Chapter Three: Bother
I had awoken to the sound of someone screaming...well, not screaming...rather a yelping sound had been made. The moment I heard it my body snapped up, Sairi was knocked off to the floor and I was up on my feet in seconds sword picked up from where it rested next to the sofa. Apparently it was a false alarm...the woman, Cordelia was having a vision. She was Angel's connection to the PTB. Seeing how they pained her I wondered if Sairi was ever in pain when he heard their messages. Angel was smothering the woman for a while, asking 'are you okay?' over and over again while I just sat on the sofa. Finally she managed to sputter out what the vision was about.
"A woman was being attacked by some kind of demon..."
"Where?"
A few minutes later Angel was on the phone with Wesley explaining the situation, every now and again glancing back to the bedroom where Cordelia decided to lay back down after taking pain killers. Sairi was laying next to her comfortably on the bed.
"Yeah, she said it would be dark out when it happened..."
"That's rather odd now isn't it? Normally the powers don't send us such advanced warnings..." Wesley stated from his side of the conversation on the phone.
"Yes, well I guess we have something to do tonight...stake out the alley and wait for the woman. It should be simple enough, though we have to bring the girl with..."
"Amara?"
"Yeah, I don't want to leave her alone with Cordelia..." His voice was accusing still, but Amara couldn't hear it from where she sat on the sofa, her body hunched forward leaning over her sword.
"You still don't think you can trust the girl?"
"Well...no...well, okay yeah I don't think we can trust her...at least not yet. Anyway, I want to see what she can do..."
"Why?"
"Just in case she needs to fight." With that Angel, ever the mysterious hung up the phone. There was really no need for more conversation, he sat on a chair next to the book piled table, his dark hues never leaving Amara. She did look sick, maybe...she wasn't that much of a threat. In the middle of this thought she looked up, straight at him. Her ice colored eyes blinking a few times, they were tinted a slight red color from lack of sleep most likely.
"Stop."
"Stop what?" Angel asked, standing up slowly.
"That...you...you...act like just because Lindsey brought me here I'm...going to like slaughter you any minute..."
"Well, what if you are...I mean Lindsey isn't exactly a good guy." To that Amara stood up, the sword falling from her lap and clattering on the floor.
"He's not a bad guy...just..."
"Just what?" He cut her off before she could finish. Apparently the bad blood between him and Lindsey was causing him to neglect the fact that he was supposed to be protecting her instead of accusing her.
"Never mind...obviously you don't care...I don't know why I let him talk me into coming here." With that she bent down and picked up her sword, placing it into her belt she made her way towards the door. To which Angel stepped in front of.
"Where do you think you're going?"
"Well, I don't really feel like putting up with this. So I'm leaving..."
"No, you aren't."
Amara raised her brows, she really didn't feel like putting up with this. She knew Lindsey wanted to help her, but this wasn't something she could handle right now. She pushed her way past him, and began to unlock the door, until he gripped her shoulder and pulled her back. A fist was raised and brought to his jaw.
"Just let me go, you don't want me here...I don't want to be here so what's the fucking problem?" At that Angel just stepped back, if she didn't want to be here then that was her own problem. She finished unlocking the door and went out, not even shutting it as she left.
Okay, I know...that wasn't the best thing to do...but you try to stay somewhere where a VAMPIRE was accusing you of being a bad guy. So where am I going to go now? I can't just leave, I have to see Lindsey first...it's not like I just needed to see him before I left...but I just wanted to...he was the only thing I had left from my old life. The only one I knew...I just wanted to say good-bye.
"How could you let her go?" Sairi asked from his perch on the table, clearly he was angry...not only did his voice show it, but he was growling slightly too.
"She wanted to go, I wasn't going to hold her here against her will..." Angel stated, from the chair that Sairi and Cordelia found him in when they woke up. He had been brooding there, and that told them both that something happened when Amara had been no where to be seen.
"Angel, I know you don't like the fact that Lindsey brought her here...but what happens when Wolfram and Hart gets her?" Cordelia asked after placing a cup of milk infront of Sairi.
"I...didn't think about that." And honestly he didn't, at least not to the point of Wolfram and Hart getting to her. She seemed like the feisty type, she would be able to get away from them right? He shook his head and stood up. "I'll go find her..."
"Do you think she'll listen to you?" Sairi asked watching as Angel moved towards the door to head down to the basement.
"I don't know..." And with that he left, slipping on his coat as he went.
