I looked up just in time to see Illyria walkin' down the hall, and had to look over to see the look on Lilah's face when she was recognized. I know that Illyria took a lot of Burkle's memories when she took over inside the girl's body, but I wasn't sure of how extensive it was.
At least this takes care of the waiting though, and that's half of the problem. The other half being how to deal with her, but I guess that'll come in time.
"Lindsey,"
"Illyria." I nodded to her calmly, tryin' to look as respectful as I could. It wasn't as hard as I thought it'd probably be. Get it over with, and hope there's at least slightly smooth sailn' afterwards, even though you know there won't be, no matter how bad you need it to go perfect.
"How did it feel when Lorne murdered you?"
There's somethin' I really want to think about, what it felt like to be shot by the Green Guy and not even see it comin'. Angel was supposed to kill me, but he sent someone else to do it. Didn't even dignify me with someone who could fight, hell no. I don't get that little plus, do I?
"Like a disgrace," I answered honestly. "Not exactly the most dignified way to die." I glanced over at Lilah, and then back to Illyria.
"You know what I wish; why I am here."
"We do." I said smoothly, and looked to Lilah again. "Why don't we take this conversation out of the hallway. We can talk better there."
So soon? Our liaisons didn't specify due date on their goddess. If the Senior Partners would like us to sign Illyria, they'll have to be patient with us. It's a virtue after all; and they know as well as any other being, human or otherwise, that virtues are easily taken from the weak and manipulated by the powerful. If they think they're above waiting a little, they have some disappointment coming to them.
And gee, I really feel guilty about that.
"Or do we just wait for her to come to us, like how it usually happens?"
"That was fast."
We'll save time by not having to look for her, isn't that just dandy? It's too bad that she's here for a power-up so soon that we haven't had a chance to throw together a game plan. I shouldn't be so surprised, it always works out this way, especially when you're attempting to hire an ego on indigo legs.
"Lilah Morgan."
"Don't wear it out." I smirked into her eyes, trying to get a grasp on what it was about this thing that I found so refreshing. She did bear a striking resemblance to the true object of Wesley's affection. Being a deadringer for the cowgirl should have put me off, instead I found it a little inspiring.
The god that exists in the old form of Angel Investigation's sweetheart will become their downfall, and who better for them to thank for it than themselves?
It'll make for an interesting show.
"Lindsey."
"Illyria."
"How did it feel when Lorne murdered you?"
"Like a disgrace. Not exactly the most dignified way to die."
We have a charmer on our hands. Illyria deserves a certain measure of respect for not wasting time on the pleasantries. We won't have to offer her coffee or pastries, she's too intergalatic to find a proper use for them.
"You know what I wish; why I am here."
"We do. Why don't we take this conversation out of the hallway. We can talk better there."
"Agreed. We'd like to discuss our interest in you Illyria. A magificent creature such as yourself doesn't go unnoticed by us. As a matter of fact, we were hoping that you'd come by, and now seems to be as good a time as any to work out an agreement that will benefit both your needs and ours."
"Like a disgrace. Not exactly the most dignified way to die."
I nodded to the mortal Lindsey in agreement. "Warriors should die on the battlefield, not be extinguished behind lies and trickery. You fought bravely by our side and were repaid with treachery." It had seemed unfair when the vampire had told us all of what had occurred in the rain during the beginning of the Great Battle.
I did not like Lindsey - but I did not think that ill of him that I would wish such a death upon him.
Lilah Morgan, on the other hand, was one who I had not personally worked with previously - my only knowledge of her were the remnants of thoughts that Fred had kept hidden. My eyes narrowed at her as she spoke to me.
"We'd like to discuss our interest in you Illyria. A magnificent creature such as yourself doesn't go unnoticed by us. As a matter of fact, we were hoping that you'd come by, and now seems to be as good a time as any to work out an agreement that will benefit both your needs and ours."
"Silence," I said, raising a hand to quiet her words. "Do not patronize me by speaking untruths. You do not consider me magnificent - you consider me something valuable to you." I stepped closer to her and cocked my head.
"Be honest about the reason you have yet to send one of your pathetic underlings to contain me. You reek of lies."
