for Buffy to cry out her broken heart at the end of it.  As far as Kate was concerned, this vampire might have a soul, but he had no heart.

“You must be Buffy’s friend.  Kate, isn’t it?”  Angel smiled and offered his hand. 

“Joyce’s as well, and you’d do best to remember that,” Kate gave him another cold look.

Cordy shivered, “Felt that temperature drop.”  She turned her hundred watt smile on the clearly disapproving woman.  “I’m Cordy.  Any friend of Joyce Summers is welcome here.  She didn’t approve of Soul Boy here, but even Joyce would tell you you’re in good hands in a crunch.”

Kate thawed a bit; after all, no one was required to help them hide from the new authorities.  She vowed to be more gracious and hoped she could pull it off.  “Nice to meet you, Cordy.  I seem to remember Buffy mentioning you as well.  Didn’t you used to date Xander?”

Cordy’s smile lessened slightly. “Old history from a time when my standards slipped a bit.”

Kate looked at her with a jaundiced eye. “I used to babysit for Xander when he was a wee bit older than that baby you’re holding.  He was such a sweet and beautiful boy.  He’s grown to be a successful and handsome man.  I’m very proud of him.”

“He was lucky to have you,” Cordy replied diplomatically.  “Welcome to our little encampment.  There is a series of caves throughout the Cascades and we’ve got several thriving communities already.  Let me take you to our official processing center.  We’re trying to reunite families and connect friends when they show up.”

“Now that’s something I’d like to volunteer to help with,” Kate brightened considerably.  “Losing family and friends is one of the biggest heartbreaks of all.”

“We’re trying to use the computer networks to do a lot of that work for us.  We have several computer wizards here and other places that are setting up something Willow calls a Dark Net Highway or something,” Angel explained. 

“What Technology-Challenged here is trying to say is that we’ve got plenty of hackers working the Internet in ways they can’t trace so that we can communicate,” Cordy playfully rolled her eyes at Angel.

“My Zane might be a help with that.  He’s only eleven, but he’s already designed his own version of Grand Theft Auto.  I’m just glad he channeled his inner car thief into computer games,” she chuckled.

Cordy shifted a sleeping Connor to her other arm and smiled warmly.  Nothing like a pair of doting mothers to bond a friendship.  “How many kids do you and Joe have?”

“Zane, as I mentioned, he’s our eldest.  Then there’s Carla and Tammy at nine and seven, and finally my baby, Jacob, who’s just starting to walk and get into everything,” Kate proudly pointed to each.   How old is your little one?”

“Connor’s actually Angel’s, but his mother died when he was born,” Cordy kissed the slumbering baby’s forehead. “I’m the only mama he knows.”

Kate looked startled, “Angel’s?  Isn’t he still a vampire?”

“Long story.  Why don’t we get you settled first and then we can get to know one another, swap baby stories?”  Cordy gently took the woman’s arm and herded her towards a white-eyed Codger demon with a clipboard.  “Syd Frzylcka here is a former client of ours.  He’s in charge of checking in all the newcomers.  Syd, this is the Perkins family.  Treat them right; they’re personal friends of the Slayer.” Cordy winked at Kate and whispered, “Your status just rose at least three notches.   You can thank me later.”

“Speaking about computers, I need to go check in with Willow.  I’m sure Buffy will want to know her friends got here okay,” Angel gave a quick kiss to Connor and then to the woman holding both his son and his heart in her hands.

“Say ‘hey’ from me,” Cordy said.  Connor chose that moment to wake up and begin to fuss.  “And you, mister, you need a change in a major way!”


***

Angel had their resident hacker show him once again how to use the IM that Willow had set up for communications between refugee stations and settled in to type his update.  Luckily, Willow was online.

AvengingAngel: Hi, Will.  Tell Buffy her friends got here safely.  How’s it going there?

Will B Done: Not so good.  Tara’s in the hospital because a gang of soldier wannabes attacked her for helping this kid with birth defects.  The poopyhead Council of Humans or whatever they’re calling themselves have closed up the Magic Box.

