Chapter IV: Circumstances.
Another colorful day in a city that has plenty:
Detective James Rutteger likes to think he's a very patient man. Living for nearly a thousand years have made sure that he maintained some measure of patience during the most inconvenient circumstances. Lindsey MacDonald sees a very insecure little man that he could break in half in a split second given the right circumstances. He understands what the "good" detective's purpose in his office is about. He looks at the man in front of him, and can't help but wonder how much longer must he act like a child so he can bring this creature's hatred upon him. There is no real reason to do so... except maybe sheer amusement.
Lindsey presses the line for his secretary.
Lindsey: "Harm?"
Harmony: (through the intercom) "Yes, boss?"
Lindsey: "Bring me a beer here, will ya? Thanks." (looking at Rutteger) "So... what's your problem?"
James: "Listen, squirt, we are dealing with the death dealer here. You're wasting your time just sitting here."
Lindsey: "Wait a minute, wait a minute. What death dealer?"
Harmony enters with a beer bottle for Lindsey.
James: "The bringer of chaos. The Arathma'aet. He's here."
Lindsey: "Yeah, that all sounds pretty interesting. Except that I have no idea what the hell are you talking about." (grabs the beer) "Thanks, Harm."
Harmony: "No problemo, boss!" (she leaves the office)
Lindsey: "She's cute, isn't she?"
James: (stands abruptly) "Dammit! Now you listen to me, you sniveling little bastard--"
Lindsey: "Sit down."
James freezes for a couple of seconds then calmly sits back down on his chair.
Lindsey: (cont.) "I understand your concern for the matter at hand, and I assure you that we will do everything with our resources to deal with this... situation. However..." (stands up from his chair and walks towards the windows) "this matter is to be taken into consideration by my team." (turns around and faces Rutteger) "I will not jump into any plan without first going through it very carefully, you understand me?"
James: "Yes, I understand."
Lindsey: "Good... get out of my office." (drinks from his bottle and turns towards the mountains again).
James stands up quietly and starts walking backwards, bowing his head, until he reaches the doorway. He turns around and walks away. Lindsey stands by the window for a while longer. He likes the view, he always did. He walks towards his desk and finds Hamilton staring at him from the doorway.
Hamilton: "Mr. MacDonald? Good morning."
Lindsey: (standing in front of his desk, perusing through the files) "Hamilton. To why do I owe this... unpleasant surprise?"
Hamilton: "The Senior Partners are concerned about certain management decisions you've taken as of late."
Lindsey: "Such as?"
Hamilton: "Well, we can take the way you regrettably treated the good detective as right now."
Lindsey: "I just wanted to see how much the guy could take. I don't see the harm of it."
Hamilton: "Let me remind you of something, Lindsey. Angel may have given you the reigns of the L.A. branch, but that does no--"
Lindsey: "Please leave."
Hamilton: "Excuse me?"
Lindsey: "I got work to do Marcus. So unless you actually have anything of particular interest to share, I suggest you leave." (sits on his chair and reads through the paper-work) "I'm not Angel. Don't make that same 'mistake' again."
Hamilton: "Very well. Have a nice day, Mr. MacDonald."
Marcus walks out of the office. Lindsey reads through the papers and sets them down on his desk. He leans back on his seat and grabs the bottle. He takes a large sum of liquor into his mouth and slowly allows it to pass down his throat. He puts the bottle on the desk again and wipes his face with his hands and gets back to his work. After all, running an evil law- firm isn't quite as simple as building a virus or perhaps something more rudimentary, such as a fusion bomb.
It's 11:36 pm. Lindsey parks his car in front of a diner in the outskirts of the series. He walks out his vehicle and looks around him as he walks inside the diner. He passes the counter and sits at the farthest table from the entrance.
Wes: (reading a book) "You're late."
Lindsey: "Hello to you too, Wes."
Wes closes the book and puts it beside him on his seat.
Lindsey: (cont.) "Anyhow, you don't mind if I eat, do you?"
Wes: "Long day at the office?"
Lindsey: (turning around looking for a waitress) "You have no idea."
Wes: (chuckles) "I think I do."
A young waitress walks up to the table.
Waitress: "Hey, honey, what do you want?"
Lindsey: "I'll have an order of pancakes, fried eggs, bacon, hash browns and sausages for an entrée."
Waitress: "And to drink?"
Lindsey: "Coke."
Waitress: (turning towards Wes) "And you? Are you going to keep admiring that empty cup or do you want a refill?"
Wes: "Refill should be fine. Thanks."
The waitress walks back to the counter and picks up the pot, but is distracted by an adjacent TV and doesn't move.
Lindsey: "So, how's life as the Avengers?"
Wes: "Unfulfilling. Yours?"
Lindsey: "Gotta love them perks."
Wes: "Yes."
