Bring Forth The Night

Chapter 2

 

 

 

“So the cameras are still there?”

 

“Yes, they are.” Angelus pushed the glasses up on his nose. The damn things kept sliding down and were annoying as hell, but he was incognito. Nobody would mistake this suited, bespectacled guy with his hair slicked back as being Angelus. He’d even gone so far as to cut his hair short and dye it blonde. “My, ah… associates… never removed them.”

 

The guy smiled; he smelled a sucker. “So you want to hook the cameras back up and spy on them?”

 

“Exactly.” Angelus nodded. “After all, they stole my business – all that money.”

 

“Money?”

 

If greed had a smell, Angelus knew he’d be choking on it about now. “There’s a lot of money in what we do.”

 

“That’s good.” The guy rubbed his hands together. “This type of service doesn’t come cheap.”

 

“Oh, I’m sure.” He leaned on the counter and smiled. “Let’s worry about the cost later. It’s not like you’re asking for blood or anything.”

 

Brian, the surveillance specialist and his new best friend, told him there was always the chance the equipment had been damaged in the recent meteor showers or whatever it was that had happened, and he should get some of the new mini camera systems just to be on the safe side.

 

That sounded reasonable enough and, using Mr. Nice Guy’s credit card, he’d paid for everything and earned some nice bonus points at the same time.

 

There was an abandoned building a few blocks away from the Hyperion, and Angelus had Brian meet him there the next day with the equipment. Angelus would be able to come up through the basement via the sewers to avoid spontaneous combustion.

 

He spent the next day with Brian, learning how to operate the monitors and other equipment.  Most of it went in one ear and out the other as he watched the hotel through the telescope he’d bought on sale at some Nerds R Us type store. 

 

“We’re going to have to get into this office of yours.” Brian clicked off the monitor he had been testing. “We’re all set here. But I need to connect up with the other stuff.”

 

“Tomorrow night.” Angelus took a sip from the beer he was nursing. He’d been playing the good buddy routine, eating pizza and drinking beer, to keep up appearances.

 

Not that Brian really cared. He’d already racked up a few grand and didn’t care what Angelus really wanted.

 

“Hey, we gonna sneak in?” Downing the last of his beer, Brian tossed the bottle towards the empty boxes the surveillance equipment had been in. “Cool, I have a kick ass commando outfit I can wear. Last Halloween I was Arnold from the Predator. You remember that movie?”

 

“Yeah.” Angelus’ stomach didn’t like the pizza, and he was cranky from staying up all night and all day covering the windows in this room so that he didn’t end up like a charcoal briquette. You need him alive! You need him alive!  “Good movie.”

 

“I loved Arnold in that. ‘I’ll be back.’ Awesome line.”

 

That was the Terminator, moron. “You have to wonder why he hasn’t won an Oscar.”

 

“I know!” Brian stood up and fished around the pizza box for the last slice. “So, tomorrow?”

 

“Be here an hour after sunset.” That would give Buffy and the idiots she surrounded herself with time to leave and search for him. And time for him to do the next thing on his to do list.

 

“I’ll be here.” Brian patted Angelus on the back. “And don’t worry, Marvin, we’ll get your money – er – business back.”

 

Marvin had been the Good Samaritan’s name, or at least the name on his credit cards, and Angelus was stuck with it for now. “Oh, I’m sure I’ll get back what’s mine.”

 

Brian left and Angelus turned back to the telescope. He’d spotted Buffy earlier, and he could tell she wasn’t going to pack it in and go home. She had that sad but hopeful look she’d had years ago when he’d been loose in Sunnydale. Poor baby, he couldn’t wait to comfort her. After he’d crushed all her hopes. A smile curled Angelus’ lips.

 

“Ah – there we are!” Buffy, Willow, and Wes walked out of the hotel and climbed into Wes’ SUV. Right behind them came Gunn, Fred, and Giles. The second group got into the black Plymouth and drove off. “Why the hell is Gunn driving my car?”

 

That left Lorne and Cordy inside. Neither was a threat, and both could be easily avoided.

 

“Time for phase two.” Angelus smiled.

