Chapter 7
William pulled the cell phone out of his shirt pocket and snapped it open with ease.
"William speaking." He sharply spoke into the phone before the person on the other line could comment.
"Uh. Mr. Dale," the voice started with trepidation
William immediately identified the old man's voice, "Jonehson, didn't I already inform you not to call me today until after lunch?"
"Sorry sir, but."
"But what?" William venomously cut him off.
"You just. you can't do this. It's unmoral, you can't buy out Kai Corp."
William eyes narrowed at Jonehson's insolent behavior, "You don't have the authority to call off this project, much less to lay the moral burden on me."
"You can't just buy the company and then destroy it! Damn it man, you're going to put 20,000 in Kyoto out of a job!"
William walked stood up and walked away from the table where everyone was staring at him. When he was sure he was out of hearing range from the group, he hissed into the phone. "Do I sound like I give a shit if 20,000 people loose their job. Maybe you should be more concerned about your job than theirs."
William left the end unsaid, knowing that Jonehson knew his meaning.
Jonehson sputtered at the other end, William could tell he was furious. " How dare you speak like that to your elders, I have been helping your fathe- "
"I'm not my father." William cut him off.
"No, you are a monster." Jonehson hissed.
William looked at the phone with a bored expression and turned it off without finish the conversation.
Then dialed another number.
"Andrew." William spoke to the project leader.
"Yes sir?"
"Continue with the take over of Kai Corp, I'm in charge of the project, not that old man. Don't underestimate how expendable you are."
"Yes sir," Andrew squeaked on the other line.
"Good, now tell Jonehson to clean out his desk, he's fired."
After those last words William abruptly shut off his phone and returned to the table.
William sheepishly shrugged, "Sorry about that, I told them not to call me in the middle of lunch."
Everyone else nodded with a few 'it's okay's, everyone except Angel. Angel had heard the entire conversation with his enhanced hearing and now he was growling softly while glaring at William.
William continued with his polite conversation as their meals were brought to them. Finally, unable to stand William's false exterior. Angel banged his hand on the table.
"I can't stand it anymore!" Angel shouted.
Instantly Marci and the 3 bodyguards had their guns pointed directly at Angel. William called them off and returned to his meal.
"What are you talking about Angel?" William asked innocently
Angel abruptly stood up and William held out his hand, to keep Marci from pulling out her gun.
Angel glared at William, "You're a monster, how could you do that?!"
Giles looked up at Angel, "Do what?"
"He's firing 20,000 people for no reason."
Buffy's face dropped, horrified and in disgust. "What?"
Cordy, "I'm sure there's a good reason."
"Of course there's reason," William retorted, "It's business."
Gunn frowned, "That's just sick man."
Tommy started to cry at the out outbursts, so Xander tended to him instead of throw out one of his usual spiteful comments. Anya looked worriedly at her child. "Can you guys please calm down? You're scaring Tommy."
Dawn was holding her sister's arm and telling her to "cool it" and Wesley was trying to do the same with Giles and Angel.
"You bloody pillock, 'just business'? Do you understand ."
William didn't look up, "This happen all the time, in every company. You just don't see it on the news very often because it's bad PR. Believe me, this is a run of the mill buy out, nothing special about it."
"You're throwing away lives like their nothing. All those families." Angel started.
William stood up and threw down his napkin. "I've had quite enough. It seems I've overstayed my welcome. "
Then he turned to a worried Cordy. "Don't worry about it Ms. Chase, I'll still cover the expenses. I'll call you, I hope we can meet again under. less hostile circumstances."
After that, William started for the stares with his bodyguards in tow and swiftly left the restaurant.
Once the group saw William leave in the limo, Cordy lashed out at Angel. "What the hell was that?!"
"He's going to."
"I know what he's going to do! And if you have heard of business strategies, he was right. This is very common!" Cordy shouted at him.
Angel glared at her, " You're taking his side because you like him."
"What?!"
"We all saw you flirting outrageously with him!"
"Why do you care?"