*-.-.-.-.-*
"Hold your horses!" It had been a long night, and after just going to sleep only three hours previously he didn't want to wake up. After all, he had to catch up on his beauty sleep. Green feet slipped into red slippers before moving towards the door that was currently being slammed on as if their life depended on it. A yawn escaped his mouth as he pulled the front door open.
"Hey."
A blink was given, he wasn't expecting to see her in a while at least from what the little fox had told him. "Well, hey there Sweet-ums, come in...come in." He stepped back, allowing the girl inside of the club.
"Hi Lorne, sorry about leaving so suddenly the other night." Amara said adjusting the shirt she was wearing, it was a simple gray tank top, a few splatters of crimson covered the front of it just slightly.
"Not to worry, not to worry. The job is still your's if you want it..." He spoke while leading her into the bar area, he himself stepping behind the bar and pouring her a drink of whatever was on tap.
"Job?"
"As a bouncer...don'tcha remember?" He pushed the amber liquid filled glass towards her as she took a seat on a bar stool. "And why isn't Sairi with you?"
"Bouncer? Oh, yeah...I'm sorry...I forgot...lot's of things on my mind. Sairi is probably still with Angel I guess...I dunno...right now I don't care." She placed her arms on the bar top and rested her head in them after she finished her drink. Ice colored eyes looked over Lorne in amusement. He was wearing bright blue silk pajamas. What kind of demon wore bright blue silk pajamas? She just shrugged to herself in her head and continued to rest. She was so tired...
After leaving Cordelias place she found herself back at the motel taking pain killers and changing her clothes after a long hot shower. And now she was at Lornes, mostly because this was the only place she knew Lindsey came to.
"Angel? Hmm, I've heard that name before quite a few times. Vampire with a soul iddn't he?"
"Yeah...listen, do you know a Lindsey McDonald?"
"Oh yeah, what a voice on him...he used to come here a lot before he lost his hand..."
"Do you know where he lives?"
"Hmm...I think I might..."
I didn't feel good, it was the kind of sickness where...everything didn't feel right, the moment that Lorne disappeared into the back room to see if he had Lindsey's address anywhere was the moment I fell asleep at the bar. Sleep, that stopped the pain. Though I know I shouldn't be sleeping right now, I should try to be getting out of this god forsaken city...but, I really...didn't care....
Lindsey sat rather nervously at the table, he was surrounded by his coworkers and boss...as long as no one knew anything was a miss...as long as they didn't think he had something to do with it...he was fine. It was one strike and you're out here, but he got off his first strike, made it up by loosing his hand...and now, what did he have to loose? His life...
"That's all for today..." Holland announced at the head of the table, people around Lindsey getting up and leaving while he just stayed put...to deep in thought to notice those leaving. "Lindsey?"
"Yes, sir?" His head finally snapped up at his name being called, and then he noticed that no one was in the room with them.
"Is everything okay? You seem a little out of it today..." Holland questioned with near sincerity as he moved towards Lindsey, perching himself up on the table and folding his hands in his lap.
"Yeah...I'm fine, just haven't gotten a lot of sleep." Of course that wasn't the full truth...but it would do, at least for now.
"Thinking about the immortal?"
"Amara." Lindsey corrected, how could they talk to her like she was just some mystical creature. She wasn't...she was a...a...girl...a person.
"Amara? How close were you two before?"
"How close?" A slight chuckle escaped Lindsey's lips, "We weren't really close...her father, Jake is the one who basically took me in, he helped me get a scholarship, he helped me get to where I am today."
"So then why are you so defensive about her?"
"It's just – She's still a human, still...it's hard when you know them. But don't worry sir...it won't affect my work any longer." That was a lie in its fullest, it was going to affect him until he knew she was safe...which ment his work was on a downward slop here on out.
"Ah, lets see that it doesn't...after all...she's just a girl." With that Holland rose from his spot on the table, his aged hand patting Lindsey's shoulder slightly before he exited the room, leaving the young man on his own with his thoughts.
Why was he so defensive when it came to her? After all, when he had known her she had been an annoying little brat who thought she could get anything she wanted just because she was pretty, popular, and rich...but now...she changed, into a better person. He had to help her, Jake would want him to. He had to stop whatever they had planned.
*-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-*
The room was dark and cold, there was nothing in the room except for one dim light in the corner coming from a camera monitor, two men in blue jumpers were installing what looked like chains and cuffs on the gray brick wall of the basement.
"How's it going?" Holland asked, peeking into the room taking a glance around.
