Work Text:
101
By Ragna
(writinggoddess@aol.com)
They could hear the city collapsing as they sped through all the back roads that Lindsey knew to get out of Los Angeles. Connor had argued with his father, insisting he was able to stay and fight.
Angel had just knocked him unconscious, thrown him into the convertible that was waiting outside the law firm, and signaled for Lindsey to drive off.
That was the last they'd ever see of him, Lindsey was sure.
He looked at the occupied seats in the convertible. Fred was in the passenger seat and Connor and Lorne were in the back seat. Lorne was sleeping, and Fred kept looking back.
To see what, he had no clue.
They were in northern San Diego now, in a medium sized military town. It should be safe there; Lindsey had contacts in the city of Oceanside that could get things set up for at least Fred, Connor and himself. He was pretty sure Lorne was going to go to Las Vegas again, and if that was what the demon wanted, Lindsey wasn't going to stop him.
"I can't believe he stayed," Fred said quietly, turning around and looking out the front of the window. "He should be here, you know?"
Lindsey had driven down Highway 101 all the way to Oceanside, and when he got to Mission Avenue he turned right, following the main road to Pacific Street and then turning onto The Strand, a one lane road right next to the sandy beach. Instead of going towards Wisconsin Avenue, he turned into the parking lot by the children's playground near the amphitheater. He looked at the waves and silently agreed with Fred.
"So should Spike, and Wesley," she added quietly.
"I would have brought Wesley if he hadn't been so stubborn," Lindsey said. "We could have knocked him out, too, if there had been enough time."
"I wonder if Gunn made it out," Connor's slightly sullen voice came from the back.
"Probably. He knows his way around the streets. He probably got everyone he needed to get out of town and hauled ass somewhere," Lindsey said, leaning back to stretch.
"What do we now?"
"We have money. We can get a hotel room at the Pacific Inn until we can find something more permanent." Lindsey shrugged. "Connor's the only one who has to stay, at least for another month. You can go if you want to, Fred."
Fred shook her head. "Other than my parents, I don't have anyone anymore, and I sort of like being my own person after years of virtual imprisonment in Pylea."
"Then I'll see about housing tomorrow. Tonight, though, let's just get some sleep." He turned the car on then and headed out of the parking lot and back towards Pacific Coast Highway.
***
The next morning, Lorne was gone. He'd left a note, saying it was easier for him to travel at night, and that he was headed to Las Vegas, and if they ever needed him there to just look him up.
If they had known what was going to happen next, they'd have just left Lorne in Los Angeles...
END