I turned my head toward Lindsey and regarded him. At least he had spoken to me truthfully.
"Silence, do not patronize me by speaking untruths. You do not consider me magnificent - you consider me something valuable to you."
Looks like Lilah's already pissin' her off, and that'd be funny if it wasn't for it possibly ruining everything. The last thing we need is for her to be pissed off, she'll become ten times as hard to deal with. And I really don't want to play ass kisser unless I absolutely have to.
"Be honest about the reason you have yet to send one of your pathetic underlings to contain me. You reek of lies."
"We haven't sent anyone for you because we respect you, despite what you may think." And I meant it, considering we'd both been stabbed in the back by Angel and his group, there is some respect there. The rest? Ass kissing. Looks like I'm not gettin' out of it. "You want something from us, we want something from you."
"Show me what you have in mind. Now."
"Right this way." I led her to my office, and waited for her and Lilah to get inside before shutting the door. "You want your power back, and through our resources, we're willing to give it to you, something of a pay as you go means of compensation for your services."
I looked back to her calmly, sitting behind my desk. "You sign on with us, we'll bring you back to what you once were and restore your former glory, which I believe is still something you want. We also get to bring down Angel in the process, which I think would be another plus for you. Technically speaking, you can't lose."
"Silence. Do not patronize me by speaking untruths. You do not consider me magnificent - you consider me something valuable to you."
Valuable, magnificent; it's all the same when you know what they want to hear. Regardless of whether or not I think she's the best thing since sliced bread, it is what Illyria thinks about herself. If she didn't find herself to be some wonderous being, she wouldn't be throwing commands at us and expecting us to ask her preference on height when she tells us to jump.
"Be honest about the reason you have yet to send one of your pathetic underlings to contain me. You reek of lies."
"Well if you knew I were coming I'd have put on my Chanel and baked you a cake."
Oops, another lie.
I don't reek of anything other than my title as CEO. Lying comes with the territory, and Illyria should do herself a favor and accept that this world runs on dishonesty. As far as I'm concerned, Illyria already more trouble than she's worth to us. Having a god on staff isn't that much of a thrill when you know the kind of power that the Senior Partners are capable of.
"Show me what you have in mind. Now."
Suddenly I'm not worthy of Illyria's attention. Wes must have pulled a number on her during the time they spent playing school. I can see it now. A stick figure illustration of liars and lesson on how they corrupt the world.
I wonder how long it'll take for Lindsey to ask me to step outside so that he can reprimand me for my behavior. He finally got the big promotion that he was after,that makes Lindsey one single step away from Black Thorn status. My attitude must unnerve him while he's trying so hard to close the deal.
"You want your power back, and through our resources, we're willing to give it to you, something of a pay as you go means of compensation for your services."
"You sign on with us, we'll bring you back to what you once were and restore your former glory, which I believe is still something you want. We also get to bring down Angel in the process, which I think would be another plus for you. Technically speaking, you can't lose."
And if she were to fail to bring down Angel Investigations, Illyria would be terminated and all of the 'we' comments wouldn't mean a thing. 'We' would wash our hands of her and move on to Plan B. Lindsey is right in leaving out the potential repercussions that this could have on Illyria, but that leaves her to focus on the suggestion that she won't be given back all of her abilities in one sitting. She's too loose a cannon to be given that degree of trust.
I followed Lindsey into the confines of yet another office, a room that felt all-too familiar to me, and stood apart from the pair as I waited for their offer. It would be one that would benefit them, no doubt, but if it was not to my liking I could always return to the hotel with this information...
"You want your power back, and through our resources, we're willing to give it to you, something of a pay as you go means of compensation for your services."
"I do not understand," I said as I stpped forward slightly, palms flat against the surface of the desk as my body bent toward him. "Explain."
"You sign on with us, we'll bring you back to what you once were and restore your former glory, which I believe is still something you want. We also get to bring down Angel in the process, which I think would be another plus for you. Technically speaking, you can't lose."
He had yet to explain what I had asked of him, and the Lilah mortal interrupted our conversation with her annoyingly grating voice that screamed in my ears.