"The shackles are being installed right now, no way it will be able to get out of the chains..." The suited man to Holland's left said, glancing down to a clip board. "The camera was installed yesterday, and the door is deadbolted from the outside...only way to open it is with an optic scan."
"Good work, any other news?"
"No sir, the room should be ready later tonight."
"Okay then, all we need to do now is to find it. Damn immortal, it will be a pain to catch her."
I didn't wake up for a while, and when I did...I greatly regretted it...I had been sometime during my sleep been placed in Lornes room. It must have been by one of the bar tenders, because there was no way Lorne would have been able to pick me up and carry me in here all by himself. My head was splitting in half when I woke up, I wandered into the bathroom and before I could splash some water on my face like I had been planning to, I noticed my nose had bleed...that...wasn't right. I washed it off and swallowed the pain that was still gnawing at my body before walking out into the bar area of the club.
Amara raised a confused brow when she walked into the club, other then the fact that it wasn't as busy as it had been the other night she noticed Sairi perched on a stool on stage singing 'Love Machine' while Lorne was yacking it up with Angel, Wesley, and Cordelia...apparently Sairi had brought them here.
"Well, bout time ya woke up and joined the livin' kitten..."
She rubbed her eyes for a moment and yawned before plopping down on a stool next to the group. "Thanks Lorne, appreciate the bed..."
"It's no problem...woah, hang on a minute...Sairi is just about ready to get to a good part...can't miss singing it with the little fella..." He stated zipping away from the four, the group that immediately went silent the moment he went away. Apparently neither side didn't know what to say.
"Look Angel"
"Look Amara..." if the situation wasn't what it was they both would have laughed, but neither of them were much on the humor filled side that night. Amara receded and let Angel say what he wished to.
"I'm sorry. There I said it..." He stated looking over towards Cordelia, who apparently was the one that wanted him to apologize in the first place. She elbowed him in the ribs, causing an amused look to be pasted onto Amara's features. "I mean...I shouldn't have judged you based on my past with Lindsey..."
"I'm sorry too." She cut to the chase, not caring to elaborate and stuck her hand out in truce. Angel glanced down at her gloved hand for a moment before wrapping his around it and shaking. "Friends?"
"Yeah..."
'Just a love machine...and I wont work for anyone but you.' All eyes went on Lorne and Sairi, who were both singing and to an extent...dancing.
"Oh...my...god." Cordelia exclaimed, her mouth open in a horrified manor, a mirror image of Wesley, Angel, and Amara's face.
"It's...like a car crash...you want to look away..." Amara started
"But you just can't" Everyone finished for her.
Well, I guess I'm happy now...I mean how can't I? It seems that I've finally got friends again. To a point anyway. I guess I still have to prove myself to Angel...but, the others...the Brit, Wesley I think he might be able to help me find out what demon killed my family and I. Revenge for me, has never been a big thing...but while I have the resource to find out...I might as well. Things seem to be getting better...but better never lasts for long...
"You'll be able to find her then?" Holland sat at the head of the table, Lindsey and Lilah on opposite sides of him as though they were his faithful servants ready to do whatever he wished, while the one he was talking to was at the very end of the table, standing...
"Yes." The voice was deep, booming, and it would and could strike fear into everyone's heart. The creature stood at over eight feet tall, a billowing black hooded cloak hid everything about him, face...hands...feet. It was as if he was just the black fabric he wore...maybe he was, but they weren't about to ask questions.
"Then go...you'll be repaid fruitfully if you find her before tomorrow." With that, the thing disappeared, leaving nothing but smoke in its midst.
Lilah was the first to speak, "Well, that was interesting...he seems like the type to...get his job done." She stood, hands running over her dress suit for a moment to make sure all was adjusted before she folded her papers and glanced over towards Holland for permission to leave for her next meeting without having to ask him. He nodded,
"Yes, I agree...if he can't get it done...no one can. Don't you agree?"
"Huh? What? Oh...yeah...I mean yes sir. I agree...we should have her by the morning then." Lindsey gulped...and picked up his briefcase before leaving the room. He had to get to her before the end of the night...
*-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-*
"No, I don't think it looked like that..." Amara stated next to Wesley as he pointed to a portrait of a demon in a rather old and yellowed book at Cordelias table. They had been sitting there for over three hours with no luck on finding the demon. Angel, was sitting on the sofa, looking like he was in some sort of deep thought...but actually he had been watching Sairi who had for the moment thought he was hidden well enough to stuff some 'shiny' things into the bag that Amara normally carried around for him. So far Angel counted four forks, a watch, and two marbles. What an interesting creature.
