Two girls in the corner put their heads together. “He doesn’t look like I thought Angel would.”
The other nodded. “And he’s here in daylight, from L.A. How’d he do that?”
The smaller blond guy swallowed hard. “Uh, hi. Andrew here. Formerly evil of the triumvirate of evil, now fighting on the side of good. I’ve been redeemed. I closed the Seal of Danthazar, even.” Andrew shot an evil look over his shoulder when the dark haired guy snorted. “I did! Sure, okay, I had Buffy’s help, but, you know, she’s the slayer. That’s her job.”
“Charles Gunn. We kind of took care of our own apocalypse a little quicker than this one here, so thought we’d come see if we could help.”
The dark-haired guy shoved Andrew out of the way with one shoulder, “Xander Harris. Yeah, we heard about you. Nice to meet you.” His eyes fell to Gunn’s hand. “Nice ax.”
Gunn hefted the ax. “Yeah, thanks. You know, there’s a lot of really strange…“ He paused, “people. Things, out there, with, you know, no eyes? I thought it might be good to have handy.”
The taller blond guy pushed his way past the girls and walked out without speaking. Gunn looked after, a frown on his face. “Who’s British nummies guy and what’s his problem?”
Xander smirked. “Oh, that’s our newest souled vamp. You know, you can’t have too many of those around. He’s just a little tired of people coming up from L.A. to kill him.” Xander shook himself and rubbed his hands together, looking around. “So, anyway, you said we? Where’s the rest of the we?”
“Hotel. We, uh, didn’t think you needed all of us at once. Wes and Fred are doing the research.”
Xander and Gunn shared a wholly normal guy look, half grin, half grimace, until Andrew pushed forward and laid one finger on the silver edged ax.
“Wow, it’s like, like, Mace Windu, going to Geonosis, there, fighting for his life, and ready to lead the Jedi into battle.”
Xander tilted his head, looking at Gunn. “Ya think? Who would I be, then?”
Andrew shrugged, “Oh, you’d be like Quinlan Vos, you know,” his voice dropped, “haunted by the dark side his whole life, trying to do good.”
Xander looked uncomfortable for a moment, then rolled his eyes. “And again with the why aren’t you gagged question.”
“I’m not a hostage! I’ve proven myself!”
“Uh, Slayer?” At Xander’s blank look Gunn shook his head and went on, “She might want to know we’re here?”
“Buffy called me the brains.” Andrew drew Xander’s attention again as he stalked out of the kitchen.
Exasperated, Xander shouted after him. “She was being facetious!”
***