Shit. So instead of driving through all fifty states, I end up in L.A. Which must be all of three hours from Sunnydale. But its not like L.A is my first stop. I got to Oxnard, worked at the Fabulous Ladies Night Club for a few months, and hitched a ride to wherever the driver was going. Hence L.A. And the stripping thing isn't all that bad. Sure, I had to put an private show for the driver, and had to lie there while he copped a feel, but money's money, I guess. Its not like I've never been with another guy. I was with Larry for a while. Granted, that mostly because Cordy wasn't putting out, but he was nice. So was the sex. But this.this is different. Sure, I get off, sometimes, and I get paid, but its just.different.
So.L.A. Of course, it figures that the first guy who'd flirt with me after my first gig at a club called Misty Bits, would be a pimp. He's set me up in a great apartment, which I share with another guy called Carl. He's kinda cute, if you like that whole blond haired, blue eyed, muscled look. He's friendly, but really shy. He must be all of 16 years old. I'm guessing he must have been here for a few years, considering that John, our pimp, makes us go to a local gym every day for an hour, hence Carl's muscles.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not so far into this that I don't see how sick this is. I don't want to be here. I just can't get out. And I've tried. Me and Carl planned how to get out together, but we didn't know John enchanted our apartment so that we can't leave until he wants us too. But its not like we've given up hope. We're just waiting for an opportunity to present itself. Yeah.
***
A few hours later me and Carl got a call from John. We've got some new clients. Apparently these guys need two pretty boys to make them look good at this party. No doubt they'll be looking for some other action after the party too. Of course, John tells me, for the thousandth time, how much I should charge if that should happen. Like I didn't have it memorised two months ago.
***
Three hours later we're at the party with the clients, two guys who look so damn hot I'm wondering why they need to pay for dates. But maybe they get off on it, I don't know. Or really care. Or maybe it's the certainty that we're not going to show him up, or we don't get paid. And get punished by John.
Anyway, me and Carl are hanging on the arms of these clients while they hand out their business cards to potential actors and actresses, and we run into this girl, Tina. She looks all scared and like she's running from something.
"Tina? Do you want to leave?" And that's when I think my world dissolved. Or at least I got a little confused, because Angel was standing in front of me, talking to Tina. "Xander?"
"You know this guy?" Brian, the guy I'm being paid to fawn over, asked me. He looks kinda pissed. I look up at him, with a fake smile plastered over my face.
*No, course not. Let's go, baby."
"Yeah, this guy better not be another client. I paid for you all night." Brian grabbed my arm, and started roughly moving me away from Angel. Angel wasn't having any of it. He grabbed Brian hard enough it made him stop in his tracks.
"Xander? How did you become an escort? I can help you. Come with me." Angel's wearing his please-let-me-help-you face. Not that I'm bitter. But I can see an opportunity when I see one.
I talk in a whisper, trying not to let Brian hear, just in case this fucks up. "Please.help me.and Carl too." I nodded my head to Carl, who was fake-laughing at his client's jokes. Angel merely nodded. With one quick motion, he jerked me away from Brian, who quickly launched an attack on Angel. Brian was on the floor in under a second. Seeing what happened to his friend, Carl's client didn't even try to stop Carl from running to me.
Making sure Tina was with us, we run to the underground car park to get the hell out of here. And away from my life as an escort.
***
I don't know what's been happening with Xander and this other guy, Carl. Obviously they've become escorts and not been enjoying their time as said escorts, but as much as I want to, I can't concentrate on Xander and Carl right now. Earlier today a half demon called Doyle broke into my apartment and told me he worked for The Powers That Be. He gets these visions from The Powers that tells me where the evil is, and blah blah blah. Right now, I want to go back to my apartment and be with Xander. He's told me already that what happened didn't effect him in the slightest, but that's a load of bull. He wants to help Carl, who honestly looks like he needs it, but I know he needs it too.
So right now I'm on the road doing at least 90, trying to get to Russell Winters mansion. The son of a bitch killed Tina. Now I'm gonna kill him.
Ten minutes later Doyle and I stop the car. The plan's simple. I blow the fuses, so he dosen't know where I'm coming from, then stake the bastard. So I jump the fence, after knocking out the guard, and start running towards where I believe the fuse box to be. After a few minutes I find it, and blow the fuses. The mansion is in darkness.
I'm in the mansion, heading upstairs. I can sense him. And he's got a human in his office with him. Before kicking the door down, I listen to their conversation.
"Wolfram & Hart are a full service law firm, Mr. Winters. Whatever you need, we'll provide."
"It's appreciated, Mr. McDonald."
Having enough to know that the human didn't care what the vampire was up to, Angel kicked the door in.
"Well, now. That was a nice entrance. You'll be paying for that door, young man." Russell stood in the center of the room, his true vampire face showing.
***
"So.um.how well do you know this guy? Does he, y'know.want us to pay for him helping?" Carl didn't look Xander in the eye, instead he concentrated on the floor in front of him.
Xander walked over to Carl, who was sitting on Angel's bed. He hadn't moved from that spot since he got there.
"No. No way. Angel's not like that. He's a great guy." Xander sat next to Carl, and gave him a small hug.
Carl accepted the hug, knowing that Xander was the only person in the world he could bring himself to trust. "Do.do you think John will find us?" A tear began to fall down Carl's cheek. Xander wiped it away.
"I promise you he'll never hurt you again, baby." Xander placed a chaste kiss on Carl's forehead. "As long as I'm alive, you'll never be hurt again."
***
Still standing a few yards in front of the broken door, Angel stood quietly, as the human walked forward and handed him a business card.
"This man is under the care of Wolfram & Hart. Any actions you take against him will be taken as actions against Wolfram & Hart. And believe me, you don't want to do that."
"I don't?" Angel raised an eyebrow. "Really?" In under a second Angel was in front of Russell Winters, with a stake poised above his heart. "Well, bring it on." With a punch to the face to startle the vampire, Angel plunged the stake into Russell's dead heart.
***
Angel and Doyle returned to his through the upper level to find Xander and Carl dusting and cleaning the upper office level that lies above his apartment.
"Guys? What are you doing?"
Xander and Carl turned to Angel. "Well, you told us before you left about your little mission with The Powers, so I figured why waste all this office space when we can open an investigation agency? So, we're cleaning the space up for potential clients." Xander's face looked hopeful. He knew damn well what Angel's reply would be.
"You want to charge people in need?" Angel's face displayed Expression No. 6. Dumbfounded.
"When you say it like that, it sounds bad. But its not. Obviously if we save some guy from a vamp, we don't charge him. But if someone wanders in off the streets, then we charge." Xander still had the hopeful look on his face. That look was mirrored on Carl's face.
"Please, Mr. Angel. I think we could make a difference." Carl offered a small smile.
"Its just Angel, Carl. And why not? If we can make a difference, it's worth doing. Angel Investigations is born." Angel allowed himself a grin.
"Angel Investigations? I don't think so. This was our idea, Angel!" Xander exclaimed, with a mock angered expression on his face.
The four guys walked downstairs, when the vision hit. A few seconds later, Doyle could only say two words.
"Oh shit."
*****
tbc