Automated Utopia :: Chapter Four.

[fenderlove]

Finally! An Update! XD
Title: Automated Utopia
Author: fenderlove
Rating: This chapter is rated PG-13 though the overall story is rated R.
Summary: This fanfiction is set in a Victorian SteamPunk Alternate Universe in which inventions such as Charles Babbage's Difference Engine and the harnessing of steam-power have launched a technological revolution far earlier in history. The time is 1885, and Angel Investigations is working for Scotland Yard. A new case involving a missing artifact from the British Museum and a demonic cult sends the wayward detectives on a whirlwind adventure to reclaim the object before all is lost.
Warning: Warnings for descriptions of violence and blood.
Pairings: Spike/Fred.


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Automated Utopia :: Chapter Four.
"It's no longer 'Inspector' if you recall." Kate Lockley lowered her her pistol and tilted her head, "When will you learn that you cannot just go poking your head into strange bushes?"

Angel raked a hand through his long, dark hair, "One would think that I would have remembered that by now."

Holstering her pistol, she replied, "The rumors are true then, I suppose. I had heard rumblings that you were working for the department."

"Well, it hardly seems fair that you are aware of my current employment situation when I am unfamiliar with yours," Angel tried to keep his tone light, but the truth of the matter was that he and Inspector- or perhaps Miss? - Lockley had not parted well.

When Angel had first relocated to London, he quickly made the acquaintance of then-Inspector Lockley. She had been completely ignorant of the supernatural misdeeds that entangled themselves in Scotland Yard's most mysterious cases, like many of her colleagues, until she had crossed paths with the vampiric detective. Though they were to be invaluable assets to one another- Kate as a link to the goings-on of the police force and Angel for his knowledge of the arcane- each ultimately proved to be a liability for the other. Kate had been determined to uphold her position within the department despite the occupational hazards of reanimated bobbies and the like, but she was released from her duties without commendation, more than partially because she allowed Angel into strictly police affairs.

However, that ugly business had been years ago, and the Met now employed Angel and his staff, and though he did not garner the same respect as even the lowest ranking detective, attitudes had definitely changed within the department. Angel pondered to himself if his friend had returned to her former employment. He versed said sentiments aloud.

Kate shook her head, somewhat bitterly, "I've never known you to be such an optimist." Off Angel's rather sour expression, she continued, "I had turned to selling antiques, and at first it was dreadfully dull. Yes, safer perhaps, but a bit of a bore. It wasn't until I had come across some more mystical artifacts that I had any real enjoyment from my work. I was able to learn so much from my newfound contacts about such unimaginable things... though to you they are probably very commonplace."

Angel was not pleased to hear this turn of events. He had often feared Kate's tenacity for gaining further knowledge of all the workings of London's underbelly, especially things beyond a typical human's scope of understanding, would lead her to some grievous injury, as it nearly had several times previously in their past.

If Kate noticed Angel's grim-and-growing-grimmer expression, she pretended not to notice. "It has been a noteworthy journey, but I have found myself back at my appropriate calling. Consider my self to be your business competitor, sir." She made no move to hide the smirk on her face nor did it appear that she made any attempt to.

Angel was even further displeased at that news. He held back a sigh and decided to engage her about her sudden appearance at an official police crime scene."You will excuse any intrusion into your private business matters, Private Inspector Lockley, but you are aware that the museum grounds are being investigated by the "proper authorities," as you so lovingly used to call them. Although, one must wonder how you were notified about an in-progress inquiry being made the very night of the crime." A part of himself enjoyed this role-reversal repartee, but he was mostly annoyed.

"To be quite frank, I had no idea a crime had been committed until I arrived. My source had only limited information to give me." She quickly held her hand up as Angel began to interrupt her, "And before you ask, I will not reveal my source, who has entrusted me in only the strictest confidence."

This was not the Kate Lockley Angel remembered; she had changed, and he was not sure if it was for the better. Watching her stand on the other side of the fence of an investigation had lost its charm. He seemed to have forgotten how many times he refused her the information for which she had demanded in an official capacity. Kate, meanwhile, had not forgotten and was as displeased with the new Angel as he was with her.