AA: Sounds dire.

WBD: Buffy’s gone missing and we think Spike might be too.  Giles, Dawn and I are living in the tunnels for now.

AA: Buffy’s missing?  What are you doing about it? Cordy didn’t get any visions on this!

WBD: Calm down.  We have a lead and we’re working on a plan.

AA: I can be there in a few days.

WBD: No, don’t come.  You’re more useful there.  We’ve got it from here.  It would be easier if Spike was around, but he turned up missing not long after Buffy did.

AA: Did he do something to hurt her?

WBD: No, silly.  Spike’s on our side.  He’s been helping for quite a while, you know that.

AA: I don’t trust him.

WBD: He doesn’t trust you either, so you’re even.

AA: Okay, okay.  What can I do?

WBD: Nothing for now, except what you’re already doing.  We’ll let you know if that changes….Oh, hey, Giles wants to know if you’ve got room up there for Dawnie?

AA: Sure.  Cordy’d probably be happy to have her to help with Connor.

WBD: We figure that Buffy would want to know she was safe.  She tests human, but you never know how things are going to go right now.

AA: I’ll get in touch with Lorne.  He’s supposed to be headed your way.  Charles and Wesley were going to pick him up and take him to a safe house, but he thought he’d be more help at your end.  I’ll make sure he knows where to find you.

WBD: Don’t bother, we’ll find him.

AA: You can’t miss him.  He’s bright green and usually wears neon colors that don’t go too well with his skin tone.


***  

Rabbi Goldstein hadn’t seen anyone as flamboyant as the demon sitting across from him since he was a guest speaker at a Greenwich Village synagogue during the height of the disco craze.  “Welcome to the Lighthouse Project, Mr…Lorne, is it?”

“Just Lorne.  You couldn’t pronounce my actual name.  I’m here to help.  You could say an Angel sent me,”  Lorne grinned.

“And how are you expecting to help?”

“I suppose it would be simpler to just show you what I can do,” Lorne suggested.  “Why don’t you sing a line or two or chant if it makes you happier.”

“Wrong religion for the chanting, but Father Quinn can oblige if you really need a chant, maybe even something Gregorian,”  Rabbi Goldstein teased his fellow clergyman gently.

Lorne looked at the four religious men sitting at the table with him, “Gotta say you’re not my usual crowd.  I’m more of a Saturday night guy instead of Sunday morning.”

“Two of us,” the Rabbi pointed to the young Imam across from him, “aren’t Sunday morning guys either.   I imagine we’ll find we have even more in common once we get to know one another.  Most people do.”

Lorne relaxed a bit.  If the sweet old man in the little hat had a sense of humor, they might just make this whole gig work.  “I’m from a different dimension called Pylea.  Long story--more the kind like Waterworld that needs the work of a good editor instead of the epic Lawrence of Arabia long--but anyway…I can read people and demons when they sing.  Even if they hum, actually…maybe whistle, although I’ve never really tried that one.”

“I was going to work at the farm where all the refugees make a stop on the way north, but I figured the best place to weed out any possible Dona Marinas would be here.”

“Dona Marina?  Who is this woman?” Imam Aziz looked puzzled.

Father Quinn answered, “She goes back to the conquest of Mexico.  She was a translator and mistress of Cortes, famous for betraying her people to the conquistadors.”

“Ah, I see,”  Kalil nodded.  “Yes, it is best to prevent that.  Far too many lives are at risk to take chances based on blind trust.” He turned his eyes towards Lorne with growing respect, “You can do this?”

“I haven’t been wrong yet.  So far I haven’t found any demon species I can’t read,” Lorne promised.

“And humans?” Rev. Prentiss asked.

“Or human.  Usually humans are a little trickier because you’re so good at fooling yourselves, but I’ve been here long enough I can get to the truth.”  Lorne just hoped his eardrums were up to the likely assault of who knew how many vocal renditions of bad songs.

“When and where do you plan to do these tests?”  Rabbi Goldstein raised an eyebrow.

