(Untitled)

[fredburkle]

All the things that I've seen, lived through, experienced, from demons to portals to vampires with souls didn't prepare me for the United States being taken over by Warren Meers. When he took control, I'd never heard of him before. But, not long after Angel and the rest of us soon figured out that Warren and his two friends were from Sunnydale,

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[_wes_pryce_]

Chanting softly under my breath I put the glamor back on the telephone and replace it in my secret compartment of my desk. Lacing my finger together, I lean back in my chair and think this through. I need to get down to Fred's lab and carefully ask about any tests, gather that information and form a plan.

Plan a, see Fred. If only we could talk openly about this. Or as open as one can these days with the walls having ears. Times like these make me wish for the old days again. The time when we were all family. Now, I can't trust anyone. Not even Fred.

Sighing I get up from my chair and walk out the door. Placing the safety wards on my office I close the door and pocket the key. On my way down to the lab several questions I should ask her are running though my head. The lift opens and I step out. Fred's still hard at work I notice as I walk into the lab.

"Anything yet?" I ask, walking over to her.

[fredburkle]

I looked up from the microscope and smiled. "Wes." It was always good to see him, even if we weren't as close as we once were. I'd even thought, for a few minutes, before Warren Meers, that Wesley and I might have had a chance, but that was in the past.

I shook my head, my smile fading, "No..unfortunately not a thing, Wes. I just...I just don't see what I'm missing, which is obviously the problem. Because if I did know what I was missing, then I wouldn't be missing it and I could solve this case and these nasty critters wouldn't be able to hurt anyone ever again."

I sighed and looked through the microscope again and wished, with all I had, that the answer would just pop out at me. I knew it wouldn't so I pulled away and looked up at Wesley. He had an odd look on his face and I tilted my head, "Something on your mind, Wes?"

[_wes_pryce_]

I can't help but smile as she does, it's still infective it seems. Even after so long. My smile fades with hers as she tells me she hasn't been able to find a thing. Damn, that would be to much to ask wouldn't it? Why can't things ever be simple. I'm about to ask her about the tests when she says something I heard someone else say only moments ago.

Nasty critters? Now there is something you don't hear ever day. And here I suddenly hear it twice in one day? Narrowing my eyes I look at her. Could it be? No, it can't be. It would be to ironic. Which is exactly why it could very well be. Could Fred be Malcolm? I was suspecting someone from inside Fred's lab. But Fred herself never crossed my mind

[fredburkle]

I swallowed and blinked rapidly at Wesley. Crop? Rot? Is he...? He couldn't...? Could he be...Ackmed? I licked my lips and didn't really know what to say. What if he'd just been listening in on the conversation and was here because he was going to report me to Warren Meers' evil hench men?

I plastered on a smile, "Crop? What..crop?" My voice was too high and I was talking weirdly. He knew. I could see it on his face. He knew I was Malcolm. Should I make a run for it? Or would this all turn out ok?

Could Wesley actually be Ackmed? Could he be the man I'd been working with for almost two years to help bring down this monarchy? I sat stone still and blinked at him, "Now what, Wesley?"

[_wes_pryce_]

Raising my eyebrow even higher as I recognize her obvious way to worm her way out of this, I can feel a smile tugging at the corners of my mouth. Luckily I manage to stop it before it breaks out. I feel like laughing out loud, but the situation is too serious for that.

Fred was Malcolm. The person I've been working with for two years. Not only was that ironic, I'm finding it more then a little hilarious. Bitting my lips I try very hard not to laugh. Priceless. Sneaking around for almost two years when we could've been working together.

"I don't know, Fred. Why don't you tell me what's going on?" I say cooley. If she really was Malcolm she should know better then to discus things withing Wolfram and Hart without the right safety precautions. If not then I still have my cover.

[fredburkle]

I swallowed and looked at him. Ok, either he was Ackmed and we had a lot of talking to do, or he wasn't and he was about to turn me in. Either way, I had to get this over with, I hated waiting. I took a breath and stared at him, "I don't this is the place for that kind of discussion...do you?"

I stood up on tip toes and got close to his ear and whispered, as quietly as I could, so quietly that I knew he could barely make out what I was saying, "Wesley....if you're with me...we should go somewhere....and talk."

I stepped back and slipped out of my lab coat, "I need to get my purse." I went into my office, hung up my coat, grabbed my sweater, purse, and small spray bottle of mace. If he was an enemy, I'd need a weapon. I walked back to him and nodded, "Let's go grab something to eat...ok?"

[_wes_pryce_]

I'm not sure if I'm relieved or worried when she does exactly what she should do as a member of there resistance. Relieve because this means she's on my side. Worried because that means she's in great danger every damn day. In danger of being caught and then perhaps eliminated.

I lean in close and shiver involuntarily as she whispers in my ear. My arms still crossed over my chest, I lean back against the table and glance around making certain there's no one around to see us or hear us. As I wait for her to return my mind is racing. Suddenly I can very clearly feel the gun strapped on my ankle and in the small of my back.

"Yes," I nod at her, holding out my arm. "I have a sudden craving for...vegatables."

[fredburkle]

I raised my eyebrow at him and made my way out of the lab. We didn't say anything as we made our way to the parking garage and into his SUV. I settled into the seat, buckled my seat belt and tapped my fingers nervously as he drove away from Wolfram and Hart.

