Immortal Beloved XCIX: "Notoriously South by Southeast…"
Part X…
"Emil?" Dru blinked at the screen. That of the television/computer in her suite at the hotel where she'd dutifully gone, having assured the Circle group and her own personal employer, the Count, that she'd follow orders and make no effort to deal with Angel or his American allies at this time…
Actually, somewhat relieved on that score…
Not that she'd not like a chance to settle things between her sire and herself later, but just right now…Given her concerns, however possibly groundless and rooted in her psychosis, as she'd noted to Miss Edith.
There were bigger fish to fry than Angel just now…
Not to mention…A mother must have her period of proper mourning…Carefully arranging her mourning dress, complete with veil.
Wonder if Buffy is even bothering to don black…That girl never did have a sense of the proprieties. Imagine letting poor Angel go to Hell and no proper mourning.
"Miss Drusilla. Forgive me for contacting you this way…" Emil's anxious face eyed her. "And, my condolences…" eyeing dress.
"Thank you…William was like a son to me, foolish souled boy. But don't worry, this is just till my new clothes come in a bit." Sigh. "What's wrong?"
"I have concerns, Miss. Regards the Countess…"
"As do I, frankly…" nod.
"Yes…I saw it in your face." He nodded. "And I didn't wish to offend the Immortal or have the others think I was become paranoidal…Again."
"Paranoia is learned awareness, Emil. However insane it may seem…Or be." Dru, solemnly. "And I think our concerns are valid. There's something wrong here, even if it looks well enough on the surface. I'm just not sure…I know Buffy loved that silly boy of mine. I know she's toughened up the last few years but…"
"I'm well acquainted with her record and history…Perhaps more than some of our group." He noted. "I had great admiration for her, whatever concerns I had. I hoped that the Immortal was correct. That we could be sure she would not reject us and our goals. I studied her very carefully, perhaps as much out of fear of her…"
"That shows wisdom, Emil." Fond beam. "More of her opponents would have had a bit more chance if they'd not underestimated her. I never have…" a bit more coolly. "But you know, alpha males…Living or Undead…You can never make them see."
"Yes…And there's something I've learned and only recently confirmed, that you should know, Miss…" he noted. Pausing as he heard the knock at Dru's hotel door.
"Delivery…For Ms. Landau." A male voice calling…
"Right with ya!" Dru, quickly shifting voice to mimic the American actress'…Having spent a part of the remaining night watching video of her. "'Cuse me, Emil." She rose.
"Thanks…" she, greeting the bellboy who wheeled in a cart on which lay several boxes. "And here's for your trouble…" beaming smile as she placed a bill in his hand.
"I'm a great fan of your dad, ma'am. I've seen all his movies and TV." The young man noted happily pocketing the cash.
"Isn't he great? Thanks." Dru smiled. "When he drops by to see me in a few days, I'll see you get an autograph, how's that?"
"Thank you." Eager tone, the man bowing out.
"Whatdya think?" Dru turned to face Emil with smile.
"Wonderful. Very American." His image beamed.
"Aw…Thanks. But you were sayin'…? You've confirmed something?" maintaining her new accent.
"Yes…I believe it's the final proof that the Countess is not truly with us or His Benevolence."
"Really?" she eyed the screen. "Tell…Please…"
"In 1880…" he began… "When you first encountered Mr. Walthrop…"
…
Angel at Riley's office, seated across Finn's desk…Still in his tux but tie gone and collar open…
Well, yeah…I coulda changed at the hotel first but…I look so damned coolly suave… Had to get one photo for Nina and Connor…He noted with wry grin to Samantha.
Sam in her favorite black battle clothes, perched on desk…Returning smile.
"Will is staying put, right?" Riley in his chair, eyed Angel. "I don't even dare a shielded transmission to his place."
"He's promised to. He knows how important it is no one know about his escape…" Angel sighed.
"I supposed he's still pissed at us, though…" Riley grinned.
"He doesn't like to be caged…" shrug. "You might have told him your hideout was a containment cell." Eyeing Riley.
"It's as much to prevent occult detection as to hold him…" Riley noted.
"But he knows it is to hold him, and that we're holding him to keep him from going after her…" Sam sighed.
"Yeah…" Angel nodded. "And he's mad at me too, for agreeing…Though he claims he understands…"
"I'll assume that means he's going to try to break out asap." Riley, wry smile.
"Yeah…But only when he feels it's the right time. Meaning the moment his wounds heal. He'll give us that much."
"He won't get out of this one. Willow used her best with Watcher Council help…"
"So he knows…He did test it, he told me." Angel, ruefully. "But Riley…I doubt any cage will hold him long. And I have to agree with him that Buffy's in terrible danger. The Circle can't really trust her now, even if they believe Will's dead. Some of them, at least, whatever Henri wants to believe…"
"No, they don't…We monitor them too, best as we can…There's been communication amongst them." Riley sighed.