Meanwhile, Cordelia had taken leave into her bedroom, falling asleep in a mere matter of moments from when they got home. From the table Amara sighed slightly, "Thanks for the help Wesley...but I don't think we will find the demon. It doesn't really matter I guess..." She spoke, while turning a page to one of the books infront of her. "I just wanted to find out if my family was really slaughtered because of me...or something else...ever since I found out that the law firm daddy was going to work at was evil I thought maybe they had a hand in it...but why would they want to kill off an employee who never lost a case?" Amara mostly spoke to herself, rather then Wesley...Sairi jumped up onto the table, and someone tapped at the front door.
Angel rose, an ax in his hand ready to fight if need be...but not many evil people knocked these days. He opened the door and frowned. "Lindsey."
"Angel."
"What do you want?" He asked, opening the door a little more, now able to notice that Lindsey was holding a back pack.
"I'm here, to help...give you all the information I have..."
"In exchange for?"
"Your protection."
"What?"
"If I stay at Wolfram and Hart any longer, they will find out eventually that I had a hand in Amara coming here...they won't be pleased."
"I don't think so...remember the last time you came to us?" Angel asked, while Wesley and Amara got up from their spots to see what was going on.
"I know, I've made some – I mean a lot of mistakes...but, please...something very dangerous is after her now."
"What?!" Wesley, Angel, and Amara said at nearly the sametime in question and in exclamation. "What's after me?" Amara asked, pushing her way beside Angel so she could get in closer to the conversation.
"They call it 'No-Name'...the senior partners summoned him to find her, apparently he is..."
"Very hard to kill..." Wesley finished for him, causing Angel to turn slightly.
"You know of it?"
"It's every watchers worst nightmare...No-Name is what they send when they want someone found...it...it never fails..."
I...for the first time since I had found out Wolfram and Hart were after me...I...felt worried sick. As we sat around Lindsey, after Angel finally let him in and he explained what the law firm was actually going to do to me...I felt as though my stomach was on fire, I felt...I was truly scared for the first time since I came back to life...I was scared that...I don't know, I couldn't have been scared of dying...but something else...living...in pain...in this kind of pain...I...why me?
Lindsey had been aloud to stay, even Angel agreed that it was a good idea. How could he not? The man basically signed his own death warrant by telling them what he knew. Wesley and Angel could be heard from the kitchen speaking in as hushed tones as they could get while Amara and Lindsey sat on the sofa, not really speaking rather then gazing off into space while Sairi moved back and forth from Cordelia's bedroom to his bag.
"I...why are you helping me?" Amara finally asked, glancing up towards the older man who looked a reck. His dress clothes were disheveled, and his hair looked as if he had combed it with his hand way to many times.
"You...I...I mean...you're a friend. Your father helped me get my life on the right track, I owe it to him to help you."
"Oh..."
"And I just wouldn't feel right, knowing what they are going to...planning to do to you if they get a hold of you."
"I don't really want to think about that."
"Me either..."
The living room fell silent for a while, until the quiet was broken by a coughing fit from Amara, her hand over her mouth as she coughed so hard Lindsey thought she might hack up a lung. "Are you okay?" He asked as her coughing finally started to stop.
She pulled her hand away, glancing at it oddly for a moment Lindsey was about to ask what was so interesting about her hand until he caught what she was looking at...crimson, blood...over her pale hand and glove. "I...don't think I'm okay..." She stated looking up towards him, a drop of blood falling from the corner of her lip to her lap.
-Bother-
Stone Sour
Wish I was too dead to cry
My self-affliction fades
Stones to throw at my creator
Masochists to which I cater
You don't need to bother;
I don't need to be
I'll keep slipping farther
But once I hold on,
I won't let go 'til it bleeds
Wish I was too dead to care
If indeed I cared at all
Never had a voice to protest
So you fed me shit to digest
I wish I had a reason;
my flaws are open season
For this, I gave up trying
One good turn deserves my dying
You don't need to bother;
I don't need to be
I'll keep slipping farther
But once I hold on,
I won't let go 'til it bleeds
Wish I'd died instead of lived
A zombie hides my face
Shell forgotten
with its memories
Diaries left
with cryptic entries
And you don't need to bother;
I don't need to be
I'll keep slipping farther
But once I hold on,
I won't let go 'til it bleeds
You don't need to bother;
I don't need to be
I'll keep slipping farther
But once I hold on...
