He touched the cold plastic then withdrew his hand sharply when the
telephone rang. He looked at Spike who simply returned his stare.
"Are you going to answer that?" He asked his blue eyes never leaving Angel's brown.
Angel picked up the receiver his voice as cold and hard as steel. "What?"
"Angel?" It was Wes he sounded puzzled. "Is everything okay?"
"I haven't called yet, what's up?" He sat down and waited to hear what Wesley had to say.
"Lindsey's firm are going to courier his files to him. He told them he was attacked last night and he wants to work on them from home. Gunn's taking him to his apartment now to wait for them. I thought you'd want to be kept informed."
"Yeah, thanks Wes. Let me know when they get back." Angel replied, pushing some of the scattered paperwork into a pile. He noticed an unopened envelope with his name on it amongst the mess and picked it up.
"Oy, poof. Maybe you'd like to conduct your business when there are less pressing matters at hand?" Spike watched as Angel pulled open the envelope, he shook his head and heaved an unnecessary sigh.
"Just wait, Spike." Angel snapped, he pulled out the letter, it was hand written on Wolfram & Hart stationery. Spike watched Angel's eyes scan the letter, then return to scan it again as though he hadn't taken it all in the first time.
Angel,
There is no time for me to fully explain the things that are going to take place, or how I came about the knowledge of them.
Please understand that the part I played was not my choice, had I known his intentions I would have defied Lord Meenotuk and faced my fate in his court. My only alternative is to take your place and this I do willingly.
My single regret is I have assisted in the plot against you, I can but pray my sacrifice will prove my loyalty.
May the Gods take pity on me.
Ariane
"What's that, the bill for the party?" Spike asked lightly noting Angel's furious expression.
"I don't believe this." He rose again, the rage, which had been simmering since his meeting with Lindsey, was now boiling over.
"Where the hell are you going now?" Spike rolled his eyes to the ceiling wondering if he was ever going to call the hospital.
"I need to see Wesley." Came his curt reply.
"What for?" Spike knew by Angel's tone that there was something he was missing.
"Ariane knew what was going on."
"I thought we had established that already." Spike stated following Angel out of his office and along the corridor to the elevators.
"No Spike, she was part of it. It's just been one huge scam. She practically admits it." Angel flapped the letter he was still carrying toward the wraith.
"Practically, or admits it, Angel, which is it?" Spike stopped walking and Angel halted along with him. "Ariane, try to kill you, Angel? I know you can be an almighty pain the arse, but I don't think she's capable of murder, let alone able to control people who could set a revenge crazy demon on you. I know she had you guy's all believing she'd never committed an unkind act in her life, but I'm not sure she'd go this far."
"What do you mean had all of "us" believing? What do you know that we don't? No, don't say another word, everyone needs to hear this." He strode purposefully to the elevators and did not speak again until they reached the ex-watchers office.
"Get everyone in here, now. Spike has something to tell us about Ariane."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lord Meenotuk sat uncomfortably in the chair. He couldn't understand why he had been summoned in the first instance, let alone be kept waiting like any common visitor.
The secretary behind the desk was eyeing him suspiciously as he fidgeted and wrung his clammy hands in anxious apprehension. He jumped as the telephone buzzed quietly and she answered it swiftly.
"Yes sir." She nodded and looked back at Lord Meenotuk smiling sweetly, too sweetly for his liking.
"Mister Savage will see you now." The woman stated pointing to the door on her right. He manoeuvred himself out of the chair with difficulty, rising and making his way to the huge oak double doors giving entrance to the inner office.
They swung open smoothly without any prompting from the Lord's outstretched hand. He drew it back and forced himself to step through into the gloom beyond, taking a deep calming breath, it would not do to show weakness with this man.
The sight that greeted him as the door drew back tore the breath from him. The body of a man slumped half out of a chair sat in front of a massive black marble desk, which looked more like a sacrificial alter than office furniture. A young, blonde haired man sat very still behind the desk with his hands clasped in front of him. He looked frighteningly calm for someone with a corpse in his office.
