Ceremony Of InnocenceBy DM Evans
Chapter: 5
LOS ANGELES
"Yes, thank you for calling. I'll let everyone know," Wesley said, setting the phone back in the cradle. He scrubbed a hand through his sleep-tousled hair. The only reason he even heard the phone was he had woken up with the sudden remembrance of a spell that might help and he had come downstairs in his pyjama bottoms to look it up. Gunn and Fred were upstairs
asleep. He wasn't sure if Faith and Angel had returned yet.
Wesley glanced up the stairs. Should he wake Gunn and Fred? The news was bad but there was nothing to be done for it. Maybe he should let them rest, especially given Fred's condition. She was having enough troubles sleeping. Deciding on bearing the bad news alone until morning, Wesley headed for his office to continue his research. Just then Angel and Faith came through the door.
"Didn't expect to see you, Wes," Angel said, his eyes a little brighter than usual. Wesley had noticed a change in Angel in the days since Faith had been paroled. Maybe it was her natural enthusiasm for life or maybe it was seeing his belief in Faith had paid off. Either way, Angel looked just a little less haunted.
Faith's dark eyes raked over Wesley's body with her familiar hungry look. He had always wondered about her and how she reacted to men, almost entirely on a sexual level. Wesley had taken enough psychology classes over the years to see that as a warning sign of past abuse. He knew her childhood hadn't been happy. It was definitely possible she'd been sexually abused. Why he hadn't tried to be more helpful back in Sunnydale, he couldn't say. What an arrogant asshole he had been and the Watchers Council had been no better, leaving one of their Slayers in a slum hotel to fend for herself. Faith hadn't deserved being treated like a poor relation. Maybe he would have tried harder back then if Faith hadn't made him incredibly nervous. Even now Faith's gaze made him feel utterly naked.
"Looking good, Wes," she said. "A little pale but I expect that of you British guys." She gestured at his exposed flesh.
Wesley crossed his arms over his shirt-less chest. "Um, yes."
"Is something bothering you, Wes? You look, disturbed," Angel said, putting away his weaponry.
Before Wesley could answer there was a creak on the stairs. They looked up and saw Gunn and Fred coming down them, Fred wrapping a robe around her stick-thin body. At only two months pregnant, she was showing no signs of her condition.
"Thought I heard voices," Gunn said.
"Ah, well, I wasn't going to wake you but since you're up maybe we all should go into my office and sit down," Wesley said.
"Something's wrong," Angel said as Gunn and Fred descended the rest of the way.
Wesley just nodded. Once everyone was seated he continued. "I just got off the phone with Vegas."
"Did Lorne finally call back? I mean he leaves this cryptic message about Connor and we call him back and no one's home.
You'd think he'd be sitting on the phone if he knew something," Fred said with a pout.
"What did Lorne say? Has something happened to Connor?" Angel asked, taking hold of Wesley's shoulders.
Wesley gently pushed Angel back. "Not that I know of but I wasn't speaking to Lorne. I was speaking to his stage manager, Ms. Hathaway. She told me Lorne is dead."
Angel fell back a few steps and Faith and Gunn came out of their seats. Fred covered her mouth, tears welling up in her eyes.
"What?" Angel growled.
"I'm sorry, Angel. I really am," Wesley said and Angel started pacing the room furiously.
"Are they sure?" Gunn asked. "I mean on Pylea they cut off his head and he didn't die."
"They're as sure as they can be. All they found were charred remains and the skull had horns, I had to suggest to Ms. Hathaway that Lorne's stage props must have fused to his skull from the heat. The fact his skull was intact told the police a lot, seems steam from a cooked body makes the skull burst."
"Skip the gruesome details," Faith said, watching Fred go green.
Wesley made a face, embarrassed. "Sorry. Lorne was shot in the head which let out the steam, anyhow, I'm not sure if that would kill him or not and his murderer took no chances. He, or more likely they, torched the club, even going so far as to prime the sprinklers with gasoline so when they came on they fuelled the fire. Ms. Hathaway said the police told her it was a common mob trick."
"Are you trying to tell me that this was some random mafia violence?" Angel slammed a hand down on Wesley's desk, splitting the top. Everyone jumped.
