Change of Pace
Part 4
Dealing
Rated: PG Summary: Spike and Lex try to come to an agreement. Disclaimer: Still trying to own them, it's still not working. ( Feedback: crehnert@ptd.net
Dealing
Well, everything went flying right out of my chipped head just then.
He knew. Somehow, he knew. About the Initiative. About my designation there. This might turn out to be a bad idea.
Lex came out from behind his desk nonchalantly, enjoying my surprise, and the fact that he had stopped me dead in my tracks. So to speak.
"How?" I asked him, as he gestured to the chair in front of me and I sat obediently. "How do you know anything about this?"
"How indeed?" he repeated, sitting on the edge of the desk, long, expensively-clad legs relaxed out in front of him. "I like to know things. I don't like to be surprised. And I especially don't like to be in negotiations without having the full background story. I had heard about the intriguing brain chip the government was trying to develop. I was looking for some outstanding scientists to staff my labs. And just where do you think I found them?" He shrugged nonchalantly, the soft shirt he was wearing following the movement of his shoulders like it was tailor made for him. Which it probably was. "Can you guess?" he asked.
"Well, no," I told him, trying not to fidget in the chair. He was above me, sitting on the edge of the desk like that, with me in the chair, and I realized suddenly that it was deliberate. He was in a better position than I was, in more ways than one. I put a look of bravado and confidence on my face that I absolutely did not feel. "But I'm sure you're going to tell me."
He smiled. "Yes, I am. Actually, I found them all in the Black Ops unemployment line, desperate for work. I recruited the best in the country and I pay them astronomical amounts of money. I know the Initiative was destroyed, but why would you think no one would know about it? All it takes is one or two people to escape with a computer disc or two in their pockets. I do my homework, Spike, and it didn't take too long going through the records to find you. I know they'll like having their hands on you, even more than I would." I wasn't comfortable with the innuendo there.
"So, you know. They still can't give you what I can," I barreled along.
"Immortality? As what? A creature like you? A vampire? The only reason they aren't here with the steel mesh nets right now is because I wanted to find out a little more about you myself. I have seen a lot of things in my life, and I have done a lot. But a vampire? I wasn't sure I should believe everything I read on my laptop today."
I didn't care for his mention of steel mesh nets. I particularly didn't care for having threats aimed at me by this rich fag, no matter how thinly veiled. I stood abruptly, satisfied by the almost-flinch in his eyes at my unexpected movement. "You want me to show you?" I asked challengingly.
He looked down at the floor briefly, and I got the impression he was trying not to smile too broadly. When his head came back up, he had me pinned with those steely blue-gray eyes. "I know you can't hurt me. I am prepared, however, to defend myself," he told me, reaching around behind him to show me a cross he'd had hidden behind the laptop. He laid it leisurely across his crotch. Talk about warding off demons. Wasn't like I was planning on going there anyway, Farmboy lust be damned.
"So, what is this proposition you have for me, Spike? Why shouldn't I simply call the lab and have them come and get you?"
I started pacing then, wanting to keep him off guard. "It would take a bit more that that, Luthor. I wouldn't exactly be waiting around here for them when they came. I had a bloody good idea, and I came all this way to talk to you about it. Mutually beneficial, I think you'd say."
"So talk," he prompted, watching me intently. That was almost worse than sitting in the chair with him looking at me like some kind of lower life form. I could feel his steady gaze on every move my body made, and found that it disturbed me in places I didn't want to admit.
"Okay, here's the deal. " I shook off the invaded feelings and dove right in. "You have the scientists take out my chip. In return, I will turn you, and you can live out eternity as a billionaire."
"And how do I know you'll stick to this bargain after the chip is gone?"
"You'll just have to trust me. My word is my bond."
Lex laughed. "The word of a vampire? A demon? How stupid do you think I am? Do you think I didn't know what you were doing in the Talon last night? Watching us. I saw you coming a mile away, Spike. You're not exactly the most subtle person I've ever seen. I didn't get this far strictly on my father's coattails. I've dealt with him for over two decades - I'm not intimidated by you."
"I don't want you to be intimidated, just interested. Think about it. Imagine living forever; the women, the riches, the power."
"The Slayers." Lex added. "Yea, I know about them, too. Immortality may not be all it's cracked up to be. There are down sides to everything. Besides, it occurs to me, you want me to have your chip removed so, what? You can go out and kill people?"
"Well.yea," I said, more defensively than I liked. "I'd stay away from your loved ones. Whoever they are."
This statement caused him some kind of - something. He blinked. Quite noticeably. (Point for Spike. I rejoiced inwardly; he was not invulnerable.) I didn't think he was going to make a list of his loved ones for me any time soon. Best not to let the vampire know if you like boys. He just didn't realize the vampire already knew.
I almost smirked. "You know - your loved ones. Miss TooSweet at the Talon, little Blondie-girl, pretty Farmboy. Is there a lady of the house, by the way?"
He pushed off from the desk then, coming nearer to me than I thought he would feel comfortable doing. His eyes were hard, body tense and set, heating coming off him in waves that were almost overpowering. I had definitely hit a nerve.
"Don't threaten me, even obliquely. You can't go far enough away."
I almost stepped back, he was so intense, but I stood my ground.
"Are you going to think about it, or should I just push off and find someone else?" I asked seriously. I was ready to get the heck out Dodge if he said no.
He backed off. "I'll think about it. Come back tomorrow night. I'll have an answer then, one way or another." He headed back around the desk to his laptop. I was obviously being dismissed.
I turned to leave.
"Oh, by the way," Lex said, not even looking up from the desktop. "Love the coat!"