“I’ll be setting up shop here in Sunny Delight.  It’s the last land-based link until the boats take the refugees to Washington and we really don’t need to have any traitors turning up then.  The caves up there are where we’re moving everybody we can fit.”

Father Quinn went over the plans they had all been looking at when the horned, green man in the loud pink suit had sauntered into the room requesting a meeting.  “Looks like we have a large holding area at a farm just south and east of Los Angeles.  We’ll be filtering refugees there as a way station.”

“My friends Wesley Wyndam-Pryce and Charles Gunn will be screening folks there.  Wesley will be using a standard truth spell. The farm is owned by a guy I never thought I’d trust before, but he checks out just fine.  His name is Lindsey McDonald and he used to be a lawyer for a demon law firm out in LA.  He’s as shady as most lawyers, but his heart’s really into doing the right thing this time. 

“You trust him with all these lives?”  Rev. Prentiss looked leery.

“I hope I can, because he already has my life in his hands and I don’t just let everyone have that kind of power.  Yeah, I’m as certain as anyone can ever be that he’s sincere.”

“Once everyone’s cleared for the next link, it’s a short trip up here to our system of tunnels and caves, right?” Father Quinn looked around the table, making sure everyone was of the same understanding.  “Then we filter them down to the bottom of Kingman’s Bluff where we boat them up the coast to Washington.

Lorne nodded in agreement, “Then overland to the Cascades and safety.  I’ll be the last chance to catch any infiltrators or traitors before the final destination is revealed.”

“Which makes your protection vital to the whole operation,” the Imam added.

Reverend Prentiss grinned, “Gentlemen, time to put on your thinking caps to figure out the best place for this dapper young man to set up shop.”
 
***

Buffy massaged her aching back and tried to get to sleep.  They had kept her slaying at a non-stop pace for what seemed like forever.  “No weapons?  Fine, not like I’ve never had to improvise before.”  She was pretty tired of having to prove her abilities over and over again.  “I’ll bet Travers just loves this; it’s like a neverending eighteenth birthday surprise for his least favorite Slayer.  When I get out of here, I’ll have a little birthday present for him.  I’m thinking something shiny.”

“What’s that, Buffy?”

Buffy rushed to the door of her cell and stretched to see through the tiny slit that passed for a window in the door.  “Graham?  Is that you?”
“Yeah, hey, I’m really sorry about how this is turning out,” He sounded genuinely upset.  “I mean, I always thought you were a pretty nice girl.  I never wanted to see you treated like most of these animals we have in here.  I’m not even sure I like seeing how they’re treated anymore.”

Buffy snorted, “Which animals, the ones in the lab coats or the ones in the black uniforms?”

Graham gave a rueful half grin, “Fair enough. Had that coming, I guess.”  He was silent for a while, clearly thinking.  “It was so simple in the beginning.  Had all these creatures, monsters, and we were the ones stopping them from killing off all us humans.”

“Tell me about it.  At least you got to volunteer for the job. I got “Chosen,” you might say drafted,” Buffy commiserated. 

Graham laughed softly.  “Problem is, after a while you see things, a lot of things you can’t unsee.  A lot of things that don’t fit into a neat pattern.  Makes you think.  Well, makes me think anyway.”

“That’s because you still have a working soul,” Buffy agreed.

“I’ve seen some supposedly soulless hostiles that seem to have a better moral guage then some of my comrades in arms, so I don’t think the soul has a thing to do with it.”

“No, I don’t either,” Buffy agreed.  “Speaking of decent beings with no souls,” she hazarded a try for information, “have you seen Spike down here?  You guys used to call him Hostile 17.”

“He’s that vampire friend of yours, isn’t he?  The one that drove Riley crazy with jealousy?”

“That’s the one,” Buffy admitted.  “I thought I saw him down here a few weeks ago.  I’m hoping I was wrong.”

Graham closed his eyes, remembering the last time he’d seen the vampire in question.  “Sorry, you weren’t wrong.  He’s down here all right.  Riley’s made a special project out of him.”

Buffy gulped and felt tears well in her eyes.  Her voice was barely above a whisper. “How is he?”

