An Office Building | Los Angeles, CA | Monday Morning Fandom Time
As usual, what Wesley had intended to be a brief visit to Los Angeles had ended up stretching longer than expected. Portalocity hadn't been able to book him a portal so late at night without connections during war periods that he'd really prefer not to pass through, so he'd slept on the couch in the office (which was terribly uncomfortable and not something he ever wished to do again). And in the morning, Cordelia received a phone call from a potential client, and Wesley -- well, he couldn't pass up the opportunity to be helpful, even if he did worry about whether he'd left Katniss enough birdseed.
He, Cordelia and Angel stepped out of the elevator of the office building where their client worked, and Wesley had to ask:
"I don't suppose you know just what it is we've been hired to do?"
CordeliaCordelia shifted somewhat, but sounded no less confident than her usual when she answered. "Lunch," she said. "With a client." Quickly, she went on, "And he is kind of a busy man, so lunch was the only time he had. It's not the kind of case I'd normally go after, but we've got to consider the bottom line."
AngelAngel waved a hand impatiently, having heard enough of Cordelia talking in circles all through the car ride over and the elevator ride here. "What kind of demons are we dealing with?"
CordeliaThat was a question Cordelia had hoped not to have to field. "Well, it's... not exactly a demon thing." Okay, that sounded sketchy.
WesleyIt did sound dubious, and Wesley was running out of patience for this. "What kind of thing is it?" Oh, this couldn't be good.
CordeliaYeah, there was no getting around it: Cordy looked shifty. "It's a... husband and wife breakup thing." Okay, so it wasn't their usual! But the husband was loaded, and come on, how hard could it be to get divorced? Her father had done it tons of times!
WesleyOh, for goodness' sake. Wesley would put up with chauffeur duty, certainly, but a divorce case? Even he had to draw the line there. He couldn't even justify taking the time away from his classes for this! "A divorce case?" he repeated, as though having her confirm it might somehow change the ridiculousness of it.
AngelAngel just looked tired. "You're kidding me." Really, Cordelia? Really?
Cordelia"What's wrong with a divorce case?" Cordelia insisted. It brought in money, and it wasn't as if they were taking time away from all the other cases they so completely didn't have.
Angel and Cordelia"It's not what we do," Angel said flatly.
Cordelia huffed a sigh. "According to the husband, the wife's a real witch," she grumbled.
WesleyAngel and Wesley exchanged a Look, and Wesley had to be grateful that he didn't have to put up with this on a regular basis. By comparison, Kenzi was almost easy to manage. "Seems a bit on the seedy side," he told Cordelia, doing his best to sound at least moderately patient.
Angel, meanwhile, was holding up the Firm But Silent end of the exchange, and giving Cordelia the sort of withering look Wesley generally did his best to withhold.
Cordelia"This is not seedy!" Cordelia insisted. While Angel and Wesley exchanged those dumb looks of blah-blah-blah-oh-just-make-out-already, she plowed on, "He's government!" She rolled her eyes. "Just talk to him. Oh, and we should pick up the tab for lunch. Nothing says success less than splitting the bill."
AngelAngel could not recall ever being more weary of a conversation. Except that he could, and it had been last week. Cordy had a way of draining his energy. "I didn't bring any money with me."
Cordelia"Okay, Elvis," Cordelia criticized. "When you're a big star, you can get away without carrying cash." As Wesley flipped through his own wallet (puh-lease, if there had been anything in there he wouldn't've had to sleep on the office couch last night), she continued, "And while we're on the subject, I think we should apply for a small business loan. Just to get us through the rough spots. What's a thirty-year loan to -- "
FaithAnd then all of a sudden there was an arrow flying toward Angel's back, behind the three of them. He whirled around to catch it, revealing a familiar figure. Faith.
Her face split into a smile upon seeing Angel catch the arrow in her hand, and she gushed, "That was so cool!"
WesleyThree pairs of eyes fixed upon her in horror. Good lord, Wesley hadn't seen her since -- well, since she'd left Fandom. But that was a later version of Faith, reformed, and... this one certainly was not. He found himself suddenly filled with dread, rooted to the spot out of terror.
FaithFaith just bounced, clearly delighted. "This is gonna be fun," she laughed. And then she tore off, crossbow in hand, out of the building and into the daylight.
Wesley"Oh my God," Wesley breathed. "Faith." This was not the simple Werd'Nha demon case he'd signed on to take care of.