"Do we have a deal?"
"No. And be silent, little one. I am speaking to Lindsey." I turned my full attention back to him. "Yes, the vampire's insolence should be rectified, and yes, I wish to return to my full-power... this... form cannot contain my essence, however, without destructing." Surely, he must realize that much.
"I could lose much, Lindsey," I added quietly. "I could lose what little is left of my life. And you have yet to reveal to me how you will do all of this without damaging this shell or why you will not do so all at once."
If they meant to use me as a tool for their own purposes, they were sorely mistaken.
"I could lose much, Lindsey. I could lose what little is left of my life. And you have yet to reveal to me how you will do all of this without damaging this shell or why you will not do so all at once."
If she would agree to let me speak, I could give her two good reasons why it would be unacceptable to both parties involved for her to be given back her power immediately. Illyia snapped when I sugarcoated the situation; maybe a little honesty would be more to her liking. We’ve made more than our share of mistakes in the past, but neither Lindsey nor myself would be foolish enough to restore her power in one sitting. We know that if we did, she’d threaten to kill us, hell, she might even skip the formalities of a warning and get the job done immediately.
And trust issues aside, Fred’s form is too weak to hold the amount of power that Illyria hopes to possess. Good old Wes did what he could to keep Illyria from self destruction; he trapped her in the body of the frailest human being to ever walk the earth, and took away the abilities that she valued.
“Illyria, forgive me for ignoring your demand of silence, but according to the head of our science division, Wolfram & Hart is equipped with the technology to restore your power using your current form.”
I took my cell phone out of my pocket, flipped it open, and dialed Knox’s line. Illyria wants an explanation; we might as well let a familiar face give it to her.
I nodded, knowing quite well Lilah couldn't see me do so. I'd been waiting for the other foot to drop, for that moment when the senior partners finally figured out what torment to send my way.
I mean, I loosed an old rival of the senior partners. They couldn't exactly be happy about that. Even if I was brought back from the dead with everyone else they had to have some bigger plan in mind for me.
Higher powers were pesky like that.
I stopped the vapid nodding motion, and finally answered the CEO, "I'll be right up, Ms. Morgan." I set the phone down on its hook, drew a deep breath, and got to my feet. I still wasn't entirely sure what was wrong with me. I hadn't been nearly this paranoid before-
Well, I guess death by gunshot wound would make someone rather paranoid. I still found it hard to believe I was back. I'd gotten a bit better, adjusted to the fact a bit more. My thoughts drifted back to the events of my death about every hour, instead of every five minutes.
I left the lab, heading through the corridors and down the stairs to the CEO's office. It no longer belonged to Angel, which was kind of new. It was also expected. No one imagined he'd last long.
Then again, I hadn't expected to be the head of R+D. I guess everything had been turned on its head since I last checked. I had to adapt to that routine, which was actually a nice change in some ways.
Could it be what that was they were calling me down for?
I knocked on the door,waited for a second, then opened it. Inside Lilah Morgan waited with Lindsey and...
Illyria
Perhaps I was in trouble anyway. Smiling at the group, schooling myself not to show any of the anxiety I felt, I stepped in the room. "You asked to see me."
I grew weary of waiting upon Lindsey's words to tell me of what was to come, and the one known as Lilah had the audacity to speak to me without permission!
"Illyria, forgive me for ignoring your demand of silence, but according to the head of our science division, Wolfram & Hart is equipped with the technology to restore your power using your current form."
My head move toward her while my body remained motionless, eyes seeking out the truth behind her words. "When?" I asked simply. It needed to to be soon if I were to exact my vengeance on those that would deny my power, deny me.
Hands that had belonged to Fred pushed my form away from the desk where the traitor sat, and I walked toward her, catlike, until the energy in the room shivered and shifted. The remnants of a grin crawled along my lips as I turned to face the doorway.
"You asked to see me."
"My Qwa'ha Xahn..."
I knew that whatever powers had returned us all to our previous lives had done so for the Wolf, the Ram, and the Hart... yet, I had never once even hoped it might be true for my Qwa'ha Xahn.