"Dispose of that would you, David." Mr Savage broke the silence, indicating the body to a dark suited man at his back. The man made no sound, but walked around the desk and casually lifted the corpse from the chair, the office door again swinging open without assistance.
Lord Meenotuk gasped as he recognised the contorted face of the dead man lying boneless over the shoulder of David. Father McBride looked as though he had been scared to death.
"The high price of failure Lord Meenotuk." Mr Savage looked at the grotesque figure, standing slack jawed and wide eyed by his office door, his own manner remained coldly professional. "Savage by name Savage by nature." The smile he displayed looked artificial as though his face was not given to wearing it often.
"Failure?" Lord Meenotuk squeaked.
"Ah, of course, you would not have heard the disturbing news regarding this mornings fiasco." His eyes bore into the simpering Lord like lasers. "Angel, the man you and that pathetic priest assured me would be nothing more than ashes before the sun rose this morning, is not only still undead and well at the helm of Wolfram & Hart, but is at this moment initiating an investigation into your clumsy assassination attempt."
"I don't understand. What went wrong? We had planned everything to the last detail." The fat man finally managed to stammer.
"What went wrong, my lecherous Lord, was the conduit you planted in Angel's office took it upon herself to save the man we wanted to kill. You assured me she would endear herself to him, so much so he would be willing to die to save her. It would appear you were mistaken regarding the strength of her abilities. Now Meenotuk I want to know what you are going to do rectify this disastrous situation?"
"I, well, I."
"Yes?" Savage smiled benevolently gazing at Lord Meenotuk as though he was mentally defective. "I'm sure given time you could devise a cunning scheme to redeem yourself, but I am afraid time is something I do not wish to waste listening to your procrastination's Lord Meenotuk." Savage gently opened his desk drawer and removed a small object from it, feeling its heat in his fist. He felt its hard edges and beautifully wicked points, he even fancied he could feel it vibrate in anticipation.
He held out the jet crystal in his flat palm and watched Lord Meenotuk pale as the reality of what was about to happen dawned in his terrified mind.
"This is my favourite part." Savage thought and this time when the smile crept onto his face the maliciousness appeared completely at ease there.
"No, please." Lord Meenotuk begged.
Ignoring his pleading, Savage began the ritual, "Ra un shi, ram un ka, me en kat un ra vay." The crystal began to spin on its end. Light, what little there was, reflected on its many facets, drawing the reluctant attention of the petrified aristocrat.
Over and over, Savage repeated the incantation, beginning to yell over the hellish shrieks of Lord Meenotuk. He watched enthralled, as at first the man before him seemed to shrink, to thin, as through the flesh beneath the skin was dissolving. Then he could see the bones of his scull through his almost transparent skin.
For such a large man the rite took a disappointingly short time. Within minutes he was reduced to little more than a pile of bone fragments and a voluminous dress. "The small pleasures of life are all too soon ended." Savage sighed as the stone ceased its spinning and fell on its side in his still open hand. He closed his fist around it, hoping to absorb some of its abundant power.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After Spike had finished talking everyone sat in silence, each contemplating their own feelings for Ariane, when Cordelia interrupted their musings.
"Does anyone else find all this just a teeny tiny bit convenient?" Cordelia asked the puzzled looking group. Angel, who was perched on the corner of Wes's desk with a metaphorical thundercloud hanging over him, didn't even raise his head to acknowledge her question. Wesley, Gunn, Fred and Lorne looked blankly back at her. Spike, for once remained quiet. Lindsey sat in a corner and poured over his notes ignoring all of them.