When I knew we were far enough away from the building I turned to him and said, as I slid my hand into my pocket, "Alright, Wesley, are you Ackmed or are you taking me to Warren Meers?" I glared at him, my hand gripping the mace tightly. I didn't want to use this on him. I wanted Wesley to be a good guy. I wanted him to be my ally in this huge mess.

[_wes_pryce_]

Gripping the steering wheel tightly, I keep my eyes firmly on the road as we drive away from the firm. I know my car is safe, I've made certain of that myself. As I drive over to the restaurant we used to frequent, before we drifted apart, I glance at her from the corner of my eyes.

She seems nervous and determent at the same time. When we're far enough she turns to me and I an see her hand slide into her pocket. And good lord, she still has that glare. It's been a long time since I've seen that one.

The corners of my mouth twitch again. A lot of tiny pieces of the puzzle suddenly fall into place. How could I have missed this for two years. How could I think that Fred of all people would be on Meers side.

"I'd feel a lot better if you took your hand out of your pocket Sadik. I'd hate for us to crash. We wont be able to help anyone then." Glancing at her I can feel a small smile creep on my face.

[fredburkle]

Sadik. He was Ackmed. I let out a long sigh that I'd been holding. I leaned back in the seat and felt a huge weight lift from my shoulders. Wesley was one of the good guys. I should have known better. This was Wesley we're talking about. He was always a good guy...no matter what.

I began thinking about the past two years and all the things that happened that, thinking about it now, really should have shown me that he was working with the resistance. But at the time, I just didn't suspect him, and shame on me for that. I tilted my head and looked at him, "I'm glad you're him..."

I pulled my hand out of my pocket and dangled the small bottle of mace, "Mace. That was my big line of defense." I smiled and put it back in my pocket, "So...what now, Wes?"

[_wes_pryce_]

"Mace? Fred, we need to have serious talk," I say, glancing at her. Mace? Good lord, she really needs to carry something better. Perhaps a small gun, or a knife. But, time to discus those things later. "I'm glad I'm me as well," I say mock serious.

I can't begin to describe of relieved I am that the secret is out. That at least one of my friends is a so called white hat. Though, by now everyone is a gray hat I suppose. And I have to wince when I think about the family I had to sacrifice this morning in order to safe hundreds of others. I can't help but wonder what Fred would think about that.

"What now?" I turn my head for a moment and look at her. "Right now I feel like laughing really hard at the irony here and then plan to get some of the infected people of the Resistance into your lab." Hilarious. Sad really.

[fredburkle]

I grinned again, "Wesley, I'm so happy that I can finally talk to someone about this and about everything that's happening with the resistance. I've needed someone...anyone...to talk to. And I really wanted it to be you, but I never thought it would be..and I'm just really really happy."

I nodded, "And how exactly are we going to get those infected people into my lab? Do you have any ideas? Any cover stories that would be believable?" I frowned and stared out the window. I wanted to help those people, and now I knew I wasn't alone.

[_wes_pryce_]

Driving up the parking lot of the restaurant, I find myself for once in my life glad for this odd American custom of 'drive trough' diners. Or what ever they call them. It's not important. I think about Fred's question while I order our meals. Automatically ordering for Fred as well, remembering her favorite meal here.

"Oh I'm sorry," I give her a sheepish look. "You might have wanted something else." Clearing my throat, I pick up our meal in those blasted paper bags and styrofoam boxes and park the car far enough from the building.

Watching as Fred rummages through the bags I let the options mull through my mind. "We've several options available," I start thoughtfully. "We can leave a message at the deposit place. Contact the leader," and give him a piece of my mind about his little practical joke. He's probably been laughing in his fist for almost two years. "Or find a way to get to the infected people and do an on sight research. I wish to see if this might be a magical occurrence."

[fredburkle]

I shook my head as I started digging through the bags, "That was exactly what I wanted..." I looked up at him and smiled, "Thanks Wes." I pulled out boxes of food and handed them to him as I listened to him talk.

"As much fun as it would be to give the leader a piece of your mind, the infected need to be our top priority. We need to get in there and run as many tests on them as we possibly can." I took a bite and chewed while I thought.

"We'll have to work simultaneously, so we're not there long. Hopefully this is a magical thing, because nothing I've gone over in the lab would suggest a biophysical occurence." I sighed and took another bite, "Either way, we have to help them, Wesley...or they'll die."

[_wes_pryce_]

"I know, Fred," I say softly. I toy a bit with the food, before taking a small bite. I'm not really hungry. Unlike Fred who seems to be always hungry. Rather amusing that. Glad to see some things never change.

"The only other way I know of how to contact them is via the so called mail service?" I look at her, wondering if she used the same method. "I leave a message in one of the secret places, post office, bus station etcetera. And they'll reply within a few hours."

We should be able to get them some help. "Unless you can think of a better way?" It felt rather good to talk about these things with someone else. Someone I knew. It felt good to know Fred was on my...our, side.

[fredburkle]

I shook my head, "That's the only way I have been contacting him for the past two years. So we'll have to use the same route." I took another bite and frowned, "Besides, if we did something different, would he become suspicious and possibly decide to not trust us?"

I ate another fork full and swallowed, "If it were me, and two contacts from one of the most evil places in the world were changing their routine after two years, I wouldn't trust us anymore." I shook my head, "Definitely need to continue how we were before."