My hand moved toward his chest where I knew the sacraments were, then my eyes travelled up until I locked them with his. "You have returned to me... to assist in my greatness once again."
I dismissed Lilah and Lindsey with a quick glare. "You are no longer necessary. My Qwa'ha Xahn will now worship me and grant to me the powers required to deliver my wrath upon the vampire and his followers."
I looked up just in time to see Illyria walkin' down the hall, and had to look over to see the look on Lilah's face when she was recognized. I know that Illyria took a lot of Burkle's memories when she took over inside the girl's body, but I wasn't sure of how extensive it was.
At least this takes care of the waiting though, and that's half of the problem. The other half being how to deal with her, but I guess that'll come in time.
"Lindsey,"
"Illyria." I nodded to her calmly, tryin' to look as respectful as I could. It wasn't as hard as I thought it'd probably be. Get it over with, and hope there's at least slightly smooth sailn' afterwards, even though you know there won't be, no matter how bad you need it to go perfect.
"How did it feel when Lorne murdered you?"
There's somethin' I really want to think about, what it felt like to be shot by the Green Guy and not even see it comin'. Angel was supposed to kill me, but he sent someone else to do it. Didn't even dignify me with someone who could fight, hell no. I don't get that little plus, do I?
"Like a disgrace," I answered honestly. "Not exactly the most dignified way to die." I glanced over at Lilah, and then back to Illyria.
"You know what I wish; why I am here."
"We do." I said smoothly, and looked to Lilah again. "Why don't we take this conversation out of the hallway. We can talk better there."
Reply
So soon? Our liaisons didn't specify due date on their goddess. If the Senior Partners would like us to sign Illyria, they'll have to be patient with us. It's a virtue after all; and they know as well as any other being, human or otherwise, that virtues are easily taken from the weak and manipulated by the powerful. If they think they're above waiting a little, they have some disappointment coming to them.
And gee, I really feel guilty about that.
"Or do we just wait for her to come to us, like how it usually happens?"
"That was fast."
We'll save time by not having to look for her, isn't that just dandy? It's too bad that she's here for a power-up so soon that we haven't had a chance to throw together a game plan. I shouldn't be so surprised, it always works out this way, especially when you're attempting to hire an ego on indigo legs.
"Lilah Morgan."
"Don't wear it out." I smirked into her eyes, trying to get a grasp on what it was about this thing that I found so refreshing. She did bear a striking resemblance to the true object of Wesley's affection. Being a deadringer for the cowgirl should have put me off, instead I found it a little inspiring.
The god that exists in the old form of Angel Investigation's sweetheart will become their downfall, and who better for them to thank for it than themselves?
It'll make for an interesting show.
"Lindsey."
"Illyria."
"How did it feel when Lorne murdered you?"
"Like a disgrace. Not exactly the most dignified way to die."
We have a charmer on our hands. Illyria deserves a certain measure of respect for not wasting time on the pleasantries. We won't have to offer her coffee or pastries, she's too intergalatic to find a proper use for them.
"You know what I wish; why I am here."
"We do. Why don't we take this conversation out of the hallway. We can talk better there."
"Agreed. We'd like to discuss our interest in you Illyria. A magificent creature such as yourself doesn't go unnoticed by us. As a matter of fact, we were hoping that you'd come by, and now seems to be as good a time as any to work out an agreement that will benefit both your needs and ours."
Reply
I nodded to the mortal Lindsey in agreement. "Warriors should die on the battlefield, not be extinguished behind lies and trickery. You fought bravely by our side and were repaid with treachery." It had seemed unfair when the vampire had told us all of what had occurred in the rain during the beginning of the Great Battle.
I did not like Lindsey - but I did not think that ill of him that I would wish such a death upon him.
Lilah Morgan, on the other hand, was one who I had not personally worked with previously - my only knowledge of her were the remnants of thoughts that Fred had kept hidden. My eyes narrowed at her as she spoke to me.
"We'd like to discuss our interest in you Illyria. A magnificent creature such as yourself doesn't go unnoticed by us. As a matter of fact, we were hoping that you'd come by, and now seems to be as good a time as any to work out an agreement that will benefit both your needs and ours."
