Cordelia Chase, though. Lindsey had almost brought about her death twice. The first time he had said nothing and done nothing when he learned that Russell Winters, his vampire client, had planned to make a meal of the lovely young actress. He hadn't known at the time that she was just out of high school and that her family had lost all its money due to her father's failure to pay taxes for twelve years. As he had left Winters' mansion that day, he was already planning the coverup.

Then about 10 months later, he was trying to burn a scroll that would have saved her from the madness that Vocah, a demon who had been invoked to destroy Angel, had inflicted upon her. Angel had cut off his hand and saved Cordelia. No thanks to me, Lindsey thought.

Finally last night, when he had sung at Caritas for the first time in over a year, he had seen her. What had she said to him? "I know you're evil and all, but that was fantastic."

She had cut her long dark hair, but somehow the short stylish cut had accentuated her lovely eyes. She looked a lot like his sister Elaine had looked the last time he saw her; Elaine had cut her hair because she thought short hair would be easier to take care of while she had a new baby. Tony hadn't cared too much for it, but he understood. Now all three of them were dead. Cordelia must be about the age that Elaine was when she died.

Lindsey wanted to hop into his truck and get out of Los Angeles, but he found he just couldn't, not if Cordelia was in trouble. The least he could do was go by her apartment and warn her. Maybe he'd call Angel and alert him, too.

When Lindsey arrived at her apartment, the door was wide open and demons were trying to drag her out. Objects were flying everywhere as if a poltergeist were trying to attack the demons. Lindsey dove in and aimed a punch at the first demon. Something crashed over his head and he fell to the floor unconscious.

As Lindsey came to, he saw a pair of expensive black pumps attached to a long, gorgeous pair of legs. He didn't have to look any farther. "Lilah. . ."

"Lindsey, you are so predictable. I knew you'd go to save the damsel in distress. You're such a fool." He could feel the sneer on Lilah's face, but there was something in her voice: just the barest trace of envy.

"Where is Cordelia? Have you hurt her?"

"I wonder, Lindsey, if you've ever asked 'where's Lilah? Is she okay?' Probably not."

"Lilah, you could probably whip an army of demons singlehanded. Not that you ever had to do anything singlehanded like I did. I wonder if Angel would have cut off your hand if it had been you with the scroll."

"In a heartbeat, I'm sure." The tall brunette attorney turned and left the room.

About an hour or so later, security guards came in and took him to the elevator. It went down to a sublevel that he didn't know existed. They took him through a door and left. "Over here, Lindsey." Lindsey turned around and saw Nathan, Lilah, and a number of other senior staff sitting on a raised platform above two doors. "Come closer."

Lindsey walked over to stand in front of them. "You've got me now. What are you going to do to me?"

"Lindsey, can't you guess? I'm sure you've read the classics. You may choose a door. Behind one door is the lovely Cordelia Chase, unharmed." He pointed to a television monitor. Cordelia, dressed in an exotic costume and looking lovelier than he had ever seen her, was pacing. She was definitely unharmed. "That is the royal costume of a princess in Pylea, the dimension where the senior partners often stay. Isn't she gorgeous? Choose her door and you'll both be free to go." He gestured at the monitor again. "Behind the other door is the lovely and very very hungry Darla. She is quite convinced that you are responsible for all of her troubles, including being back here with us. You'll be quite dead at her hands, but I have a feeling that it will be a long, slow, painful death. And she will not be turning you. Even if she wanted to, we have convinced her that it would not be in her best interests. So, Lindsey, choose."

Lindsey looked at Lilah. She looked back with a strange look on her face that he couldn't interpret. He followed her eyes as she looked just slightly to her left, his right. The side where he had lost and then regained his hand.

Nathan pointed at a guard standing by the door, who came up to Lindsey and shocked him with a taser gun. "I said 'choose,' Lindsey. Don't make me wait."

Lindsey didn't hesitate. He didn't know whether he should trust Lilah to want him to be alive and well or dead. He knew that she had wanted him and he had rejected her. But he had just saved her life and given her the vice presidency. So Lindsey walked to the door on the right and threw it open.