Dylan opened her front door and walked wearily inside. It was dark and she
saw a figure sitting on her couch. "Anthony?" she asked. He didn't move but
as she came around the side of the couch the light came on revealing the
ageless face of Neville Rutherford.
"Good evening Lillian," he said eyeing her disheveled form up and down.
"Rutherford," Dylan tried to hide her shock at finding the man in her living room. "What are you doing here? Can I get you a drink?"
He stood and walked around the couch towards her. "No thank you Lillian and call me Neville," he said with a smile, "I'm quite set." He picked up the octagonal bourbon glass and swished its contents around the two ice cubes inside clanking against the glass. "I hope you don't mind that since you were out I made myself at home."
She felt violated by his being in her home but she wasn't going to let that show. Despite the fact that she caught Anthony with Kate the Faberge eggs were still out there somewhere and needed to be returned to their rightful owner, the museum. "I'm glad you are enjoying yourself. I'm just back from the gym," she said lying, "and I want to take a shower so if you just finish your drink and leave I would appreciate it." She started moving towards the bathroom.
"But Lillian, I came across town to see you," he said with a hint of disappointment. She turned and glared at him. "Could I stay if I called you Dylan?" he asked and smiled as a look of surprise briefly flicked across her face. If he hadn't been watching her so intently he was sure he would have missed it. He had to hand it to her she was good.
She sauntered over to him and took the bourbon from his hand and drank it herself. It had been one hell of a day. "Why would you want to do that?" she asked.
"Because it's your name isn't it Ms. Sanders? I had this mysteriously delivered to my mansion today." He held out a news paper clipping about the HALO rings that showed the three angels beaming at the ME:2 premiere. Dylan wasn't sure what to say she just looked at the paper. "Does Anthony know? I ask because he does seem besotted with you. I'd hate to think that you managed to trick both of us but on the other hand if you did I don't feel quite the old fool."
"No, he doesn't know." she replied unsure as to why.
"Good," he answered walking circling her like a vulture. "Very good. I like you. You are quite the spunky one and very lovely. I intend to help you recover the eggs."
Dylan looked at the man confused. "Why would you want to do that?"
"Oh don't think I am so generous. One of the eggs on your list is the one I attempted to steal years ago." He sat on her couch and lit up a cigar. "I hope you don't mind if I smoke."
"Actually I do." She said to him angrily. "I won't steal the egg for you if that is what you want." When he didn't put out the cigar she took it from his hand and snubbed it out in the ashtray.
"You realize that was an expensive hand rolled Cuban?" he asked shocked by her action.
"I don't care if it was. Now I'm asking you to leave." She pointed towards the door.
"Ms. Sanders.Dylan, should you care to accept my offer," he held out a business card and picked up his overcoat, "this is where you can reach me. Next time don't bring Anthony in tow. While I do admire the boy I would prefer to deal with you one on one." He left her apartment and shut the door behind him.
Dylan sank down onto the white leather sofa. She was dirty, had a twisted ankle, a broken heart and a condo that reeked with the heavy scent of Cuban tobacco. She sighed and rubbed her eyes; all she wanted was her bed but knew the bath had to come first. Heading towards the bathroom she shed her clothes along the way. Normally she would have thought of Anthony and his neatness but tonight she didn't give a damn, let Kate deal with his freakish neat streak. As she was about to turn on the shower she heard the door to the apartment open. "Great," she thought grabbing one of the robes from the back of the door and went out into the living room.
Anthony didn't know what he could say to make it better. He hadn't meant to hurt her but she jumped to the wrong conclusion about himself and Ekaterina. He so wished that she hadn't run off but let them explain what she saw. Anthony hadn't planned on coming to see her just to drive and clear his head but he was there now. He opened the door to the condo and stepped inside. As he turned the foyer light on he saw Dylan, his angel wrapped in one of the white bathrobes. It reminded him of the events after Dimitri's funeral.
"What are you doing here?" she asked angrily.
"It was a mistake," he said taking a step towards her. She backed up and asked, "What was a mistake? Us? You and Kate? Me catching you and Kate?"
He tried to find the words to make her understand but they weren't coming to him. Words however weren't failing Dylan now like they did back at Dimitri's house. "I want you to leave. I don't think I can handle being in the same room with you right now."
"Dylan, I'm sorry."