 

 

 

 

The club was loud and packed. Strobe lights played over the dancers grinding and rubbing against each other in the pre-sexual warm up. Angelus located his target and began to stare.

 

It didn’t take long for his target to begin looking around. When the brown eyes settled on Angelus, he smiled the smile. Slow, sexy, eyelids just a bit low over hot, smoldering eyes. The smile that had reeled in victims for almost a hundred and fifty years.

 

His target immediately smiled back. Angelus leaned back, resting his arms along the back of the booth. The blue velvet shirt was cut tight to emphasize his shoulders and chest, and he’d left the top three buttons open to show just a tantalizing glimpse of pale flesh. He bit his bottom lip for a moment, then let it slide free of his teeth so that his lips parted slightly.

 

His target got up, abandoning the man at the table he’d been sitting with, and strolled over. “Mind if I sit down?”

 

“Please.” Angelus patted the seat next to him.

 

“Hi, I’m Chris. So – ah – you’re new here?” Chris laughed nervously. “Wow, that’s a lame line, isn’t it?”

 

“I am new here.” Angelus leaned closer. “And I am looking for someone.”

 

“Someone? Oh.” There was disappointment on his target’s face. “You’re meeting someone?”

 

“I’m meeting you.” Angelus purred. Target now equaled victim.

 

 

Angelus had already picked out the hotel, not too seedy but not too upscale, and not too far from his usual haunts. He’d already paid for the room for the next two days, telling the clerk he was in town on business. Which was almost the truth.

 

Rarely did he turn his charm on men; Angelus preferred women, but a vamp had to do what a vamp had to do. Right now he had to pretend he wanted to be in a hotel room with this poof.

 

Chris was all over him as they went into the hotel room, pushing him against the wall and grinding into him while he thrust his tongue into Angelus’ mouth.

 

“You’re so damn sexy.” Chris panted as he slid a hand down Angelus’ side to cup his ass. “And cool – your skin is so cool.”

 

Forcing himself to play along and not rip the guy’s throat out, Angelus pushed him back and slowly unbuttoned his shirt. Pulling it open, he slid a hand down over his chest and down his belly.

 

Predictably, the guy’s eyes followed, and he licked his lips at the sight of the broad, muscled chest and flat stomach. “You know – you’re not really my type.”

 

“I’m not?” Angelus pulled his shirt closed.

 

“No – but you’re so fucking sexy!” He pressed against Angelus again, his tongue pushing into the cool mouth while his hand tugged at Angelus’ belt buckle.

 

“Wait – wait – “ I’m gonna bite his damn tongue off! No way was he letting this fruit grab his cock. “Wait – angel – let’s do something.”

 

“Angel?”

 

“Yeah, you’re beautiful.” Angelus cupped Chris’ face and through sheer willpower managed to not crush the fragile human skull. “You’re an angel – my angel.”

 

“Yeah.” He nodded. “I’ll be your angel, baby.”

 

If I could throw up… Angelus let Chris give him another tonsil lapping kiss. “Let’s play a game.”

 

“Hey – I’m not into the kinky stuff.” He stepped back and held his hands up. “None of that bondage crap.”

 

“Oh no, nothing like that.” Angelus went to the small closet and took out a garment bag. “Wear this for me.”

 

“Leather pants?” Chris giggled. “Isn’t that a bit – well – too queer?”

 

Yeah, and you’re Mr. Normal. “I love the feel of leather on my skin…” He rubbed his cheek against the soft leather, closing his eyes and hissing in a sigh of pleasure. “Rubbing against me…”

 

“Hey, you know, those look – “ He licked his lips. The rapture on the other man’s face was something he wanted to see again and again. “Let’s see if they fit.”

 

“Here.” Angelus handed the pants to him and turned to get the black velvet shirt hanging in the closet. The clothes were his size, but this poof looked to be the same size. It was one of the reasons he’d zeroed in on him as a target. “I love black, it’s so… mysterious…”

 

“Mysterious, huh?” He laid the soft leather pants over his shoulder and took the shirt. Expensive. His new friend had good taste and obviously the money to go with. “You like mysterious?”

