The Messenger, Part 2
-----
Part Two: Follow Through
"Club Red," said Spike, and he half-turned in his seat to look at Xander. "This the place?"
Xander looked up. He'd been hunched over in the back seat of Angel's Nissan, one hand pressed palm-flat against his pounding forehead and the other gripping the seat in front of him. He'd felt it as Spike shifted, the leather of the vampire's jacket brushing against his knuckles. He pulled his hand away, straightened and squinted out the window. There was a line of people, a red velvet rope, a bouncer with beefy arms and a neon sign declaring the club's name. "Yeah," he answered. "This is it."
He took a deep breath as Angel and Spike both stared appraisingly at the crowd gathered outside of the club. "How did you know how to find it?" asked Xander, because as soon as they had gotten into the car Angel had brushed away his attempts at directions. "You've been here before?"
Angel shrugged, pulled the key from the ignition. "I...know the place, yeah." Xander nodded, was trying to figure out just what exactly that meant when the vampire continued with, "Xander. You wait here. Spike, with me."
"Wait-" started Xander, but before he could say anything about I don't want to wait in the car or I'm the one who had the vision so I'm the only one who will be able to recognize the evil guy the two vampires had stepped out of the car and shut their doors behind them.
Lips pressed tightly together, Xander watched as Angel said something to the bouncer before slipping into the club and out of sight, a bored looking Spike trailing after him.
Xander sighed and sank bonelessly back into his seat.
Well, he thought, this is great.
He couldn't believe the situation he was in. No. Wait. That wasn't true. He could believe it (rotten luck stuck to him like old bubble gum to the bottom of a shoe, after all). He just didn't like it. He hadn't intended to let anyone in on his visions so soon. Not yet, not until he was absolutely sure that he couldn't handle them on his own anymore. Not until he was positive that they weren't going to up and go away. Because if they could pounce on him from out of nowhere they could certainly cease just as suddenly. Probably. Maybe. He hoped.
He moved to look out the window again, nearly swallowed his tongue when he saw the vampire that was their target squeezing his way out of the crowded building, holding his soon-to-be-dinner's hand and sporting a wide smile. Spike and Angel were nowhere in sight.
Immediately, Xander reached into his back pocket for his cell phone. Stopped and cursed a second later when he realized that, hey, he hadn't seen Spike or Angel for years. He didn't have their numbers on speed dial. Or at all.
"Shit," he said. And then he double checked his jacket pocket for a stake and got out of the car, let the door snap to a close behind him.
He walked quickly, ignored the cat calls of a few drunk, maybe high people waiting in line. The vampire and his prey were not moving fast; he caught up to them easily, watched from what he hoped was a safe and non-obvious distance while the two, laughing and bumping shoulders, reached the alley and disappeared into it.
Xander followed them, pulled the stake from his pocket.
Right, he thought and took a calming breath. I can do this. I've done it before. It'll be easy.
He turned into the alley.
Part Two: Follow Through
"Club Red," said Spike, and he half-turned in his seat to look at Xander. "This the place?"
Xander looked up. He'd been hunched over in the back seat of Angel's Nissan, one hand pressed palm-flat against his pounding forehead and the other gripping the seat in front of him. He'd felt it as Spike shifted, the leather of the vampire's jacket brushing against his knuckles. He pulled his hand away, straightened and squinted out the window. There was a line of people, a red velvet rope, a bouncer with beefy arms and a neon sign declaring the club's name. "Yeah," he answered. "This is it."
He took a deep breath as Angel and Spike both stared appraisingly at the crowd gathered outside of the club. "How did you know how to find it?" asked Xander, because as soon as they had gotten into the car Angel had brushed away his attempts at directions. "You've been here before?"
Angel shrugged, pulled the key from the ignition. "I...know the place, yeah." Xander nodded, was trying to figure out just what exactly that meant when the vampire continued with, "Xander. You wait here. Spike, with me."
"Wait-" started Xander, but before he could say anything about I don't want to wait in the car or I'm the one who had the vision so I'm the only one who will be able to recognize the evil guy the two vampires had stepped out of the car and shut their doors behind them.
Lips pressed tightly together, Xander watched as Angel said something to the bouncer before slipping into the club and out of sight, a bored looking Spike trailing after him.
Xander sighed and sank bonelessly back into his seat.
Well, he thought, this is great.
He couldn't believe the situation he was in. No. Wait. That wasn't true. He could believe it (rotten luck stuck to him like old bubble gum to the bottom of a shoe, after all). He just didn't like it. He hadn't intended to let anyone in on his visions so soon. Not yet, not until he was absolutely sure that he couldn't handle them on his own anymore. Not until he was positive that they weren't going to up and go away. Because if they could pounce on him from out of nowhere they could certainly cease just as suddenly. Probably. Maybe. He hoped.
He moved to look out the window again, nearly swallowed his tongue when he saw the vampire that was their target squeezing his way out of the crowded building, holding his soon-to-be-dinner's hand and sporting a wide smile. Spike and Angel were nowhere in sight.
Immediately, Xander reached into his back pocket for his cell phone. Stopped and cursed a second later when he realized that, hey, he hadn't seen Spike or Angel for years. He didn't have their numbers on speed dial. Or at all.
"Shit," he said. And then he double checked his jacket pocket for a stake and got out of the car, let the door snap to a close behind him.
He walked quickly, ignored the cat calls of a few drunk, maybe high people waiting in line. The vampire and his prey were not moving fast; he caught up to them easily, watched from what he hoped was a safe and non-obvious distance while the two, laughing and bumping shoulders, reached the alley and disappeared into it.
Xander followed them, pulled the stake from his pocket.
Right, he thought and took a calming breath. I can do this. I've done it before. It'll be easy.
He turned into the alley.