"Silence," I said, raising a hand to quiet her words. "Do not patronize me by speaking untruths. You do not consider me magnificent - you consider me something valuable to you." I stepped closer to her and cocked my head.
"Be honest about the reason you have yet to send one of your pathetic underlings to contain me. You reek of lies."
I turned my head toward Lindsey and regarded him. At least he had spoken to me truthfully.
"Show me what you have in mind. Now."
Reply
Looks like Lilah's already pissin' her off, and that'd be funny if it wasn't for it possibly ruining everything. The last thing we need is for her to be pissed off, she'll become ten times as hard to deal with. And I really don't want to play ass kisser unless I absolutely have to.
"Be honest about the reason you have yet to send one of your pathetic underlings to contain me. You reek of lies."
"We haven't sent anyone for you because we respect you, despite what you may think." And I meant it, considering we'd both been stabbed in the back by Angel and his group, there is some respect there. The rest? Ass kissing. Looks like I'm not gettin' out of it. "You want something from us, we want something from you."
"Show me what you have in mind. Now."
"Right this way." I led her to my office, and waited for her and Lilah to get inside before shutting the door. "You want your power back, and through our resources, we're willing to give it to you, something of a pay as you go means of compensation for your services."
I looked back to her calmly, sitting behind my desk. "You sign on with us, we'll bring you back to what you once were and restore your former glory, which I believe is still something you want. We also get to bring down Angel in the process, which I think would be another plus for you. Technically speaking, you can't lose."
Reply
Valuable, magnificent; it's all the same when you know what they want to hear. Regardless of whether or not I think she's the best thing since sliced bread, it is what Illyria thinks about herself. If she didn't find herself to be some wonderous being, she wouldn't be throwing commands at us and expecting us to ask her preference on height when she tells us to jump.
"Be honest about the reason you have yet to send one of your pathetic underlings to contain me. You reek of lies."
"Well if you knew I were coming I'd have put on my Chanel and baked you a cake."
Oops, another lie.
I don't reek of anything other than my title as CEO. Lying comes with the territory, and Illyria should do herself a favor and accept that this world runs on dishonesty. As far as I'm concerned, Illyria already more trouble than she's worth to us. Having a god on staff isn't that much of a thrill when you know the kind of power that the Senior Partners are capable of.
"Show me what you have in mind. Now."
Suddenly I'm not worthy of Illyria's attention. Wes must have pulled a number on her during the time they spent playing school. I can see it now. A stick figure illustration of liars and lesson on how they corrupt the world.
I wonder how long it'll take for Lindsey to ask me to step outside so that he can reprimand me for my behavior. He finally got the big promotion that he was after,that makes Lindsey one single step away from Black Thorn status. My attitude must unnerve him while he's trying so hard to close the deal.
"You want your power back, and through our resources, we're willing to give it to you, something of a pay as you go means of compensation for your services."
"You sign on with us, we'll bring you back to what you once were and restore your former glory, which I believe is still something you want. We also get to bring down Angel in the process, which I think would be another plus for you. Technically speaking, you can't lose."
And if she were to fail to bring down Angel Investigations, Illyria would be terminated and all of the 'we' comments wouldn't mean a thing. 'We' would wash our hands of her and move on to Plan B. Lindsey is right in leaving out the potential repercussions that this could have on Illyria, but that leaves her to focus on the suggestion that she won't be given back all of her abilities in one sitting. She's too loose a cannon to be given that degree of trust.
"Do we have a deal?"
Reply
"You want your power back, and through our resources, we're willing to give it to you, something of a pay as you go means of compensation for your services."
"I do not understand," I said as I stpped forward slightly, palms flat against the surface of the desk as my body bent toward him. "Explain."
"You sign on with us, we'll bring you back to what you once were and restore your former glory, which I believe is still something you want. We also get to bring down Angel in the process, which I think would be another plus for you. Technically speaking, you can't lose."
He had yet to explain what I had asked of him, and the Lilah mortal interrupted our conversation with her annoyingly grating voice that screamed in my ears.
"Do we have a deal?"