"So am I. Please leave Anthony."
He turned and left. He should have known that the two of them wouldn't last. She would only see what she wanted to see in him and at this point she saw someone she couldn't trust. "Anthony," she called. He turned back to see her holding out his medallion. "Maybe you should take this." He shook his head "no" and kept walking.
*-*-*-*-*
Although Natalie and Alex had called her early the next morning to tell her coming to work wasn't necessary Dylan came in anyway taking a cab. She wanted some normality in her life plus she wanted to tell the angels about her visit the night before by Neville Rutherford. As she approached the door to the office she could hear Natalie, Alex and Bosley's laughing voices from inside. Quickly looking in the mirror she smiled at herself. "It will do," she thought and entered where her friends were sitting drinking coffee. "Morning guys," she said as cheerfully as she could muster.
"Dylan," said Alex surprised, "I thought you were staying home."
"I would have, nothing like a free day off but I had a visitor last night," she said as Bosley handed her a cup of coffee, "Thanks, Bos."
"Who? Anthony?" asked Natalie. She really hoped that it was only a misunderstanding between the two of them. She couldn't believe that Anthony would cheat on Dylan and she knew how happy he made her friend. Although he didn't express emotion much she was pretty sure Dylan made him happy as well.
"No.well yes but that isn't who I mean." She said flustered. She couldn't believe that she had sent Anthony away last night. He had come to talk and she didn't want to. "Why is it I always think the worst of him," she wondered silently. She knew the answer and it didn't have to do with the fact he was an assassin, it had to do with all the men in her life letting her down. She found it hard to accept that he wouldn't do that and kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. This time it was possible that it hadn't hit the ground yet but she was trying to speed it up- subconsciously. "I mean my visit from Neville Rutherford."
"He was at your apartment? Dylan, how did he find out where you lived?" asked Alex.
"I don't know probably from whoever told him that my name isn't Lillian Blaine and gave him the news paper clipping of us celebrating the return of HALO and the premier of ME:2."
"The Thin Man?" said Alex.
Dylan smiled. Leave it to Alex to start calling Anthony "The Thin Man" again just hours after they broke up. Actually she could picture her calling him that last night immediately after she left as well. "No, he might have been.could have been fooling around with Kate but I don't think he would blow my cover to Rutherford and if he did he wouldn't have been secretive about it. They know each other and worked together before. No, Anthony would have come right out and told him who I was."
"So is that all he wanted?" asked Natalie. "To tell you he knows you're an angel?"
"Actually he wanted my help stealing one of the eggs."
Bosley had listened to the whole conversation in silence but now he had to speak he was confused. "Hold on." The angels looked at him. "Let me get this straight. The real eggs are stolen and you don't know where they are but this guy Rutherford wants you to steel the eggs that are stolen?"
"Exactly," said Dylan. "He agreed to help us get the stolen eggs but he wants one of them as payment."
"Why?" asked Bosley again.
"Do you guys remember how on Monday I told Kate that he tried to steal one of the eggs years ago but it turned out to be a fake. Well that egg is a replica of the ones that were stolen from the museum."
"What is so special about that egg?" asked Bosley
"Honestly I didn't ask which one it was," said Dylan sipping her coffee as the others looked at her. "Sorry. I wasn't expecting to find him in my living room."
Alex stood and paced the room for a second. "Never mind that I have an idea. You need to go back to Rutherford's tell him you'll take him up on his deal. He will get the real egg that he wants but the real fake one that is on display tonight. Then we get all four eggs back and who knows maybe we can find something to charge Rutherford with as well."
As Alex got finished outlining her plan Dylan picked up the telephone and dialed the telephone number from the card he gave her the night before. "Mr. Rutherford please."
Rutherford had never been as surprised as when the butler told him he had a phone call and there was an angel at the other end. He hadn't expected to hear from her- at least not so quickly. "Dylan my dear this is a surprise."
"Just like the one you gave me last night I imagine," went her voice to his ear.
"Touché, touché. So how may I be of service?" he asked as he sat in his wing backed chair puffing on his cigar.
"I'd like to see you in person to discuss the details of what you offered last night."
Neville's eyes lit up. That was more than he had hoped for. He tried to suppress his pleasure and said, "Fine come right away. I'm looking forward to my getting my egg at last." He hung up the phone without saying good- bye. He hoped she didn't think him rude but he wanted to get ready for her arrival.