I'll never live down my deceit
I had awoken to the sound of someone screaming...well, not screaming...rather a yelping sound had been made. The moment I heard it my body snapped up, Sairi was knocked off to the floor and I was up on my feet in seconds sword picked up from where it rested next to the sofa. Apparently it was a false alarm...the woman, Cordelia was having a vision. She was Angel's connection to the PTB. Seeing how they pained her I wondered if Sairi was ever in pain when he heard their messages. Angel was smothering the woman for a while, asking 'are you okay?' over and over again while I just sat on the sofa. Finally she managed to sputter out what the vision was about.
"A woman was being attacked by some kind of demon..."
"Where?"
A few minutes later Angel was on the phone with Wesley explaining the situation, every now and again glancing back to the bedroom where Cordelia decided to lay back down after taking pain killers. Sairi was laying next to her comfortably on the bed.
"Yeah, she said it would be dark out when it happened..."
"That's rather odd now isn't it? Normally the powers don't send us such advanced warnings..." Wesley stated from his side of the conversation on the phone.
"Yes, well I guess we have something to do tonight...stake out the alley and wait for the woman. It should be simple enough, though we have to bring the girl with..."
"Amara?"
"Yeah, I don't want to leave her alone with Cordelia..." His voice was accusing still, but Amara couldn't hear it from where she sat on the sofa, her body hunched forward leaning over her sword.
"You still don't think you can trust the girl?"
"Well...no...well, okay yeah I don't think we can trust her...at least not yet. Anyway, I want to see what she can do..."
"Why?"
"Just in case she needs to fight." With that Angel, ever the mysterious hung up the phone. There was really no need for more conversation, he sat on a chair next to the book piled table, his dark hues never leaving Amara. She did look sick, maybe...she wasn't that much of a threat. In the middle of this thought she looked up, straight at him. Her ice colored eyes blinking a few times, they were tinted a slight red color from lack of sleep most likely.
"Stop."
"Stop what?" Angel asked, standing up slowly.
"That...you...you...act like just because Lindsey brought me here I'm...going to like slaughter you any minute..."
"Well, what if you are...I mean Lindsey isn't exactly a good guy." To that Amara stood up, the sword falling from her lap and clattering on the floor.
"He's not a bad guy...just..."
"Just what?" He cut her off before she could finish. Apparently the bad blood between him and Lindsey was causing him to neglect the fact that he was supposed to be protecting her instead of accusing her.
"Never mind...obviously you don't care...I don't know why I let him talk me into coming here." With that she bent down and picked up her sword, placing it into her belt she made her way towards the door. To which Angel stepped in front of.
"Where do you think you're going?"
"Well, I don't really feel like putting up with this. So I'm leaving..."
"No, you aren't."
Amara raised her brows, she really didn't feel like putting up with this. She knew Lindsey wanted to help her, but this wasn't something she could handle right now. She pushed her way past him, and began to unlock the door, until he gripped her shoulder and pulled her back. A fist was raised and brought to his jaw.
"Just let me go, you don't want me here...I don't want to be here so what's the fucking problem?" At that Angel just stepped back, if she didn't want to be here then that was her own problem. She finished unlocking the door and went out, not even shutting it as she left.
Okay, I know...that wasn't the best thing to do...but you try to stay somewhere where a VAMPIRE was accusing you of being a bad guy. So where am I going to go now? I can't just leave, I have to see Lindsey first...it's not like I just needed to see him before I left...but I just wanted to...he was the only thing I had left from my old life. The only one I knew...I just wanted to say good-bye.
"How could you let her go?" Sairi asked from his perch on the table, clearly he was angry...not only did his voice show it, but he was growling slightly too.
"She wanted to go, I wasn't going to hold her here against her will..." Angel stated, from the chair that Sairi and Cordelia found him in when they woke up. He had been brooding there, and that told them both that something happened when Amara had been no where to be seen.
"Angel, I know you don't like the fact that Lindsey brought her here...but what happens when Wolfram and Hart gets her?" Cordelia asked after placing a cup of milk infront of Sairi.
"I...didn't think about that." And honestly he didn't, at least not to the point of Wolfram and Hart getting to her. She seemed like the feisty type, she would be able to get away from them right? He shook his head and stood up. "I'll go find her..."
"Do you think she'll listen to you?" Sairi asked watching as Angel moved towards the door to head down to the basement.
"I don't know..." And with that he left, slipping on his coat as he went.