Angel"I thought she was in a coma," said Angel, not taking his eyes off of the door she'd just exited from.
CordeliaCordelia just stared. "Pretty lively coma."
[[Once again, taken and adapted from Angel 1x18, "Five by Five." NFB, NFI, OOC is so welcome! Post two of seven; follows this.]]
He, Cordelia and Angel stepped out of the elevator of the office building where their client worked, and Wesley had to ask:
"I don't suppose you know just what it is we've been hired to do?"
CordeliaCordelia shifted somewhat, but sounded no less confident than her usual when she answered. "Lunch," she said. "With a client." Quickly, she went on, "And he is kind of a busy man, so lunch was the only time he had. It's not the kind of case I'd normally go after, but we've got to consider the bottom line."
AngelAngel waved a hand impatiently, having heard enough of Cordelia talking in circles all through the car ride over and the elevator ride here. "What kind of demons are we dealing with?"
CordeliaThat was a question Cordelia had hoped not to have to field. "Well, it's... not exactly a demon thing." Okay, that sounded sketchy.
WesleyIt did sound dubious, and Wesley was running out of patience for this. "What kind of thing is it?" Oh, this couldn't be good.
CordeliaYeah, there was no getting around it: Cordy looked shifty. "It's a... husband and wife breakup thing." Okay, so it wasn't their usual! But the husband was loaded, and come on, how hard could it be to get divorced? Her father had done it tons of times!
WesleyOh, for goodness' sake. Wesley would put up with chauffeur duty, certainly, but a divorce case? Even he had to draw the line there. He couldn't even justify taking the time away from his classes for this! "A divorce case?" he repeated, as though having her confirm it might somehow change the ridiculousness of it.
AngelAngel just looked tired. "You're kidding me." Really, Cordelia? Really?
Cordelia"What's wrong with a divorce case?" Cordelia insisted. It brought in money, and it wasn't as if they were taking time away from all the other cases they so completely didn't have.
Angel and Cordelia"It's not what we do," Angel said flatly.
Cordelia huffed a sigh. "According to the husband, the wife's a real witch," she grumbled.
WesleyAngel and Wesley exchanged a Look, and Wesley had to be grateful that he didn't have to put up with this on a regular basis. By comparison, Kenzi was almost easy to manage. "Seems a bit on the seedy side," he told Cordelia, doing his best to sound at least moderately patient.
Angel, meanwhile, was holding up the Firm But Silent end of the exchange, and giving Cordelia the sort of withering look Wesley generally did his best to withhold.
Cordelia"This is not seedy!" Cordelia insisted. While Angel and Wesley exchanged those dumb looks of blah-blah-blah-oh-just-make-out-already, she plowed on, "He's government!" She rolled her eyes. "Just talk to him. Oh, and we should pick up the tab for lunch. Nothing says success less than splitting the bill."
AngelAngel could not recall ever being more weary of a conversation. Except that he could, and it had been last week. Cordy had a way of draining his energy. "I didn't bring any money with me."
Cordelia"Okay, Elvis," Cordelia criticized. "When you're a big star, you can get away without carrying cash." As Wesley flipped through his own wallet (puh-lease, if there had been anything in there he wouldn't've had to sleep on the office couch last night), she continued, "And while we're on the subject, I think we should apply for a small business loan. Just to get us through the rough spots. What's a thirty-year loan to -- "
FaithAnd then all of a sudden there was an arrow flying toward Angel's back, behind the three of them. He whirled around to catch it, revealing a familiar figure. Faith.
Her face split into a smile upon seeing Angel catch the arrow in her hand, and she gushed, "That was so cool!"
WesleyThree pairs of eyes fixed upon her in horror. Good lord, Wesley hadn't seen her since -- well, since she'd left Fandom. But that was a later version of Faith, reformed, and... this one certainly was not. He found himself suddenly filled with dread, rooted to the spot out of terror.
FaithFaith just bounced, clearly delighted. "This is gonna be fun," she laughed. And then she tore off, crossbow in hand, out of the building and into the daylight.
Wesley"Oh my God," Wesley breathed. "Faith." This was not the simple Werd'Nha demon case he'd signed on to take care of.
Angel"I thought she was in a coma," said Angel, not taking his eyes off of the door she'd just exited from.
CordeliaCordelia just stared. "Pretty lively coma."
[[Once again, taken and adapted from Angel 1x18, "Five by Five." NFB, NFI, OOC is so welcome! Post two of seven; follows this.]]