Chapter V: Grievances, a plethora of red and coffee with strange-folk.
He drives without a care in the world. For the first time in years he's confident that things might work to his desires. He arrives at his apartment building and walks out of his car. He feels tired and for once he actually wants to rest. He can forget about the nightmares for once.
He enters the apartment and finds it just as he left it. Empty. Dark. He walks into his room and finds Illyria standing by the window.
Illyria: "You were gone for long."
Wes: (closes door behind him) "I thought you and Spike were going to take out a nest."
Illyria: "We destroyed the half-breeds. They provided little challenge."
Wes: "And Spike?"
Illyria: "The last I saw of him he walked away with an arrogant and underdressed primitive under his arm. I assumed he desired her company in private."
Wes: "Well, that's Spike alright. Goes to show you how little we have actually evolved, huh?"
Illyria doesn't respond. Wes walks over to his closet, takes of his jacket and hangs it in.
Wes: (cont.) "Are you alright?"
Illyria: (turns around) "I... am--"
Wes: "Yes?"
Illyria: (turns around towards the window again) "I don't understand why are you always absent."
Wes: (smiles) "Is that it? Afraid I'm dating other women?"
Illyria lowers her head as in embarrassment.
Wes: (sits down on his bed) "Illyria."
She raises her head slowly, looking at him in the eyes.
Wes: (cont.) "Everything that's happened in the last year has... taken an incredible toll on me."
Illyria: (whispering) "Fred?"
Wes: (looks up at her) "Yes... but it's more than that." (sits up and stands in front of the window by her) "Things had more meaning before. Last year at Wolfram & Hart I got comfortable, careless. I forgot what that place really was"
Illyria turns around and looks outside the window. She gets close to the glass and puts her hand on it.
Wes: (cont.) "I proved my father right again. (chuckles) I swallowed the illusion. (pauses) Then Fred died and you... I felt numb. I wanted a beautiful lie. I took everything that could've taken my mind off the reality. Didn't work."
He looks at her and notices that she's staring at him very intently.
Wes: (cont.) "Um, ahem now, dealing with Angel gone and the others in England... things are just harder now."
He walks away from the window and heads towards the door. Illyria turns around and sees him standing in the doorway looking at her. She looks into his eyes and sees the desperation in his eyes. He's fearful, but she can't understand of what. He turns around and walks away, leaving her in the room alone. Perhaps he fears of something coming. Perhaps he fears her. Her guide walks away from her again... it's becoming less and less tolerable.
Lindsey walks off the elevator at W&H loosening his tie. He walks into his office and heads towards the elevator leading to his pad, checking his wrist-watch constantly. He walks inside the elevator and rides it all the way to what used to be Angel's apartment. As he walks off, he notices the lights are off.
He steps in, cautiously looking around. He sees a dark figure in his room, giving him his back. Lindsey walks over to a nearby table and turns on a lamp. Det. Rutteger turns around holding a double barreled shotgun in his left hand. His hands, his limbs are shaking. He's sweating profusely and is showing no signs of stability.
Lindsey: (trying to remain calm) "J-- James. What are you doing here?"
James: "You stupid ant. (laughs manically) Do you have any idea of what you did?"
Lindsey: "No. I-- I don't. Why don't you put the big gun down and we--"
James: (shouting) "Shut up!!"
Lindsey walks back a step or two raising his hands.
James: "They know. They know, they know, they know and it's all your fault!!"
Lindsey: "James, what do they know? Who are you talking about?"
James: (points at Lindsey with the shotgun) "I told you to deal with it. I told you, and you laughed and you spit in my face."
Lindsey: "Hey, hey. Easy, ok?"
James: "Now they know it's here and they're... oh, damn. Damn, damn, damn. Dammit!!!" (fires a shot pass Lindsey)
Lindsey: "Geez, stop. Just stop! Let me help you. I-- I can set up some--"
James: (laughs) "They already have my soul, you idiot. Now they want the flesh... flesh and death and...." (starts crying desperately)
Lindsey walks over slowly towards Rutteger. James lowers his shotgun and covers his eyes. Lindsey approaches him and just as he grabs the barrel Rutteger knocks him down with it.
James: "You... this is all your fault. All yours. They wouldn't want me if it weren't for you."
Lindsey: (crawls back) "L-- listen. James. We can work this out. Just tell me what to do. Please, just tell me how I can help you."
James Rutteger stares at Lindsey like a crawling insect. He grabs the shotgun and walks towards him.
Lindsey: (realizing what he can do) "Dammit, James, you can't do this. What do you think the Senior Partners are going to do with you if they find out you killed me."
James stops.
Lindsey: (cont.) "Geez, man. What are you running away from? Let me help you."
James stares at him without responding. Tears are still dripping from his eyes.
Lindsey: (cont.) "Is it the Council? A Slayer?"
James lowers his shotgun.
Lindsey: (cont.) "Just tell me what I can do."
James: "You really have no idea, do you?"
Lindsey: "What?"