"Of course not, even though in Vegas that would hardly be surprising. I'm certain the police will assume that they were involved but surely Wolfram and Hart have represented mobsters in the past. They would know how to make it look like a mob hit or even go so far as to hire a mafia hit man to do the job. Obviously Lorne knew something about Connor and had to be eliminated immediately. He tried to warn us that the hotel was bugged. Perhaps his place was as well. I just hope we aren't looking in the wrong direction, thinking Wolfram and Hart is behind this." Wesley collapsed on his desk chair, feeling exhausted.
"We can't be. Your spell suggested Connor was with them. We know they want him," Angel said. "And now it's cost Lorne his life." Angel stopped his fist a hairsbreadth from the wall. There was no sense in destroying the hotel no matter how good the release would feel.
"He died trying to help, how like him," Fred said, keeping to herself the reminder that Lorne had left L.A. in part to get away from Connor. He was afraid of the boy with reason. It was horribly ironic that Connor was the death of him a way.
"What now?" Faith asked.
"I was down here trying to find a spell I just remembered," Wesley said. "I suppose someone should call Lorne's friends here in town and let them know."
"I can do that," Fred said, looking relieved to be able to do something and feel like she was helping.
"Should one of us go back to Vegas and see if we can learn anything?" Gunn stroked his wife's hair.
Wesley shook his head. "The fire started a half hour after closing. Lorne never left the club between then and when he called us. If he made a written record of it, it burned in the fire. The club is nothing but timbers. The firefighters are still working on putting it out. But a call to Ms. Hathaway tomorrow once she's calmed some might be in order, see if she knew anyone Lorne might have read. That could be a clue."
"You handle that," Angel said. "I'm going to handle Wolfram and Hart."
"Dare I ask how?" Wesley's dark blue eyes pinned the vampire. "You charge in there now, accusing them of murder while we still don't know where Connor is, there's no telling what they might do."
"So I sit back and do nothing?" Angel growled, pausing in his pacing.
"I didn't say that. I know it's hard to be patient, Angel, but going off half-cocked could get your son killed," Wesley said and Faith put a hand on Angel's tense shoulder, not trusting him not to take out his rage on Wesley. She didn't know him well enough to know he didn't do that to friends.
"I know, I just hate feeling helpless," Angel said, relaxing under Faith's strong hand.
"Come morning we'll talk to Mr. Giles again and see if he's come up with anything more on his end," Wesley said. "Right now I could use your help going through these tomes to see if I can find that spell that might counteract Wolfram and Hart's interference spell."
"We all can do that," Faith said.
Wesley smiled at her. He would prefer to work alone, thinking he already knew which book to look in but he understood their need to feel like they were doing more than sitting on their thumbs. And maybe they just might find something useful.
SUNNYDALE
"I don't like being here," Spike said, his eyes darting about the basement of the school.
"Me neither," Buffy answered truthfully. She still worked in the school, freshly repaired after the First Evil wrecked it. She didn't want to remember that Jonathan died in the basement, his blood fissuring open the Hellmouth; that she had done foolish things while fighting the First Evil, like remove Spike's chip. She should have listened to Giles but she had been convinced the First Evil was using the chip to control Spike. That Spike was under the demon's control was never in doubt but Buffy had to wonder if she herself had been mind manipulated, however marginally. Why else didn't she remember the First Evil needed no chip to control Angel? She had put the fangs back in Spike and now she could only pray Spike's soul would act like a damper on a vampire's natural evil like Angel's did.
So far she had been lucky. Spike, slowly growing saner, hadn't killed anyone since the chip came out unless he was very stealthy about it. Buffy hoped he would turn out like Angel because she didn't want to have to stake him. She marvelled at Spike's amazing charisma that kept him alive even during the thing with Adam when he was actively betraying her and she felt nothing but revulsion for him. Maybe it was his sacrifices to keep Dawn safe that made her see him as worthy of keeping his life or maybe it was something in her. She didn't love him, not like he wanted her to, but she couldn't kill him either. There was some sort of connection between them, deep, odd, undeniable.
"So why are we here?" Spike asked, leaning against a wall.
Buffy shoved her hair back off her face. "Lorne suggested someone was going to tamper with the Hellmouth."
"And you don't think that won't be a constant state of affairs, luv?" Spike slid a cigarette out of the pack. "Someone's always going to be bollockings around with the Hellmouth."
