Chapter Seventeen

Beloved enemy

After driving Joe home, Methos returned to his apartment in a contemplative mood. While he was close to certain that Samuel wouldn't hurt Amanda and Duncan so long as they didn't realise he was the true target of their hunt, he had still failed to figure out why Samuel tortured and killed mortals who weren't Watchers.

He had briefly entertained the notion that perhaps Samuel had mistaken them for Watchers, but it didn't match his usual methods for dealing with Watchers, partly in the excessive torture they'd suffered, but mainly in that he hadn't disappeared immediately afterwards. No, those killings had been meticulously planned out and executed, and he hoped to high heaven that the reasons wouldn't invalidate his analysis of Samuel's personality.

Booting up his computer, he logged on to the Watcher database using Joe's username and password, and set out to use the hours before his flight left to study the murders of two people whose only apparent crime had been being acquaintances or even friends with a monster, only to discover that all references to one of the victims had been completely erased from the database. There were still two victims listed, but the earliest of them had been in 1925, and Methos distinctly remembered reading of a victim in 1888. As for the other two victims, the Watchers had been interested in them only because their deaths had been at the hands of an Immortal, and so they had never bothered to gather much information on them. And what little they had gathered seemed to have been further diminished by Samuel's subsequent infiltrations into the Watchers archives, and that further focused Methos' interest. If Samuel had bothered to delete information about his victims, then there had to be something of interest there. Logging off the Watcher database, he brought up his favourite search-engines, and sent them browsing across the Internet.

****

"I don't get it. I've just told you that Samuel wants me to kill Methos, and you don't find it a bit suspicious?"

"Not at all, Duncan. I should have realised something like this could happen, but I guess I just didn't think Samuel hated anyone enough to use the opportunity."

"Opportunity!? What are you talking about? There is no opportunity here, just your friend trying to get me to kill Methos!"

"Really, Duncan. You have a brain, try using it, and look at the situation from his point of view. Now tell me, what has the slayer done to Samuel?"

"Huh? What does that have to do with this?"

"Just humour me, darling. What has the slayer ever done to Samuel?"

"Well, Challenged him, basically driven him on the run from Chicago to Los Angeles, probably cost him a lot of money. Anything I missed?

"Nothing major. But remember, Samuel doesn't play the Game. He is used to running from Challenges, and I've never heard him complain about it. So as far as he is concerned, there is nothing unusual about this, until you come along."

"Me? And just what is it I have done, apart from trying to hunt down the Immortal who's trying to kill him?"

"That's just it, Duncan. The slayer isn't trying to kill him. He ran from Chicago to Los Angeles, there is no way that he considers the slayer a danger any longer. And then you come along, the best swordsman among us, and you're hunting an Immortal whom you have no idea what he looks like. So what shall he do, send you after the Immortal who just did what so many other Immortals have done, or should he send you after the one who did whatever it is Methos did to him?"

"And what is it Methos did to him?"

"I'm not a mind reader, darling. I have no idea what it was. But it must have been something bad, if Samuel is willing to send you after him instead of the slayer. Best guess, it is something that happened years ago. Probably just a misunderstanding, but bad enough that Samuel still holds a grudge years after."

"And why do you think it happened years ago, and not something recent?"

"Really, Duncan. Look at the drawing, will you? Have you ever seen Methos with a moustache? And that hairstyle is just ancient. No, Samuel haven't seen Methos in years."

Duncan picked up the drawing and looked at it, pacing the room as he pondered what Amanda'd just said.

"Yes, I see what you mean. It's Methos, all right, but not Adam Pierson. Some older identity of his, you think?"

"Isn't that what I just said?"

"Ok, so Methos somehow managed to piss Samuel off bad enough that he is willing to let the slayer walk free if it means Methos loses his head. Just great. Now what am I supposed to do?"

"Well, you could ask the old man what it was. I mean, you do know him, after all."

Duncan sighed, shaking his head as he sank down in one of the chairs.

"I can just see it. 'Hi Methos. What did you do to Samuel that was bad enough that he is willing to let a monster like the slayer walk in order to make you lose your head?' I don't really see him being too pleased with that line of questioning."

"You might want to rephrase that somewhat, but yes. I do think that is what we have to do. And then we have to get Samuel to forgive Methos for whatever it was. Unless you can see some other way in which to get him to tell us what the slayer really looks like?"