Holding back a sigh, he asked, "While I would never ask you to break such a confidence, as an agent of Scotland Yard, I must ask you what is the exact nature of your investigation here?"

Folding her arms over her chest, she acquiesced, "There have been reports of demons and occult practitioners disappearing from around London, mostly from around the music halls near Drury Lane on the Strand. My source revealed to me that they believed the museum could be an important place to begin my search. Imagine my surprise to find such a scene."

Angel bristled, "I have heard no reports about any disappearances."

"Pardon me for saying so, Angel, but you have not exactly been out and about as you used to. There are more helpless to help than the Regent Park set."

"I can do more good with the resources I have now, and we are helping in a more legitimate capacity without having to worry about being thrown before Old Bailey and into the clink at every turn." The syllables rolled off his tongue almost automatically. He had mentally practiced this very speech, telling himself over and over that it was the truth, willing himself to believe it. He continued with his well-honed diatribe until he abruptly stopped, a cold fissure running down his spine. Someone, or rather something, was nearby.

Kate gave him a quizzical look and started to ask him if something was the matter. He held up his hand to silence her inquisition but also to motion for Gunn to come closer. Kate narrowed her eyes at Angel, but she too was having an inkling of a presence creeping closer, though her sense was from years of molding a crafted police intuition rather than a vampire's natural instinct. Looking over her shoulder, searching for what had shaken Angel's resolve, she scanned the trees and hedges, seeing nothing in the low lights from the street lamps. Not a single leaf rustled nor was there any noise save the chattering of the police officers in the distance.

Gunn edged closer to a hedgerow to Kate's right, taking his steam cannon from beneath his dark wool overcoat, gripping the pistol-like device, his finger tight against the trigger. Kate removed her revolver from the holster strapped to her thigh. Angel took a step backwards, readying the volley gun at the top of his cane. He gestured to Kate to move away from the carefully manicured hedges. Whatever was lurking in the shrubbery clearly took former-Inspector Lockley's movement as a signal to attack. A hulking grey-skinned breast raced forward, maw gaping and dripping with yellowish saliva, moving so rapidly that it seemed as though it was already taking several new leaps forward before the sounds of the old reached their ears. The demon's massive arms swung down, knocking both Kate and Gunn to the ground before either could fire their weapons. Angel turned his volley gun's hand-crank, peppering the demon's shoulder and upper chest with bullets. He had never seen a demon such as this before; it seemed rather an indistinct gargoyle of a thing, like a rude caricature of an otherworldly creature. Oozing avulsions and horn-like protrusions covering its leathery hide. It reared its crudely-featured head, roaring in fury in Angel's direction, though the bullets riddling its torso did not slow its momentum as it charged once again.

With the demon's attentions turned to Angel, Gunn was able to take a knee as he pulled the triggered on his steam cannon, sending a scalding hot stream of steam at the creature's back as it swiped at Angel, snapping his volley gun cane in twain. It growled in pain as the seared flesh fell from its back in huge meaty clumps though the massive damage to its person did not appear to have any effect on the demon as it continued its assault on Angel, pummeling him with ham-hocked fists. Kate too had lobbied several shots at the demon's head, which did finally did turn its engrossment away from the vampire. As it lumbered towards her, a little slower perhaps due to the rounds that had penetrated into its brain, Angel launched himself up from the ground and unto the demon's back, shoving the jagged, broken halves of his cane through the occipital bone of its skull with brute force. With an agonizing groan, the creature fell to the ground, a limp hulk of dead weigh.

Gunn approached the corpse with some apprehension as though he expected it to rise with the same speed that it had originally attacked with, "I've never seen a demon like this one."

"Nor I." Standing a little shakily, Angel jerked the wooden pieces from the demon's skull, scraping the brain matter on the pavement. Bringing the bloodied tip of his cane to his nose, he sniffed it cautiously. The scent of the demon's blood was unrecognizable to him. With a contemplative expression, he said, "I think we might have found one of Dr. Breedlove's homunculi."

Turning towards where Kate had been standing, Angel asked, "In these disappearances that you spoke of..." But Kate Lockley was no where to be seen. Angel looked around and groused, "You know, that used to be my trick."

