Chapter XI: Revelations.
He takes aim. He drags his feet through the grass, allocating them directly underneath his shoulders. He pulls, straining his muscles, tightening them under the pressure. He takes aim again and releases.
It flies along a smooth line. It cuts through the air, creating waves as it travels the sky.
It hits with precision, in the heart.
Gunn: (coming from behind) "Nice shot, Ollie."
Wes: (turns towards him, startled) "I'm sorry?"
Gunn: "Ollie...Ollie Queen, the Green Arro--" (smiles) "Forget I said anything."
Wes: (snickers and turns around towards the target) "What are you doing here?"
Gunn: "Just wanted to see what're you doing here. Never would've picked you for an archery buff, though."
Wes: "It helps the healing process."
Gunn: "I bet." (walks around the Coliseum) "Where do you think the Council gets the money for all this?"
Wes: "British government... mostly."
Gunn: "What's the leastly?"
Wes: (pulls the string) "Old family money."
Gunn: "But still... a stadium for track and field and a Coliseum with air conditioning. Not to mention boarding school-like accommodations--"
Wes: "Well," (pauses and takes aim) "that's because it was a boarding school." (knocks the arrow hitting the wooden target in the forehead)
Gunn: "Nice shot." (pauses to observe) "You do realize that if that were a vamp that wouldn't kill it, right?"
Wes: "Yes, but the impact a sharp wooden object like that made would've destroyed most of its basic motor skills, leaving it paralyzed... and quite possibly suffering an epileptic-type episode."
Gunn: "I know that... just wanted to see if your brain functions were still working the way they're supposed to."
Wes: "Somehow I don't think this about archery." (turns around and faces him)
Gunn: "You don't have to go Wes."
Wes: "And you don't have to follow me just because I'm going."
Spike: (walks up from behind) "Well are you kids just a sad bunch of blokes." (Gunn and Wes look at him) "What are we doing?"
Gunn: "Right now? Trying to get Wes to get around the stupid notion that he'd be playing hero by going back to L.A."
Spike: "Oh... that."
Gunn: "Yeah."
Wes remains silent. He takes another arrow from his quiver and sets it on the bow. He pulls the string, takes aim and releases. The arrow flies across hitting the target centimeters away from the left ventricle of its heart.
Spike: "Hey, Percy... bet you can't knock twenty-nine in a minute."
Gunn: (looks at him seriously) "Green Arrow vol. II, issue number eleven."
Spike: "Twelve."
Gunn: "Huh..." (looks at Spike surprised) "that's right."
Spike smirks and looks at Wes.
He sees the arrow coming, but he isn't fast enough to dodge it. It hits him in the kneecap. He falls to the ground, drowning the Coliseum with his pain. He grabs hold of it and pulls it out, jumping to his feet just before another arrow hits him in the right shoulder.
Spike: (furious) "What the bloody hell is wrong with you?!?"
Spike jumps at Wes, who flings another arrow his way, hitting him the stomach. Spike rips it out, the tip covered in black blood. His fists tremble with fury and his teeth sharpen, just as his brow lifts and his eyes turn a darker shade of yellow. He runs at Wes with a cry in his mouth that pierces the heart of Charles Gunn.
Spike stops. He looks into the eyes of Wesley and his entire body quivers. Wes releases the arrow pointed at Spike's chest. Spike looks at the tip of the arrow, standing nigh three centimeters from him and then at Wesley's calm and solemn eyes.
It pierces his skin and bones as it penetrates his chest. He feels his entire body go numb and he collapses to the ground.
Wes: (walks up to him) "Four arrows in ten seconds." (he bends down and pulls the arrow from Spike's chest) "You should get something to eat. You haven't eaten in days and your blood is starting to get going old." (he drops the arrow and walks out of the Coliseum)
Two weeks have passed and Wesley's in his room packing to leave.
Lorne: "Knock, knock."
Wes: (turns around and faces him) "Lorne?"
Lorne: "Yeah, I, uh, just came by to say 'bon voyage'."