"We could let him know that we're onto his little plot, and that there is no way it'll work?"

"And that will make him all happy and eager to tell on the slayer?"

"Probably not. I guess it is back to Seacouver, then. Because I really don't want to discuss past misdeeds with Methos over the phone."

Walking over to the phone to order tickets back to Seacouver, Duncan smiled wryly at Amanda.

"You know, I actually thought this would be easy. Just pop over to Chicago, find the slayer and kill him. And now I'm travelling back and forth across the continent, hunting for leads and possibly alienating Methos. And I suspect getting Samuel to forgive Methos won't be easy. I know I had a hard time with it, and he'd not even done anything to me."

"True, but Samuel is far more easygoing than you are, and since I doubt that Methos Challenged him, we'll probably just have to resolve a misunderstanding, and then be on our way after the slayer again."

****

Having derailed Duncan's hunt for the slayer, Michael had checked out of the hotel and headed for the biker's bar where he'd picked up his decoy, using the time driving to make up his mind on whether or not to kill the man, and thereby erasing a potential danger. Unfortunately Michael was currently not equipped to properly dispose of a corpse, and since Duncan might learn of the discovery of said corpse, killing the man might cause a large problem. Fortunately the man knew less about Michael than Duncan did, so letting him live would probably not be dangerous, even if the Watchers should bother to look for him.

Not having any idea how close he'd been to an early end, the big man gratefully accepted the remaining payment, silently wondering just what he'd been part of. Not that he was going to ask. Ten thousand dollars counted for a lot of questions not asked. And there was still an opportunity to make more money on this deal, after all.

Finally being able to consider the business with Amanda and Duncan finished, Michael drove to his new home, planning to get in a few hours sleep before checking on when to expect his supplies to arrive. Arriving at home, he picked up the mail, at first intending to read it in the morning, changing his mind as he spotted the large envelope from Wolfram & Hart. The contents caused him to spend the remainder of the night on the phone.

****

It was just after breakfast, and Amanda were getting the last of the suitcases ready when Duncan informed her that they would not travel to Seacouver after all.

"And may I ask why not, and why was I not informed of that before I started packing?"

"I called Joe to let him know how things were going, and he told me Methos is on his way here. Said the old man got curious about how a young Immortal like Samuel could manage to run from the Game, and wants to meet him."

Amanda cocked an eyebrow at him. "Really now. That is rather interesting, don't you think?"

"Yes. It does seem to support your theory. I just wonder if he's coming to make up for whatever it was, or if he's going to try and remove the problem a bit more permanently."

"Well, if he's planning on taking Samuel's head, he'll have to take mine first! There is no way I'm going to let Methos kill one of my friends just because he thinks he might be a danger to him!"

"Relax, Amanda. No one is taking any heads here. We'll pick up Methos at the airport tonight, find out why Samuel wants him dead, and then see what we can do about it, ok?"

Amanda reluctantly nodded. "Ok, but Methos doesn't get anywhere near Samuel before we know what went on between them, and I want his word that he is not going to take his head."

****

"Angel Investigations, we help the helpless."

"Is there a reward for info about the guy on the posters?"

Cordelia frowned at the directness of the caller, wondering what to say. Angel did seem very eager to find that Samuel person, and with Connor all grown up, it wasn't like they were going to need all the money Angel had gathered to raise him.

"Yes, there is a reward. The exact amount depends on what you have to tell us, and whether or not it helps us apprehend him."

"Good. I'll be there in an hour, and you'd better have the money ready, 'cause I'm not telling anything until I see the greens, understand?"

Cordelia's frown deepened into a scowl as the caller abruptly hung up on her.

"Angel, a very rude person is going to come visiting us. He is expecting money in return for information about 'the guy on the posters', which I can only assume means that he knows something about Samuel, and is willing to tell us."

"Rude? And I don't remember offering a reward for finding Samuel, so how come he is expecting money for whatever it is he knows?"

"He hung up without saying goodbye or anything. And that is just plain rude. As for why he is expecting money, I don't know, but he asked if there was a reward, and since you want to find Samuel and we have all that money you collected to raise Connor, I figured I'd say yes rather than not learning what it is he's got to tell us."

At the mention of his estranged son Angel's face got more expressionless than usual, and he merely nodded at Cordelia, before turning to walk into his office.

