CHANGE OF SPACE 2
By Annie
Summary: Lex arrives in Sunnydale Rated: R Disclaimer: Still not mine. Feedback: crehnert@ptd.net
2
I usually got a lot of paperwork done on flights. Long or short, it never mattered. Somehow, the quiet movement of the plane was soothing to me, allowed me to calm the background business of my brain and do the tasks at hand. This flight I had set aside for reading over the various written reports I had asked my scientists to write. Reports on their prior work in the Initiative, Sunnydale, the Slayer, Hostile 17 and anything else they may have come upon in what they termed The Hellmouth. One of them, quaky and nervous in his coke bottle glasses, had even ventured to warn me away from going there to see it firsthand, which he was assuming, and rightly, was the plan.
I didn't really give a fuck about the Slayer or the demons that were reported to appear there on an apocalyptically regular basis. I wanted to find Spike. I wanted to..well, I knew what I wanted and it didn't have a damned thing to do with any Slayer interviews. Whether Spike had gone back there or not, it was the first place I would have to look. I just had to figure out how to go about it when I got there.
Things started out badly. I had to rent a Sebring convertible, which was the best car the rental place at the small airport had. At least it looked nice, although the least expensive car in my garage would put it to total shame. It was gray, which was also okay. I didn't want to draw any unwanted attention to myself.
The best hotel in town was merely adequate, but I wasn't there to sleep, after all. The only question in my mind was where to look for Spike. If he was even here, the odds of finding him weren't the best. However, cash would loosen tongues, and how many men in town could possibly look like him?
There weren't any stylish bars around, and I really didn't feel like getting rolled in an alley, so that first night was a bust. Except for that feeling. That quiet pull inside me that made me think he was here. Somewhere. Maybe we had a connection. All I know is I tossed and turned relentlessly that night, finally sleeping near dawn, the feeling of cold flesh on mine and teeth in my throat uppermost in my mind.
I had a less than adequate breakfast, and then took a lazy walk through what passed as the business section, noting at least a hundred things they could all do to bring in more customers. I entered a few stores curiously, and wound up in the Magic Box. This place, at least, had some interesting artifacts to browse through. The bright young thing at the counter kept her eye on me as I walked around the displays slowly, only occasionally paying attention to the older, more cultured man who was obviously the owner.
He finally decided that I looked like I needed help.
"Good morning. Can I assist you in finding something?" he greeted me, distinctly British. The sound of it brought the vampire instantly to the forefront of my thoughts again.
I smiled coolly. "Just looking around. I'm passing through town on a business trip, and there isn't actually much to see. Is there?"
He looked a bit insulted at that, and blinked just once. 'Well, we've a very nice town here, and I'd be happy to direct you to the better restaurants.."
"I'm sure there aren't any," I replied, just as the blonde behind the counter put her two cents in.
"The Bronze." She said enthusiastically.
"Excuse me?" I inquired.
"The Bronze," she repeated, more confidently now, as she had my full attention. "Everyone goes there. There isn't anywhere else to go. They have food and alcohol. Many people go there to imbibe and initiate sex. They have pool tables."
She seemed quite enthusiastic, and I wondered if the pool tables had anything to do with the sex.
"And this megaplex of sin is located.?" I asked her.
She smiled brightly and glanced smugly at her boss. "It's ten percent off everything in the store today for new customers who need directions."
I glanced around purely for show, then turned back to her and smiled. "I don't have any real use for anything here, although I would be willing to buy one or two rare books, if you have any. I see you do have books in the back there. I have an extensive library and I like to add to it often."
She continued smiling. "All of the best books are for resea.aren't for sale. They belong to Mr. Giles there. But we do have some rare editions you might like." With that, she all but ran out from behind the counter to direct me to the shelf where they kept the books for sale. She had obviously been meaning to say research when she caught herself, and I wondered why that was something I wasn't supposed to know.
I noted with amusement that she only showed me the tomes with the highest price tags, and I bought two interesting-looking books in deference to her inhuman enthusiasm.
When I handed her my credit card, she did a double take. "Giles. Giles come here!"
He hurried over to the counter to see what she was so excited about. "What is it now, Anya?" he asked, a bit irritably, I thought.
"It's Lex Luthor! Here in the Magic Box! In our store! I knew you looked familiar!" She gazed back up at me raptly. "How much money have you actually accumulated?"
I was a bit taken aback by that, as was Mr. Giles.
"Anya! Don't ask tacky questions," he chided her, shaking his head and walking away. "And I knew who he was the minute he walked through the door." She glared after him.
"Well, he's like, the most famous capitalist in the universe!" She turned back to me again, running my card through the machine and bagging my purchases carefully. "You're my idol!" she informed me gaily, as she handed me the bag.
I smiled as I took it from her. "And my directions?" I reminded her.
"Oh, yes. In all the excitement, I forgot. Wait till I tell Xander! Are you going to the Bronze tonight? We could see you there, and then Xander won't think I'm delusional."
"Yes, Anya, I will most likely go to the Bronze tonight. Which is where?"
She laughed and then actually managed to tell me the way.
So I had lunch, as inadequate as breakfast had been, and then I settled in my room to make a lot of business calls and wait for it to be time to get ready for the Bronze.