 

“Don’t you?” Angelus eased the tip of his tongue out to moisten his lips, slowly drawing it back. “A tall, dark, mysterious stranger – don’t tell me you don’t dream of him? Don’t you want to be him?”

 

“Oh, yeah…” The glimpse of pale pink tongue was mesmerizing.

 

“One last thing – “ Angelus reached back into the closet for the duster he’d picked up earlier. He growled softly – cutting it off quickly – as Chris wrapped his arms around his waist and pressed up against him.

 

You are so dead, Gay Boy! For a moment, he let the other man rub and hump against his ass. Then the hot, wet mouth on the back of his neck and the hands groping at him were just too much. If I was gonna do this – I’m the one to ride the horsie!

 

Slipping out of Chris’ grasp, Angelus thrust the coat into his hands. “You have to wear this too.”

 

“A coat?” Panting, he examined the long leather coat. Is that a Gucci label?

 

“You can be the mysterious dark – “ Angelus’ eyes lit up. “Angel!”

 

“A dark angel?” A grin spread over Chris’ face. “I can be your dark angel.”

 

When he started to unbutton his shirt, Angelus stopped him. “Wait, go change in the bathroom. I want to get the full effect.”

 

“I gotcha.” Gathering the clothes up, he tossed them over his shoulder. “You get ready for me, and I’ll go get ready for you.”

 

“Oh, I’m ready.” To rip your throat out, you big fruit. Angelus crawled onto the bed, stretching out luxuriously and rubbing a hand over his belly and down to cup his – so not interested – cock.

 

He looks like a big cat. And that sexy growl of his. Chris licked his lips. A big delicious cat. “It’ll just take a few minutes.”

 

“Hey!” Angelus called after him. “When you come out, can you swirl the coat? It just looks so – so damn sexy!”

 

“You got it, baby.”

 

Oh my God! Angelus flopped back on the bed. The things I do for love! “Ah… Buffy… baby…” This was all for her. Every step brought him closer to his mate. His love.

 

Love. He smiled, not his usual fuck-me-‘cos-I’m-so-sexy smile – but a big love-makes-me-goofy smile. He loved Buffy.

 

Angelus chuckled softly, remembering the nights back in Sunnydale when loving Buffy had made him crazy. He’d tried to avoid it – denied it – almost sucked the world down into hell over it. More than one day had found him pacing and muttering when he should have been sleeping. Taking his frustrations out on Dru or some other less willing victim.

 

Now, however, he reveled in his love for the petite blonde Slayer. Hell, he’d lay down and wallow in it if he could. All these years, waiting for Soul Boy to get the hell out of his body, had left him plenty of time to come to terms with how he felt. Buffy was his mate. Period. End of story.

 

Trapped in hell, he and Angel had both clung to the shining, golden image that was Buffy. She became their only comfort during the uncounted years they’d lived on the run, hiding in caves and ditches, broken down into a mindless animal by the constant abuse.

 

Okay, what the fuck is taking this guy so long? Not that he minded thinking of Buffy, but he had places to go and things to do. And people to kill once he did them. “A beautiful blonde to think of and jack off.”

 

The bathroom door opened and Angelus quickly got up off the bed as Chris stepped out into the bedroom. “Oh my God – you’re perfect! Fucking perfect!”

 

“You like what you see?” The other man held his arms out to show off the clothes hidden by the duster.

 

“Oh, absolutely.” This was working out even better than he’d thought. The guy was practically a dead ringer for him. Not quite as tall, almost as broad shouldered, of course not nearly so handsome – but he’d do. “Turn around for me.”

 

Obediently Chris turned, making the duster flare out.

 

“You are so perfect!” Angelus slid his hands over the other man’s shoulders. “Perfect Angel – remember that – you’re Angel.”

 

“Wouldn’t a devil be more fun?” He was all but drooling over the prospect of what was coming next. He couldn’t wait to have this guy sucking on him.

 

“Oh no, angels – dark angels – are so much more fun.” Angelus ruffled the dark hair so it stood up. “Better – now you’re almost ready.”

 

“God, yes, I’m ready!” Chris pulled him closer, anxious to taste the cool mouth again.

 

“Not quite. One last thing to do.” Angelus spun him around and shoved him facedown on the bed.