"Yes, it's not like I need all that money anymore, is it?" he muttered to himself.

****

"Hello Wesley. We need to talk. Can I come in?"

Wesley silently stepped aside, allowing Lilah to step inside his apartment.

Closing the door behind her, he thought he felt a flash of emotion as he smelled her perfume, but the ever-present despair rolled in, and he was left wondering what it had been, disgust or desire? Both, probably, or he wouldn't have taken her to bed all these times.

"Talk, is it? A bit early to offer me a position at Wolfram & Hart, so probably something about Angel, I guess. Is he making trouble for you again?"

"No. A former client of Wolfram & Hart is hunting Angel with the intent of torturing him to death for the crimes he committed as Angelus, and since we have big plans for him, we'd rather not see that happening."

"Yes, of course you don't. So, why would a former client want to punish Angelus, and why should I do anything to prevent it?"

Lilah pouted at Wesley. "You mean you won't do it merely because I ask you to? Of course you won't. After all, you're not thinking of me even when you're pumping in and out of me, so why should you behave like a gentleman now. I know, how about I tell you that the person hunting Angelus won't hesitate to kill any and all persons getting between him and his target, including that cute little Texan girl I believe you're thinking of while pumping in and out of me?" The last was said with a smile, but Wesley thought for a second he could hear pain in the words. He grimly squelched the compassion. It was merely wishful thinking, after all.

"They've dealt with your killers before, so what makes you think this former client of yours will be any different?"

"Maybe because they've never before been targeted by a 3000 year old immortal serial-killer with a long and bloody career as a mercenary and assassin behind him?"

"No, I don't think that's ever happened before. Doesn't really sound like someone you'd allow to leave the firm, though. How did that happen?"

"He was never in the firm, he was a client. That is, we handled his finances and various legal affairs, helped with making identities and such. Nothing major." Lilah frowned. "Until I made a small mistake, and sent the wrong courier to him, which would be why he is no longer a client."

"He didn't like the message he got? What, you were planning to empty out his bank-accounts, or something?"

"No, he got the correct message, just the wrong courier. I was.distracted after a meeting, and so instead of sending a regular courier with the message, I sent an express courier. The client received the message while sitting in an airplane that had taken off a few hours earlier, and for some reason that and the subsequent disappearance of the courier led him to believe that Wolfram & Hart is not just another slightly corrupt law firm."

"That doesn't sound like much of a reason for a demon to end the relationship with you. What else is there?"

"He's not a demon, and he didn't end it. We did. The senior partners have expressly forbidden us from having any kind of supernatural contact with his kind, and since he now knows that Wolfram & Hart have supernatural connections, we had no choice but to terminate our relationship with him."

Wesley blinked, then frowned as he tried to make sense of what his lo.no, not lover, was telling him. "He's a 3000 year old immortal, but not a demon, and a law firm specialising in the occult and run by a bunch of demons won't have any kind of supernatural business with 'his kind'? Do you have any idea how ridiculous that sounds?"

"Of course I do. Doesn't change anything, though. For reasons of their own, the senior partners have placed firm restrictions on our dealings with Immortals, and that severely limits my options here. I managed to lose the firm a very profitable client, and while I can ride out that problem, I'll be in well over my head if he then goes on to kill Angel."

"Yes, that probably wouldn't look good on your resume, I imagine. So how am I supposed to prevent this ancient immortal non-demon from killing Angel?"

Lilah gave Wesley a pleasant smile at his agreement to help her. "Actually, that's the easy part. You merely have to convince Samuel that Angel is in no way responsible for the actions of Angelus. If you can do that, Angel will no longer be interesting prey, and he'll leave them alone."

"And what is the hard part?"

"That would be stopping Angel from going after a 3000 year old immortal serial-killing mercenary assassin."

Author's note: Well, let me start by apologising for the delay since last chapter, I'll blame life and leave it at that to keep you from getting all depressed and sending sympathetic mail to me. What you can do is, as usual, to review. I love positive feedback, and don't have any problems with negative reviews, so long as they are constructive.

On another note, my beta Muerte, and his lovely wife, just saw the birth of their firstborn son, and as such he have other things on his mind than reading this little tale. Therefore this chapter is not fully beta'd, but he swore the parts he had read were good. Please don't prove him wrong, ok?