Tara had spent the rest of the work day in and out of interviews with Lilah and her people. She freely admitted it was a spell that had given her the added strength. She told them it was because she had seen there were vampires in the building. She had been attacked by one once and they scared the hell out of her so she found a way to protect herself.
This was very much the truth. In fact, it was how she had met Angel in the first place fifteen years ago, but she didn't tell them that. It was better to keep the story as true as possible when dealing with readers. The reason she was so good at her job was that she learned to fool the readers early on. Humans were easy after that.
She made it back to her desk in time to be walked through the security process, setting up new passwords, etc. The computer had been wiped, the virus she had planted for Hardison had been discovered and it only served to damn Emily Dunaway even more. She hoped he had gotten everything he needed from the servers before it had been discovered.
She looked up as Eliot came out of the office, actually looking more like himself; hair down, tie removed. "When you're done there I need you to take care of a few things," he said still focused on the file in his hand. "I need a couple translations done."
"And a haircut," She grumbled at him.
"Not happening," He said going back into his office and settling down at the desk. He knew how to screw things up for Lilah and make sure there was peace if he could get the vampire to work with him. God, there were words he had never expected to string together in a sentence. The only question was how to do it and not get Amie killed in the process.
He glared at the guards as they came into the room. They were black ops of some sort. He could tell by the way they carried themselves. "It's time to call it a day Mr. McDonald," One said.
Eliot didn't argue. He did however grab a handful of files and his legal pad and pen. He pulled his arm free when one of them started to escort him as one would a prisoner. "Gotta keep up appearances at all times or you blow the con. Are all you people this stupid?" He asked in a hushed voice then went to Tara's desk. "I need this typed up. I don't care if you hand it off to the steno pool or whatever I just need it by morning. I have a ten o'clock meeting with a client," He told her. "And this I need translated." He handed her another page.
"Yes sir," Tara said. She hated to watch them walk Spencer away. At least when he was in his office and she was parked outside at her desk she knew he was alright and she felt like she was protecting him even if just a little. Once he was walked away to the prison level she had no way of knowing what was going on.
She shrugged at the security guard. "Looks like we have to postpone that drink after all," She said. Not that she had wanted to go. She had other plans for her evening. "Rain check for tomorrow?" She asked with a winning smile.
"If I have to," The man said and straightened up. "I'll see you in the morning, Tara," He told her and left.
She looked over the papers Eliot had given her and wasn't even sure what she was looking at. Angel would know she was sure. She typed rapidly. She had been in the secretarial pool for six months pulling key information for Angel. It was a crap job but she was the only person Angel knew that could fool readers without magic, and he paid well.
She printed out a copy of the document, put it in a fresh folder, and dropped it off on Eliot's desk. She put a copy onto an MP3 player that she had been told was alright to charge on the computer at the end of the day for the long commute home. It was amazing how cooperative IT guys and security guards could be when you had long legs and a short skirt.
She slipped into the ladies' room and took photos of the pages that needed translating just in case Angel knew what they were and dropped the originals off on the way out. Making them promise to have them on Lindsey McDonalds desk by 9 am.
She waited on the bus, for that supposed long commute, changed three times, until she was sure that she wasn't being followed then headed to the Hyperion. "Honey I'm home," She called out in a sing-song voice which had Angel rolling his eyes.
"How was the office?" He asked.
"Grueling," She said with a shrug. "Some big lug broke in on my boss and I had to toss him out," she said with a smile. She found Angel where she had expected; in his chair, reading a book. Once more she pulled the book out of his hands only this time she straddled his lap and perched comfortably there.
"You know I think your boss chipped one of my fangs. I don't think he knew we weren't really fighting," Angel said giving her a look. "I thought you told him to go with it."
"I didn't tell him what exactly. Besides, you wouldn't believe me if he didn't try and take your head off. I also didn't tell you to go all fang-face on him. That could have backfired you know," Tara said. "The idea was to convince Lilah that I could handle the job, not to freak out Eliot."
"How'd he take it?"
"Hard to say. He's working a job. He's in character as much as I am. What's going on underneath or how it's going to come down when the pressure is off I don't know. He's not a grifter but he's good at it anyway. "
Angel reached up and brushed a stray lock of hair from her face. "I think when the negotiations are done I want you out of there."
"Out of there? Or out of here?" She asked. They had gotten closer over the last six months. There had always been an attraction. Sometimes they had even acted on that attraction but they had been practically in each other's pockets for half a year now, and she had a feeling it was getting too warm and fuzzy for Angel's comfort zone.