"But that's what we wanted…That they wouldn't trust her. That's our best hope they'll slip up now and panic and try to flee." He noted.
"I wish we'd not had to do this…" Sam shook head. "I know she's the Slayer and undefeated…Most of them are just human, if rich and highly skilled and intelligent…And that we'll back her up as best we can…But…"
"It worries me too." Angel nodded. "Love's always been Buffy's Achilles heel. It's how I nearly got her as Angelus. How Spike could have, if William hadn't been too strong for him. Even if she doesn't love Henri, he loves her…That's a terrible weapon for an opponent to have. The most potent."
"But if he loves her…?" Sam eyed the two.
"Maybe…But from what you've shown me, I think he honestly believes in his Cause, considers it his final redemption, really. And betrayal is hard to bear, even for a calm fellow like the Count." Angel noted. "It nearly killed me, when I realized…In Hell…" pause.
"But…" Sam, kindly…
"Yeah…It was the best thing to ever happen to me, in the end…" wan smile… "To realize I was never in the running with Mrs. Cicely Anne/Buffy Anne Walthrop. It could have given Spike the edge to turn her and finish me and the world between them." He agreed. "But Henri is losing her…And his Cause…And there's no Nina for him, waiting…Poor sob, really."
"He still hasn't…" Riley noted.
"He will, soon…" Angel sighed. "You can only lie to yourself so long, especially given Buffy, good a fighter as she is, can't lie to someone who loves her, for long...She couldn't fool Will for a minute when they met again, hard as she tried." Faint smile.
"He knew right away she'd spent all this time deliberately keeping him away, that she'd struck a bargain with the Immortal and had actually been ready to betray Humanity for him, even if it cost her her soul." He sighed, shaking head. "All for him…Her husband…The worst poet in England and the bravest, truest heart Cicely'd ever met."
"Of course, she'd kill me for that 'worst poet' thing…" he grinned sheepishly. "So I'd appreciate…"
Sam, slight smile, nod.
"You know…I gotta say, ever since Pumpkin told me, I've kinda loved her other name. No offense, Angel…" she put up a hand.
"None taken…In a way, it's nice that for Will she'll always be Cicely, and for me…" shrug. "But I also would appreciate your never mentioning that to Nina…It's strictly platonic, I swear. Or, as Will told me just now, brazen ego-strokin'…"
Sam grinning…
"Still…I worry about his mom even more. I mean, the Countess…" Angel explained hastily.
"Well…She's dangerous, sure…But…" Riley noted. Sam eyeing him.
"Very. But not because she's a vamp. You know that as well as I do. I know she contacted you." Angel sighed. "She tried me as well back in LA through her people…To cut a deal that would leave Will with me permanently in exchange for intel on the Partners. I refused at first but strung her along, partly at Will's request. He wanted info on the Immortal and Buffy as much as she on him."
Riley leaning back in chair…
"She was our first real lead on the Circle and its activities…Why didn't you tell me you'd had dealings with her?"
"You still didn't trust me, even after the Partners' defeat. That was pretty clear to me when you wouldn't tell me everything right out." Angel noted quietly. "And I'd promised not to reveal her openings to me…It was strictly a back-door thing to give her son an escape if things failed with their plans, she was upfront about that. But I'm sure now she realized we were trying to play her. She's no fool."
"She's been playing us both…" Riley shook head. "And if she turns Buffy in…"
"She's not playing anyone. She's trying to save her son from his own heart." Angel shrugged. "She is very dangerous because she's a human-souled vamp who loves her son enough to put everything she was working for, a Cause I think she believes in as much as Henri, at risk when he fell in love. She guessed from the start about her and Will…That it was more than Spike romanticizing fancying a Slayer, that they had a past beyond anything we knew. And soon as she knew Will was still alive, hoped Buffy's fear for him would bridle her." Angel sighed. "Yes. She's the real danger to Buffy because she knows what could work on her, even destroy her. And even Henri might well put Mom above Wife, especially if he knows Buffy's betrayed him and put her in danger." He paused.
"She offered you a deal in exchange for Henri's life, right?"
"Not exactly." Riley nodded. "She offered intel on the Circle, the usual Benevolent help the D'Vestigys are famed for. But not enough to destroy the Circle, just to keep tabs…She insisted she and Henri were just monitoring them, not seriously supporting them…Then we realized she wasn't telling us anything meaningful…And they were moving to a critical point…And we called you boys in."
"Guys…" Sam blinked, staring at each in turn. "We've been had."
They stared at her.
"She wanted Will here…Wants Henri to learn the truth…She set us all up."
"What do you mean?" Angel, rather excitedly. Standing…
"She meant to lure him here, to expose Buffy. The only way she could prove to her son…"
Whoa…Sam and Riley stared at the sudden lunge through and out the door…
"Jesus. That was one damned good glam." Riley eyed the stunned Sam. "And I need to tighten security after we get this done." He picked up his desk phone. "This is Finn! Mr. Walthrop has escaped and is on his way to Countess D'Vestigy." Sigh to Sam…Who shook head. "Do not interfere with him but pursue! Move it, boys!" he paused. "And have those idiots at the containment facility release Mr. Angel and send him after us."