"Because I like you." Angel trailed off as he turned to Buffy and gasped, realizing he had accidentally let out his secret.
Buffy quietly stood up with her gaze cast down and she ran out of the restaurant in tears. Dawn and the rest of the Scoobies quickly ran after her, leaving only Angel's team.
Cordelia folded her arms, "Did you satisfy your green-eyed monster now?"
Angel growled as he left the restaurant. Gunn and Fred quickly followed him.
Cordy sighed as she put her elbows on the table and leaned her head into her palms. Wesley stood up and comforted her, "Look, I don't think William's a bad person and I don't think you ruined everything. He said he's meet you again later. You are right though, everyone could tell that Angel was jealous."
Cordy sighed and Wesley helped her up.
Cordy sighed, "Why does my life have to be such a mess?"
Wesley shook his head, not knowing the answer.
As Cordy stood up she stumbled over William's magazine. "Oh he dropped this." Cordy muttered, "I'll give it back to him the next time I see him."
~~~
William got back to his office and helped follow through with the rest of the buy out. Then he immediately fired Jonehson after he called a group of representatives to go to Kyoto to implement his new policies.
It was frustrating day, not that he wanted to admit that Cordy's hostile friend got to him. But for once in his entire life, he felt lonely. He always had Leng and her family and Owen. But it wasn't really that. They were family. But Cory, she was a friend. He never really had friends, not even in college, he was the odd ball out. The guy with no memory of his past, no real memory and the bookworm; not to mention most of the people hated him because he always forced the grading curve up with his near perfect scores. After he had gotten rich, suddenly there were all these people who wanted to be his 'friends' to leech off of him. He liked being around Cordy, she didn't even know who he was, she was just. nice to him with no reason or motive. Wesley was courteous too, but not as nice. as well. But their friends seemed a little edgy.
Slowly, William's mental rambling slowed as he fell asleep at his desk.
~~~
There was the soft sound of hard breathing, but he didn't need to breathe.
Suddenly there was a flash in the lush green trees, he readied his bow and arrows. The creature leaped out of the shadows and charged at him in fury, it's sickening purple worms squirmed around it's enormous body.
'Quickly, I have to run faster. Faster. It's gaining.'
Three arrows are shot. Two bounce off of the creature's body, but one strikes right in the eye
'Now, I'm too close, but I can see its eyes. Better opportunity now than ever. '
One more arrow flies and blinds the other eye. The creature stops and falls where it stands. Some of the violet worm-like substance lands on my left wrist. It stings like acid.
Soon the outer-layer of worms fall off the monsters body, leaving a unrecognizable humanoid. Its flesh has been eaten away. The humanoid screams in agony and rants in an unknown language. Then the rest of the body rots away in seconds, including the bones, leaving a sickening stench in the air.
Death is thick in the air. Suddenly the pain in my arm increases ten folds, the violet worms are still on my wrist, eating away. I scream in agony and fall on my side. Leng rushes over with a large jar of cold water. The violet worms are washed off, but these brown stains are still there. I can feel it still there, the pain and the darkness. It's eating away inside. Can't breathe. Can't see. Can't scream.
~~~ William suddenly woke up from his nightmare. He was covered in a light sheen of sweat.
'Shit, he's remembering' he thought. Quickly, he dialed Leng's number.
"Hello?"
"Leng, It's me." William said, slightly panicked.
"What's wrong." She asked, although she had an inkling of what might be wrong.
"He's remembering, I need you to make that potion again."
Leng sighed, "I don't know, is he not ready yet? I mean constantly dosing you every half a year can't be very healthy."
"Look, it's either that or he'll go insane again. And no, he's not ready, he's more unstable now than ever, I don't know why though."
Leng nodded, "Alright, but I can't leave until next week. Right now I'm constantly on call. Look, just try to cool down. Make sure he's okay. Maybe you can make him sleep for a bit."
William sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair. "I'll see you soon."
"Alright. Goodbye."
"Bye."
~~~~ 'I need to keep my mind off of things.' William thought as he swiftly trotted down to the garage. He fingered the keys to his new black Ferrari as he approached the car.