Dealing
Rated: PG Summary: Spike and Lex try to come to an agreement. Disclaimer: Still trying to own them, it's still not working. ( Feedback: crehnert@ptd.net
Dealing
Well, everything went flying right out of my chipped head just then.
He knew. Somehow, he knew. About the Initiative. About my designation there. This might turn out to be a bad idea.
Lex came out from behind his desk nonchalantly, enjoying my surprise, and the fact that he had stopped me dead in my tracks. So to speak.
"How?" I asked him, as he gestured to the chair in front of me and I sat obediently. "How do you know anything about this?"
"How indeed?" he repeated, sitting on the edge of the desk, long, expensively-clad legs relaxed out in front of him. "I like to know things. I don't like to be surprised. And I especially don't like to be in negotiations without having the full background story. I had heard about the intriguing brain chip the government was trying to develop. I was looking for some outstanding scientists to staff my labs. And just where do you think I found them?" He shrugged nonchalantly, the soft shirt he was wearing following the movement of his shoulders like it was tailor made for him. Which it probably was. "Can you guess?" he asked.
"Well, no," I told him, trying not to fidget in the chair. He was above me, sitting on the edge of the desk like that, with me in the chair, and I realized suddenly that it was deliberate. He was in a better position than I was, in more ways than one. I put a look of bravado and confidence on my face that I absolutely did not feel. "But I'm sure you're going to tell me."
He smiled. "Yes, I am. Actually, I found them all in the Black Ops unemployment line, desperate for work. I recruited the best in the country and I pay them astronomical amounts of money. I know the Initiative was destroyed, but why would you think no one would know about it? All it takes is one or two people to escape with a computer disc or two in their pockets. I do my homework, Spike, and it didn't take too long going through the records to find you. I know they'll like having their hands on you, even more than I would." I wasn't comfortable with the innuendo there.
"So, you know. They still can't give you what I can," I barreled along.
"Immortality? As what? A creature like you? A vampire? The only reason they aren't here with the steel mesh nets right now is because I wanted to find out a little more about you myself. I have seen a lot of things in my life, and I have done a lot. But a vampire? I wasn't sure I should believe everything I read on my laptop today."
I didn't care for his mention of steel mesh nets. I particularly didn't care for having threats aimed at me by this rich fag, no matter how thinly veiled. I stood abruptly, satisfied by the almost-flinch in his eyes at my unexpected movement. "You want me to show you?" I asked challengingly.
He looked down at the floor briefly, and I got the impression he was trying not to smile too broadly. When his head came back up, he had me pinned with those steely blue-gray eyes. "I know you can't hurt me. I am prepared, however, to defend myself," he told me, reaching around behind him to show me a cross he'd had hidden behind the laptop. He laid it leisurely across his crotch. Talk about warding off demons. Wasn't like I was planning on going there anyway, Farmboy lust be damned.
"So, what is this proposition you have for me, Spike? Why shouldn't I simply call the lab and have them come and get you?"
I started pacing then, wanting to keep him off guard. "It would take a bit more that that, Luthor. I wouldn't exactly be waiting around here for them when they came. I had a bloody good idea, and I came all this way to talk to you about it. Mutually beneficial, I think you'd say."
"So talk," he prompted, watching me intently. That was almost worse than sitting in the chair with him looking at me like some kind of lower life form. I could feel his steady gaze on every move my body made, and found that it disturbed me in places I didn't want to admit.
"Okay, here's the deal. " I shook off the invaded feelings and dove right in. "You have the scientists take out my chip. In return, I will turn you, and you can live out eternity as a billionaire."
"And how do I know you'll stick to this bargain after the chip is gone?"
"You'll just have to trust me. My word is my bond."
Lex laughed. "The word of a vampire? A demon? How stupid do you think I am? Do you think I didn't know what you were doing in the Talon last night? Watching us. I saw you coming a mile away, Spike. You're not exactly the most subtle person I've ever seen. I didn't get this far strictly on my father's coattails. I've dealt with him for over two decades - I'm not intimidated by you."
"I don't want you to be intimidated, just interested. Think about it. Imagine living forever; the women, the riches, the power."
"The Slayers." Lex added. "Yea, I know about them, too. Immortality may not be all it's cracked up to be. There are down sides to everything. Besides, it occurs to me, you want me to have your chip removed so, what? You can go out and kill people?"
"Well.yea," I said, more defensively than I liked. "I'd stay away from your loved ones. Whoever they are."
This statement caused him some kind of - something. He blinked. Quite noticeably. (Point for Spike. I rejoiced inwardly; he was not invulnerable.) I didn't think he was going to make a list of his loved ones for me any time soon. Best not to let the vampire know if you like boys. He just didn't realize the vampire already knew.
I almost smirked. "You know - your loved ones. Miss TooSweet at the Talon, little Blondie-girl, pretty Farmboy. Is there a lady of the house, by the way?"
He pushed off from the desk then, coming nearer to me than I thought he would feel comfortable doing. His eyes were hard, body tense and set, heating coming off him in waves that were almost overpowering. I had definitely hit a nerve.
"Don't threaten me, even obliquely. You can't go far enough away."
I almost stepped back, he was so intense, but I stood my ground.
"Are you going to think about it, or should I just push off and find someone else?" I asked seriously. I was ready to get the heck out Dodge if he said no.
He backed off. "I'll think about it. Come back tomorrow night. I'll have an answer then, one way or another." He headed back around the desk to his laptop. I was obviously being dismissed.
I turned to leave.
"Oh, by the way," Lex said, not even looking up from the desktop. "Love the coat!"