" Okay try to follow me here. Angel's feeling all lost, corporately speaking, then along comes this woman all sweetness and light and gives him everything he's looking for, present company excepted of course. Lorne gives her a home, Fred takes her shopping and Gunn even takes her to the movies. You all treated her like family, and you have known her what, three weeks? And no-one thought there was anything strange in that? Eh, Hello people. Then again it could just be my suspicious nature, or the fact that when ever anything seemingly good happens to us there's this huge ugly price tag attached." Cordelia's gift for stating the obvious had not diminished.
"Well, when you put it like that it's hard not to think there's something odd going on." Wesley pushed his glasses up on his nose and squared his shoulders. "Cordelia's right, we all took her at face value, she made us all think she was harmless."
"'Made' you all think she was harmless?" Spike scoffed. "What was it mass hypnosis or something?"
"Possibly, or a spell, there are several that would have just that effect and she did say she had studied many different cultures. Who's to say what she was doing to us." Wes shrugged.
"She made me sound like a country song." Gunn sulked.
"Yes, a very bad country song." Wesley agreed, nodding absently.
"Sorry to interrupt this fascinating insight into the who did what to whom debate, but I think I've found something." Lindsey stood and walked over to Wesley's desk laying a folder on it.
"How are you with anagrams Angel?" Angel made no comment, but glared and waited for the man to continue.
"Denmore - Lutok Developments, that's the company Father McBride told me was trying to buy up all the land around his church." Lindsey could see by the flicker in Angel's eyes he had worked it out.
"Lord Meenotuk. Sneaky, slimy, rotten, bast..."
"Wait, isn't it a little too simple? What possible reason could he have for trying to kill Angel?" Gunn enquired.
"I didn't say I had all the answers, but it's a start." Lindsey defended. "I've got a contact in Meenotuk's council, I'll call him and see what I can find out."
"Why would you have a contact there?" Angel asked puzzled.
"He has some of the best exotic dancers I've ever seen." Lindsey stated casually, he picked up Wesley's phone and dialled a number.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
While everyone listened to Lindsey's half of a telephone conversation, Spike sidled over to Lorne who sat looking gloomy. "Eh, Lorne, mate, could I have a word?" He muttered. Lorne stood and followed him into the corridor; it seemed Spike didn't want to be overheard.
"I'm looking for a favour and I'm guessing you're one of the only ones who's still interested. All things considered, Ariane's not exactly high on anyone's priority list right now." The demon looked at Spike and gave him a weary smile.
"Okay, we'll call from my office. I doubt anyone will notice we're gone." They made their way to Lorne's dark office. He turned on the light and sat behind his desk picking up the phone and asking the receptionist to connect him with the hospital. He waited and eventually was connected with the nurse's station.
"A friend was brought in early this morning with gun shot wounds. I'm trying to find out how she is? Her name is Ariane." He asked the female voice.
"Oh, I'm very sorry, she's gone." The voice informed him, Lorne couldn't breath, he couldn't think.
"Gone?" He struggled to speak and Spike's shocked face mirrored his own as he sat in the chair opposite.
"Yes sir, her brother discharged her just a few minutes ago. We did warn him about the dangers of moving her but he was very insistent."
"So she's not dead?"
"She was alive when she left here, that's all I can say." The nurse commented.
"Yes, thank you." Lorne hung up the phone with numb fingers, he put his head in his hands.
"Jesus, demon, are you going to tell me what's going on?" Spike yelled shooting out of the chair to Lorne's side.
"She's gone, I mean they said her brother came for her, does she have a brother?" He asked looking to Spike for answers.
"How the hell should I know." He fumed, "Even if she does, why would he take her out of the hospital in her condition?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lindsey hung up the phone with a curious look on his face. A look Angel found impossible to read. "What did you find out?" He asked when Lindsey didn't enlighten him.
"I should have guessed. Who else would want Wolfram & Hart in chaos and me implicated in a murder?"
"Okay, I give up, tell me."
"Mark Savage, of Savage Associates." Lindsey looked at Angel in shock. "You don't recognise the name? Christ, Angel, what have you been doing since you got here? Didn't anyone tell you about them, they're only your biggest competition."