 

“Hey! I said no kinky stuff!” Chris struggled as Angelus climbed astraddle his hips. “You want to take turns being on top – I got no issues with that! Go first if you want – condoms! You got condoms?”

 

Ignoring him, Angelus pulled Chris’ head to one side and plunged his fangs into his throat. His victim screamed and bucked under him, and the sweet scent of terror filled the room.

 

Aroused by the taste and scent, Angelus growled, ripping deeper until his fangs opened the carotid artery and hot fresh, adrenaline rich blood spurted into his mouth.

 

The pain and fear passed, chased away by pleasure so intense that Chris gladly tilted his head farther to the side to allow Angelus better access to his throat. “Yes… oh God… yes…”

 

Listening carefully, bloodlust tapering off as his belly filled with the rich blood, Angelus waited until the heart began to slow, listening for the moment before death. When it came, he pulled his fangs free and lifted his wrist to his own mouth.

 

He sliced open a vein and quickly pressed it to Chris’ mouth. The man grabbed his wrist, held it, and suckled greedily.

 

“You’re Angel – Angel – “ Angelus whispered softly. “Angel – Angelus – you’re the Angelic one – Angelus – “

 

Gulping down the powerful, magical blood, Chris felt changes start deep within him. Something was burning and eating its way through him, leaving ecstasy bubbling along behind it.

 

Angelus continued to whisper to him until the man's heart stopped and the suckling at his wrist stopped.

 

Checking the room for any signs that he had been there, Angelus stopped once again by his victim’s body. Rolling his new chylde over, he lowered his lips to his ear. “You can hear me, listen to me – your name is now Angelus, the Angelic one. When you rise, go out and be my dark Angel. And remember, you’re not afraid of the Slayer.”

 

He paused a moment in the doorway, wondering if this moron would go after Buffy. As a newborn, he wouldn’t have a clue or be any real threat to Buffy. But… “Oh fiddledee-dee, I won’t worry about that today, I’ll worry about it tomorrow. I have to get ready for the big bar-b-que.”

 

 

 

 

“Wow, I’m juiced! This is so cool!”

 

Angelus ignored Brian and kept his eye pressed to the telescope. So far there was no activity at the hotel. “Come on, damn it…”

 

“How do you know they’ll go out tonight?” Brian tugged at the collar of his commando uniform.

 

“In their – our – line of work, most of the work is at night.”

 

“When all the spooks are out?”

 

Angelus wasn’t surprised; he’d been expecting this little rat to try to blackmail him. The only surprise was that it had taken this long. “I don’t know what you mean.”

 

“Seems this business of yours – Angel Investigations, isn’t it?” The man hooked his thumbs through the thick leather – genuine commando type – belt. “They’re involved in a lot of freaky stuff.”

 

“And you care, why?” Turning, Angelus arched a brow.

 

“It seems people tend to disappear around you guys.”

 

“Would a little more money ease your mind?” Peering back through the telescope, he waited.

 

“Money’s not – “

 

“I’ve got a hundred thousand dollars hidden in the hotel. Ten percent is yours.” And wait one – two – three –

 

“Ten percent?” Brian’s voice squeaked. “That’s – that’s – “

 

“Ten grand.” Genius.

 

“I ah – I dunno – “ Licking his lips, Brian tried to pretend to think that over.

 

“Ten grand. Cash. Tax free.” There was movement in front of the hotel. “They’re leaving. I need an answer, Brian.”

 

“Fifteen grand.” He mentally crossed his fingers.

 

“Deal. You drive a hard bargain, Brian.” Not that I intend to keep it. “We’ll give them a few minutes, and then we’ll go.”

 

“So, we sneaking in the back door or something?” He’d stash the money in one of those Cayman Islands banks and then party!

 

“Or something.” Buffy looked so sad, poor baby. Just a little longer, lover. Like the night before, they split into two groups as they left the hotel.

 

Fifteen long minutes after both groups had left, Angelus led Brian down into the sewers. Long because the wannabe spy wouldn’t shut up about what a cool mission this was going to be.