"No. And be silent, little one. I am speaking to Lindsey." I turned my full attention back to him. "Yes, the vampire's insolence should be rectified, and yes, I wish to return to my full-power... this... form cannot contain my essence, however, without destructing." Surely, he must realize that much.
"I could lose much, Lindsey," I added quietly. "I could lose what little is left of my life. And you have yet to reveal to me how you will do all of this without damaging this shell or why you will not do so all at once."
If they meant to use me as a tool for their own purposes, they were sorely mistaken.
Reply
If she would agree to let me speak, I could give her two good reasons why it would be unacceptable to both parties involved for her to be given back her power immediately. Illyia snapped when I sugarcoated the situation; maybe a little honesty would be more to her liking. We’ve made more than our share of mistakes in the past, but neither Lindsey nor myself would be foolish enough to restore her power in one sitting. We know that if we did, she’d threaten to kill us, hell, she might even skip the formalities of a warning and get the job done immediately.
And trust issues aside, Fred’s form is too weak to hold the amount of power that Illyria hopes to possess. Good old Wes did what he could to keep Illyria from self destruction; he trapped her in the body of the frailest human being to ever walk the earth, and took away the abilities that she valued.
“Illyria, forgive me for ignoring your demand of silence, but according to the head of our science division, Wolfram & Hart is equipped with the technology to restore your power using your current form.”
I took my cell phone out of my pocket, flipped it open, and dialed Knox’s line. Illyria wants an explanation; we might as well let a familiar face give it to her.
“We need you in Lindsey’s office. Now.”
Reply
I nodded, knowing quite well Lilah couldn't see me do so. I'd been waiting for the other foot to drop, for that moment when the senior partners finally figured out what torment to send my way.
I mean, I loosed an old rival of the senior partners. They couldn't exactly be happy about that. Even if I was brought back from the dead with everyone else they had to have some bigger plan in mind for me.
Higher powers were pesky like that.
I stopped the vapid nodding motion, and finally answered the CEO, "I'll be right up, Ms. Morgan." I set the phone down on its hook, drew a deep breath, and got to my feet. I still wasn't entirely sure what was wrong with me. I hadn't been nearly this paranoid before-
Well, I guess death by gunshot wound would make someone rather paranoid. I still found it hard to believe I was back. I'd gotten a bit better, adjusted to the fact a bit more. My thoughts drifted back to the events of my death about every hour, instead of every five minutes.
I left the lab, heading through the corridors and down the stairs to the CEO's office. It no longer belonged to Angel, which was kind of new. It was also expected. No one imagined he'd last long.
Then again, I hadn't expected to be the head of R+D. I guess everything had been turned on its head since I last checked. I had to adapt to that routine, which was actually a nice change in some ways.
Could it be what that was they were calling me down for?
I knocked on the door,waited for a second, then opened it. Inside Lilah Morgan waited with Lindsey and...
Illyria
Perhaps I was in trouble anyway. Smiling at the group, schooling myself not to show any of the anxiety I felt, I stepped in the room. "You asked to see me."
Reply
"Illyria, forgive me for ignoring your demand of silence, but according to the head of our science division, Wolfram & Hart is equipped with the technology to restore your power using your current form."
My head move toward her while my body remained motionless, eyes seeking out the truth behind her words. "When?" I asked simply. It needed to to be soon if I were to exact my vengeance on those that would deny my power, deny me.
Hands that had belonged to Fred pushed my form away from the desk where the traitor sat, and I walked toward her, catlike, until the energy in the room shivered and shifted. The remnants of a grin crawled along my lips as I turned to face the doorway.
"You asked to see me."
"My Qwa'ha Xahn..."
I knew that whatever powers had returned us all to our previous lives had done so for the Wolf, the Ram, and the Hart... yet, I had never once even hoped it might be true for my Qwa'ha Xahn.
My hand moved toward his chest where I knew the sacraments were, then my eyes travelled up until I locked them with his. "You have returned to me... to assist in my greatness once again."
I dismissed Lilah and Lindsey with a quick glare. "You are no longer necessary. My Qwa'ha Xahn will now worship me and grant to me the powers required to deliver my wrath upon the vampire and his followers."
Reply
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