Have a Little Faith Part 12

That was a perfectly good waste of a vampire,” Lindsey said, after Angelus told him what he had done.

But Angelus was in a jovial mood.  Penn was coming tonight.  “Oh lighten up, Linds,” he said.  “He was a bad vampire, he did everything I said.  I say good riddance.  I needed to get the slayer a welcome to LA gift.  Let her knew she's got a secret admirer out there who kill all she cares about first.”

Lindsey did not say anything.  He wished he had known about it before, he could have warned Faith, but since the vampire had never returned, both Lindsey and Angelus assumed that Faith dusted him.

“It was sent anonymously of course,” Angelus said when he mistook Lindsey’s concern over Faith for anger that she would learn he was alive.  “She still doesn’t know I’m here.”

Lindsey wanted to laugh, but he kept it in.

Angelus looked over Lindsey.  “You’re still scared of me, aren’t you?”

Lindsey again held in his laughter.  It was the spell.  It made him give off fear to anyone who could sense emotion.  Mind readers would just see that he was scared of the situation.

“A little, yeah,” he said.

“I told you not to be.  You’re very ruthless,” Angelus said.

“And so are you, so why haven’t you killed this slayer?”

“It’s an art, Lindsey.   Maybe one day I’ll teach you.  Maybe after you finally find Dru.”

“And he will,” Holland said, entering the room.  Lilah followed close behind.  “Lindsey is very good at finding things, aren’t you?”

“I’ll find her, I promise.”

Holland smiled.  “We need a solution to our little slayer problem.”

“I’m going to rip her to shreds,” Angelus said.

“Very good idea, but there are more important things for you to do.  I was thinking it might be best the slayer never sees you. You would not want to ruin Buffy Summer’s surprise when you eventually go back to Sunnydale and kill her.”

Angelus smiled.

“I’ve hired a very good assassin.”

“What kind of assassin?” Lindsey asked.

“One of the best, if you can get her out on bail.”
 

After they had dropped Cordelia off, Faith and Doyle headed to his place.

“Keep this under your hat,” Faith said.  “Wes will kill me if he finds out I ditched patrolling.”

“Your secret’s safe with me,” Doyle said and smiled.  Faith did not smile back.

“What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know.  I’ve been in LA for four months and it feels like I’ve done nothing.”

“You have.  You saved Lindsey and Tina.  There are plenty more like them.”

“But I came here to stop Angelus—“

“You came here to keep him at bay until we can restore his soul.  I know that curse isn’t lost, we just gotta find someone that’s willing to tell.”

“In the meantime, Angelus roams free.  What if Lindsey is the next person he kills?  We should get him out.”

“Angelus?”

“No,” she replied.  “Lindsey.”

“Did he ask to be let out?”

Faith shook his head.

“Then he has to stay.”

“It isn’t fair.”

“Faith, Lindsey did some bad things before he went to Sunnydale.  He wants to make up for it.”

“I saw the way he looks at Cordelia.  He will never have a relationship with her, even if he gets out.”

“You know what you need,” Doyle asked.

“What?”

“A little Faith.”
 

“We’re gonna find religion at the post office?” Faith said looking at the writing on the gateway.

“I think it says Gateway for Lost Souls or something,” Doyle replied. “But here you can talk to them directly through the Oracles.  Now listen, the Oracles are finicky and unpredictable.  You do get in, don't dilly-dally.  Ask your questions, get out."

“What about you?  You sending me on my own?”

"Not allowed, darling.  I'm just a lowly messenger, you're the warrior.   Now how did that go again?  We beseech access to the knowing ones."   Faith watched as Doyle put a lighter to the urn.  The urn filled with light. “You're in, darling, make the most of it."
 

Faith stepped through the light and into a white marble chamber.  Two figures approached her.

"Come before us, lower being."

"What have you brought us?"

"Shit, he said nothing about bringing something--"

"You call us forth and bring us no offering?"

"I don’t know.  I got a piece of chewing gum?”

“You are immature,” the woman said.  “In some ways, but not others.  When you are loyal, you are fierce. You have the potential to do great good, but also great evil.  In another world, you would have been on the wrong side.”

“I’m only in this world,” Faith replied.

“You are frustrated.”

“All I’ve been seeing is nothing,” Faith said.  “Nothing has been happening.  I feel useless.  Why are you making me do this?”