"Competition for what?"
"Savage Associates, they're a law firm across town, Angel." Gunn explained. "I had the misfortune to lock horns with one of their guys about a month back. Bunch of bottom feeders and for lawyers that's saying something."
"Angel." Lorne stuck his head around the door "Do you have a second?" He enquired.
"We're kind of in the middle of something Lorne." He grunted.
"Yeah, I understand that, it's just.."
"Look wanker, we think someone's kidnapped Ariane." Spike yelled appearing in the middle of the room.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Apologies
First of all I'm sorry this Chapter took so long. Never try to juggle a husband, a three year old, Construction Industry Training Board Software training, Christmas shopping and Fanfiction. It's not pretty.
I should apologise to all of you who reviewed Chapters11 & 12. I thought by your comments, you were not enjoying the story. It took a friend to explain that perhaps you were all as sucked in by Ariane as the Fang Gang (perhaps?).
As I've stated before, this is the first time I've written anything and it's difficult to appreciate where comments are coming from, when people are reading something a chapter at a time as opposed to a whole story in it's entirety. Probably due to the fact that I know where I'm going with this and you don't yet.
I'm trying to stay objective when it comes to your reviews, but I feel kind of naked (metaphorically speaking) every time I post a chapter, but I'm not giving up on it.
I anxiously await your comments for Chapter 13.
Just Another Angel ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Imzadi: I hope I'm on the right track with Lindsey. It's been a while since I've seen him.
Celtic Cat: I won't quit, I'll stick it out.
GidgetGirl: I owe you an apology and I make it by dedicating the Savage/Meenotuk section of this chapter to you and your review of Chapter 12.
MysticWolf1: Under a spell? So you have been paying attention. Thanks so much.
Tariq: Buddha? Good one.
Samara(): Hi.
Kinoa: I'm taking it by your lack of response, you hated it. Sorry. (Imagine a pathetic shrug for me.)
"Are you going to answer that?" He asked his blue eyes never leaving Angel's brown.
Angel picked up the receiver his voice as cold and hard as steel. "What?"
"Angel?" It was Wes he sounded puzzled. "Is everything okay?"
"I haven't called yet, what's up?" He sat down and waited to hear what Wesley had to say.
"Lindsey's firm are going to courier his files to him. He told them he was attacked last night and he wants to work on them from home. Gunn's taking him to his apartment now to wait for them. I thought you'd want to be kept informed."
"Yeah, thanks Wes. Let me know when they get back." Angel replied, pushing some of the scattered paperwork into a pile. He noticed an unopened envelope with his name on it amongst the mess and picked it up.
"Oy, poof. Maybe you'd like to conduct your business when there are less pressing matters at hand?" Spike watched as Angel pulled open the envelope, he shook his head and heaved an unnecessary sigh.
"Just wait, Spike." Angel snapped, he pulled out the letter, it was hand written on Wolfram & Hart stationery. Spike watched Angel's eyes scan the letter, then return to scan it again as though he hadn't taken it all in the first time.
Angel,
There is no time for me to fully explain the things that are going to take place, or how I came about the knowledge of them.
Please understand that the part I played was not my choice, had I known his intentions I would have defied Lord Meenotuk and faced my fate in his court. My only alternative is to take your place and this I do willingly.
My single regret is I have assisted in the plot against you, I can but pray my sacrifice will prove my loyalty.
May the Gods take pity on me.
Ariane
"What's that, the bill for the party?" Spike asked lightly noting Angel's furious expression.
"I don't believe this." He rose again, the rage, which had been simmering since his meeting with Lindsey, was now boiling over.
"Where the hell are you going now?" Spike rolled his eyes to the ceiling wondering if he was ever going to call the hospital.
"I need to see Wesley." Came his curt reply.
