HuntingtheSnark

Part 9 of the Summer Vacation Series

Disclaimer: They aren�t mine. Damn.

Author�s Note: This follows IMMEDIATELY after the first story in this series, �Acquiring Minds Want to Know.� In a nutshell, Spike�s in L.A. Also rated R for naughty language. C�mon, we all know, in real life, Spike swears like a Teamster.

Archive- Sure, but email me and let me know where it�s going.

Feedback- Absolutely.

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�A pleasure doing business with you,� Spike said to the group of young vampires he had just fleeced, and he folded the wad of cash into his pocket. �Now if you could direct me to the best place to nick a nice luxury car��

Suddenly a pick-up truck skidded to a stop across the alleyway�s entrance.

�Eat wood, bloodsucker,� a voice shouted from behind the blinding bank of flood-lights, and the female vampire next to Spike was pierced through with a heavy wooden spear. She exploded into a cloud of dust.

�Oh, Hell,� Spike shouted, running away from the truck and trying to watch over his shoulder at the same time. A crowd of young men, well-armed with stakes and crossbows, flooded into the alley and began fighting hand-to-hand with the other vampires. They were efficient, and also had the element of surprise, putting the young vamps at an instant disadvantage.

Spike reached the chain-link fence and started climbing, his booted feet scrabbling against the wire, trying to find purchase. A crossbow bolt cut neatly through the tails of his long leather coat, and the blonde vampire dropped back to the ground. He spun around to face his attackers and raised his arms above his head.

�Don�t shoot,� he screamed. �Please.�

�Yeah, right,� said one of the young men.

�I won�t hurt anyone,� Spike pleaded. �I swear. I�m on my way out of town, in fact.�

The group exchanged uncertain glances, quickly turning to a handsome black youth who was regarding Spike thoughtfully.

�Tie him up,� the youth ordered. �We�ll take him over to Angel.�

�Angel!� Spike spat out the name like a curse, but the men fell upon him, binding him hand and foot.

- - - - - - - - - -

Angel stared out his office window at the city, his city, pulsing neon, shining boulevards like electric arteries in a dying beast, half a million souls in various states of despair.

Angel shook his head. This round of brooding was getting pretty deep, even for him.

"Hey, Angel, we got a present for you!" Gunn's voice from the hallway cut through his dark mood like a spotlight.

"You bloody well do not," answered another voice, even better known.

Angel skidded out the door, scooping up a stake mid-flight.

Gunn and three of his men were there. They had Spike with them, tightly restrained in a rolling office chair with ropes, chains, and duct tape. The blond vampire struggled fruitlessly as he was wheeled down the hall.

"We've got a big-mouthed bloodsucker we think might be a friend of yours," Gunn said, grinning. "Seeing as how he had so many nice things to say on the ride over here."

Angel smiled. "Never saw him before," he said. "Do you need to borrow a stake?"

"Got one, but thanks," Gunn replied.

"Now just one minute, mate..." Spike began.

"Shut up, Spike," Angel snapped, then gestured to Gunn and his people. "Bring him on in."

They wheeled Spike into the office, and Angel leaned against the desk, watching him as he struggled and cursed. Finally he slumped, momentarily exhausted, in his bonds.

Angel stepped over to the younger vampire, looming over him, and raised one booted foot. He rested it on the chair between Spike's knees. Spike glared up at him with undisguised hatred.

"So. Spike. What brings you to town?" Angel said, his voice low. "Felt the need to finish torturing me to death?"

"Whoops," said one of Gunn's men, and laughed.

Gunn glanced around the room. "Why don't you all wait for me outside. I think my man Angel has the situation in hand."

Disappointed at missing out on what was sure to be a good time, the three young men filed out.

"Answer the question, Spike," Angel said.

Spike glanced at Gunn, who was watching the two vampires with sharp interest.

"You sure you and your new boyfriend wouldn't rather be alone," Spike said nastily.

Gunn laughed, strangely amused by the insult, but Angel smirked knowingly and leaned down closed to Spike, making a show of sniffing his skin. "I wouldn't talk," he said. Gunn laughed even louder.

Angel stood again and kicked Spike's chair. It rolled to the middle of the floor. "I don't think you've been in the office before," Angel said conversationally. "Beautiful eastern exposure. Lots of morning sunshine."