“The powers that be had a warrior.  His name was Angel.  He was sent to help the Slayer.  He must be returned to his path.”

Faith felt a slight hint of jealousy.  She loved B, but it always seemed like she was the most important.

“This will be your downfall.”

“What?” Faith asked.

“Your jealousy.  Your fear of both being alone and not.”

“What does that mean—“

“The powers that be have called upon you.  You have things in your past you aren’t proud of.  You will do Angel’s work and bring him back into our service.  Only the vampire with the soul can keep the balance,” the woman said and the two of them walked into the corridor.

“Hey wait,” Faith said, running after them.

She did not get far, when the man held up his right hand.

Faith felt herself being pushed back and landing right on top of Doyle.

“Now that’s an entrance.  So you didn’t get in, darling?”

“I got in all right.”  She reached into her pocket to get her chewing gum, but the package was gone.
 

“Angelus? Angelus! My God!  It’s been a life time!”

“Seems that way, doesn’t it?”  Angelus said and smiled, then smiled at Lee.  Lindsey pretended to be jealous, but did not really care.  Lilah was obviously jealous.

“We were supposed to meet in Italy, remember?”

“I know, but man, you should hear the shit that happened to me.”

“I waited. Hell, I waited until the 19th century.  What happened?”

“I got held up in Romania.”

“Romania.  What’s in Romania?”

“Gypsies. In fact you and me gotta go gypsy hunting soon.”

“Glad I could be of service, Angelus,” Lee said and smiled.

“Lee, I could kiss you,” he said.  “Now if only dear Lindsey could be as good as you.”

“I’m trying,” Lindsey said.  “She has lower profile than Penn.”

“Who are you looking for?” Penn asked.

“Another sire, after you.”

"Where's Darla?" Penn asked.

Angelus frowned.

"Dusted?" Penn said. "Damn shame, that woman knew how to torture."

Holland smiled.  This was a discussion he wanted to deal with away from Angelus and Penn.

“Welcome Penn.  I’m Holland Manners.”

“Holland is a great guy,” Angelus explained.  “Never even uses his soul but can still get a suntan.”

“I wanted you to know that Wolfram and Hart are here for your needs.  As long as you are here for ours.”

“Great perks.  They have access to everything you want to know.”

“I think it’s time for me to head home,” Lindsey said wanting to leave and not caring if anyone chastises him.  “I have a court case on Wednesday.”

“Lindsey, if you could wait a moment. I need to meet with you and Lilah alone.”  Holland turned back to Angelus and Penn.  “Enjoy your time with your sire.”
 

“I need her found, Lindsey,” Holland said.

“I did tell you she is in hiding.”

“I think you could have find one vampire by now,” Lilah said, seductively.

“I think you both can,” Holland replied.

“What?” Lilah asked.

“You can both work together and find Drusilla.  She’s a psychic vampire.  Do you know how much that is worth to us?”

Lindsey sighed.  “Shouldn’t we be concentrating our efforts on killing the Slayer?  She’s a problem.  She’s ruined at least two of my cases.”

Holland smiled.  “You really don’t like the fact that she decked you.  However, we should let Angelus have his fun.  We don’t want him to start resenting us.  Anyway, I want you to work at getting this woman Vanessa Brewer out of prisoner.  She may prove to be a worthy assassin to send to dear Faith.”
 

“So, feel any better about your purpose?”

“No,” she replied.  They were nearly to Doyle’s apartment.  “Those Oracles were assholes, I wanted to hit that bitch.”

Doyle laughed.  “See, you do feel better.”

Faith did not reply.  They had reached Doyle’s place.

“All I can ask is why me?” she finally said.  “Why pick me to do what Angel was supposed to do?”

“Because darling, you wanted to be unique.”

“Well, yeah.”

“You want to be the only Slayer.”

Faith did not say anything.

“It’s true, isn’t it?  You do care about Buffy, you have a kinship, but in the end, she’s number 1 and you’re number 2. I can tell.”

“That’s a mean thing to say.  I care about Buffy so much I’m doing what I can to keep Angelus from her.”

“Or perhaps you want Angelus?” Doyle said.  “But you here in LA are different than she.  Yes, you’re the slayer, you have the strength and the skill, but you want something separate from Buffy.  This is something separate from Buffy.”
 

Continue to Part 13

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