Chapter 8: Empty Palace
"We are such stuff as dreams are made on,
and our little life is rounded with a sleep."
The Tempest
Shakespeare
It had been several days since the red jello incident when Spike was finally permitted to leave the hospital. His injuries were healing quickly but he knew he would be in pain for some time still. As soon as he was able to hobble about a little Lucas had pushed for his release and taken him to a very upscale apartment complex. He had gestured at the set of buildings and told Spike, "The Syndicate owns this place. You should be safe here. Security is high and the people that live here are all loyal to the Red Dragons."
Spike stared at Lucas, expression blank. "Should be?"
Lucas grinned. "I've never been one to believe in absolutes."
"Great."
Reaching into his coat pocket, Lucas produced a handkerchief wrapped around a lump of something. "That's what this is for." He handed the object to Spike. "I thought you might be missing this."
Spike quirked an eyebrow and accepted the hastily wrapped package. He pulled the handkerchief aside to reveal the weapon he'd had on his person when he'd fought Vicious. Turning back to Lucas, he smirked and carefully slipped his present into his pocket. "I'm feeling somewhat better about this place now."
Lucas laughed. "Wait 'til you see the inside."
"Can't wait."
Lucas took him to an elevator and produced a special key that he put into a slot on the wall. He didn't push any buttons. As soon as the doors shut, the car began a steady ascent to the top floor. Lucas caught the look Spike gave him. "Don't even need to push a button. In fact, there isn't a button for the top floor. You have to have a key." The door opened and admitted the two men to a short hallway. At the far end was a single door with a keypad beside it. Lucas typed in the pass code before reaching for another key. "You have to put in the code before you try the key or you get a nasty surprise in form of 2,000 volts of electricity."
Spike nodded. "That's definitely something to remember."
Lucas grinned at the understatement. He opened the door and moved quickly to yet another keypad. He typed in another code before turning back to Spike. "That is the alarm system. If it goes off you'll have ten armed guards here in under a minute. I'll write the codes down for you and get you copies of the keys before I leave."
"So, I get to be a big boy and be on my own now."
"Sort of. You'll be alone in the apartment but there will be guards on call in the building at all times and I will be by to help you get set up for your duties as leader of the Red Dragons. I'm afraid that's the best we can do. There isn't much room for privacy with a job like yours."
Spike nodded again. "I expected as much."
"The details can wait until tomorrow. I'm sure you'll want time to get settled."
Spike stuffed a hand in each of his pockets and slouched against a nearby wall. "I want to call my friends."
Lucas sighed, the humor fading from his expression. "Don't do it from here. I'll see what I can do about setting up a secure line at the office but you have to be very careful. They can't know where you live. They can't come see you. If you try to they could be put in danger."
Spike nodded solemnly. "I owe it to Jet to at least thank him for putting up with me the last few years." Lucas could tell there was more that Spike was leaving unsaid; the emotions flickered across his face briefly as he talked about the crew of the Bebop. He couldn't help but think that Spike looked like a man trying to decide whether he was dreaming or awake.
"I'll try to get it set up for tomorrow."
Spike rendered a weak smile and a mumbled "Thanks."
Lucas took that as his cue to leave. "I'll let you get settled then. I'll call before I come over tomorrow but you better get your sleep. It'll be early." He headed for the door, leaving a somewhat unhappy Spike in his wake.
tbc
(There was one line there that sounded like one from the Matrix. I didn't realize it until after I wrote it and I like the effect it has so.the "dreaming or awake" line isn't entirely mine.)
"We are such stuff as dreams are made on,
and our little life is rounded with a sleep."
The Tempest
Shakespeare
It had been several days since the red jello incident when Spike was finally permitted to leave the hospital. His injuries were healing quickly but he knew he would be in pain for some time still. As soon as he was able to hobble about a little Lucas had pushed for his release and taken him to a very upscale apartment complex. He had gestured at the set of buildings and told Spike, "The Syndicate owns this place. You should be safe here. Security is high and the people that live here are all loyal to the Red Dragons."
Spike stared at Lucas, expression blank. "Should be?"
Lucas grinned. "I've never been one to believe in absolutes."
"Great."
Reaching into his coat pocket, Lucas produced a handkerchief wrapped around a lump of something. "That's what this is for." He handed the object to Spike. "I thought you might be missing this."
Spike quirked an eyebrow and accepted the hastily wrapped package. He pulled the handkerchief aside to reveal the weapon he'd had on his person when he'd fought Vicious. Turning back to Lucas, he smirked and carefully slipped his present into his pocket. "I'm feeling somewhat better about this place now."
Lucas laughed. "Wait 'til you see the inside."
"Can't wait."
Lucas took him to an elevator and produced a special key that he put into a slot on the wall. He didn't push any buttons. As soon as the doors shut, the car began a steady ascent to the top floor. Lucas caught the look Spike gave him. "Don't even need to push a button. In fact, there isn't a button for the top floor. You have to have a key." The door opened and admitted the two men to a short hallway. At the far end was a single door with a keypad beside it. Lucas typed in the pass code before reaching for another key. "You have to put in the code before you try the key or you get a nasty surprise in form of 2,000 volts of electricity."
Spike nodded. "That's definitely something to remember."
Lucas grinned at the understatement. He opened the door and moved quickly to yet another keypad. He typed in another code before turning back to Spike. "That is the alarm system. If it goes off you'll have ten armed guards here in under a minute. I'll write the codes down for you and get you copies of the keys before I leave."
"So, I get to be a big boy and be on my own now."
"Sort of. You'll be alone in the apartment but there will be guards on call in the building at all times and I will be by to help you get set up for your duties as leader of the Red Dragons. I'm afraid that's the best we can do. There isn't much room for privacy with a job like yours."
Spike nodded again. "I expected as much."
"The details can wait until tomorrow. I'm sure you'll want time to get settled."
Spike stuffed a hand in each of his pockets and slouched against a nearby wall. "I want to call my friends."
Lucas sighed, the humor fading from his expression. "Don't do it from here. I'll see what I can do about setting up a secure line at the office but you have to be very careful. They can't know where you live. They can't come see you. If you try to they could be put in danger."
Spike nodded solemnly. "I owe it to Jet to at least thank him for putting up with me the last few years." Lucas could tell there was more that Spike was leaving unsaid; the emotions flickered across his face briefly as he talked about the crew of the Bebop. He couldn't help but think that Spike looked like a man trying to decide whether he was dreaming or awake.
"I'll try to get it set up for tomorrow."
Spike rendered a weak smile and a mumbled "Thanks."
Lucas took that as his cue to leave. "I'll let you get settled then. I'll call before I come over tomorrow but you better get your sleep. It'll be early." He headed for the door, leaving a somewhat unhappy Spike in his wake.
tbc
(There was one line there that sounded like one from the Matrix. I didn't realize it until after I wrote it and I like the effect it has so.the "dreaming or awake" line isn't entirely mine.)