*-.-.-.-.-*
"Hold your horses!" It had been a long night, and after just going to sleep only three hours previously he didn't want to wake up. After all, he had to catch up on his beauty sleep. Green feet slipped into red slippers before moving towards the door that was currently being slammed on as if their life depended on it. A yawn escaped his mouth as he pulled the front door open.
"Hey."
A blink was given, he wasn't expecting to see her in a while at least from what the little fox had told him. "Well, hey there Sweet-ums, come in...come in." He stepped back, allowing the girl inside of the club.
"Hi Lorne, sorry about leaving so suddenly the other night." Amara said adjusting the shirt she was wearing, it was a simple gray tank top, a few splatters of crimson covered the front of it just slightly.
"Not to worry, not to worry. The job is still your's if you want it..." He spoke while leading her into the bar area, he himself stepping behind the bar and pouring her a drink of whatever was on tap.
"Job?"
"As a bouncer...don'tcha remember?" He pushed the amber liquid filled glass towards her as she took a seat on a bar stool. "And why isn't Sairi with you?"
"Bouncer? Oh, yeah...I'm sorry...I forgot...lot's of things on my mind. Sairi is probably still with Angel I guess...I dunno...right now I don't care." She placed her arms on the bar top and rested her head in them after she finished her drink. Ice colored eyes looked over Lorne in amusement. He was wearing bright blue silk pajamas. What kind of demon wore bright blue silk pajamas? She just shrugged to herself in her head and continued to rest. She was so tired...
After leaving Cordelias place she found herself back at the motel taking pain killers and changing her clothes after a long hot shower. And now she was at Lornes, mostly because this was the only place she knew Lindsey came to.
"Angel? Hmm, I've heard that name before quite a few times. Vampire with a soul iddn't he?"
"Yeah...listen, do you know a Lindsey McDonald?"
"Oh yeah, what a voice on him...he used to come here a lot before he lost his hand..."
"Do you know where he lives?"
"Hmm...I think I might..."
I didn't feel good, it was the kind of sickness where...everything didn't feel right, the moment that Lorne disappeared into the back room to see if he had Lindsey's address anywhere was the moment I fell asleep at the bar. Sleep, that stopped the pain. Though I know I shouldn't be sleeping right now, I should try to be getting out of this god forsaken city...but, I really...didn't care....
Lindsey sat rather nervously at the table, he was surrounded by his coworkers and boss...as long as no one knew anything was a miss...as long as they didn't think he had something to do with it...he was fine. It was one strike and you're out here, but he got off his first strike, made it up by loosing his hand...and now, what did he have to loose? His life...
"That's all for today..." Holland announced at the head of the table, people around Lindsey getting up and leaving while he just stayed put...to deep in thought to notice those leaving. "Lindsey?"
"Yes, sir?" His head finally snapped up at his name being called, and then he noticed that no one was in the room with them.
"Is everything okay? You seem a little out of it today..." Holland questioned with near sincerity as he moved towards Lindsey, perching himself up on the table and folding his hands in his lap.
"Yeah...I'm fine, just haven't gotten a lot of sleep." Of course that wasn't the full truth...but it would do, at least for now.
"Thinking about the immortal?"
"Amara." Lindsey corrected, how could they talk to her like she was just some mystical creature. She wasn't...she was a...a...girl...a person.
"Amara? How close were you two before?"
"How close?" A slight chuckle escaped Lindsey's lips, "We weren't really close...her father, Jake is the one who basically took me in, he helped me get a scholarship, he helped me get to where I am today."
"So then why are you so defensive about her?"
"It's just – She's still a human, still...it's hard when you know them. But don't worry sir...it won't affect my work any longer." That was a lie in its fullest, it was going to affect him until he knew she was safe...which ment his work was on a downward slop here on out.
"Ah, lets see that it doesn't...after all...she's just a girl." With that Holland rose from his spot on the table, his aged hand patting Lindsey's shoulder slightly before he exited the room, leaving the young man on his own with his thoughts.
Why was he so defensive when it came to her? After all, when he had known her she had been an annoying little brat who thought she could get anything she wanted just because she was pretty, popular, and rich...but now...she changed, into a better person. He had to help her, Jake would want him to. He had to stop whatever they had planned.
*-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-*
The room was dark and cold, there was nothing in the room except for one dim light in the corner coming from a camera monitor, two men in blue jumpers were installing what looked like chains and cuffs on the gray brick wall of the basement.
"How's it going?" Holland asked, peeking into the room taking a glance around.