"Good evening Lillian," he said eyeing her disheveled form up and down.
"Rutherford," Dylan tried to hide her shock at finding the man in her living room. "What are you doing here? Can I get you a drink?"
He stood and walked around the couch towards her. "No thank you Lillian and call me Neville," he said with a smile, "I'm quite set." He picked up the octagonal bourbon glass and swished its contents around the two ice cubes inside clanking against the glass. "I hope you don't mind that since you were out I made myself at home."
She felt violated by his being in her home but she wasn't going to let that show. Despite the fact that she caught Anthony with Kate the Faberge eggs were still out there somewhere and needed to be returned to their rightful owner, the museum. "I'm glad you are enjoying yourself. I'm just back from the gym," she said lying, "and I want to take a shower so if you just finish your drink and leave I would appreciate it." She started moving towards the bathroom.
"But Lillian, I came across town to see you," he said with a hint of disappointment. She turned and glared at him. "Could I stay if I called you Dylan?" he asked and smiled as a look of surprise briefly flicked across her face. If he hadn't been watching her so intently he was sure he would have missed it. He had to hand it to her she was good.
She sauntered over to him and took the bourbon from his hand and drank it herself. It had been one hell of a day. "Why would you want to do that?" she asked.
"Because it's your name isn't it Ms. Sanders? I had this mysteriously delivered to my mansion today." He held out a news paper clipping about the HALO rings that showed the three angels beaming at the ME:2 premiere. Dylan wasn't sure what to say she just looked at the paper. "Does Anthony know? I ask because he does seem besotted with you. I'd hate to think that you managed to trick both of us but on the other hand if you did I don't feel quite the old fool."
"No, he doesn't know." she replied unsure as to why.
"Good," he answered walking circling her like a vulture. "Very good. I like you. You are quite the spunky one and very lovely. I intend to help you recover the eggs."
Dylan looked at the man confused. "Why would you want to do that?"
"Oh don't think I am so generous. One of the eggs on your list is the one I attempted to steal years ago." He sat on her couch and lit up a cigar. "I hope you don't mind if I smoke."
"Actually I do." She said to him angrily. "I won't steal the egg for you if that is what you want." When he didn't put out the cigar she took it from his hand and snubbed it out in the ashtray.
"You realize that was an expensive hand rolled Cuban?" he asked shocked by her action.
"I don't care if it was. Now I'm asking you to leave." She pointed towards the door.
"Ms. Sanders.Dylan, should you care to accept my offer," he held out a business card and picked up his overcoat, "this is where you can reach me. Next time don't bring Anthony in tow. While I do admire the boy I would prefer to deal with you one on one." He left her apartment and shut the door behind him.
Dylan sank down onto the white leather sofa. She was dirty, had a twisted ankle, a broken heart and a condo that reeked with the heavy scent of Cuban tobacco. She sighed and rubbed her eyes; all she wanted was her bed but knew the bath had to come first. Heading towards the bathroom she shed her clothes along the way. Normally she would have thought of Anthony and his neatness but tonight she didn't give a damn, let Kate deal with his freakish neat streak. As she was about to turn on the shower she heard the door to the apartment open. "Great," she thought grabbing one of the robes from the back of the door and went out into the living room.
Anthony didn't know what he could say to make it better. He hadn't meant to hurt her but she jumped to the wrong conclusion about himself and Ekaterina. He so wished that she hadn't run off but let them explain what she saw. Anthony hadn't planned on coming to see her just to drive and clear his head but he was there now. He opened the door to the condo and stepped inside. As he turned the foyer light on he saw Dylan, his angel wrapped in one of the white bathrobes. It reminded him of the events after Dimitri's funeral.
"What are you doing here?" she asked angrily.
"It was a mistake," he said taking a step towards her. She backed up and asked, "What was a mistake? Us? You and Kate? Me catching you and Kate?"
He tried to find the words to make her understand but they weren't coming to him. Words however weren't failing Dylan now like they did back at Dimitri's house. "I want you to leave. I don't think I can handle being in the same room with you right now."
"Dylan, I'm sorry."
"So am I. Please leave Anthony."