"Actually," Spike returned in the same tone, "I stopped by here to terrorize your 'employees.'" He sniffed the air. "Speaking of which, I don't smell your pet mick around anywhere. Little mongrel finally drink himself to death?"

Angel moved so fast, Gunn wasn't even aware of it until Spike, still trapped in the office chair, slammed into the opposite wall.

"You mention him again," Angel warned, his voice a dangerous snarl now, "and I'll be sweeping you out with the trash tomorrow."

Spike looked up balefully from where he'd landed on his side. He seemed about to speak again, but the expression on Angel's face stopped him.

"What are you doing in Los Angeles, Spike?" Angel asked again.

"What?" Spike asked, all innocence now. "A chap can't just drop by and visit his sire, now, is that it?"

At the word "sire," Gunn made an involuntary start, and Spike turned to him.

"You know what that means?" Spike asked the young man. "'Sire?'"

Gunn didn't answer, but his eyes darted from Spike to Angel and back, uncertain now.

"Means if it weren't for old Angel here," Spike continued, warming to his subject, "I'd have died of old age half a century back, give or take."

"Or of syphilis or a shiv in the ribs well before that, more likely," Angel said.

Gunn glanced at Angel again, the unspoken question on his face: Is it true?

Angel crossed to Spike and set the chair upright again. "I think I should finish this alone," Angel told Gunn, not turning around.

A long moment passed, and Angel had to look over his shoulder before the man started moving. "I'll catch you later," Gunn said softly.

Angel nodded gravely, hoping the young warrior caught his meaning.

�Well,� said Spike once Gunn had left, �this is quite the enterprise you have going. Won�t be long now, you�ll have a little nest egg, buy a little house in the country. Settle down with a certain little blonde thing.� Spike paused, scanning Angel�s impassive face. �Oh, hold on. You can�t.�

Angel shook his head with disgust. �You�re pathetic, Spike,� he muttered.

�You may have moved past her, anyway,� Spike continued. �She�s not quite the untouched virgin, anymore. I understand she and soldier-boy are shagging like gerbils these days.� He arched his scarred eyebrow. �Or haven�t you met Mr. Universe?�

�We�ve met,� Angel said, and a slow smile crept across his face. �Kicked his ass for him, in fact.�

Unexpectedly, Spike began to laugh, and in spite of himself, Angel joined him.

�What I wouldn�t have given to see that,� Spike managed to gasp. �I knew the old Angelus was still in there somewhere.�

Angel stopped laughing, turning away from his childe until Spike�s laughter began to subside.

�Oh, don�t go all depressed and moody now,� the younger vampire said cajolingly. �I�m sure he deserved it.� And he chuckled again.

Angel turned back, his arms crossed. �Alright, Spike,� he said impatiently, �let�s try this again. Why are you in L.A?�

Spike stared angrily at his sire, then averted his eyes. �I was brought here, if you must know,� he said. �By an old friend of yours.�

Spike had Angel�s attention, now. He watched patiently until Spike spoke again. �Big Japanese vampire, Hisano, I believe he said his name was.�

Angel felt a chill go through him as he remembered the path of terror he and the former Samurai had cut through the Orient in the early years of the 19th century. �I�ve never known Hisano to be enough of a visionary to need to form alliances,� Angel said stiffly. �Much more interested in hedonistic pursuits. What�d he want with you?�

Spike was glaring at Angel again, and there was another long pause before he replied. �It wasn�t an alliance,� he said, so softly only another vampire could have heard.

�Spit it out, Spike,� Angel barked.

�He �acquired me,� Spike told him, his tone venomous. �Captured me and brought me here to amuse him.� The blond vampire�s voice dropped again. �Don�t worry. I killed him. He won�t be stalking your precious city.�

�I don�t follow you,� Angel said.

Spike rolled his eyes, realizing he�d have to tell the whole miserable story of the past nine months *again*. �The Initiative, the soldier boys, the Slayer�s new darling�� he began.

�Yes,� Angel prompted irritably, �what about them?�

�They captured me,� Spike said disdainfully. �Implanted a computer chip, or what-not, in my brain. Now, every time I even think about hurting a breather, I get this unbearable pain in my head. For some reason, your friend found this very funny.�

It took about fifteen seconds for Spike�s tale to sink in.