…
Two hours earlier…
William in secure containment chamber, far under the streets of Geneva, eyeing the various cameras on him.
"Can I send you anything, Mr. Walthrop?" a polite male voice asked over intercom. "Blood, beer, whiskey?"
"A bottle of suds would be nice…And some damned info on what the hell's going on out there." Will noted.
"As soon as we have it and Mr. Finn feels it's safe to disperse…"
"Right."
"It's for you and Countess d'Vestigy's protection, sir."
"Yeah, yeah…" wave of hand… "I know…And I know I agreed…But I expect to be kept informed."
"Indeed you will be, sir."
"What about Angel? When's he stopping by again?"
"I'm sure he'll be back in as soon as possible…"
"Right, thanks." Frown at camera. "Can't wait to have him peering at me like a monkey in a cage again…" sigh. "And whatever his feelings, I know Angelus is laughing his head off in Hell…"
"Couldn't say, Mr. Walthrop." Polite tone.
"Naturally. You married, friend?" Will eyed a camera.
"Civil union…We hope to make it legal soon."
"Nice. Well, I'm married…Much to my surprise. Only found out it was actually still valid when I got here. Been married for over a century." Sigh.
"A very long time, sir." The voice noted.
"Yeah. Of course as I say I had no idea it had held up…Or that my Missus had been doing her best to help me for that century, despite dying along the way."
"That's remarkable…She must be quite a determined person."
"The most determined I've ever known, friend." Wry smile. "Though, I am pleased to say I was rather 'determined' meself. Not to rush off to Heaven, I mean. Somehow I hung around…"
"Yes, I have heard about your career, sir. It's remarkable."
"Thanks, mate. Well, I suppose I didn't do too badly, despite the multiple mass murders…" wan smile.
"Only by your counterpart demon, sir. We all have them."
"True enough…But one must bear some responsibility, I'd guess. Though I never chose the vamp route, actually. I thought I was being offered a wild sex romp…1880 style. Getting back at the missus, you know. I thought she'd rejected me. My Cicely." Fond smile. "The silly cow got scared and thought I'd be killed, I not being quite the Champion I became, back then. Went to her Council Watcher for help and naturally their idea of 'help' was to kill me in the most permanent way possible."
"Really? They say the Council is quite ruthless, really."
"Really is right, friend. But they're just a bunch of armchair occult scholars and minor sorcerers without their Slayers. Lose the Slayer and they lose their only real source of power."
"That's awful…" the voice, sympathetic tone.
"So it was…She meant well, but…Of course the Council, her Watcher leading the affair, had Drusilla primed and waiting for me."
"Dear God…The vampiress Drusilla? Your sires?"
"The same, friend."
"But…"
"Cicely…Buffy as she was…Didn't have a clue. She trusted her Watcher. Loved her in his slimy way, from what I've gathered since. And was not about to lose his source of power and his doxy in one bite to the likes of an upstart scholar and poet she happened to fall for…Happens every day, you know. Typical office romance triangle. Cept instead of having me bumped off or beaten up, the powerful ole rival had me transformed. Guess he thought that would surely make me less appealin'."
"Unbelievable…But…How did you?"
"I learnt a little pawing through the Wolfram Hart archives trying to find out about the Immortal and Buffy…The rest she told me, in print…" he held up the copy of the "Works of William Soames Walthrop" Buffy had given him a few days before. "She didn't dare tell me straight out for fear we were being watched but left it for me to read on the back pages where she'd written the story out. All the details, including the amusin' bit that her Watcher persuaded her to call in a vengeance demon to stand in for her…Seems the bastard cut a deal with D'Hoffryn for Cicely's soul once he was fairly sure there was no real chance for him."
"Incredible…Does Mr. Finn know?"
"He does. And his lady Sam, Angel, Buffy, me… And now you. The fewer the better, mate. But it seems the Countess D'Vestigy, the Immortal's mom found out as well…That's why I have to get out of here. She knows Buffy didn't kill me. And she knows as long as I'm safe, Buffy feels safe to proceed after the Circle and more important, her boy…"
"So?" grin. "How's about letting me out to go save the missus who's been waiting for me through thick, thin, and mass murder for 100 plus years?"
"Sir…If I could…And even if I…"
"I understand…" rueful smile. "We figured Finn's people were pretty solid…"
Alarm bells…Phone buzzing…
"Which is why…" Angel, now free of his own glam, sighed as he stood in the cell. "I agreed to this nonsense…But we knew the glam needed some back up in here, so I had to keep you distracted for a bit, sorry, friend. I hope that's your boss, ordering my release?"
…