*~*~*~*~*

Wesley and Cordelia had already left by the time Angel and I returned with Faith. It was probably for the best. Angel and I trusted her, but as far as the others were concerned, she could rot away forever.

"Not bad," Faith smiled as she looked around the walls of the Hyperian. "Movin' on up?"

Angel hung up his coat. "Well, I took the explosion at my last office as an eviction notice."

I dropped the load of equipment onto the floor. "We don't have much time. We have to move." I took her arm. "I got you some clothes. I figured the prison garbs weren't going to hold up well."

Faith nodded. "You're not bad, Meg." She smiled and headed to the room that I motioned towards.

I sighed and walked over to the reception counter by the lobby and pulled out a phone book.

Angel stepped up to me. "What are you looking for?"

I giggled. "Escort services."

"Oh." He did a double take. "What?"

I found one and dialed it up, my tone taking on a mild French accent. "Hello? Yes, this is Cartiana Monique. I am a personal assistant for a lawyer and he is going to need an escort tomorrow night. His name? Oh! I thought I gave that to you! Silly me. It is Lindsey McDonald. He works for Wolfram and Hart. Oh, but this is really important. You can just bill the company straight. That is right and we will pay extra for the rush. Why thank you, sir! We will expect her tomorrow. Nine PM. Bon jour!" I hung up the phone with a smile.

"And what did that just accomplish?"

"An honest diversion. Even if they use their telepaths on the girl, she only knows she's there to meet Lindsey. And I'm sure he's going to have to explain for an 'escort' in person. So tada! One diversion, compliments of Wolfram and Hart."

He smiled and chuckled. "Not bad. Now what is the diversion for?"

I lost my smile. "Uh, for me and Faith." I replaced the phone book.

He sighed heavily. "Why can't you tell me what's going on?"

I closed my eyes for a moment and thought about it. He really could help I suppose. "Darla is in trouble. And we're not talking just the normal Wolfram and Hart trouble. She's dying of syphilis."

His eyes were struck with pain. "What? How do you... Let me guess. You just know." He turned his back to me and leaned on the counter. "How long has she got?"

"Not to long if Lindsey has anything to do with it." I walked around in front of him. "Angel, he's found Drusilla."

His eyes went wide. "Dru? But what does he..."

"He's going to have her turn Darla."

He reached for his coat. "Like hell he will."

I stopped him. "Angel, please listen to me. This isn't right. Just let Faith and I take care of this. You don't want to ruin your chance with this Shanshu gig you got going. You remember what happened when you turned human last time? With Buffy at the old office?"

He dropped his coat. His voice was so quiet that I barely heard him. "You couldn't have known about that."

"But I do. Everything about the peanut butter and chocolate down to you dropping ice cream on your chest and even her tears as she told you she would never forget." Oh wow, Meg. Way to rub it in.

His eyes shadowed over. "I have to stop him."

"We will. Please let me help you though. I have a couple of ideas. First is to get Darla out in time." I rubbed his arms. "Please? I haven't lied to you. I've been trying to help. Let me do what I came here for." I smiled. "Even warriors need their army."

He looked down at me and I could see the pain of his memories. Those eyes showed it all. The years of torment, the lonely nights, it was all there.

Faith pranced out into the lobby freshly changed into a pair of leather pants and a white tank top I had retrieved for her. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail. At least she was smiling.

"So, what's the plan?" she asked as she walked right up to us. "Don't mean to be rushing things, but you know how testy maximum security prisons get when a convicted murderer is set free." She meant it as a joke, but you could hear the shame in her voice. She was still paying for her path.

I sighed and went around the counter, pulling out a notepad. "Okay. This is how it needs to lay out."

*~*~*~*~*

This is where watching the show comes in handy. I knew that Dru was spending her days at Lindsey's but more than likely was spending her nights at the esteemed offices of Wolfram and Hart. Faith and I both dressed up for the occasion. We both were baring pant suits and briefcases. Faith seemed a bit uncomfortable in the itchy material but really did look like a sophisticated woman with her hair swept up into a bun and some glasses. Our cases were loaded with holy water, stakes and other various things to take on whatever we might encounter.

Faith was posted at the front door. I stood in the lobby talking to no one on a cell phone. Angel was waiting for us on the roof. Okay, so my pulse was racing a little here. What the hell was I thinking? But this could work.

The door swung open as a redhead in an evening gown strode in and up to the receptionist. I got close enough to hear her.

"I'm here for Lindsey McDonald," the girl bubbled.

I nodded to Faith who headed for the elevator. I joined her as soon as the receptionist called Lindsey down. I noticed that Holland had stopped by the desk as well. Big trouble for our little handy-capable man.

We waited till we saw which elevator was heading down and took the opposite one. Once inside, Faith opened her case and pulled out a stake. "You ready to do this?" she asked me.

I nodded and pulled out a squirt gun with holy water. "One way to find out."

She smiled at me. "You could have made a good slayer. All the planning and shit probably would have come in handy."

I chuckled. "You and B did fine."

At the mention of the other slayer her face dropped. "Yeah, till I fucked it up." She twirled the stake in her hand. "But I'm workin' on it."

When the elevator door opened we walked down the hall in unison and went straight for Lindsey's office. The door was ajar. Faith motioned for me to stay back as she opened it silently.

There she was. The loon herself. Drusilla was staring out the window, looking at the stars, standing there in her red dress. She looked like any other woman you'd see on the street. But you could feel the chill around her.

And she could feel us.

Her cold eyes turned to us and she smiled. "Her royal majesty," she said looking straight at me. "We've kept up your court."

Faith didn't let her eyes leave Dru as she asked me: "What the hell does that mean?"

I raised the squirt gun at Dru. "Dunno. But I'm not going to stick around to..."

I didn't have time to finish my sentence. Dru knew what we were planning before we did. She came to me first, throwing me into the wall then grabbed Faith by her throat. Dru smiled. "Be in me..." Her eyes locked with Faith's.

My head hurt like a son of a bitch and my eyes couldn't focus. I was seeing three Dru's. And I saw all of them do it at the same time.

Dru turned Faith's head completely around. Killing her.

"No!" I screamed as I lurched myself up and slammed into the vampire. She caught me easily and held my throat so she could take a look at me.

"Such a puzzle," she said. "You can't see the grasshoppers anymore. You found the fireflies and can't play with the grasshoppers." She shook her head slowly. "Naughty girl." Her vampire face didn't stun me and I held my breath, hoping it would be over soon. I closed my eyes...

*~*~*~*~*

"Meg? Wake up. You there?"

The voice shook me and I opened my eyes. "Jennifer?" The face of my good friend appeared in front of me.

She sighed. "That's it. No more puzzle boxes. You know how hard it was to bring you back?"

I bolted up and rushed to my coffee table, grabbing the puzzle box. "I have to go back!"

"Huh? Back? Meg, you were never gone. It's been like five minutes."

I looked at her in shock. "What? No..." I looked at the puzzle box in my hand and furiously put it together, closing my eyes and making my wish.

It's amazing how fast that damn thing works...