Wes: (smiles) "Thank you."
Lorne: "Take care. A-And don't forget that we're all here if you need anything."
Wes smiles and picks up his bag. He walks up to Lorne and they stare into each others eyes and shake hands, just before Lorne reels him into a hug.
Lorne: "Yeah, well, uh... you should get going."
Wes: "Yes."
He heads towards the door.
Lorne: (looking at the floor) "Wes?"
Wes: (stops and turns around) "Yes?"
Lorne: "I know... about Connor."
Wes looks at him sharply and drops the bag. He turns and closes the door behind him.
Wes: "How?"
Lorne: "I don't know everything... in fact, all I know is that he's Angel's son and that something happened to him... and that you were part of it."
Wes: "How long have you known?"
Lorne: "Since after he came to Wolfram & Hart."
Wes: "You read Angel, didn't you?"
Lorne: "Y-Yes. I, uh, was with him in his office the next day and his aura was basically screaming it out."
Wes: "And me?"
Lorne: "Well, let's just say that going cuckoo the way you did was almost as good as singing."
Wes looks down, trying to piece it together, trying desperately to give it some meaning.
Lorne: (cont.) "Look Wes... I don't want to know what happened. I hardly understand the whole situation, but--"
Wes: "Why didn't you say anything? I mean... how--?"
Lorne: "I know my place, Wes. I see everything and respond with my charming wit and charisma, but I keep my mouth shut. I'm not a hero, Wes. Nor is it my intent. I'm the lovable green lounge singer that ever so often gets an opportunity to be somewhat aggressive towards the fiery down under. I see too much, Wes. So I keep to myself."
Wes: "I, uh, I--"
Lorne: "It's okay. You don't have to say anything. Just be careful. I know that I don't have to say it, but be careful, champ. Don't get killed."
Wes: (grabs bag and smiles) "I won't. Thank you, Lorne."
Lorne: (smiles) "Bon voyage."
They look at each other once more and Wes turns around and leaves. The trip to L.A. is long... he has plenty of time to plan ahead.
-- Fini.
He takes aim. He drags his feet through the grass, allocating them directly underneath his shoulders. He pulls, straining his muscles, tightening them under the pressure. He takes aim again and releases.
It flies along a smooth line. It cuts through the air, creating waves as it travels the sky.
It hits with precision, in the heart.
Gunn: (coming from behind) "Nice shot, Ollie."
Wes: (turns towards him, startled) "I'm sorry?"
Gunn: "Ollie...Ollie Queen, the Green Arro--" (smiles) "Forget I said anything."
Wes: (snickers and turns around towards the target) "What are you doing here?"
Gunn: "Just wanted to see what're you doing here. Never would've picked you for an archery buff, though."
Wes: "It helps the healing process."
Gunn: "I bet." (walks around the Coliseum) "Where do you think the Council gets the money for all this?"
Wes: "British government... mostly."
Gunn: "What's the leastly?"
Wes: (pulls the string) "Old family money."
Gunn: "But still... a stadium for track and field and a Coliseum with air conditioning. Not to mention boarding school-like accommodations--"
Wes: "Well," (pauses and takes aim) "that's because it was a boarding school." (knocks the arrow hitting the wooden target in the forehead)
Gunn: "Nice shot." (pauses to observe) "You do realize that if that were a vamp that wouldn't kill it, right?"
Wes: "Yes, but the impact a sharp wooden object like that made would've destroyed most of its basic motor skills, leaving it paralyzed... and quite possibly suffering an epileptic-type episode."
Gunn: "I know that... just wanted to see if your brain functions were still working the way they're supposed to."
Wes: "Somehow I don't think this about archery." (turns around and faces him)
Gunn: "You don't have to go Wes."
Wes: "And you don't have to follow me just because I'm going."
Spike: (walks up from behind) "Well are you kids just a sad bunch of blokes." (Gunn and Wes look at him) "What are we doing?"
Gunn: "Right now? Trying to get Wes to get around the stupid notion that he'd be playing hero by going back to L.A."