 

Two minutes into the sewers, and he shut up. A rat ran by. Then something chasing the rat ran by. Something not normal. Brian clamped his mouth shut and walked closer to Angelus.

 

Angelus couldn’t risk getting into the hotel through the sewer entrance in the basement. Chances were that it was trapped. Of course, there was no guarantee that the way he planned to get in wasn’t trapped as well. Which was why his new friend would be going first. Angelus gave a mental snort; if the morons had even thought of trapping the entrances. And it was a big if with that bunch.

 

Leaving the sewers a half a block from the hotel, Angelus walked to the building across the street and began climbing the fire escape. After a moment, Brian followed him. On the roof, Angelus put down the duffel bag he was carrying, pulling out a small crossbow and snapping a bolt into it.

 

“Whoa! What’s that for?”

 

Ignoring him, Angelus took careful aim and fired. The bolt shot across the street, and there was a solid thunk as it buried itself beside a set of balcony doors on the top floor. The cable attached to it hissed through the air as it followed.

 

Anchoring the end of the cable to the fire escape railing, Angelus made sure it was secure enough to hold them. Then he took something else out of the bag and hooked it over the cable before turning to Brian. “Put a hand through each loop and hold on.”

 

“Uh… sure…” Following the directions, Brian slipped his hands through the loops. “What are we going to do?”

 

“Just pull your feet up so you clear the balcony. And be quiet.” Angelus grabbed Brian by his camo colored shirt and slung him off the roof.

 

There was a shriek as he sped down the cable. His feet clipped the balcony wall, and he tumbled onto the balcony and up against the wall next to the doors.

 

Angelus hefted his bag over his shoulder, slipped his hands through the other set of handholds and pushed off the roof.

 

He landed neatly next to Brian, who was still trying to catch his breath. “The approach was good, but you lost points for not sticking the landing.”

 

“You’re crazy! You know that?”

 

“It’s been mentioned a few times.” Jimmying open the French doors, he pushed the other man inside. “Feel anything?”

 

“Besides scrapes and bruises?” Brian got slowly to his feet. “What should I feel?”

 

“Hopefully nothing.” His theory that the sewer, main doors, and the roof might be the only things trapped appeared to be right. It’s good to be the king! “We only need to locate one to get them all going, right?”

 

“Yeah, just one. I can hook into the system, figure out the transmitter frequency, and we’ll see and hear everything.”

 

“We have to change the frequency.” Last time, Lorne had been able to hear the signal. “It needs to be lower.”

 

“Yeah, so the dog doesn’t hear it, I know.” Brian picked up his duffel bag. “How are you going to keep it from barking at us?”

 

“It’s not that kind of dog.” Angelus led Brian out of the room and into the hallway. It was dark as they didn’t use this portion of the hotel. There were holes in the floor and it wasn’t safe, so there were no lights.

 

There was at least one camera in his suite, but there was a chance Willow had trapped the rooms in case he did come back. The closest cameras were in the hallway on the fourth floor. They’d try it and if that didn’t work, well he’d kill that victim when he got to them.

 

The hotel was creepy, and Brian found himself sticking close to Angelus. The guy was certifiable, but he was big. Hopefully, anybody coming out would go for him first.

 

“Wait.” Angelus paused next to the door leading onto the fourth floor. He focused, listening carefully. Lorne lived on the fourth floor; not close enough to where they were to be a worry, but it paid to be careful.

 

No heartbeats, except for rabbit boy next to him. “You ready?”

 

“Yeah.” Brian pulled the sniffer out of his bag and slipped the earpiece into his ear.

 

Opening the door, Angelus stepped out into the dimly lit hallway and motioned for the other man to follow. “Keep quiet.”

 

Sweeping the sniffer slowly over the walls, Brian listened intently for the beeps that would tell him where the surveillance equipment was hidden. It was hard to hear over his pounding heart. Now that they were here, he kept envisioning a life behind bars if they were caught.

 

Angelus watched the hallway nervously, his senses cranked to the fullest, not only listening for approaching footsteps or heartbeats, but trying to feel for that tingle that would tell him Buffy was close.

