The Collecting of Thoughts

[prodigalwatcher]

Even after she and then Cordelia had both left the office, after custodial services had cleared away the remnants of our feast, Fred's words regarding her unusual experiences so far this day stayed with me.

"Well, when I got here this morning, other than I visit to drop off some mail... I haven't seen anyone today, I mean any of ya'll. I went

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[pryce_the_elder]

"Father... I didn't know you were coming, Father-- Is mother with you? What brings you to Los Angeles?"

I crossed my arms as Wesley flustered his way through his surprise, and apparently, consternation at my appearance here in his office, particularly at the moment I'd arrived.

"As if I would subject your poor mother to this ghastly place and this beastly city. And if you're half as bright as your mother has always thought you to be, then you know right well why I'm here."

A response to that was not forthcoming, it seemed, as Wesley proceeded to demonstrate the unfortunate lack of coordination that had plagued him since adolescence, though typically only in the most unfortunate of moments. Given the excellent marks he would otherwise show in physical education, I was forced to ascribe it to a mental failing, one of exceptional nervousness. Sighing, I waited for my son to stand up and stop fiddling about with papers.

"Father, this is Lilah Morgan, one of our liaisons here to the, ah, Senior Partners. Lilah Morgan, my father, Roger Wyndam-Pryce."

Swiveling my gaze to take in the young woman, I amended my estimation of this Morgan woman. Rather than severe, she was sharp-edged in gaze and stance, like a well-honed knife, prepared to strike-- and given her place of employment, I ventured that the preferred target would be square on one's back.

"Mr Wyndam-Pryce. Well, this is an honor. Wesley's told me virtually nothing about you at all, and I can see why. I assumed you'd be much older, and less...commanding."

It was all I could do to contain a sneer. What the woman could be attempting with such a honey-tinged statment, I couldn't fathom.

"I know what you're thinking. Formerly evil law firm, vampire running the show, how could your son possibly be mixed up with all of this? I assure you, Roger, may I call you Roger? that Wesley is, and will always be, one of the good guys."

At that, though, I could not repress a short, rueful laugh.

"Oh, I know quite well, Ms. Morgan, how my wayward son has gotten himself in this predicament. The vampire. Angel. I'm aware that it was Angel's decision to align himself with Wolfram & Hart. Wesley, no doubt, followed quite blindly. And as for the 'formerness' of this firm's evilness, that will be my assessment to make."

"And actually, your timing is impeccable. I was just about to give Wesley my report on an important case he's been overseeing, that you might also have a vested interest in. Seeing how it's about one of yours..."

My eyes widened, curiosity instantly piqued. One of ours? If this Morgan woman or Wolfram & Hart were involved in the death of Katherine Windsor, I would be surprised not at all.

"We still haven't been able to identify the body, but we're working on it. All we know is that she claimed to be a watcher, and was in contact with Faith and Kennedy. Fred is down in the lab performing the autopsy as you requested, and I was just about to deliver her a sample of fluid from the Permanent Storage facility. So shall we go down and see what progress has been made?"

Windsor had been in contact with both Slayers? Curious. That she would have spoken to Kennedy was Windsor's job, as Kennedy was the Slayer specifically assigned to the task of observing the goings-on here in Los Angeles. But Faith's curious appearance here was complicated further by Windsor's having spoken with the Slayer. I turned my attention to Wesley, waiting to see how he handled this.