"What for?" Spike knew by Angel's tone that there was something he was missing.
"Ariane knew what was going on."
"I thought we had established that already." Spike stated following Angel out of his office and along the corridor to the elevators.
"No Spike, she was part of it. It's just been one huge scam. She practically admits it." Angel flapped the letter he was still carrying toward the wraith.
"Practically, or admits it, Angel, which is it?" Spike stopped walking and Angel halted along with him. "Ariane, try to kill you, Angel? I know you can be an almighty pain the arse, but I don't think she's capable of murder, let alone able to control people who could set a revenge crazy demon on you. I know she had you guy's all believing she'd never committed an unkind act in her life, but I'm not sure she'd go this far."
"What do you mean had all of "us" believing? What do you know that we don't? No, don't say another word, everyone needs to hear this." He strode purposefully to the elevators and did not speak again until they reached the ex-watchers office.
"Get everyone in here, now. Spike has something to tell us about Ariane."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lord Meenotuk sat uncomfortably in the chair. He couldn't understand why he had been summoned in the first instance, let alone be kept waiting like any common visitor.
The secretary behind the desk was eyeing him suspiciously as he fidgeted and wrung his clammy hands in anxious apprehension. He jumped as the telephone buzzed quietly and she answered it swiftly.
"Yes sir." She nodded and looked back at Lord Meenotuk smiling sweetly, too sweetly for his liking.
"Mister Savage will see you now." The woman stated pointing to the door on her right. He manoeuvred himself out of the chair with difficulty, rising and making his way to the huge oak double doors giving entrance to the inner office.
They swung open smoothly without any prompting from the Lord's outstretched hand. He drew it back and forced himself to step through into the gloom beyond, taking a deep calming breath, it would not do to show weakness with this man.
The sight that greeted him as the door drew back tore the breath from him. The body of a man slumped half out of a chair sat in front of a massive black marble desk, which looked more like a sacrificial alter than office furniture. A young, blonde haired man sat very still behind the desk with his hands clasped in front of him. He looked frighteningly calm for someone with a corpse in his office.
"Dispose of that would you, David." Mr Savage broke the silence, indicating the body to a dark suited man at his back. The man made no sound, but walked around the desk and casually lifted the corpse from the chair, the office door again swinging open without assistance.
Lord Meenotuk gasped as he recognised the contorted face of the dead man lying boneless over the shoulder of David. Father McBride looked as though he had been scared to death.
"The high price of failure Lord Meenotuk." Mr Savage looked at the grotesque figure, standing slack jawed and wide eyed by his office door, his own manner remained coldly professional. "Savage by name Savage by nature." The smile he displayed looked artificial as though his face was not given to wearing it often.
"Failure?" Lord Meenotuk squeaked.
"Ah, of course, you would not have heard the disturbing news regarding this mornings fiasco." His eyes bore into the simpering Lord like lasers. "Angel, the man you and that pathetic priest assured me would be nothing more than ashes before the sun rose this morning, is not only still undead and well at the helm of Wolfram & Hart, but is at this moment initiating an investigation into your clumsy assassination attempt."
"I don't understand. What went wrong? We had planned everything to the last detail." The fat man finally managed to stammer.
"What went wrong, my lecherous Lord, was the conduit you planted in Angel's office took it upon herself to save the man we wanted to kill. You assured me she would endear herself to him, so much so he would be willing to die to save her. It would appear you were mistaken regarding the strength of her abilities. Now Meenotuk I want to know what you are going to do rectify this disastrous situation?"
"I, well, I."
"Yes?" Savage smiled benevolently gazing at Lord Meenotuk as though he was mentally defective. "I'm sure given time you could devise a cunning scheme to redeem yourself, but I am afraid time is something I do not wish to waste listening to your procrastination's Lord Meenotuk." Savage gently opened his desk drawer and removed a small object from it, feeling its heat in his fist. He felt its hard edges and beautifully wicked points, he even fancied he could feel it vibrate in anticipation.