At that moment the waitress approached them with the coffee pot on hand. She serves Wes another cup, and pours one for Lindsey. After she's done she walks back to her program.
Lindsey: "You think they know?"
Wes: "If they did we would be dead by now."
Lindsey: "Have you told Spike?"
Wes: "No."
Lindsey: "Are you?"
Wes: "Do you have anything useful?"
Lindsey: "Just one thing: the Arathma'aet."
Wes: "The who?"
Lindsey: "The Arathma'aet. As far as I know it arrived here sometime last night. I got a visit from James Rutteger."
Wes: "The detective?"
Lindsey: "Yeah. He's been a player for the Partners for quite awhile now. He says that the death dealer has arrived."
Wes: "Death dealer? Couldn't come up with a more original name?"
Lindsey: "Wait, it gets better. It took out two priests of a sect downtown. The coroner's report says that the kids were beheaded while they were still playing video games in their apartment. The heads were still attached to their bodies which mean that whatever did this did it at an incredible speed. They didn't even feel it."
The waitress approaches with Lindsey's plate in her hand and a coke in the other.
Waitress: "Here we go: one order of pancakes, bacon, fried eggs, hash browns and sausages. And here's your coke. Is there anything else?"
Lindsey: "No, thanks. I think that's it, unless you..."
Wes: "No" (smiles), "that will be all."
Waitress: "Great. Should you need anything blow me a whistle, 'kay?"
Lindsey: (smiling) "Sure thing."
Wes: "She is rather cheery."
Lindsey: "Nah, maybe just a tad. It's mostly just an act to get us grumpy old men to pay for her College tuition. It's either this..."
Wes: "... or a strip club."
Lindsey: "You sure you don't want anything?"
Wes: "No. I think I better be going."
Lindsey: "Suit yourself."
Wes stands to leave.
Lindsey: (cont.) "Hey, wait a minute. What about the Arathma'aet?"
Wes: "I'll research it at home. The best thing we can do right now is keep a low profile."
Lindsey: "Like meeting on an empty diner in the outskirts of the city at midnight?"
Wes: "Enjoy your dinner, Lindsey. I'll be in touch."
Wes grabs his book and walks outside of the diner. He looks out into the clear, dark sky and sends a prayer for those that are going to get caught in the storm. Things will get ugly, yet under the circumstances he maintains his calm. He's a patient man. Whatever comes he'll face, and he'll do so because everything is finally according to plan.
-- Fin.
Another colorful day in a city that has plenty:
Detective James Rutteger likes to think he's a very patient man. Living for nearly a thousand years have made sure that he maintained some measure of patience during the most inconvenient circumstances. Lindsey MacDonald sees a very insecure little man that he could break in half in a split second given the right circumstances. He understands what the "good" detective's purpose in his office is about. He looks at the man in front of him, and can't help but wonder how much longer must he act like a child so he can bring this creature's hatred upon him. There is no real reason to do so... except maybe sheer amusement.
Lindsey presses the line for his secretary.
Lindsey: "Harm?"
Harmony: (through the intercom) "Yes, boss?"
Lindsey: "Bring me a beer here, will ya? Thanks." (looking at Rutteger) "So... what's your problem?"
James: "Listen, squirt, we are dealing with the death dealer here. You're wasting your time just sitting here."
Lindsey: "Wait a minute, wait a minute. What death dealer?"
Harmony enters with a beer bottle for Lindsey.
James: "The bringer of chaos. The Arathma'aet. He's here."
Lindsey: "Yeah, that all sounds pretty interesting. Except that I have no idea what the hell are you talking about." (grabs the beer) "Thanks, Harm."
Harmony: "No problemo, boss!" (she leaves the office)
Lindsey: "She's cute, isn't she?"
James: (stands abruptly) "Dammit! Now you listen to me, you sniveling little bastard--"
Lindsey: "Sit down."
James freezes for a couple of seconds then calmly sits back down on his chair.
Lindsey: (cont.) "I understand your concern for the matter at hand, and I assure you that we will do everything with our resources to deal with this... situation. However..." (stands up from his chair and walks towards the windows) "this matter is to be taken into consideration by my team." (turns around and faces Rutteger) "I will not jump into any plan without first going through it very carefully, you understand me?"
James: "Yes, I understand."
Lindsey: "Good... get out of my office." (drinks from his bottle and turns towards the mountains again).
James stands up quietly and starts walking backwards, bowing his head, until he reaches the doorway. He turns around and walks away. Lindsey stands by the window for a while longer. He likes the view, he always did. He walks towards his desk and finds Hamilton staring at him from the doorway.
Hamilton: "Mr. MacDonald? Good morning."
Lindsey: (standing in front of his desk, perusing through the files) "Hamilton. To why do I owe this... unpleasant surprise?"
