And in the end, it doesn't even matter
I thought that we must have made for the most motley of crews as the group of us moved through the main lobby and casino level of the Luxor. Then, I noticed a large gaggle of midwestern tourists taking pictures with a garishly interpreted Cleopatra and Marc Antony. This was, after all, Las Vegas-- a city that had been built on the use of the flamboyant and spectacular to cover up the seedy and, at best, immoral. That in mind, I supposed it wasn't all that unthinkable that a small cluster of people, most of whom carried slightly questionable bags that barely concealed their weapons, walking through the casino with grim determination hardly worth the slightest suspicion.
Illyria-- who'd agreed to wear Fred's visage for the moment-- had naturally gravitated toward the front of the group. Her affinity for the power that Cain was manipulating, she had told us, shone to her like a beacon on the shore. It drew Illyria deeper into the casino, and Illyria drew Willow and myself, her closest comrades, behind her.
In exceptional (although bizarrely fitting) incongruity, Illyria mentioned offhand her interest in one of the more garishly lit slot machines. I glanced at Willow with an eyebrow raised, but couldn't help the smile that touched my face. Indeed it would be an interesting thing to witness, as had Illyria's entire journey.
My eyes strayed also to the other individual within our immediate ranks I trusted implicitly, Faith. I could feel the impatience radiating from her, the eagerness to finally 'throw down', as she would say. I had to admit that I shared the restlessness. My hand strayed as casually as it could under my jacket, as if to reassure myself of the cold, hard grips of both pistols were stil within quick-draw range.
Faith glanced up, our eyes caught, and mutual humour was instantly found in the memory of our last trip to the city. An easy laugh was shared, and I took heart in the fact that all was well and back to its rightful place as far as she and I were concerned.
With the magical might amongst our number, it was simplicity itself to pass through the outer, mundane security doors. Once through, Illyria's resumed her normal form, and with it came even greater surety of Cain's whereabouts. There was a pause at the top of the stairwell that Faith and I recognised as leading to the abandoned Initiative base. There was the sound of zippers and snaps and velcro... and then of the readying of weapons.
I was armed, as the saying went, for bear. In addition to the 'gadgets' under my jacket sleeves, I was carrying a pair of automatic pistols, my trusted sawed-off shotgun, and my newest and most ridiculously illegal acquisition: a Heckler & Koch MP5K, basically a compact assault rifle. We didn't know just what kind of enemy Cain would be throwing at us except for the renegade Slayers, and there was no telling how deeply his corruption of them had gone.
Besides, only Cain mattered. Stopping him, and closing the Gate-- ending this.
Halfway down the stairwell, Faith let me know she was going to break off to find Giles. Knowing that she would rightly prefer to move unencumbered by any companions, I convinced the rest of the group to press on for the base's entrance. One last nod, and Faith moved silently off down a side corridor.
It was disturbingly easy and fast going of reaching the entrance to the base. Illyria confirmed that we were in the right place, as well.
Hoping that we weren't too late to help Giles and finish the fight, I raised my shotgun and prepared to "knock" on the door.
Illyria-- who'd agreed to wear Fred's visage for the moment-- had naturally gravitated toward the front of the group. Her affinity for the power that Cain was manipulating, she had told us, shone to her like a beacon on the shore. It drew Illyria deeper into the casino, and Illyria drew Willow and myself, her closest comrades, behind her.
In exceptional (although bizarrely fitting) incongruity, Illyria mentioned offhand her interest in one of the more garishly lit slot machines. I glanced at Willow with an eyebrow raised, but couldn't help the smile that touched my face. Indeed it would be an interesting thing to witness, as had Illyria's entire journey.
My eyes strayed also to the other individual within our immediate ranks I trusted implicitly, Faith. I could feel the impatience radiating from her, the eagerness to finally 'throw down', as she would say. I had to admit that I shared the restlessness. My hand strayed as casually as it could under my jacket, as if to reassure myself of the cold, hard grips of both pistols were stil within quick-draw range.
Faith glanced up, our eyes caught, and mutual humour was instantly found in the memory of our last trip to the city. An easy laugh was shared, and I took heart in the fact that all was well and back to its rightful place as far as she and I were concerned.
With the magical might amongst our number, it was simplicity itself to pass through the outer, mundane security doors. Once through, Illyria's resumed her normal form, and with it came even greater surety of Cain's whereabouts. There was a pause at the top of the stairwell that Faith and I recognised as leading to the abandoned Initiative base. There was the sound of zippers and snaps and velcro... and then of the readying of weapons.
I was armed, as the saying went, for bear. In addition to the 'gadgets' under my jacket sleeves, I was carrying a pair of automatic pistols, my trusted sawed-off shotgun, and my newest and most ridiculously illegal acquisition: a Heckler & Koch MP5K, basically a compact assault rifle. We didn't know just what kind of enemy Cain would be throwing at us except for the renegade Slayers, and there was no telling how deeply his corruption of them had gone.
Besides, only Cain mattered. Stopping him, and closing the Gate-- ending this.
Halfway down the stairwell, Faith let me know she was going to break off to find Giles. Knowing that she would rightly prefer to move unencumbered by any companions, I convinced the rest of the group to press on for the base's entrance. One last nod, and Faith moved silently off down a side corridor.
It was disturbingly easy and fast going of reaching the entrance to the base. Illyria confirmed that we were in the right place, as well.
Hoping that we weren't too late to help Giles and finish the fight, I raised my shotgun and prepared to "knock" on the door.