He held out the jet crystal in his flat palm and watched Lord Meenotuk pale as the reality of what was about to happen dawned in his terrified mind.
"This is my favourite part." Savage thought and this time when the smile crept onto his face the maliciousness appeared completely at ease there.
"No, please." Lord Meenotuk begged.
Ignoring his pleading, Savage began the ritual, "Ra un shi, ram un ka, me en kat un ra vay." The crystal began to spin on its end. Light, what little there was, reflected on its many facets, drawing the reluctant attention of the petrified aristocrat.
Over and over, Savage repeated the incantation, beginning to yell over the hellish shrieks of Lord Meenotuk. He watched enthralled, as at first the man before him seemed to shrink, to thin, as through the flesh beneath the skin was dissolving. Then he could see the bones of his scull through his almost transparent skin.
For such a large man the rite took a disappointingly short time. Within minutes he was reduced to little more than a pile of bone fragments and a voluminous dress. "The small pleasures of life are all too soon ended." Savage sighed as the stone ceased its spinning and fell on its side in his still open hand. He closed his fist around it, hoping to absorb some of its abundant power.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After Spike had finished talking everyone sat in silence, each contemplating their own feelings for Ariane, when Cordelia interrupted their musings.
"Does anyone else find all this just a teeny tiny bit convenient?" Cordelia asked the puzzled looking group. Angel, who was perched on the corner of Wes's desk with a metaphorical thundercloud hanging over him, didn't even raise his head to acknowledge her question. Wesley, Gunn, Fred and Lorne looked blankly back at her. Spike, for once remained quiet. Lindsey sat in a corner and poured over his notes ignoring all of them.
" Okay try to follow me here. Angel's feeling all lost, corporately speaking, then along comes this woman all sweetness and light and gives him everything he's looking for, present company excepted of course. Lorne gives her a home, Fred takes her shopping and Gunn even takes her to the movies. You all treated her like family, and you have known her what, three weeks? And no-one thought there was anything strange in that? Eh, Hello people. Then again it could just be my suspicious nature, or the fact that when ever anything seemingly good happens to us there's this huge ugly price tag attached." Cordelia's gift for stating the obvious had not diminished.
"Well, when you put it like that it's hard not to think there's something odd going on." Wesley pushed his glasses up on his nose and squared his shoulders. "Cordelia's right, we all took her at face value, she made us all think she was harmless."
"'Made' you all think she was harmless?" Spike scoffed. "What was it mass hypnosis or something?"
"Possibly, or a spell, there are several that would have just that effect and she did say she had studied many different cultures. Who's to say what she was doing to us." Wes shrugged.
"She made me sound like a country song." Gunn sulked.
"Yes, a very bad country song." Wesley agreed, nodding absently.
"Sorry to interrupt this fascinating insight into the who did what to whom debate, but I think I've found something." Lindsey stood and walked over to Wesley's desk laying a folder on it.
"How are you with anagrams Angel?" Angel made no comment, but glared and waited for the man to continue.
"Denmore - Lutok Developments, that's the company Father McBride told me was trying to buy up all the land around his church." Lindsey could see by the flicker in Angel's eyes he had worked it out.
"Lord Meenotuk. Sneaky, slimy, rotten, bast..."
"Wait, isn't it a little too simple? What possible reason could he have for trying to kill Angel?" Gunn enquired.
"I didn't say I had all the answers, but it's a start." Lindsey defended. "I've got a contact in Meenotuk's council, I'll call him and see what I can find out."
"Why would you have a contact there?" Angel asked puzzled.
"He has some of the best exotic dancers I've ever seen." Lindsey stated casually, he picked up Wesley's phone and dialled a number.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
While everyone listened to Lindsey's half of a telephone conversation, Spike sidled over to Lorne who sat looking gloomy. "Eh, Lorne, mate, could I have a word?" He muttered. Lorne stood and followed him into the corridor; it seemed Spike didn't want to be overheard.