"The shackles are being installed right now, no way it will be able to get out of the chains..." The suited man to Holland's left said, glancing down to a clip board. "The camera was installed yesterday, and the door is deadbolted from the outside...only way to open it is with an optic scan."
"Good work, any other news?"
"No sir, the room should be ready later tonight."
"Okay then, all we need to do now is to find it. Damn immortal, it will be a pain to catch her."
I didn't wake up for a while, and when I did...I greatly regretted it...I had been sometime during my sleep been placed in Lornes room. It must have been by one of the bar tenders, because there was no way Lorne would have been able to pick me up and carry me in here all by himself. My head was splitting in half when I woke up, I wandered into the bathroom and before I could splash some water on my face like I had been planning to, I noticed my nose had bleed...that...wasn't right. I washed it off and swallowed the pain that was still gnawing at my body before walking out into the bar area of the club.
Amara raised a confused brow when she walked into the club, other then the fact that it wasn't as busy as it had been the other night she noticed Sairi perched on a stool on stage singing 'Love Machine' while Lorne was yacking it up with Angel, Wesley, and Cordelia...apparently Sairi had brought them here.
"Well, bout time ya woke up and joined the livin' kitten..."
She rubbed her eyes for a moment and yawned before plopping down on a stool next to the group. "Thanks Lorne, appreciate the bed..."
"It's no problem...woah, hang on a minute...Sairi is just about ready to get to a good part...can't miss singing it with the little fella..." He stated zipping away from the four, the group that immediately went silent the moment he went away. Apparently neither side didn't know what to say.
"Look Angel"
"Look Amara..." if the situation wasn't what it was they both would have laughed, but neither of them were much on the humor filled side that night. Amara receded and let Angel say what he wished to.
"I'm sorry. There I said it..." He stated looking over towards Cordelia, who apparently was the one that wanted him to apologize in the first place. She elbowed him in the ribs, causing an amused look to be pasted onto Amara's features. "I mean...I shouldn't have judged you based on my past with Lindsey..."
"I'm sorry too." She cut to the chase, not caring to elaborate and stuck her hand out in truce. Angel glanced down at her gloved hand for a moment before wrapping his around it and shaking. "Friends?"
"Yeah..."
'Just a love machine...and I wont work for anyone but you.' All eyes went on Lorne and Sairi, who were both singing and to an extent...dancing.
"Oh...my...god." Cordelia exclaimed, her mouth open in a horrified manor, a mirror image of Wesley, Angel, and Amara's face.
"It's...like a car crash...you want to look away..." Amara started
"But you just can't" Everyone finished for her.
Well, I guess I'm happy now...I mean how can't I? It seems that I've finally got friends again. To a point anyway. I guess I still have to prove myself to Angel...but, the others...the Brit, Wesley I think he might be able to help me find out what demon killed my family and I. Revenge for me, has never been a big thing...but while I have the resource to find out...I might as well. Things seem to be getting better...but better never lasts for long...
"You'll be able to find her then?" Holland sat at the head of the table, Lindsey and Lilah on opposite sides of him as though they were his faithful servants ready to do whatever he wished, while the one he was talking to was at the very end of the table, standing...
"Yes." The voice was deep, booming, and it would and could strike fear into everyone's heart. The creature stood at over eight feet tall, a billowing black hooded cloak hid everything about him, face...hands...feet. It was as if he was just the black fabric he wore...maybe he was, but they weren't about to ask questions.
"Then go...you'll be repaid fruitfully if you find her before tomorrow." With that, the thing disappeared, leaving nothing but smoke in its midst.
Lilah was the first to speak, "Well, that was interesting...he seems like the type to...get his job done." She stood, hands running over her dress suit for a moment to make sure all was adjusted before she folded her papers and glanced over towards Holland for permission to leave for her next meeting without having to ask him. He nodded,
"Yes, I agree...if he can't get it done...no one can. Don't you agree?"
"Huh? What? Oh...yeah...I mean yes sir. I agree...we should have her by the morning then." Lindsey gulped...and picked up his briefcase before leaving the room. He had to get to her before the end of the night...
*-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-*
"No, I don't think it looked like that..." Amara stated next to Wesley as he pointed to a portrait of a demon in a rather old and yellowed book at Cordelias table. They had been sitting there for over three hours with no luck on finding the demon. Angel, was sitting on the sofa, looking like he was in some sort of deep thought...but actually he had been watching Sairi who had for the moment thought he was hidden well enough to stuff some 'shiny' things into the bag that Amara normally carried around for him. So far Angel counted four forks, a watch, and two marbles. What an interesting creature.
