My Destiny is You

Ch. 11 ~ Preparation

            Having pin pointed when they would attack without saying as much as a word to one another, they started on prep work. Because they wanted to be extra careful but still use every method at their disposal, Wes had asked Dr. Anne from the hospital to speak to the book and ask it to bring forth the information that was needed. That way the SP's would never suspect anything. They'd figure that when the W&H building imploded, the book got lost and some random human picked it up and was playing with it. Dr. Anne agreed. So Wesley wrote on a piece of paper what he wanted her to request the book to conjure up. She held the book and read very carefully off the paper.

"The location of the Senior Partners of Wolfram & Hart and layout of their domain."

            No sooner had she finished speaking, did she open the book and all sorts of different pictures and images started to appear. Her job complete; she went back to the hospital. Wesley, Gunn, Connor, and Dawn started pouring over what the book gave up. Not surprisingly, it was in code and they had to crack it. Connor looked at the letters and symbols carefully and then concentrated harder as he walked away with the book.

"Connor, what are you doing?" Dawn asked as the others watched him.

"I know this language. Or rather the memories that were brought back to me do." He said his forehead creased in concentration.

"What language is it?" Gunn asked then.

"The hell dimension that Holtz kidnapped me to, they spoke this there. Maybe the hell dimension where the SP's are located and Qor'Toth are either next to each other, one and the same, or connected somehow." He said looking up at the other 3 people in the library with him.

"So do you think you can decipher it?" Wesley asked.

"I think so but I will need more time. I don't remember that much off the bat." Connor answered.

"Take all the time you need." Everyone turned to see Angel standing in the doorway.

"Dad?" Connor asked surprised.

"The point is, that book may be our only way to get in unnoticed so whatever you can give us will be of great help. Willow and Illyria have worked out the right portal but they need to know how to open it properly so we don't end up in the land of shrimp. That's where you come in, son. I know you've been bunking it in the hospital on a cot but you can have my apartment and bed since I.....well don't spend my time there anymore. You can use it as your study and resting location. I've already stocked up on food for you as I doubt you'd find blood appetizing." Angel said with a half-smile but his eyes were serious.

"Thanks dad that really means a lot. That cot was getting kind of hard. Where do you sleep now?" Connor asked out of curiosity as Angel's eyes shifted to the right. He didn't want to admit that he spent most of his nights with Buffy, just watching her sleep or sleeping with her and not in the biblical sense. But Connor understood and waved his arm in a never mind motion. 

            Meanwhile across the base, Tara and Willow were talking about how dangerous this mission was going to be. Tara didn't want to lose Willow but she knew Willow was powerful enough that even the SP's wouldn't see her coming. They sat and chatted in the house while the sun was shining outside and Faith was taking the slayers through very rigorous exercises. She wasn't pulling any punches; they were training 12-14 hour days with minimum breaks. While that was going on up top, Spike and Illyria were walking around the underground tunnels. Illyria was unusually quiet even for her; finally she spoke.

"They don't trust me." She said with a jerk of her head towards Spike.

"Do you blame them?" He asked honestly.