 

The sudden beeping from the wand Brian was using almost made him jump out of his skin. To his sensitive hearing, the tiny beeps were as loud as a full scale fire alarm. He whirled around, barely hiding the flash of fangs.

 

“Here we go.” Brian handed the sniffer to Angelus and examined the wall carefully with a penlight. “I think… this looks like it’s been replaced.”

 

Peering at the patch of wall, Angelus could see that a small section of the wallpaper didn’t quite match the rest. Wolfram and Hart had done a hell of a job. The section had been aged and damaged just enough to blend in with the faded and peeling wallpaper around it. Even his vampiric eyesight would have missed it had it not been pointed out to him.

 

“Hold the light, will you?” Brian handed the light to Angelus and fished a tool pouch out of his duffel bag. Unzipping it, he took out a small knife. “There’s a seam here, and under that we should find a way into the system.”

 

The wallpaper was carefully peeled back to reveal what was clearly a new piece of wood. Prying it out with the knife, he grinned at the wires now exposed.

 

“Give me just a few seconds – “ Taking out a small device, the other man clipped it onto some of the wires. “And I’ll have us in business.”

 

To Angelus, the wires all looked the same, and he had no clue how Brian was going to get the transmitter frequency with what looked to him like a calculator. Oh well, I don’t get paid to think. I’m just the designated sex object.

 

“There’s a set running off in several directions. I’ll bet every light fixture in this place has a camera in it.” The sheer enormity of the work this must have taken – not to mention the money to finance it – sent shivers up Brian’s spine.

 

“How are we going to know if it’s working?” Angelus was getting antsy. Every minute they were here increased the chances Buffy could come back and catch him. One tingle of her Slayer senses and the jig was up.

 

“Through the wonders of modern technology.” Finishing his work with the wires, Brian put his tool pouch away and took a small handheld monitor out of the bag. Flicking it on, he was rewarded with an image of the two of them standing in the hallway. “Oh yeah, I rock!”

 

“Shh!” Angelus hissed.

 

“Sorry.” Properly chastised, Brian flicked the monitor off and put it away. Quickly, he put the wooden cover back over the junction box and, taking out a small container of glue, pasted the wallpaper piece back in place. “Figured we’d need this. Old joints like this were big on wallpaper.”

 

“Are you done?” His senses were over stimulated, and Angelus was becoming agitated enough that he was having difficulty keeping his game face tucked away. That’s all he needed, to send this guy screaming through the hotel. “We have to get out of here.”

 

“Hey, we’re done.” Brian hefted his duffel bag over his shoulder. “Except for the money.”

 

“We’ll get it on the way out. Let’s go.” Angelus led him back into the stairwell and back up to the top floor. Pausing beside one of the doors in the hallway, he told Brian to wait while he took the money from its hiding place.

 

Slipping into the abandoned room and shutting the door, Angelus pulled a folded up duffel bag from his jacket pocket. Filling it with some of the pieces of broken sheetrock that littered the floor, he made sure to get the bag dirty as if it had been covered up. Hefting it a time or two, he zipped it closed when he reached the approximate weight of fifteen thousand dollars. Like this loser would know the difference anyway. He grinned.

 

Out in the hall, Brian was just beginning to wonder if he’d been ditched when Angelus came back out of the room. He reached eagerly for the bag.

 

Slapping his hand away, Angelus settled the bag over his shoulder. “Not until we get back and I know everything’s the way I want it.”

 

“Let me see it.” The bag was tantalizingly plump.

 

Ignoring him, Angelus walked down the hallway to the room where they’d entered the hotel.

 

“Hey, how are we getting back?” Brian eyed the cable. He’d slid down on the way over but there was no way to slide up.

 

“Don’t worry about it.” Angelus guided Brian’s hands into the handholds.

 

“Uh – we can’t go up.” He looked again at the angle. “Gravity, you know?”

 

“Trust me.” Smirking, Angelus waited until Brian had his hands through the loops. “Hang on.”

 

“Do you have one of those ratchety things?” In a movie he’d seen James Bond or maybe it was Tom Cruise go across a cable with some ratchety thing.