Meanwhile, Cordelia had taken leave into her bedroom, falling asleep in a mere matter of moments from when they got home. From the table Amara sighed slightly, "Thanks for the help Wesley...but I don't think we will find the demon. It doesn't really matter I guess..." She spoke, while turning a page to one of the books infront of her. "I just wanted to find out if my family was really slaughtered because of me...or something else...ever since I found out that the law firm daddy was going to work at was evil I thought maybe they had a hand in it...but why would they want to kill off an employee who never lost a case?" Amara mostly spoke to herself, rather then Wesley...Sairi jumped up onto the table, and someone tapped at the front door.
Angel rose, an ax in his hand ready to fight if need be...but not many evil people knocked these days. He opened the door and frowned. "Lindsey."
"Angel."
"What do you want?" He asked, opening the door a little more, now able to notice that Lindsey was holding a back pack.
"I'm here, to help...give you all the information I have..."
"In exchange for?"
"Your protection."
"What?"
"If I stay at Wolfram and Hart any longer, they will find out eventually that I had a hand in Amara coming here...they won't be pleased."
"I don't think so...remember the last time you came to us?" Angel asked, while Wesley and Amara got up from their spots to see what was going on.
"I know, I've made some – I mean a lot of mistakes...but, please...something very dangerous is after her now."
"What?!" Wesley, Angel, and Amara said at nearly the sametime in question and in exclamation. "What's after me?" Amara asked, pushing her way beside Angel so she could get in closer to the conversation.
"They call it 'No-Name'...the senior partners summoned him to find her, apparently he is..."
"Very hard to kill..." Wesley finished for him, causing Angel to turn slightly.
"You know of it?"
"It's every watchers worst nightmare...No-Name is what they send when they want someone found...it...it never fails..."
I...for the first time since I had found out Wolfram and Hart were after me...I...felt worried sick. As we sat around Lindsey, after Angel finally let him in and he explained what the law firm was actually going to do to me...I felt as though my stomach was on fire, I felt...I was truly scared for the first time since I came back to life...I was scared that...I don't know, I couldn't have been scared of dying...but something else...living...in pain...in this kind of pain...I...why me?
Lindsey had been aloud to stay, even Angel agreed that it was a good idea. How could he not? The man basically signed his own death warrant by telling them what he knew. Wesley and Angel could be heard from the kitchen speaking in as hushed tones as they could get while Amara and Lindsey sat on the sofa, not really speaking rather then gazing off into space while Sairi moved back and forth from Cordelia's bedroom to his bag.
"I...why are you helping me?" Amara finally asked, glancing up towards the older man who looked a reck. His dress clothes were disheveled, and his hair looked as if he had combed it with his hand way to many times.
"You...I...I mean...you're a friend. Your father helped me get my life on the right track, I owe it to him to help you."
"Oh..."
"And I just wouldn't feel right, knowing what they are going to...planning to do to you if they get a hold of you."
"I don't really want to think about that."
"Me either..."
The living room fell silent for a while, until the quiet was broken by a coughing fit from Amara, her hand over her mouth as she coughed so hard Lindsey thought she might hack up a lung. "Are you okay?" He asked as her coughing finally started to stop.
She pulled her hand away, glancing at it oddly for a moment Lindsey was about to ask what was so interesting about her hand until he caught what she was looking at...crimson, blood...over her pale hand and glove. "I...don't think I'm okay..." She stated looking up towards him, a drop of blood falling from the corner of her lip to her lap.
-Bother-
Stone Sour
Wish I was too dead to cry
My self-affliction fades
Stones to throw at my creator
Masochists to which I cater
You don't need to bother;
I don't need to be
I'll keep slipping farther
But once I hold on,
I won't let go 'til it bleeds
Wish I was too dead to care
If indeed I cared at all
Never had a voice to protest
So you fed me shit to digest
I wish I had a reason;
my flaws are open season
For this, I gave up trying
One good turn deserves my dying
You don't need to bother;
I don't need to be
I'll keep slipping farther
But once I hold on,
I won't let go 'til it bleeds
Wish I'd died instead of lived
A zombie hides my face
Shell forgotten
with its memories
Diaries left
with cryptic entries
And you don't need to bother;
I don't need to be
I'll keep slipping farther
But once I hold on,
I won't let go 'til it bleeds
You don't need to bother;
I don't need to be
I'll keep slipping farther
But once I hold on...
I'll never live down my deceit