Meanwhile, upstairs in the penthouse, Angel was having another disturbing dream about his will being taken and he could not do a thing to stop it. But instead of Wesley shooting his 'father', Wesley shot him. Angel woke up breathing heavily. If Wesley was a man willing to kill his father for the right reason, he should have no compunction about dusting him but since when was he afraid of gun shots being a vampire but somehow Angel felt nervous. He tossed his covers aside and sat over his bed holding his head. Thank God it was a dream. The funny thing is why he was so afraid of a gun shot, he's a vampire. He cannot be killed by bullets. He got up to wash his face and was thinking of reading instead tonight but then he remembered he left the amulet that held Spike's essence on his desk in the office. Regularly he would not care for it but with the security breaches into the building, it is best if he put in a more secured place than his desk top. Actually he should give it to Wesley for safe keeping.
He grabbed a shirt and headed for his private elevator to his office. He was at least glad his nausea has dissipated. He stepped off his elevator to a dark office but his vampiric eyes could see just fine. He knew the amulet should be buried under some files on his desk. He went over to pick it up when he noticed there was light coming in his office from Wesley's office. Angel picked up the amulet right where he left it and decided to investigate. It would not be surprising that Wesley stayed behind to do research but it could easily be an intruder. He would think Wesley would seriously consider going home this time after what he had gone through. His vampiric senses were heightened and instantly he knew it was indeed Wesley still working in his office but he still approached in his usual stealth.
He saw Wesley get up from his desk to grab something off his other table which was out of his view. Angel knew Wesley could not see him because he was in the dark looking into a lit room. Then he saw Wesley's face, looking almost like he aged 10 years in the last few hours, tired and exhausted. Wesley walked back to his desk leaning over the front his desk, back towards Angel. Wesley was leaning to read whatever it was on his desk, while Angel was about 10 feet from the office door. Before he could walk closer…
"Don't come any closer," Wesley said with a cold voice while his back was still facing him but then slowly turned to reveal a gun in his hand along with a very cold look. One Angel knew all too well what that look was capable of. For a while he thought he was in his dream but this felt very real. And he knew it was Wesley defending himself against a stranger lurking in the shadows. There were still the occasional internal employee attacks. But the amazing thing was Wesley knew someone was there. Wesley has developed his senses very well because he noticed on more than one occasion how he knew about his surroundings almost like vampiric senses. Angel stealth is rarely detected by anyone, even Buffy at times but now Wesley at least knew someone was there. Angel chalked it down to experience having doing a lot of independent work of late, constant attacks in W&H the fact what Wesley said at one time 'Having your throat slit and your friends abandon you, makes your senses more sensitive when no one was covering your back'. And the fact Wesley's fondles for weapons especially guns of late which seemed to be hidden all over the place. Wesley is always strapped with weapons and assortment of gadgets on his wrist and ankles with an array of guns and stakes in his pockets but his sleeves were rolled up this time, so the gun was actually on the desk under his files.
"Wesley, it me," he announced and walked closer into the light taking the risk of getting shot. Wesley face relaxes somewhat and sighs after seeing it was Angel.
"Angel, I'm sorry. I had no idea it was you. I just…" He lowered his gun and set it on top of his documents. His expression darkens actually to look back at his desk, leaning on it heavily with both hands. He knew someone was behind him from the slight shift in light but he expected some more intruders, perhaps another employee or ex-employee out for revenge. Wesley had quite a few attacks being the right hand man to Angel and being human, he was easier than Angel to exact revenge especially in all the late night hours researching he was known for.
He went to sit behind his desk as Angel just silently walks in to face Wesley. He wanted to ask Wesley how he knew someone was approaching especially since Angel was infamous for being stealthy.
"Feeling a little more jumpy than usual… I thought you've gone home."
"Yes, well there were a few things I needed to get done. I'm just catching up on some work. We need to look into how these Cyborgs infiltrated W&H and the reasons behind everything…"
"Wes, we can do this in the morning…"
"No, it can't. We cannot risk a repeat in this. So, I've already instructed Security to put additional measures to…," Wesley was all business and did not even meet Angel's eyes when he was briefing Angel on what he had discovered so far from the reports he read and compiled as well as the security measures he had ordered put into effect. He was avoiding something and he looks deader than Angel himself. The look of tiredness, the fact he looked scruffier and paler than usual. Angel knew that expression all too well and this time Angel knew better to take note of Wesley's odd behaviour when Wesley obviously been thinking way too much which was the same look he had just before taking Connor.
"Wes, I get it. Why are you rushing all this tonight? Is there an apocalypse tomorrow I don't know of?" Angel's attempt at humour to lighten the seriousness of Wesley's mood. But apparently Wesley was so caught up in briefing Angel that he was still talking until he was caught by the word 'apocalypse' mentioned and took a second to recapture what Angel said.
"What…oh, no. It's just…" Wesley seemed reluctant to speak suddenly looking even more tired.
"Wes, what's wrong?" He was concerned seeing Wesley's expression while subtlety reveals an untold burden while he took a few envelopes out from under his drawer. His unshaven and weary expression has been his trademark these days. Wesley stood behind his desk and handed 4 white envelopes to Angel. The first one on top was for Angel in Wesley's handwriting. The rest were for Lorne, Gunn and Fred. Angel opened the enveloped addressed to him since it was not sealed.
"I'm leaving." Those two words shocked Angel until it took a couple of seconds for Wesley to say "At least for a while." The letter Angel had been pretty much a note saying he needed to take some time off to 'clear a few things' which was vague at best. But Angel understood what triggered it.