He turned and left. He should have known that the two of them wouldn't last. She would only see what she wanted to see in him and at this point she saw someone she couldn't trust. "Anthony," she called. He turned back to see her holding out his medallion. "Maybe you should take this." He shook his head "no" and kept walking.
*-*-*-*-*
Although Natalie and Alex had called her early the next morning to tell her coming to work wasn't necessary Dylan came in anyway taking a cab. She wanted some normality in her life plus she wanted to tell the angels about her visit the night before by Neville Rutherford. As she approached the door to the office she could hear Natalie, Alex and Bosley's laughing voices from inside. Quickly looking in the mirror she smiled at herself. "It will do," she thought and entered where her friends were sitting drinking coffee. "Morning guys," she said as cheerfully as she could muster.
"Dylan," said Alex surprised, "I thought you were staying home."
"I would have, nothing like a free day off but I had a visitor last night," she said as Bosley handed her a cup of coffee, "Thanks, Bos."
"Who? Anthony?" asked Natalie. She really hoped that it was only a misunderstanding between the two of them. She couldn't believe that Anthony would cheat on Dylan and she knew how happy he made her friend. Although he didn't express emotion much she was pretty sure Dylan made him happy as well.
"No.well yes but that isn't who I mean." She said flustered. She couldn't believe that she had sent Anthony away last night. He had come to talk and she didn't want to. "Why is it I always think the worst of him," she wondered silently. She knew the answer and it didn't have to do with the fact he was an assassin, it had to do with all the men in her life letting her down. She found it hard to accept that he wouldn't do that and kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. This time it was possible that it hadn't hit the ground yet but she was trying to speed it up- subconsciously. "I mean my visit from Neville Rutherford."
"He was at your apartment? Dylan, how did he find out where you lived?" asked Alex.
"I don't know probably from whoever told him that my name isn't Lillian Blaine and gave him the news paper clipping of us celebrating the return of HALO and the premier of ME:2."
"The Thin Man?" said Alex.
Dylan smiled. Leave it to Alex to start calling Anthony "The Thin Man" again just hours after they broke up. Actually she could picture her calling him that last night immediately after she left as well. "No, he might have been.could have been fooling around with Kate but I don't think he would blow my cover to Rutherford and if he did he wouldn't have been secretive about it. They know each other and worked together before. No, Anthony would have come right out and told him who I was."
"So is that all he wanted?" asked Natalie. "To tell you he knows you're an angel?"
"Actually he wanted my help stealing one of the eggs."
Bosley had listened to the whole conversation in silence but now he had to speak he was confused. "Hold on." The angels looked at him. "Let me get this straight. The real eggs are stolen and you don't know where they are but this guy Rutherford wants you to steel the eggs that are stolen?"
"Exactly," said Dylan. "He agreed to help us get the stolen eggs but he wants one of them as payment."
"Why?" asked Bosley again.
"Do you guys remember how on Monday I told Kate that he tried to steal one of the eggs years ago but it turned out to be a fake. Well that egg is a replica of the ones that were stolen from the museum."
"What is so special about that egg?" asked Bosley
"Honestly I didn't ask which one it was," said Dylan sipping her coffee as the others looked at her. "Sorry. I wasn't expecting to find him in my living room."
Alex stood and paced the room for a second. "Never mind that I have an idea. You need to go back to Rutherford's tell him you'll take him up on his deal. He will get the real egg that he wants but the real fake one that is on display tonight. Then we get all four eggs back and who knows maybe we can find something to charge Rutherford with as well."
As Alex got finished outlining her plan Dylan picked up the telephone and dialed the telephone number from the card he gave her the night before. "Mr. Rutherford please."
Rutherford had never been as surprised as when the butler told him he had a phone call and there was an angel at the other end. He hadn't expected to hear from her- at least not so quickly. "Dylan my dear this is a surprise."
"Just like the one you gave me last night I imagine," went her voice to his ear.
"Touché, touché. So how may I be of service?" he asked as he sat in his wing backed chair puffing on his cigar.
"I'd like to see you in person to discuss the details of what you offered last night."
Neville's eyes lit up. That was more than he had hoped for. He tried to suppress his pleasure and said, "Fine come right away. I'm looking forward to my getting my egg at last." He hung up the phone without saying good- bye. He hoped she didn't think him rude but he wanted to get ready for her arrival.