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LaCroix stared at the chessboard contemplatively. He picked up the black queen and turned it over in his hands. Glory, more appropriately Glorificius, a god, like those he’d worshipped as a mortal, his enemy. Of course he’d considered himself nearly a god even while he was mortal, not much had happened to alter that opinion in the centuries since.
Glorificius had needs, and creatures with needs were never lacking in vulnerabilities to exploit, he’d learned that painful truth during the months after Toronto.
LaCroix set the dark queen on the chessboard. Opposing her, he placed a white queen, a smaller more delicate piece from another set. Behind the white queen he placed one of her pawns.
“Pawns were meant for sacrifice,” LaCroix thought. “But when humans were involved things always became more complicated.”
He should have been able to use Glory’s need for the key to defeat her, but this queen would sacrifice herself before allow a simple pawn to be lost.
He arranged several other pieces on the board so that the pawn was a tempting target for the black queen, but if she took it, it would doom her.
The trap was perfect, easy to walk into, because Glory would feel safe, the white queen would be blocked.
LaCroix picked up the white knight, he sighed with affection and exasperation.
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“Cordy had a vision, I’m going out of town for awhile,” Angel said casually.
LaCroix just looked at the younger vampire, his expression didn’t change, but his disgust was clearly felt. “And how, prey-tell, does your little mission of mercy affect me?”
“Buffy will be coming with me,” Angel said. “I know you’re hunting Glory, that you want to stop her as badly as any of us. I don’t have to ask you to keep an eye on her.”
Angel paused, took a deep breath and added. “My friends want the same thing you do, watch out for them. All of them, Wesley, Gunn, Giles, Dawn, Willow, Tara, Anya, even Xander. I know how little regard you have for humans, but I care about them. They won’t have a chance against Glory. Please protect them.”
“For you, Mon Fils.”
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The knight, a symbol of nobility, courage and heroism, LaCroix felt his old disgust melt away under a gentler appreciation and affection for his knights. Both Nicholas and Angelus stood for everything he was not. He was a pragmatist, a realist, a general, someone who won at any and all cost.
Knights fought duals, and winning or loosing wasn’t nearly as important as how they deported themselves.
Still, that wasn’t all the knight was, especially not on the field of battle laid out before him. In chess the knight was one of the most unpredictable piece in the game, “It was appropriate,” LaCroix thought.
Sometimes he wished he’d never taught Angelus to cloak his thoughts. It did help Angel to trust him but Nicholas would never have been able to manipulate him as Angel had.
Such underhandedness was something to be admired, LaCroix decided with a smiled and placed the knight between the black queen and the white pawn.
He hadn’t had a clue what he was agreeing to when he had magnimously agreed to watch over Angelus’ human pets.
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LaCroix glanced up at the two girls. “’On the air’ means do not interrupt my dear.”
“This is important LaCroix!” Cordelia exclaimed. LaCroix flipped off the mic. “Glory knows about the key.”
“Then I take it you know as well,” LaCroix said. “This is excellent, we can use this.”
“No we can’t!” Cordelia stated. “You promised Angel.”
LaCroix frowned for a moment, then turned to the other girl. “The key, I presume,” he said offering Dawn his hand.
“I’m Dawn,” she said sulkily.
“Yes, and I did promise Angelus your safety,” LaCroix said. “The boy was very clever.”
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LaCroix sighed, he moved the king to protect the pawn.
Using this particular pawn was not an option. He rearranged the board. Now the white pawn was well back from the action, protected by the straightforward rook and the sly bishop.
The knight and his powerful queen were removed from the board, set aside for the moment. A number of white pawns were scattered about, their only value was in diversions.
With that LaCroix turned his attention to the black pieces.
He set several pawns at random then picked up the black queen once again. The key might have been Glorificius’ most apparent weakness but it wasn’t her only one.
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“I was able to find more information about Glorificus for you General,” Marius reported. “She is powerful yes, omnipotent no. She was exiled from her dimension according to the Watcher’s texts. You owe me for infiltrating that organization by the way.”
“I always pay my depts,” LaCroix replied silkily.
“Of course General, I didn’t mean to imply otherwise,” the younger vampire stammered.
“Of course you didn’t,” LaCroix said. “Continue.”