Spike: "Oh... that."
Gunn: "Yeah."
Wes remains silent. He takes another arrow from his quiver and sets it on the bow. He pulls the string, takes aim and releases. The arrow flies across hitting the target centimeters away from the left ventricle of its heart.
Spike: "Hey, Percy... bet you can't knock twenty-nine in a minute."
Gunn: (looks at him seriously) "Green Arrow vol. II, issue number eleven."
Spike: "Twelve."
Gunn: "Huh..." (looks at Spike surprised) "that's right."
Spike smirks and looks at Wes.
He sees the arrow coming, but he isn't fast enough to dodge it. It hits him in the kneecap. He falls to the ground, drowning the Coliseum with his pain. He grabs hold of it and pulls it out, jumping to his feet just before another arrow hits him in the right shoulder.
Spike: (furious) "What the bloody hell is wrong with you?!?"
Spike jumps at Wes, who flings another arrow his way, hitting him the stomach. Spike rips it out, the tip covered in black blood. His fists tremble with fury and his teeth sharpen, just as his brow lifts and his eyes turn a darker shade of yellow. He runs at Wes with a cry in his mouth that pierces the heart of Charles Gunn.
Spike stops. He looks into the eyes of Wesley and his entire body quivers. Wes releases the arrow pointed at Spike's chest. Spike looks at the tip of the arrow, standing nigh three centimeters from him and then at Wesley's calm and solemn eyes.
It pierces his skin and bones as it penetrates his chest. He feels his entire body go numb and he collapses to the ground.
Wes: (walks up to him) "Four arrows in ten seconds." (he bends down and pulls the arrow from Spike's chest) "You should get something to eat. You haven't eaten in days and your blood is starting to get going old." (he drops the arrow and walks out of the Coliseum)
Two weeks have passed and Wesley's in his room packing to leave.
Lorne: "Knock, knock."
Wes: (turns around and faces him) "Lorne?"
Lorne: "Yeah, I, uh, just came by to say 'bon voyage'."
Wes: (smiles) "Thank you."
Lorne: "Take care. A-And don't forget that we're all here if you need anything."
Wes smiles and picks up his bag. He walks up to Lorne and they stare into each others eyes and shake hands, just before Lorne reels him into a hug.
Lorne: "Yeah, well, uh... you should get going."
Wes: "Yes."
He heads towards the door.
Lorne: (looking at the floor) "Wes?"
Wes: (stops and turns around) "Yes?"
Lorne: "I know... about Connor."
Wes looks at him sharply and drops the bag. He turns and closes the door behind him.
Wes: "How?"
Lorne: "I don't know everything... in fact, all I know is that he's Angel's son and that something happened to him... and that you were part of it."
Wes: "How long have you known?"
Lorne: "Since after he came to Wolfram & Hart."
Wes: "You read Angel, didn't you?"
Lorne: "Y-Yes. I, uh, was with him in his office the next day and his aura was basically screaming it out."
Wes: "And me?"
Lorne: "Well, let's just say that going cuckoo the way you did was almost as good as singing."
Wes looks down, trying to piece it together, trying desperately to give it some meaning.
Lorne: (cont.) "Look Wes... I don't want to know what happened. I hardly understand the whole situation, but--"
Wes: "Why didn't you say anything? I mean... how--?"
Lorne: "I know my place, Wes. I see everything and respond with my charming wit and charisma, but I keep my mouth shut. I'm not a hero, Wes. Nor is it my intent. I'm the lovable green lounge singer that ever so often gets an opportunity to be somewhat aggressive towards the fiery down under. I see too much, Wes. So I keep to myself."
Wes: "I, uh, I--"
Lorne: "It's okay. You don't have to say anything. Just be careful. I know that I don't have to say it, but be careful, champ. Don't get killed."
Wes: (grabs bag and smiles) "I won't. Thank you, Lorne."
Lorne: (smiles) "Bon voyage."
They look at each other once more and Wes turns around and leaves. The trip to L.A. is long... he has plenty of time to plan ahead.
-- Fini.