 

“Nope. Just muscle.” Grabbing the man’s jacket, Angelus shoved him hard enough to send him sliding back up the cable but not hard enough to throw him off. It was a tempting thought. A frightened shriek made him smile. Oh so tempting…

 

Settling his wrists into his own set of handholds, he crouched and shoved off the balcony. His powerful legs shot him quickly along the cable.

 

Brian had just enough time to throw his leg over the edge of the roof and clamber to its safe, welcoming flatness when Angelus twisted his body so that he arced up cleanly onto the roof.

 

Landing on his feet next to the prone, gasping man, he turned and grasped the cable with both hands, jerking it one way and then the other until the bolt head worked loose. Tearing it free, he reeled it in, rolling the cable up and tucking it back into his bag.

 

“That was wild!” Brian was practically skipping as they went back through the sewers. “How’d you learn to do that?”

 

“I’ve been around for awhile.”

 

“You’re strong too – what kind of workout do you do?” He still couldn’t believe this guy had tossed him across the street and then just jumped across. There’d been a cable, but that still took some serious muscle.

 

“I’m on a special iron rich diet.” Angelus chuckled. “Strong blood builds strong bones.”

 

“I thought that was calcium?”

 

“Whatever.”

 

Back in their secret HQ, as Brian had come to think of it, he hurriedly fired up the monitors. Prepared for the size of the hotel, and the possible number of cameras, he had set up ten monitors with multi-channel capacity. And it had made him a fucking fortune too.

 

“All I see are halls and empty rooms.” Angelus frowned. “How can I see what I want? And why is it black and white?” I want my Buffy TV!

 

“Just start flipping through until you find what you want.” Brian began to rotate through the different cameras. “And the cameras aren’t in color.”

 

Angelus began doing the same thing. “I wanted color.” He pouted. Not that Buffy won’t be sexy in black and white.

 

“How do the mini cameras work?” Angelus had found the one camera view he cared most about – Angel’s bedroom. “And how can I set this up in a van like yours?”

 

“The mini cams are simple. Just slap them up.” Getting up, Brian took one of the mini cams and set it on the desk. “I already set the frequency on all of them.” Flipping through the channels on one of the monitors in front of him, he stopped when it showed himself and Angelus sitting at the desk.

 

“And there’s sound?” Angelus winced as his voice, enhanced with a good deal of feedback, echoed out of the speakers.

 

“That’s why you can’t set them up so close.” Laughing, Brian switched the mini camera off.

 

“You’ve got monitors in your van, right?” Angelus marked an item off his mental shopping list. “I could use that.”

 

“Ah… you can get a van, but you can’t have mine.” Though maybe you can rent it while I’m in Tahiti.

 

“Show me how to work all this spy crap from the van.” Angelus went out the door, confident that his patsy would follow the bouncing money bag.

 

“Wait!” Jumping up, he followed Angelus downstairs and outside.

 

“It’s plain, that’s good.” Studying the green van, Angelus frowned. “Black would be better.”

 

“Green blends in better.” Unlocking the door, Brian waved him inside. “Black tends to stand out.”

 

“Exactly.” Setting the bag down on the floor, Angelus took a quick visual of the van. A door closed the back off from the cab. He already knew the cab had blacked out windows, and there were no windows back here. There was a telescope attached to one wall. “There’s a peephole?”

 

“One way mirror actually. It’s the same color as the van so it blends in.” Brian turned on one of the monitors. Fiddling with the equipment for a moment, he set it to the same frequency as the cameras. A view of the main lobby appeared.

 

“And the mini cameras are already set? This’ll pick them up?” Angelus let his face change as he pulled the door closed.

 

“Yep. Just smack them in place and turn them on.” He picked up the bag. It was deliciously heavy.

 

“I hope you enjoy your reward, Brian. You’ve been so helpful.”

 

“Oh, I will, Marvin.” Unzipping the dirty bag, Brian reached in and grabbed a handful of – “What the fuck is this? Pieces of trash?”

 

“The name’s not Marvin.” Angelus turned around. “It’s Angelus. And boy, you know, all this excitement has really worked up my appetite.”

 

The soundproofing was worth every penny Brian had paid for it. The couple walking by outside never heard his hysterical screams.

 



Chapter 3