"I'm looking for a favour and I'm guessing you're one of the only ones who's still interested. All things considered, Ariane's not exactly high on anyone's priority list right now." The demon looked at Spike and gave him a weary smile.
"Okay, we'll call from my office. I doubt anyone will notice we're gone." They made their way to Lorne's dark office. He turned on the light and sat behind his desk picking up the phone and asking the receptionist to connect him with the hospital. He waited and eventually was connected with the nurse's station.
"A friend was brought in early this morning with gun shot wounds. I'm trying to find out how she is? Her name is Ariane." He asked the female voice.
"Oh, I'm very sorry, she's gone." The voice informed him, Lorne couldn't breath, he couldn't think.
"Gone?" He struggled to speak and Spike's shocked face mirrored his own as he sat in the chair opposite.
"Yes sir, her brother discharged her just a few minutes ago. We did warn him about the dangers of moving her but he was very insistent."
"So she's not dead?"
"She was alive when she left here, that's all I can say." The nurse commented.
"Yes, thank you." Lorne hung up the phone with numb fingers, he put his head in his hands.
"Jesus, demon, are you going to tell me what's going on?" Spike yelled shooting out of the chair to Lorne's side.
"She's gone, I mean they said her brother came for her, does she have a brother?" He asked looking to Spike for answers.
"How the hell should I know." He fumed, "Even if she does, why would he take her out of the hospital in her condition?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lindsey hung up the phone with a curious look on his face. A look Angel found impossible to read. "What did you find out?" He asked when Lindsey didn't enlighten him.
"I should have guessed. Who else would want Wolfram & Hart in chaos and me implicated in a murder?"
"Okay, I give up, tell me."
"Mark Savage, of Savage Associates." Lindsey looked at Angel in shock. "You don't recognise the name? Christ, Angel, what have you been doing since you got here? Didn't anyone tell you about them, they're only your biggest competition."
"Competition for what?"
"Savage Associates, they're a law firm across town, Angel." Gunn explained. "I had the misfortune to lock horns with one of their guys about a month back. Bunch of bottom feeders and for lawyers that's saying something."
"Angel." Lorne stuck his head around the door "Do you have a second?" He enquired.
"We're kind of in the middle of something Lorne." He grunted.
"Yeah, I understand that, it's just.."
"Look wanker, we think someone's kidnapped Ariane." Spike yelled appearing in the middle of the room.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Apologies
First of all I'm sorry this Chapter took so long. Never try to juggle a husband, a three year old, Construction Industry Training Board Software training, Christmas shopping and Fanfiction. It's not pretty.
I should apologise to all of you who reviewed Chapters11 & 12. I thought by your comments, you were not enjoying the story. It took a friend to explain that perhaps you were all as sucked in by Ariane as the Fang Gang (perhaps?).
As I've stated before, this is the first time I've written anything and it's difficult to appreciate where comments are coming from, when people are reading something a chapter at a time as opposed to a whole story in it's entirety. Probably due to the fact that I know where I'm going with this and you don't yet.
I'm trying to stay objective when it comes to your reviews, but I feel kind of naked (metaphorically speaking) every time I post a chapter, but I'm not giving up on it.
I anxiously await your comments for Chapter 13.
Just Another Angel ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Imzadi: I hope I'm on the right track with Lindsey. It's been a while since I've seen him.
Celtic Cat: I won't quit, I'll stick it out.
GidgetGirl: I owe you an apology and I make it by dedicating the Savage/Meenotuk section of this chapter to you and your review of Chapter 12.
MysticWolf1: Under a spell? So you have been paying attention. Thanks so much.
Tariq: Buddha? Good one.
Samara(): Hi.
Kinoa: I'm taking it by your lack of response, you hated it. Sorry. (Imagine a pathetic shrug for me.)