He quickly got in and sped out of the building. 'Perhaps a drive down south of L.A. will do me some good.'
~~~
Aoide silently cried as she limped along the freeway. She had one hand out, hoping that someone would stop and help her. In her other hand, she cradled her semiconscious cat. He had fainted earlier because of dehydration and then a speeding truck had forced her off the road. He bike was ruined and he left leg was bleeding profusely. But that was the last thing on her mind.
'I can't let Koko die, he's my best friend. I need to get him to a vet.' Aoide let out another sob.
She had left her bike a few miles back. She wasn't too far from L.A., but she wasn't close either. Her right arm wavered a little, sore from holding it up for the last two hours.
Suddenly a sleek back car pulled over behind her and a man with dark blond hair got out.
~~~
The first thing that William had noticed was that the girl was bleeding very badly, the second was that she was holding a small black bundle. Quickly, William pulled over and rushed to the girl.
"Come one lets get you the hospital." William led her towards his car and made her sit down in the passenger seat. He quickly popped the trunk oven and pulled out a blanket and then he ran back and tied the blanket around her leg to staunch the bleeding.
The girl whimpered and William looked up at her. "Don't worry, you'll be okay soon."
She shook her head. "I'll be okay, can we go to the vet first?"
William suddenly realized that the black bundle was actually a cat.
He nodded as he quickly ran around to the driver's seat and they sped off to the closest vet.
~~~
By the time the vet came back from the examination room, Aoide had already healed totally.
'Just like a slayer.' William thought. At first when he picked up the girl he hadn't realized that the girl was one. But after a while in the waiting room, he could sense it. She was surprisingly calm and quiet for a slayer. Most slayers were more outgoing since they were more hyperactive. 'Must be all that adrenaline constantly rushing through their veins.'
Later when he had taken her to the restroom to clean her wound, he found that it was fading rather quickly, like I should have taken a week later instead of hours later. Aoide had looked away sheepishly and she had whispered, "I'm special. Please, don't tell."
He had agreed, but he also knew that he had to find a way to hold onto her. There had to be a reason why Lucifer wanted her and he was the only person who could keep her out of Lucifer's hands. And perhaps, get some answers.
The doctor was talking to Aoide and from the smile on her face, he knew that the girl's cat was alright. Her green eyes shined like emeralds. She was. pretty, exotic and well. very gypsy looking. But he felt nothing, he knew she was beautiful, but he really didn't react to her at all.
He watched Aoide follow the doctor and walk out with the still unconscious cat. Later, at the desk, without any question or comment, he paid for the expenses of the care.
Now, they were silently walking to his car.
Aoide spoke up, "Thank you. I'll find a way to pay you back, as soon as I find a job."
'There!' William thought, 'I can make her stay that way.'
"I don't want you to pay me back," William started, "I would like you to stay with me for a little, help me out with a few things. I'm a very busy man, money doesn't much to me, but I would like someone to help me with some errands here and there."
Aoide gaped.
"I know, earlier you told me you wanted to go to San Francisco. But here, I'm offering you a job. If you really want to, you can pay me back using the money you earn from working for me."
"You mean it?" Aoide whispered.
"Yes I do. I also know you're special. With my resources, I can protect you. If you think about it: if someone else were to find out about your abilities, what's to stop them from turning you over to the government and dissecting you."
Aoide shuddered. "What's stopping you from doing the same?"
William smiled and cryptically answered, "Because I'm special too."
~~~~
Lilah fumed silently in her apartment for the millionth time, only her and about ten other associates hadn't been killed in the massacre. Everything was gone, Lindsay was dead too. She had survived because she had gone out during that time for a few drinks. But when she returned, blood was all over the ground and the entire Wolfram and Hart building was destroyed, even the 'white room'. Then she saw Angel and his team come from that direction and then walk away in a hurry.
Damn him! Angel and all he cared about would pay.
~~~ Cont.
Note: Ah. yes, it turns out that I did want to include Connor after seeing a few episodes of Angel. I'll try to fill in a few things for those who don't watch.
