xp_logs | Angelo and Amanda, Tuesday evening

After she receives the e-mail from Pete about Patches and the demon, Amanda and Angelo share a cigarette on the roof and talk about what she plans to do next.

Angelo chose to give the back porch a miss on this particular occasion, making for the flyers' platform instead. There was less traffic up there at night, and it let him see the stars as an added bonus. He wasn't entirely surprised to find that Amanda had had the same idea.

She didn't even jump as he sat down silently beside her, just offered him the cigarette packet. "I got an email from Pete just now," she said without preamble. "He said it was that cunt bastard Patches who sent the demon after me."

Angelo nodded, unsurprised, but carefully not revealing that he'd already all but known. "Stands to reason. Not many other people it could've been, after all."

"What I don't get is how he did it," Amanda said, blowing smoke into the cool wind that had cropped up. "I mean, that sort of summonin', he would've needed some way of connectin' it t' me. It ain't like he's ever seen the bindin' spell, an' that's the only way he would've had that sort of info." She looked over at him, and her expression was oddly calm. Angry, yes, but that was overlaid by a sort of quiet determination, like she'd made up her mind about something. "How're you doin', mate? Can't have been easy, the other night. Fire an' all that."

Not your place, he reminded himself forcibly. Jubilee'll tell her, before concentrating on the second part of what she'd said. "Not too bad. Didn't sleep much last night, but the first night's usually the worst, after reminders. Helped that I had other stuff to think about at the time."

"An' I weren't exactly in the shape t' talk t' you about it then." She shifted slightly, trying to get comfortable - the stitches in her side were pulling a little. "'S funny, that thing showin' up... I thought I'd be more scared, but I wasn't. I was more tired. Sort of 'what the fuck now?' thing, y'know? Like every time I try t' go forward, somethin' shows up t' hold me back. Still, 's given me a kick in the arse t' finish all this once an' for all."

He tilted his head, drawing on the cigarette he'd taken from the pack. "What's left to do? Demon's dead, Rack's dead... how're you gonna finish it if it's not already done?"

"There's dead an' there's dead. The demon I ain't worried about - it broke the pact with Rack first, an' that means the bindin' don't hold me to it.But Rack's another matter altogether..." She drew deeply on her cigarette, exhaling smoke before she spoke again. "I'm gunna do the unbindin' spell. Only thing is, I need a target t' do it. So I'm bringin' him back."

Angelo sat bolt upright, spluttering on his cigarette smoke. "You... what?"

"There's a spell. Summonin' a spirit from the dead. It's not easy, an' I don't even know if I can do it, but 'm gunna try. I asked Nate t' spot for me. I'd ask Pete, only I don't want him havin' t' stick a hotknife in me head if things get out of control - Nate's powers're less messy. He can shut me down with the telepathy." Amanda looked across at Angelo, chin jutting just a little stubbornly. "I have t' do this, Ange. I can't let him ruin me whole fuckin' life, an' he'll do that as long as that bloody bindin' spell still applies."

Angelo eyed her warily, not really reassured - he didn't much like the implications. "Shut you down?"

"Turn me brain off, send me t' sleep - if I ain't awake, I can't keep the spell goin' an' Rack goes back t' where he came from," she explained. "He's done it once before - that night after the thing with Remy? I was freakin' out so much I trashed Manny's room with the magic, an' Nate ended up havin' t' knock me out." She gave him a small, hopefully-reassuring smile. "I've planned it all out, Ange. 'S dangerous, but not as much as it could be. An' Nate won't let anythin' happen."

He nodded slowly, at least halfway reassured. "Don't s'pose you'd let me sit in too?" He was almost sure she'd say no, but he'd had to ask.

She shook her head. "I'm gunna need t' concentrate, Ange, both on the summonin' an' the unbindin'. An' Rack... he'll be workin' t' make sure I can't do that. The only weapon he'll have is words, an' yer've seen him in action already that way. I can't risk you bein' there an' losin' yer rag at him." Amanda gave him an apologetic look. "'M sorry, mate, I know yer've got scores t' settle with him, but I can't risk it."

He nodded again, reluctantly, but clearly accepting it. "If that's how it has to be. Just... you be safe. Yeah?"

She reached over and squeezed his hand. "Safe as houses. Just not this house, 'cause y'know, this one ain't exactly safe..." she said, with a chuckle.

He laughed a little, giving her hand a quick squeeze in return. "That'll do for me, then."