Angel laughed at him, loud and long, while the younger vampire�s expression grew more and more black.

�Are you quite finished,� Spike said when Angel�s uncharacteristic merriment had subsided. �It�s all true, unfortunately. Call that tweedy old Watcher back in Sunnyhell, you don�t believe me.�

�I will, don�t worry,� Angel said. He looked at the clock, and added, �in a few hours, when he wakes up.�

Spike glanced at the office window again. �So what am I supposed to do until then?�

Angel sighed resignedly. �I guess I�ll take you downstairs,� he said, grabbing hold of the office chair and wheeling it into the elevator.

�Well, doesn�t this bring back memories,� Spike muttered.

In the apartment, Angel pushed Spike into the center of the floor, then retreated to the bath. �What?� Spike shouted, �are you just going to leave me here?�

�It seems like a workable plan,� Angel replied.

�I told you,� Spike said angrily, �I can�t bite people.�

Angel leaned out of the doorway, rubbing his now-wet hair with a towel. �You don�t need to bite people to be a problem, Spike,� he said. �I know that better than anyone. I take off those chains, you�ll be gone before I put them down. And probably staked for my trouble.� He went in again and closed the door.

�I hate you!� Spike shouted at him.

�Shut up,� Angel shouted back, �or I�ll stuff a pillow so far down your throat you�ll be spitting out feathers on New Year�s.�

Spike sank into an evil sulk, muttering threats and blasphemy under his breath.

Not much later, Angel joined him and sat in the chair opposite, his hands folded in front of him. Spike refused to meet his eye.

�It occurred to me,� Angel began softly, �that there may be a way for you to get out of those chains, and for me to get a little peace of mind. Not to mention quiet.�

Spike didn�t turn his face back to Angel, but did turn his eyes to watch the older vampire.

�The Petition of Sire�s Privilege,� Angel said.

Spike rolled his eyes, averting them again. �Oh, bloody hell,� he snarled. �I�m not going to fucking beg you.�

�Have it your way,� Angel said, standing and heading for the bedroom. �Keep it quiet, though. I meant what I said about that pillow.�

Spike hesitated a long moment. �Wait,� he said at last, and Angel stopped.

The younger vampire gave a low growl, reluctant and struggling, before leaning his head back and exposing his throat in the ancient ritual. �My life is yours,� he said through gritted teeth. �I beg a boon of you� My� Sire.�

Angel returned to stand before Spike, now wearing the countenance of the demon that animated his body. �Go on,� he said.

Spike hesitated another long moment. �Let me out of these chains,� he said finally. �Please.�

Angel nodded. �And you�ll stay here and behave until I say you can leave.�

Spike narrowed his eyes.

�Believe me,� Angel said, exasperation overwhelming him. �I don�t want you here any longer than you want to be here.�

�Alright. Agreed,� Spike said.

Angel took out his lockpick and quickly undid the chains. Spike stood and moved away from him quickly, rubbing his wrists. His mouth drew into a sneer and he seemed about to speak, but he bit it back.

�I don�t suppose you could give me something to eat,� was all he said.

Angel allowed his face to shift back to normal and gestured towards the fridge. �Don�t take it all,� he said.

- - - - - - - - - -

As seriously as vampires generally took the right of Sire�s Privilege, Angel still knew better than to trust his childe alone and unsupervised. They sat at the table across from one another, an uneasy silence between them.

Angel had made good on his promise to call Giles, who had affirmed Spike�s story, adding the information that while the vampire couldn�t hurt people, demons and other vampires were apparently fair game. Angel promised to bear that in mind.

�When are you letting me go,� Spike said finally.

�I�ll drive you out of town after sunset,� Angel said. �After that, you�re on your own.�

Spike nodded, then looked around Angel�s apartment. �Remember that house in Crete?� he said.

Angel glanced up. �What about it?�

�This place, kind of put me in mind,� Spike said, all traces of his usual sarcasm gone. �All the brick, I suppose.�

Angel gave a small grunt of acknowledgement, then returned to his own thoughts.

Spike did the same.

Part 10 - Xander: The Great Outdoors
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