William pulled the cell phone out of his shirt pocket and snapped it open with ease.
"William speaking." He sharply spoke into the phone before the person on the other line could comment.
"Uh. Mr. Dale," the voice started with trepidation
William immediately identified the old man's voice, "Jonehson, didn't I already inform you not to call me today until after lunch?"
"Sorry sir, but."
"But what?" William venomously cut him off.
"You just. you can't do this. It's unmoral, you can't buy out Kai Corp."
William eyes narrowed at Jonehson's insolent behavior, "You don't have the authority to call off this project, much less to lay the moral burden on me."
"You can't just buy the company and then destroy it! Damn it man, you're going to put 20,000 in Kyoto out of a job!"
William walked stood up and walked away from the table where everyone was staring at him. When he was sure he was out of hearing range from the group, he hissed into the phone. "Do I sound like I give a shit if 20,000 people loose their job. Maybe you should be more concerned about your job than theirs."
William left the end unsaid, knowing that Jonehson knew his meaning.
Jonehson sputtered at the other end, William could tell he was furious. " How dare you speak like that to your elders, I have been helping your fathe- "
"I'm not my father." William cut him off.
"No, you are a monster." Jonehson hissed.
William looked at the phone with a bored expression and turned it off without finish the conversation.
Then dialed another number.
"Andrew." William spoke to the project leader.
"Yes sir?"
"Continue with the take over of Kai Corp, I'm in charge of the project, not that old man. Don't underestimate how expendable you are."
"Yes sir," Andrew squeaked on the other line.
"Good, now tell Jonehson to clean out his desk, he's fired."
After those last words William abruptly shut off his phone and returned to the table.
William sheepishly shrugged, "Sorry about that, I told them not to call me in the middle of lunch."
Everyone else nodded with a few 'it's okay's, everyone except Angel. Angel had heard the entire conversation with his enhanced hearing and now he was growling softly while glaring at William.
William continued with his polite conversation as their meals were brought to them. Finally, unable to stand William's false exterior. Angel banged his hand on the table.
"I can't stand it anymore!" Angel shouted.
Instantly Marci and the 3 bodyguards had their guns pointed directly at Angel. William called them off and returned to his meal.
"What are you talking about Angel?" William asked innocently
Angel abruptly stood up and William held out his hand, to keep Marci from pulling out her gun.
Angel glared at William, "You're a monster, how could you do that?!"
Giles looked up at Angel, "Do what?"
"He's firing 20,000 people for no reason."
Buffy's face dropped, horrified and in disgust. "What?"
Cordy, "I'm sure there's a good reason."
"Of course there's reason," William retorted, "It's business."
Gunn frowned, "That's just sick man."
Tommy started to cry at the out outbursts, so Xander tended to him instead of throw out one of his usual spiteful comments. Anya looked worriedly at her child. "Can you guys please calm down? You're scaring Tommy."
Dawn was holding her sister's arm and telling her to "cool it" and Wesley was trying to do the same with Giles and Angel.
"You bloody pillock, 'just business'? Do you understand ."
William didn't look up, "This happen all the time, in every company. You just don't see it on the news very often because it's bad PR. Believe me, this is a run of the mill buy out, nothing special about it."
"You're throwing away lives like their nothing. All those families." Angel started.
William stood up and threw down his napkin. "I've had quite enough. It seems I've overstayed my welcome. "
Then he turned to a worried Cordy. "Don't worry about it Ms. Chase, I'll still cover the expenses. I'll call you, I hope we can meet again under. less hostile circumstances."
After that, William started for the stares with his bodyguards in tow and swiftly left the restaurant.
Once the group saw William leave in the limo, Cordy lashed out at Angel. "What the hell was that?!"
"He's going to."
"I know what he's going to do! And if you have heard of business strategies, he was right. This is very common!" Cordy shouted at him.
Angel glared at her, " You're taking his side because you like him."
"What?!"
"We all saw you flirting outrageously with him!"
"Why do you care?"
"Because I like you." Angel trailed off as he turned to Buffy and gasped, realizing he had accidentally let out his secret.