Hamilton: "The Senior Partners are concerned about certain management decisions you've taken as of late."
Lindsey: "Such as?"
Hamilton: "Well, we can take the way you regrettably treated the good detective as right now."
Lindsey: "I just wanted to see how much the guy could take. I don't see the harm of it."
Hamilton: "Let me remind you of something, Lindsey. Angel may have given you the reigns of the L.A. branch, but that does no--"
Lindsey: "Please leave."
Hamilton: "Excuse me?"
Lindsey: "I got work to do Marcus. So unless you actually have anything of particular interest to share, I suggest you leave." (sits on his chair and reads through the paper-work) "I'm not Angel. Don't make that same 'mistake' again."
Hamilton: "Very well. Have a nice day, Mr. MacDonald."
Marcus walks out of the office. Lindsey reads through the papers and sets them down on his desk. He leans back on his seat and grabs the bottle. He takes a large sum of liquor into his mouth and slowly allows it to pass down his throat. He puts the bottle on the desk again and wipes his face with his hands and gets back to his work. After all, running an evil law- firm isn't quite as simple as building a virus or perhaps something more rudimentary, such as a fusion bomb.
It's 11:36 pm. Lindsey parks his car in front of a diner in the outskirts of the series. He walks out his vehicle and looks around him as he walks inside the diner. He passes the counter and sits at the farthest table from the entrance.
Wes: (reading a book) "You're late."
Lindsey: "Hello to you too, Wes."
Wes closes the book and puts it beside him on his seat.
Lindsey: (cont.) "Anyhow, you don't mind if I eat, do you?"
Wes: "Long day at the office?"
Lindsey: (turning around looking for a waitress) "You have no idea."
Wes: (chuckles) "I think I do."
A young waitress walks up to the table.
Waitress: "Hey, honey, what do you want?"
Lindsey: "I'll have an order of pancakes, fried eggs, bacon, hash browns and sausages for an entrée."
Waitress: "And to drink?"
Lindsey: "Coke."
Waitress: (turning towards Wes) "And you? Are you going to keep admiring that empty cup or do you want a refill?"
Wes: "Refill should be fine. Thanks."
The waitress walks back to the counter and picks up the pot, but is distracted by an adjacent TV and doesn't move.
Lindsey: "So, how's life as the Avengers?"
Wes: "Unfulfilling. Yours?"
Lindsey: "Gotta love them perks."
Wes: "Yes."
At that moment the waitress approached them with the coffee pot on hand. She serves Wes another cup, and pours one for Lindsey. After she's done she walks back to her program.
Lindsey: "You think they know?"
Wes: "If they did we would be dead by now."
Lindsey: "Have you told Spike?"
Wes: "No."
Lindsey: "Are you?"
Wes: "Do you have anything useful?"
Lindsey: "Just one thing: the Arathma'aet."
Wes: "The who?"
Lindsey: "The Arathma'aet. As far as I know it arrived here sometime last night. I got a visit from James Rutteger."
Wes: "The detective?"
Lindsey: "Yeah. He's been a player for the Partners for quite awhile now. He says that the death dealer has arrived."
Wes: "Death dealer? Couldn't come up with a more original name?"
Lindsey: "Wait, it gets better. It took out two priests of a sect downtown. The coroner's report says that the kids were beheaded while they were still playing video games in their apartment. The heads were still attached to their bodies which mean that whatever did this did it at an incredible speed. They didn't even feel it."
The waitress approaches with Lindsey's plate in her hand and a coke in the other.
Waitress: "Here we go: one order of pancakes, bacon, fried eggs, hash browns and sausages. And here's your coke. Is there anything else?"
Lindsey: "No, thanks. I think that's it, unless you..."
Wes: "No" (smiles), "that will be all."
Waitress: "Great. Should you need anything blow me a whistle, 'kay?"
Lindsey: (smiling) "Sure thing."
Wes: "She is rather cheery."
Lindsey: "Nah, maybe just a tad. It's mostly just an act to get us grumpy old men to pay for her College tuition. It's either this..."
Wes: "... or a strip club."
Lindsey: "You sure you don't want anything?"
Wes: "No. I think I better be going."
Lindsey: "Suit yourself."
Wes stands to leave.
Lindsey: (cont.) "Hey, wait a minute. What about the Arathma'aet?"
Wes: "I'll research it at home. The best thing we can do right now is keep a low profile."
Lindsey: "Like meeting on an empty diner in the outskirts of the city at midnight?"
Wes: "Enjoy your dinner, Lindsey. I'll be in touch."
Wes grabs his book and walks outside of the diner. He looks out into the clear, dark sky and sends a prayer for those that are going to get caught in the storm. Things will get ugly, yet under the circumstances he maintains his calm. He's a patient man. Whatever comes he'll face, and he'll do so because everything is finally according to plan.
-- Fin.