***

Meanwhile, in the Round Reading Room, the others continued their investigation unaware of their comrades' plight. Wesley examined the bodies for the cause of their untimely deaths. Checking over the crates and the inventory list once more, Spike confirmed that four pieces of pottery along with two rings were missing from the collection along with the books, though there was still no way to determine if what was stolen were facsimiles or the actual article.

"It appears you were correct in another regard, Spike," Wesley noted, pulling a long sliver of wood from the neck wound of one of the victims- Robert as it were- with a pair of tweezers. He held the bloody wooden shard up to examine it more carefully in the light. "Whatever smashed through the crates was human."

"I suppose that rules out Fyarls and a few of the other mercenary demons out there," Spike remarked.

Fred pushed her spectacles up on her nose as she gazed up from studying the documents Dr. Breedlove had left, "Why is that?"

"Demons like that are the smash-and-grab variety; they are not found of using... tools," Spike immediately regretted his choice of words when he saw the look on Fred's face. "I mean, if one considers a human body as a tool... as some demons might." He raked a hand through his hair, suddenly finding himself flustered.

"Be that as it may, it was not the cause of death. The lack of bleeding around the wound tells us he was already dead before his corpse was used to break into the crate," Wesley remarked. His hands felt around the dead man's neck, almost massaging the area to feel for any irregularities to the bones. "Robert here appears to have a broken neck along with the myriad of other injuries to his person. The other two also have a landscape of gouges and bruises consistent with engaging their attackers as Sir Augustus and Dr. Breedlove claimed. I'd say they all expired from massive trauma and exsanguination, but the surgeons will be able to tell us for certain." He collected some of the wood splinters into glass jars from his kit.

Lorne held the small Valkren'nesh demon, now sleeping, in his arms. "This is all very peculiar," he said quietly, "If one assumes that someone hired demons to perform this burglary, then one must also assume that the demons involved were the violent sort, which leads us to the quandary of Norman here." He indicated the gorilla-like demon child asleep in the cradle of his arms, "Why would you bring along a baby demon, one from a very human-friendly, peaceful clan at that?"

"I think that there are many inconsistencies left for us to investigate," Fred sighed, beginning to place Dr. Breedlove's notes back into the folio once more. "The only thing I am sure of is that I will need to brush up on my knowledge of the Greek language. Though I think that we are leaning towards some type of nefarious plot being hatched by those working in the museum, I fear there is nothing left for us to glean from further searching of this scene. Perhaps Angel and Charles will have something new to tell us- "

It was at that moment when Angel and Gunn returned to the Reading Room, having obviously been in some type of altercation. Angel laid the broken halves of his volley gun cane on the desk at which Fred was seated. "I think I will need some repairs... along with a whiskey," Angel said, attempting to force a smile. His attention was drawn not only to Spike's bloodied shirt but to the Valkren'nesh demon Lorne was holding. "What is that?"

"This is Norman, and I'm bringing him home with us," Lorne said, rather cheerily.

"I take it that you found him in here," Angel said in a rather deadpan manner.

Spike jerked his collar aside huffily, showing his grandsire the bite marks on his neck and shoulder, "What was your first clue?"

"Since there is no asylum for orphaned demons, I think that it might be best if we take the little fellow home," Fred spoke as she examined the remains of Angel's cane.

More than a little exasperated, Angel agreed, and then proceeded to explain the sudden appearance of the homunculi that attacked while he and Gunn were searching the perimeter of the museum as well as the visit he received from Kate Lockley. Before they made their exit from the museum, Wesley sketched the demon in question along with taking blood samples from both it and the blood left on the tip of Angel's cane while the others conversed with Angel and Gunn about their findings. After informing the officers waiting outside to send for the ambulance, as well as putting in a request for replacement parts for their Caselli, the members of Angel Investigations were more than willing to go home to Fairfax Street.



Previous Chapters :: One :: Two :: Three.
x-posted @ nekid_spike and darker_spike.

Comments

[shakensilence.livejournal.com]

Yay... more than one chapter in a day! This is really turning out to be a great read. I'm thoroughly intrigued. I just might have time for another chapter too.