By Annie
Summary: Lex arrives in Sunnydale Rated: R Disclaimer: Still not mine. Feedback: crehnert@ptd.net
2
I usually got a lot of paperwork done on flights. Long or short, it never mattered. Somehow, the quiet movement of the plane was soothing to me, allowed me to calm the background business of my brain and do the tasks at hand. This flight I had set aside for reading over the various written reports I had asked my scientists to write. Reports on their prior work in the Initiative, Sunnydale, the Slayer, Hostile 17 and anything else they may have come upon in what they termed The Hellmouth. One of them, quaky and nervous in his coke bottle glasses, had even ventured to warn me away from going there to see it firsthand, which he was assuming, and rightly, was the plan.
I didn't really give a fuck about the Slayer or the demons that were reported to appear there on an apocalyptically regular basis. I wanted to find Spike. I wanted to..well, I knew what I wanted and it didn't have a damned thing to do with any Slayer interviews. Whether Spike had gone back there or not, it was the first place I would have to look. I just had to figure out how to go about it when I got there.
Things started out badly. I had to rent a Sebring convertible, which was the best car the rental place at the small airport had. At least it looked nice, although the least expensive car in my garage would put it to total shame. It was gray, which was also okay. I didn't want to draw any unwanted attention to myself.
The best hotel in town was merely adequate, but I wasn't there to sleep, after all. The only question in my mind was where to look for Spike. If he was even here, the odds of finding him weren't the best. However, cash would loosen tongues, and how many men in town could possibly look like him?
There weren't any stylish bars around, and I really didn't feel like getting rolled in an alley, so that first night was a bust. Except for that feeling. That quiet pull inside me that made me think he was here. Somewhere. Maybe we had a connection. All I know is I tossed and turned relentlessly that night, finally sleeping near dawn, the feeling of cold flesh on mine and teeth in my throat uppermost in my mind.
I had a less than adequate breakfast, and then took a lazy walk through what passed as the business section, noting at least a hundred things they could all do to bring in more customers. I entered a few stores curiously, and wound up in the Magic Box. This place, at least, had some interesting artifacts to browse through. The bright young thing at the counter kept her eye on me as I walked around the displays slowly, only occasionally paying attention to the older, more cultured man who was obviously the owner.
He finally decided that I looked like I needed help.
"Good morning. Can I assist you in finding something?" he greeted me, distinctly British. The sound of it brought the vampire instantly to the forefront of my thoughts again.
I smiled coolly. "Just looking around. I'm passing through town on a business trip, and there isn't actually much to see. Is there?"
He looked a bit insulted at that, and blinked just once. 'Well, we've a very nice town here, and I'd be happy to direct you to the better restaurants.."
"I'm sure there aren't any," I replied, just as the blonde behind the counter put her two cents in.
"The Bronze." She said enthusiastically.
"Excuse me?" I inquired.
"The Bronze," she repeated, more confidently now, as she had my full attention. "Everyone goes there. There isn't anywhere else to go. They have food and alcohol. Many people go there to imbibe and initiate sex. They have pool tables."
She seemed quite enthusiastic, and I wondered if the pool tables had anything to do with the sex.
"And this megaplex of sin is located.?" I asked her.
She smiled brightly and glanced smugly at her boss. "It's ten percent off everything in the store today for new customers who need directions."
I glanced around purely for show, then turned back to her and smiled. "I don't have any real use for anything here, although I would be willing to buy one or two rare books, if you have any. I see you do have books in the back there. I have an extensive library and I like to add to it often."
She continued smiling. "All of the best books are for resea.aren't for sale. They belong to Mr. Giles there. But we do have some rare editions you might like." With that, she all but ran out from behind the counter to direct me to the shelf where they kept the books for sale. She had obviously been meaning to say research when she caught herself, and I wondered why that was something I wasn't supposed to know.
I noted with amusement that she only showed me the tomes with the highest price tags, and I bought two interesting-looking books in deference to her inhuman enthusiasm.
When I handed her my credit card, she did a double take. "Giles. Giles come here!"
He hurried over to the counter to see what she was so excited about. "What is it now, Anya?" he asked, a bit irritably, I thought.
"It's Lex Luthor! Here in the Magic Box! In our store! I knew you looked familiar!" She gazed back up at me raptly. "How much money have you actually accumulated?"
I was a bit taken aback by that, as was Mr. Giles.
"Anya! Don't ask tacky questions," he chided her, shaking his head and walking away. "And I knew who he was the minute he walked through the door." She glared after him.
"Well, he's like, the most famous capitalist in the universe!" She turned back to me again, running my card through the machine and bagging my purchases carefully. "You're my idol!" she informed me gaily, as she handed me the bag.
I smiled as I took it from her. "And my directions?" I reminded her.
"Oh, yes. In all the excitement, I forgot. Wait till I tell Xander! Are you going to the Bronze tonight? We could see you there, and then Xander won't think I'm delusional."
"Yes, Anya, I will most likely go to the Bronze tonight. Which is where?"
She laughed and then actually managed to tell me the way.
So I had lunch, as inadequate as breakfast had been, and then I settled in my room to make a lot of business calls and wait for it to be time to get ready for the Bronze.