Buffy made a sound like she was deflating. "I know but there has to be a way of ending this."
"Sometimes they close up and open elsewhere. Knew of one underlying Belfast a century back, to hear Angelus and Darla talk. Probably explains the troubles there," Spike said, his lighter flaring to life.
Buffy grunted, squatting down, looking at the cement that overlaid the mouth. "With my luck it'll open in Siberia and I'll be given a one-way ticket there."
"You're on your own in that case." He smirked at her, his blue eyes glinting.
She rolled her eyes. "Looks okay here. No cracks, nothing warped. That's good, right?"
Spike shrugged. "Guess so. Don't smell anything unusual."
"How do you smell anything through that stink you're always making?" Buffy wrinkled her nose at him. "I can always smell when you're around."
"Flirting with me?" Spike blew smoke rings at her.She just waved them away with a glare.
Spike warmed up his smarmiest grin for her. "I don't think there's anything wrong here, Buffy and we're already buggered if there is."
"I think you're right. Let's go to Willie's, see if anyone's heard someone talking big about doing something with the Hellmouth," Buffy said, heading out. Spike fell into line without protest. That almost made Buffy nervous. She didn't know how she liked him better, compliant like this or giving her problems. She trusted the former less than the latter but either way she liked not having to go into Willie's alone. Of course, Spike could be something of a liability since many demons saw him as a traitor but there were those willing to deal with him and with her, if it meant she didn't kill them. Buffy didn't like it but if they weren't hurting anyone, she could tolerate them in her town as a means to an end if nothing else. She only hoped someone at Willie's would know something useful.
LOS ANGELES
"Take this to the lab," Lilah said, handing the specimen jar to a guard she had summoned. The man looked at the pale, viscous fluid in it, making a face. However, he took it without complaint.
Lilah walked back into the containment field. Connor stared up at her, his eyes wild. He had been restaked spread eagle on his mattress. He swallowed hard, trying to hold in his emotions after this violation of his body but he couldn't stop the tremors than racked his thin frame. Lila wasn't sure if it was repressed fear or rage or a little of both.
"Ready to help us yet, Connor?" Lilah expected the answer to be negative. She had forgotten to ask it earlier. She had been too wrapped up in dominating him and the pleasure it gave her. She had her own plans for the boy, a little more pain for him and hopefully more satisfaction for her. Connor didn't answer her. His eyes traveled past her to the open doorway. Lilah turned, not having heard anyone enter. She was almost surprised to see Lindsey standing there.
"Who said you could come down here?" Lilah asked, startled.
Lindsey shrugged. "You said I had carte blanche except for going to Angel. I wanted to see him again." He nodded at Connor.
"Why?" Lilah recovered her composure and took a moment to prepare a glare just for Lindsey. "He doesn't like you, you know. He has no pity for anyone who likes demons. That you might have cared about Darla will only make him hate you."
"That's all right. He doesn't have to like me or even talk to me." Lindsey came closer to the containment field. His breath caught seeing how Connor was tied down. "What are you doing to him, Lilah? I suppose he needs to be restrained if you're in there with him but does it have to be like that?"
Lilah stepped back out of the containment field and patted Lindsey on the cheek. "That's always been your problem, Lindsey. You're a bit too soft, too concerned about others when you should be concerned with your own welfare."
"I don't know, Lilah. A little humanity goes a long way," Lindsey replied. "It might have helped you secure his aid instead of alienating him."
"See if you can do better if you want," Lilah said, sweeping past him.
"How is it you can walk through the containment field and he can't?" Lindsey asked, not really expecting an answer.
"It's easy with the right charm." She turned sharply, her high heels clicking against the cold flooring. "You used to go to that ridiculous karaoke club, Caritas, didn't you?"
Lindsey's blue eyes narrowed. "What of it?"
Lilah swept a hand up to the ceiling where the computer generated Lorne was frolicking in his lavender boxers. "His Vegas club burned to the ground last night, taking him with it. I thought you might like to know." Lilah smirked at him and Lindsey froze, realizing it was his fault. It had to show on his face, damn it. He hated giving Lilah any signs she had scored a hit. However, Lilah had turned to look at Connor. "I bet you're glad to hear it. We know how much you hated him."
"One demon less," Connor muttered.