“Not too good.  I couldn’t stomach it and asked for a transfer to another detail, though I didn’t explain why.  I don’t want to find myself in a holding cell because they think I’m a sympathizer.”

“What have they done to him…to Spike, I mean?”

“You really don’t want to know. “

“Yes, I do!”  She paused. “No, I probably don’t, but…I need to know.”

“He matters to you that much?”  Graham looked puzzled.  What Riley was doing was just wrong,  but maybe he had a reason to be jealous after all.

Buffy bit her lip and felt a tear escape to run down her cheek. “Yeah, he really does.”

“I haven’t been with that detail for a week now, so I can’t say how he’s doing at the moment.  I know he’s not dust though and, last I saw, he still had all his parts,” Graham grimaced. 

Buffy let out a sob, “Oh, God, this is so much worse than I ever imagined it could get.  Back when I actually worked with you guys, I never thought about the stuff you were doing, not once!  How can anyone see this and think it’s okay?  I mean, I get it, I was blind too, but….” Her voice trailed off.

“Yeah, right there with you,” Graham agreed.  “It’s like it creeps up on you.  Little things, tiny moral compromises that seem okay and before you know it…wham!  You look around and wonder how you got there.”
“Can I ask you a favor?”  Buffy thought she might be able to trust the soldier at least for one small favor, since he seemed to be sincere in his dislike for what he saw happening.

“Maybe.  I’m not the hero I once thought I was, so I can’t promise to get you out of here or anything,” he admitted and felt like the worst sort of person in doing so.

Buffy smiled in understanding.  Times were dangerous and it took a whole new level of heroism for something like that.  “I know.  That’s okay--well, it’s not okay, but I do get it.  No, I just want you to try to get a message to Spike.  Could you just tell him he’s not alone, I’m here and I’m not leaving without him?  Tell him…tell him I believe in him.  Could you do that?”

Graham thought it over for a moment and then felt his backbone stiffen. “Sure, I’ll do my best.”

“Thanks.”

***

The conference room was filled with the white coated doctors involved in “Project Chosen.”  “So do we have a consensus?”

“The subject checks out as human with enhanced abilities.  Increased stamina, strength, and healing properties, along with sensory skills notwithstanding.  It is our belief that she is a higher order human, but a human nonetheless,” reported the head of the Physiology department.

The heads of the Psychology and Neurological units conferred briefly then gave their report.  “Her mental agility is in hyperdrive, at least when she is actively in the process of performing her duties.  Quick thinking, resilient, alert.  She tests on the high end--off the chart, actually--but nothing that can’t be called human.  Her synapses seem to fire more rapidly than anyone tested prior.  Basic IQ tests show her ranking in the higher percentiles as well. “

“This is nonsense,”  the team leader scowled. “Every one of you has reported your results showing things decidedly NOT human, yet you sit here and say you believe her to be just like any of the rest of us, only a little better?  It seems abundantly clear to me that her results tally more with the creatures she is supposedly called to kill.  Travers has already explained that the first of her kind was actually infused with the essence of one of those monstrosities we are here to eradicate.  How can you continue to suggest she’s human?”

There was a great deal of grumbling and heated discussion among the various doctors and a handful of former members of the Watchers Council.  Tempers were rising.

Travers cleared his throat, “Perhaps if we were to proceed with slightly more invasive research we might have more answers?  Once and for all, we can answer the question of whether a Slayer is actually an enhanced human warrior called from among us to be our Paladin of sorts, or is she a hybrid of some kind foisted upon us and never able to be fully trusted to have mankind’s interests foremost?  I don’t need to tell you that there have been far too many of these girls who have waffled when put to the test, and this one is the worst.  That is one reason we can no longer allow the welfare of humanity to rest in their hands.”

“I suppose we could devise certain tests that won’t destroy the subject and perhaps yield more answers? “  The team leader looked around the table, noting more than a few of his colleagues were avoiding eye contact.  He made a mental note to remember just who looked to not be on board.  “I expect a detailed course of action from all departments in two days.  Meeting adjourned.”