“She requires the key to return to her dimension, I was unable to learn anything more of the key itself.”
“It is of no matter,” LaCroix replied. “I already know what I need of the key.”
“Oh… well Glory has two groups opposing her, or rather had. The Tygarian order of Monks was exterminated just over ten months ago. They were followers of one of the other two Hellgods who originally banished Glory to this plain. They were entrusted with guarding the Key. The other sect; the Knights of Byzantium represent the final god; their object is the Glory’s final destruction.”
“And how do they intend to accomplish this most laudable goal?” LaCroix asked. “Wishful thinking?”
“They have two possibilities,” Marius said. “Destroy the Key and with it any chance for Glory to escape her imprisonment in this dimension…”
“No an option I find appealing,” LaCroix commented. “It may serve her rival gods’ purposes to leave us with their problem but it does not serve mine.”
“The other option is to kill her current human prison by sudden violence,” Marius continued. “Glory is constrained within mortal flesh. Her followers have managed to transfer her essence from one vessel to the next over the centuries, but should the vessel be destroyed in an untimely fashion they would be hard pressed to prepare a new receptacle and Glory would die with it. Within recent years Glory’s followers have succeeded in gaining her a limited freedom from her prison, but she is still connected to it. Without it to lend her substance she will be less than nothing.”
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Thoughtfully LaCroix examined the black king, limited in movement and strength yet with its loss went the game.
But the title of king also implied power, the one controlling things. LaCroix set aside the piece and selected a black pawn, then after a moment’s consideration he also set a white pawn on the palm of his hand.
“Angelus is a horrible influence,” LaCroix said quietly to himself. “It is not a distinction worth concerning myself over.”
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LaCroix reached out with his mind then frowned, Angelus was refusing to listen to him. That was one of Nicholas’ little tricks, one he’d hoped Angelus wouldn’t feel the need to resort to given the increased latitude he’d shown the young vampire.
He’d have to speak with the boy upon his return, LaCroix decided with annoyance.
Still frowning LaCroix picked up the telephone.
“Giles here,” the senior Watcher answered distractedly.
“Do you know of any humans who consort with Glorificus?” LaCroix demanded.
“LaCroix,” Giles said sounding displeased. “I called you yesterday, Dawn is missing. Angel assured us we could count on your assistance. Where have you been?”
LaCroix chuckled softly. “Your little key has been removed from danger. Now answer my question.”
“You took her,” Giles sighed. “Without a word of warning. Do you have a bloody clue as to what you put us through?”
“Yes, why didn’t I waste time informing all sundry of my plans rather than simply and efficiently spiriting the girl away?” LaCroix asked sarcastically.
“You might have called,” Giles grumped.
“And you might answer my question,” LaCroix replied. “That is if you wish to see an end to Glorificus.”
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“Angel mentioned a young man,” Giles said. “I believe he was some sort of medical practitioner.”
“Do you know anything else about him?” LaCroix demanded brusquestly.
“No,” Giles huffed. “Now what have you…”
LaCroix hung up on Giles; he glared at the phone in frustration. He had knowledge, but was prevented from using it. He had a plan that shouldn’t alienate Angelus too badly, but lacked the knowledge to put it into effect.
Angrily LaCroix hurtled the phone across the room. Then he frowned, it wasn’t like him to loose his temper, especially not over something so minor as a delay in his plans. With a sigh he turned his attention to the strings that tethered him to his children.
He should have known, LaCroix thought. Guilt and sorrow from Cordelia. Frustration and uncertainty from Janette. Confusion and fear, that had to be Angelus, but there was something subtly wrong about Angelus. No wonder he was out of sorts, LaCroix decided.
Not five minutes after coming to this realization the phone rang. “I expected you to take better care of your younger sister,” he said.
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There was no more time, he was needed in Paris, LaCroix thought, but he wouldn’t leave things unfinished.
LaCroix marched determinedly into the hospital and up to the administrator’s office. “Who have you hired in the last year?” he demanded catching the unsuspecting mortal’s heartbeat and will without a second thought.
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“I think Glory struck again,” Xander said handing Giles the paper. The front page was dedicated to the brutal killings of a doctor, two medical interns, four orderlies and three paramedics the night before.
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