James: (laughs manically) "You don't know." (walks around the room mumbling to himself)
Lindsey: "Don't know what?"
James: "They won't care if I kill you."
Lindsey: "The Partners?"
James: "You screwed them over once. But they have plans. Big plans." (he pauses them begins crying again) "I don't want to go."
Lindsey: "Wait, what plans?"
James: (looks about) "They're coming for me."
Lindsey: "What are you talking about, James? Who?!?"
James: "Something tells me this is the moment when you should get on your knees and pray to your higher powers, kid. Tell my wife I love her."
With that said Rutteger raises his shotgun, turns it on himself and fires. The shell enters through the chin, and in a matter of a nanosecond it shatters through his mouth, brain and cranium, exiting through his hairline creating a plethora of vibrant, warm blood and organic materials that colors the wall. The body tumbles down shortly thereafter, soaking the carpet with the remaining life that pours out of the man's body.
Lindsey MacDonald has many questions left unanswered. He had spoken with that man hours ago in his office. Now he lay there, staining the floor and leaving a family of three behind. W&H tends to get at people like that. Lindsey's tired, yet sleep is remote. He can't tear himself away from the body. Somehow a fruit basket to his wife won't do this time. Who are they? What did they want? Questions and answers. Hard to find those together nowadays.
He runs. He follows them with incredible resilience. They never get far before he catches them. These two are proving to be an exception. He catches them at a blind corner in an alley. It's 5:13 am. Two minutes later and the alley needs a sweep. He takes out a cigarette and lights it, while he sits in a garbage can. He rests. It's been a long night. Prostitutes and vampires are an interestingly volatile combination, but he doesn't care. He's just glad he can return to his apartment with gratification and pride. Not a bad day's work for William the Bloody. The smoke from the cigarette signals that.
Then it happens. It pierces through the night like a butcher night to paper. The sound is horrifying. It mortifies. Spike stands up with his cig in his lips and looks around. It's dark but he sees it coming. He takes out his cigarette and tosses it to the ground. He walks to meet his foe and sees him clearly. It seems ghastly human. His eyes are darker than the cold recess of space. His limbs vibrate intensely. His face, scarred in ancient writings, exhibits a gleeful grin. Desire of death is its wish. His body, young looking and frail, appears strongly determined for battle.
Panting the creature releases its first words in a dark, rasping voice, beneath a joyful laughter: "Half-breed." The creature releases another desperate shriek that pierces across the night. It invokes anger, hate, sorrow and pain.
Death has arrived.
-- End.
He drives without a care in the world. For the first time in years he's confident that things might work to his desires. He arrives at his apartment building and walks out of his car. He feels tired and for once he actually wants to rest. He can forget about the nightmares for once.
He enters the apartment and finds it just as he left it. Empty. Dark. He walks into his room and finds Illyria standing by the window.
Illyria: "You were gone for long."
Wes: (closes door behind him) "I thought you and Spike were going to take out a nest."
Illyria: "We destroyed the half-breeds. They provided little challenge."
Wes: "And Spike?"
Illyria: "The last I saw of him he walked away with an arrogant and underdressed primitive under his arm. I assumed he desired her company in private."
Wes: "Well, that's Spike alright. Goes to show you how little we have actually evolved, huh?"
Illyria doesn't respond. Wes walks over to his closet, takes of his jacket and hangs it in.
Wes: (cont.) "Are you alright?"
Illyria: (turns around) "I... am--"
Wes: "Yes?"
Illyria: (turns around towards the window again) "I don't understand why are you always absent."
Wes: (smiles) "Is that it? Afraid I'm dating other women?"
Illyria lowers her head as in embarrassment.
Wes: (sits down on his bed) "Illyria."
She raises her head slowly, looking at him in the eyes.
Wes: (cont.) "Everything that's happened in the last year has... taken an incredible toll on me."
Illyria: (whispering) "Fred?"
Wes: (looks up at her) "Yes... but it's more than that." (sits up and stands in front of the window by her) "Things had more meaning before. Last year at Wolfram & Hart I got comfortable, careless. I forgot what that place really was"
Illyria turns around and looks outside the window. She gets close to the glass and puts her hand on it.
Wes: (cont.) "I proved my father right again. (chuckles) I swallowed the illusion. (pauses) Then Fred died and you... I felt numb. I wanted a beautiful lie. I took everything that could've taken my mind off the reality. Didn't work."
He looks at her and notices that she's staring at him very intently.
Wes: (cont.) "Um, ahem now, dealing with Angel gone and the others in England... things are just harder now."
He walks away from the window and heads towards the door. Illyria turns around and sees him standing in the doorway looking at her. She looks into his eyes and sees the desperation in his eyes. He's fearful, but she can't understand of what. He turns around and walks away, leaving her in the room alone. Perhaps he fears of something coming. Perhaps he fears her. Her guide walks away from her again... it's becoming less and less tolerable.