Buffy quietly stood up with her gaze cast down and she ran out of the restaurant in tears. Dawn and the rest of the Scoobies quickly ran after her, leaving only Angel's team.
Cordelia folded her arms, "Did you satisfy your green-eyed monster now?"
Angel growled as he left the restaurant. Gunn and Fred quickly followed him.
Cordy sighed as she put her elbows on the table and leaned her head into her palms. Wesley stood up and comforted her, "Look, I don't think William's a bad person and I don't think you ruined everything. He said he's meet you again later. You are right though, everyone could tell that Angel was jealous."
Cordy sighed and Wesley helped her up.
Cordy sighed, "Why does my life have to be such a mess?"
Wesley shook his head, not knowing the answer.
As Cordy stood up she stumbled over William's magazine. "Oh he dropped this." Cordy muttered, "I'll give it back to him the next time I see him."
~~~
William got back to his office and helped follow through with the rest of the buy out. Then he immediately fired Jonehson after he called a group of representatives to go to Kyoto to implement his new policies.
It was frustrating day, not that he wanted to admit that Cordy's hostile friend got to him. But for once in his entire life, he felt lonely. He always had Leng and her family and Owen. But it wasn't really that. They were family. But Cory, she was a friend. He never really had friends, not even in college, he was the odd ball out. The guy with no memory of his past, no real memory and the bookworm; not to mention most of the people hated him because he always forced the grading curve up with his near perfect scores. After he had gotten rich, suddenly there were all these people who wanted to be his 'friends' to leech off of him. He liked being around Cordy, she didn't even know who he was, she was just. nice to him with no reason or motive. Wesley was courteous too, but not as nice. as well. But their friends seemed a little edgy.
Slowly, William's mental rambling slowed as he fell asleep at his desk.
~~~
There was the soft sound of hard breathing, but he didn't need to breathe.
Suddenly there was a flash in the lush green trees, he readied his bow and arrows. The creature leaped out of the shadows and charged at him in fury, it's sickening purple worms squirmed around it's enormous body.
'Quickly, I have to run faster. Faster. It's gaining.'
Three arrows are shot. Two bounce off of the creature's body, but one strikes right in the eye
'Now, I'm too close, but I can see its eyes. Better opportunity now than ever. '
One more arrow flies and blinds the other eye. The creature stops and falls where it stands. Some of the violet worm-like substance lands on my left wrist. It stings like acid.
Soon the outer-layer of worms fall off the monsters body, leaving a unrecognizable humanoid. Its flesh has been eaten away. The humanoid screams in agony and rants in an unknown language. Then the rest of the body rots away in seconds, including the bones, leaving a sickening stench in the air.
Death is thick in the air. Suddenly the pain in my arm increases ten folds, the violet worms are still on my wrist, eating away. I scream in agony and fall on my side. Leng rushes over with a large jar of cold water. The violet worms are washed off, but these brown stains are still there. I can feel it still there, the pain and the darkness. It's eating away inside. Can't breathe. Can't see. Can't scream.
~~~ William suddenly woke up from his nightmare. He was covered in a light sheen of sweat.
'Shit, he's remembering' he thought. Quickly, he dialed Leng's number.
"Hello?"
"Leng, It's me." William said, slightly panicked.
"What's wrong." She asked, although she had an inkling of what might be wrong.
"He's remembering, I need you to make that potion again."
Leng sighed, "I don't know, is he not ready yet? I mean constantly dosing you every half a year can't be very healthy."
"Look, it's either that or he'll go insane again. And no, he's not ready, he's more unstable now than ever, I don't know why though."
Leng nodded, "Alright, but I can't leave until next week. Right now I'm constantly on call. Look, just try to cool down. Make sure he's okay. Maybe you can make him sleep for a bit."
William sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair. "I'll see you soon."
"Alright. Goodbye."
"Bye."
~~~~ 'I need to keep my mind off of things.' William thought as he swiftly trotted down to the garage. He fingered the keys to his new black Ferrari as he approached the car.
