Part 7

Lilah reached over and took the envelope from her assistant. "Thanks, Tracy."

This was the information Wolfram & Hart had been waiting for. Groomac had been assassinated and the powers suspected the mercenary known, as the Hunter was the killer. However rumors had been circling that the Hunter had a partner now. A witch, a very powerful witch.

That was whom this report was on.

Lilah opened the envelope and browsed its contents. "Well, well. Isn't that interesting?" She mumbled to herself as she read. "A Sunnydale Alumni and the one to restore Angel's soul no less."

Lilah hit the speakerphone. "Tracy, please set up a meeting with the top floor."

Lilah smiled at the irony of her latest idea. She wondered if the witch would be interested in destroying Angel. Faith had been a disappointment but this just might work.

~~~

Lilah took the express elevator to the top. To the White Room.

"Any word yet on who hired Hunter?"

"Not yet. But it's suspected that Zelana had something to do with it since he's making a move for the empty position."

The entity that looked like Holland nodded and indicated for Lilah to take a seat.

Lilah never knew whom to expect when she came into the room. The entity could take any form as long as they had died. She had never seen its true face and never the same face twice.

"I admire his initiative. I like people that see an opportunity and then strike." Holland smiled at Lilah, "It's why I made you senior partner."

Lilah smiled in return and showed Holland the picture. "This is Hunter's protégé. Some even call her his soul mate."

Holland morphed into Buffy, "Well, well. The little witch has grown up."

Lilah eye's widened, "You know her?"

A smile spread over Buffy's features as she caressed the picture, "Oh yes. This one had great potential. D'Hoffryn offered her a position as a vengeance demon but she turned him down. I was biding my time before I approached her. Wonder who got to her first?"

"According to the file the Hunter knew Willow at Sunnydale and met her again at a coven where she was learning her craft."

Buffy set the photo of Willow down, "She left the Slayer? Hmm, didn't think she was ready to leave her job as the Slayer's sidekick."

Lilah looked through the folder, "It seems there was an incident involving Rack and then demons melting. Maybe she went to the coven to better control her powers."

"But that wouldn't explain her taking a partnership with a mercenary and killing Groomac. Perhaps it wasn't all sunshine and roses with the Slayer."

"She probably just got tired of her whiney friend. I know I would."

Buffy smiled at Lilah. "You probably would have put a hit out on her, not leave."

Lilah smiled back, "True."

Buffy looked back at the picture of Willow, "This is very interesting. I think I'm going to watch Willow and Hunter as they rise among the ranks."

"You think they'll stay and not move on?"

Buffy caressed Willow's face, "Oh yes. Zelana would be a fool to let these two go and Zelana is anything but a fool."

Well there went that idea about using Willow to destroy Angel. She wouldn't stand in the way of Zelana. A slow smile crept across her face as a new plan formed. Maybe she could still use Willow just not physically. Lilah bet news that the little witch that Angel cared about had gone evil would hurt.

He thought he had won when he helped Faith try her hand at redemption. Lilah couldn't wait to tell him the news that he might have won with Faith but the world had a way of balancing things out and while he had Faith, their side had Willow now.

~~~~

Lilah stood on the rooftop looking down at Conner as he made himself comfortable under the tarp. She smiled as she felt Angel approach her from the shadows. Showtime.

"You let him off pretty easy, didn't you?"
 
"Kid messed up. He knows he messed up."
 
"Oh god! The return of the moral high ground? This is that guilt is its own punishment thing, isn't it?"
 
"Kind of my specialty."
 
Lilah smiled and turned to look fully at Angel, "Gonna use that with Willow?"

Angel was taken aback. What did Willow have to do with anything?

"Willow?"

Gotcha. Lilah laughs, "You really don't know. And here I thought you were just ignoring it. It seems our side has seduced one of yours over to the dark side." She was going to try a Darth Vader accent but thought Angel might not appreciate the humor.

"What are you talking about, Lilah? You're normally not all that cryptic."

"You're right. That's usually you. It's a pain in the ass when someone else does it isn't it? Two words. Groomac assassination."

"That was the Hunter."

"Very good, Angel. It's nice to see you still have connections in the demon world. Heard anything else about Hunter? Like maybe he has a partner known as Red Death or just Red?"

What was Lilah getting at? Surely she couldn't be saying that Willow was involved with Hunter or Groomac's death.

Lilah smiled as she saw the realization hit Angel. Yep, life was good.

"Word is they met in a coven but that they knew each other in Sunnydale. You see, Angel it all evens out in the end. You got Faith, we get Willow. You had Conner, you lost Conner, you had Conner again and then . . ." Lilah looks down to where Conner is among the homeless. "You lose him again. Wonder where he'll end up next? Well, see you around Angel."

Angel watches as Lilah leaves. He could tell Lilah was telling the truth but he was sure there had to be a reason Willow was involved in this. It wasn't like the Willow he knew. But then again the Willow he had seen a few months ago at Caritas II hadn't been like the Willow he remembered either. Maybe Gunn and Wes have heard the latest on Groomac's death.

~~~~

"Ready?" Graham asked Willow before he stopped the car.

They had taken the job offered by Zelana after finishing the assassination and agreed to live in the Nazul demon's compound.

Willow didn't think she would ever get over the sight of Groomac's eyes looking into hers as she stripped his life away with magick. She had held it together as long as she could and then made Graham pull off the side of the road where she vomited and cried until she was exhausted. Graham had held her and let her get it out of her system before gently putting her back in the car.

Willow turned to Graham with grim determination. "Let's do it."

Graham put his hand on Willow's to stop her from opening the door, "We're now in character 24-7. Once inside those compound doors there is no going back."

Willow turned her palm over and squeezed Graham's hand before whispering, "I know. Have I told you lately how glad I am that you're my partner?"

Graham smiled at Willow, "Back at you. We'll get through this, Willow." He leaned his forehead against hers, "We'll get the bastards."

"Darn tootin'."