"That's my boy," Lilah crooned. "Anyhow Lindsey, I just thought you should know."
He glared, deciding his best course of action was not to let her goad him into anything. "Thanks. When can I see my brother again?"
"When you get back from Sunnydale. When do you plan on going down there?"
"Not for another two days, when they have the ceremony ready," Lindsey said impatiently. He had given her the report in written form already. She was just yanking his chain.
" This is moving too slowly."
"Tell it to the Moahilya demons. They're setting the pace, not me. But so far they're amenable to our concerns for the project. Oh, by the way, there was an interoffice letter on your desk from the senior partners," Lindsey said and delighted in watching her go pale. Not because of the senior partners, but because he had managed to get into her office without her knowing it. He probably shouldn't have let her know he could do it but since Lorne had been murdered, it stood to reason he might be next. Might as well keep her off balance.
"Thank you," she said, her voice tight. Lilah stormed out of the room.
Lindsey squatted down next to the containment field and whispered. "I read in your file you have extraordinary hearing. Is that true?"
Connor turned his head, staring intently at him. He nodded.
The show tunes came back on, blaring so loud they nearly startled Lindsey off his feet. "Good, they're probably listening in and I don't want them to hear me. Can you still hear me whispering over this noise?"
"Yeah." The boy's blue eyes hooded suspiciously.
"Don't thank me yet. They're putting you back in that pit later today."
"I know."
The simple acceptance of it chilled Lindsey. He stood up and all but ran out of the room before he lost his nerve. He had to figure out a way to meet with Angel without tipping off Wolfram and Hart. He had already gotten Lorne killed. Kevin would be next if he wasn't very careful.
---
Lilah sat down at her desk, having made herself a cup of cappuccino from the very expensive machine she had imported from Italy as part of her standard office equipment. She opened the letter from the senior partners and instantly found herself wanting something to Irish up her coffee. "They can't be serious."
Had Lindsey read this? If he had, he was keeping quiet about it. She had to assume he knew. He wasn't like Gavin. Lindsey had been a formidable foil. She had almost been afraid of him back in the day, well not so much afraid of him. No, she feared how highly the senior partners once thought of him. She knew they held him in high regard, higher than herself all too often. She didn't have that fear with Gavin. He had proven to be less than cunning. Oh, he had his weasely moments but McDonald would have eaten him for lunch. And if Lindsey did know what the senior partners wanted of her, he was probably having himself a good laugh. Lilah had her secretary put a call into the senior partners. They kept her waiting for forty-five minutes and one of them whom she only knew as Mr. McGilvary took immediate control of the conversation.
"You've received our instructions, have you not, Ms. Morgan?" His voice was slippery and had some sort of indistinct accent that made Lilah vaguely nervous.
"Yes, sir but I had some questions about them." More than questions. She didn't want to do this but how to tell them that in a way that wouldn't get her killed?
"Such as?"
"Surely, there's someone better for this job than I am, someone younger perhaps?" Lilah stared back down at the letter, wanting it too be a bad joke.
"There are others, to be sure, but we want you to participate as well, Ms. Morgan. You shall be well compensated for your efforts," McGilvary said.
Lilah paused. The letter hadn't mentioned that. Not that that would really make her want to do this. "Oh? I hadn't expected any incentives."
"A quarter of a million dollars after a successful completion of the first part of this project and another at the end, if you go to completion. A twenty-five percent raise, power to start more of your own projects and a country home with a nice yard."
"I'm not really a country girl," Lilah said before she could stop herself. She half-expected the phone to explode, taking her head with it.
McGilvary just laughed, which was somehow worse than dying. "We believe that setting will be most conducive for the continuation of the project. We've enlisted the aid of a specialist, Dr. Outing. She's already set up here in the building, 14th floor. She's expecting you at two."
There was no room for further negotiation. Lilah thought for a wild moment about just pulling a Lindsey and running away. Still, greed and a lust for power were things she loved dearly. It was worth the effort they were asking of her. "Of course, sir."
"Be happy, Ms. Morgan. This is a start of a whole new life for you."
Lilah hoped they didn't have a camera in office and couldn't see the look on her face. She forced cheerfulness into her voice. "Thank you, sir." She set the phone back in its cradle thinking this was one of the worst days of her life.