He quickly got in and sped out of the building. 'Perhaps a drive down south of L.A. will do me some good.'
~~~
Aoide silently cried as she limped along the freeway. She had one hand out, hoping that someone would stop and help her. In her other hand, she cradled her semiconscious cat. He had fainted earlier because of dehydration and then a speeding truck had forced her off the road. He bike was ruined and he left leg was bleeding profusely. But that was the last thing on her mind.
'I can't let Koko die, he's my best friend. I need to get him to a vet.' Aoide let out another sob.
She had left her bike a few miles back. She wasn't too far from L.A., but she wasn't close either. Her right arm wavered a little, sore from holding it up for the last two hours.
Suddenly a sleek back car pulled over behind her and a man with dark blond hair got out.
~~~
The first thing that William had noticed was that the girl was bleeding very badly, the second was that she was holding a small black bundle. Quickly, William pulled over and rushed to the girl.
"Come one lets get you the hospital." William led her towards his car and made her sit down in the passenger seat. He quickly popped the trunk oven and pulled out a blanket and then he ran back and tied the blanket around her leg to staunch the bleeding.
The girl whimpered and William looked up at her. "Don't worry, you'll be okay soon."
She shook her head. "I'll be okay, can we go to the vet first?"
William suddenly realized that the black bundle was actually a cat.
He nodded as he quickly ran around to the driver's seat and they sped off to the closest vet.
~~~
By the time the vet came back from the examination room, Aoide had already healed totally.
'Just like a slayer.' William thought. At first when he picked up the girl he hadn't realized that the girl was one. But after a while in the waiting room, he could sense it. She was surprisingly calm and quiet for a slayer. Most slayers were more outgoing since they were more hyperactive. 'Must be all that adrenaline constantly rushing through their veins.'
Later when he had taken her to the restroom to clean her wound, he found that it was fading rather quickly, like I should have taken a week later instead of hours later. Aoide had looked away sheepishly and she had whispered, "I'm special. Please, don't tell."
He had agreed, but he also knew that he had to find a way to hold onto her. There had to be a reason why Lucifer wanted her and he was the only person who could keep her out of Lucifer's hands. And perhaps, get some answers.
The doctor was talking to Aoide and from the smile on her face, he knew that the girl's cat was alright. Her green eyes shined like emeralds. She was. pretty, exotic and well. very gypsy looking. But he felt nothing, he knew she was beautiful, but he really didn't react to her at all.
He watched Aoide follow the doctor and walk out with the still unconscious cat. Later, at the desk, without any question or comment, he paid for the expenses of the care.
Now, they were silently walking to his car.
Aoide spoke up, "Thank you. I'll find a way to pay you back, as soon as I find a job."
'There!' William thought, 'I can make her stay that way.'
"I don't want you to pay me back," William started, "I would like you to stay with me for a little, help me out with a few things. I'm a very busy man, money doesn't much to me, but I would like someone to help me with some errands here and there."
Aoide gaped.
"I know, earlier you told me you wanted to go to San Francisco. But here, I'm offering you a job. If you really want to, you can pay me back using the money you earn from working for me."
"You mean it?" Aoide whispered.
"Yes I do. I also know you're special. With my resources, I can protect you. If you think about it: if someone else were to find out about your abilities, what's to stop them from turning you over to the government and dissecting you."
Aoide shuddered. "What's stopping you from doing the same?"
William smiled and cryptically answered, "Because I'm special too."
~~~~
Lilah fumed silently in her apartment for the millionth time, only her and about ten other associates hadn't been killed in the massacre. Everything was gone, Lindsay was dead too. She had survived because she had gone out during that time for a few drinks. But when she returned, blood was all over the ground and the entire Wolfram and Hart building was destroyed, even the 'white room'. Then she saw Angel and his team come from that direction and then walk away in a hurry.
Damn him! Angel and all he cared about would pay.
~~~ Cont.
Note: Ah. yes, it turns out that I did want to include Connor after seeing a few episodes of Angel. I'll try to fill in a few things for those who don't watch.