Lindsey walks off the elevator at W&H loosening his tie. He walks into his office and heads towards the elevator leading to his pad, checking his wrist-watch constantly. He walks inside the elevator and rides it all the way to what used to be Angel's apartment. As he walks off, he notices the lights are off.
He steps in, cautiously looking around. He sees a dark figure in his room, giving him his back. Lindsey walks over to a nearby table and turns on a lamp. Det. Rutteger turns around holding a double barreled shotgun in his left hand. His hands, his limbs are shaking. He's sweating profusely and is showing no signs of stability.
Lindsey: (trying to remain calm) "J-- James. What are you doing here?"
James: "You stupid ant. (laughs manically) Do you have any idea of what you did?"
Lindsey: "No. I-- I don't. Why don't you put the big gun down and we--"
James: (shouting) "Shut up!!"
Lindsey walks back a step or two raising his hands.
James: "They know. They know, they know, they know and it's all your fault!!"
Lindsey: "James, what do they know? Who are you talking about?"
James: (points at Lindsey with the shotgun) "I told you to deal with it. I told you, and you laughed and you spit in my face."
Lindsey: "Hey, hey. Easy, ok?"
James: "Now they know it's here and they're... oh, damn. Damn, damn, damn. Dammit!!!" (fires a shot pass Lindsey)
Lindsey: "Geez, stop. Just stop! Let me help you. I-- I can set up some--"
James: (laughs) "They already have my soul, you idiot. Now they want the flesh... flesh and death and...." (starts crying desperately)
Lindsey walks over slowly towards Rutteger. James lowers his shotgun and covers his eyes. Lindsey approaches him and just as he grabs the barrel Rutteger knocks him down with it.
James: "You... this is all your fault. All yours. They wouldn't want me if it weren't for you."
Lindsey: (crawls back) "L-- listen. James. We can work this out. Just tell me what to do. Please, just tell me how I can help you."
James Rutteger stares at Lindsey like a crawling insect. He grabs the shotgun and walks towards him.
Lindsey: (realizing what he can do) "Dammit, James, you can't do this. What do you think the Senior Partners are going to do with you if they find out you killed me."
James stops.
Lindsey: (cont.) "Geez, man. What are you running away from? Let me help you."
James stares at him without responding. Tears are still dripping from his eyes.
Lindsey: (cont.) "Is it the Council? A Slayer?"
James lowers his shotgun.
Lindsey: (cont.) "Just tell me what I can do."
James: "You really have no idea, do you?"
Lindsey: "What?"
James: (laughs manically) "You don't know." (walks around the room mumbling to himself)
Lindsey: "Don't know what?"
James: "They won't care if I kill you."
Lindsey: "The Partners?"
James: "You screwed them over once. But they have plans. Big plans." (he pauses them begins crying again) "I don't want to go."
Lindsey: "Wait, what plans?"
James: (looks about) "They're coming for me."
Lindsey: "What are you talking about, James? Who?!?"
James: "Something tells me this is the moment when you should get on your knees and pray to your higher powers, kid. Tell my wife I love her."
With that said Rutteger raises his shotgun, turns it on himself and fires. The shell enters through the chin, and in a matter of a nanosecond it shatters through his mouth, brain and cranium, exiting through his hairline creating a plethora of vibrant, warm blood and organic materials that colors the wall. The body tumbles down shortly thereafter, soaking the carpet with the remaining life that pours out of the man's body.
Lindsey MacDonald has many questions left unanswered. He had spoken with that man hours ago in his office. Now he lay there, staining the floor and leaving a family of three behind. W&H tends to get at people like that. Lindsey's tired, yet sleep is remote. He can't tear himself away from the body. Somehow a fruit basket to his wife won't do this time. Who are they? What did they want? Questions and answers. Hard to find those together nowadays.
He runs. He follows them with incredible resilience. They never get far before he catches them. These two are proving to be an exception. He catches them at a blind corner in an alley. It's 5:13 am. Two minutes later and the alley needs a sweep. He takes out a cigarette and lights it, while he sits in a garbage can. He rests. It's been a long night. Prostitutes and vampires are an interestingly volatile combination, but he doesn't care. He's just glad he can return to his apartment with gratification and pride. Not a bad day's work for William the Bloody. The smoke from the cigarette signals that.
Then it happens. It pierces through the night like a butcher night to paper. The sound is horrifying. It mortifies. Spike stands up with his cig in his lips and looks around. It's dark but he sees it coming. He takes out his cigarette and tosses it to the ground. He walks to meet his foe and sees him clearly. It seems ghastly human. His eyes are darker than the cold recess of space. His limbs vibrate intensely. His face, scarred in ancient writings, exhibits a gleeful grin. Desire of death is its wish. His body, young looking and frail, appears strongly determined for battle.
Panting the creature releases its first words in a dark, rasping voice, beneath a joyful laughter: "Half-breed." The creature releases another desperate shriek that pierces across the night. It invokes anger, hate, sorrow and pain.
Death has arrived.
-- End.