"I don't know," He said honestly.
"Rasa has a ten o'clock meeting with Eliot in the morning. That means you have what? A day maybe two to sort it out."
He nodded, "I know." Angel said quietly, his hands resting on her thighs. "I've got a meeting tonight as well." They were acquiescing to his current scheduling needs. He didn't want to see her go but there was very little he could do about it in all good conscience. Once this was done her cover would be blown and Lilah Morgan would come at her tooth and claw. Since Wesley's death, it seemed that any traces of compassion in Lilah were gone. Or it could just be she was angry at being back from the dead with her head not completely attached.
"If I show you what I got from Eliot today am I screwing him over?" She asked directly.
"I don't know," Angel said and had to grab hold of her to keep her from getting up and stalking away.
"The spell's still in effect Angel. I'd advise letting me go," Tara told him.
"Is there something between you two?" Angel asked." I mean not that I mind-"
"Really? You're digging the hole deeper."
"That came out wrong," Angel said. "We don't have a traditional relationship," He clarified. "I would understand if you had feelings for this guy. I don't see the attraction."
"There is nothing like that between me and Eliot. No attraction," She told him. "But we were a team for a while. I like them. Even if I think they're all a little soft," Tara said honestly. "He trusts me. Right now he is depending on me. I'm the only one in there that he can depend on. I'm not going to betray that. Not even for you." If it were just another ordinary con, she would work it and expect that Eliot would land on his feet. But the man was being held prisoner and when they didn't need him anymore they would either kill him or put him literally on ice until they needed him again.
Angel smiled a little, "I think they rubbed off on you."
She swatted him. "Now you're just being mean," she said.
"Ow," Angel said. "Spell, remember," He teased.
"You really are a big baby," She teased back and leaned in to kiss him.
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Eliot paced his cell. All six feet of it.
*Eliot, calm down,* Nate said quietly.
"I am calm," He replied but didn't once slow his pace. The first meeting was tomorrow and he was completely out of his depth. He was not just going to be playing some lawyer in a con, he was going to be pretending to be a specific lawyer with people, no, not people, demons that had worked with the guy before. He figured he had a right to be nervous. Not that he could tell the others about the demon part of it. They would think that he had cracked under pressure or torture or something.
*Eliot," Came Sophie's soothing voice. *I want you to stop pacing. I know you, you're like a tiger in a cage.* literally in this instance. *It's not going to help you. So sit down, and take a couple of deep breaths. I'll get you through this.*
"I'll have another earpiece in tomorrow. You guys can't be there with me this time," He said softly.
*It's not ideal, but it's okay. I'm going to help you get into the character. You're good at this. *
"Not long term, Sophie. I've never really lived it before. It's always been in and out again."
*You can do this,* She said wishing she was there to reinforce her words, even if it meant using the head games Eliot hated so much. *Don't think of the character as a lawyer. Think of him as, an officer,* She shifted to the military paradigm.
"That's great but this is a real person, Sophie. I have to convince them I'm someone they already know."
*When was the last time they interacted?* She asked.
"Seven, eight years ago."
*Perfect. That's long enough for this Lindsey person to have become even more confident. To have changed. Stick with the officer thought and your client is one of your men that you have to protect. Ultimately you are in control. Don't let go of that control. *
He didn't feel in control of anything but she was right. It was the body language and the confidence that people would respond to.
*Hardison is working on setting the comlink onto a different channel so that we can be there for you through this meeting. *
"no. It's too dangerous. I won't risk it," Eliot said firmly.
*Tara's going to be there,* Nate said. *Let her help you. Once we get through this negotiation, or whatever it is, we'll get you out of there. Hardison managed to get the schematics and the security details before they wiped the virus.*
"Have Tara get it to me. I'll get myself out of here," He said. "Don't argue with me about this. I don't want any of you in here."
*Is it that bad?* Parker this time. *Are they hurting you?* There was something to her tone that was at once scary as hell and strangely heartwarming under the circumstances.
"No, Parker. They aren't hurting me. I'm alright. Rooms just a little cramped and I hate suits is all."
*I don't believe you,* She said quietly.
The lights in his room went out and he sighed. "I'm fine. I'll see you all soon enough. Stay out of here and be careful. I'm not there to keep y'all safe." He took out the earbud and turned it off. He tucked it into the pocket of the pants he was wearing and closed his eyes.