Part 15
It’s time.”
“For what?” Cordelia leaned out of her bright confine.
“To test your new founded direction.”
“Hmmph. It wasn’t new founded, the other was. You should know that.” Cordelia brushed off her top. “Any chance I can get better clothes, this was tasteful but.” Cordelia looked down at her gauzy white shirt and pants.
“Cheap.” She scrunched her face at the young girl. “There really is truth in the benefit of designer clothes. The style is fine,” she looked again at her clothed body. “But the feel of the material, geez.”
“Clothing is immaterial.”
“Sure, you can say that you want to dress and look like a Disney film. But, we’re addressing my needs and wants.and designer clothes are one of those needs and wants- of this season or better yet the next, got to be on the cutting edge. Remember negotiations.” Cordelia smiled smugly at the little girl.
The little girl glanced up concentrating as if listening to someone else. She turned and looked to Cordelia. “You’re serious.”
“Yeah.” Cordelia rolled her eyes and spun around. “Well?”
The little girl looked up again.
Cordelia stopped abruptly in her twirl. “Waiting for permission from up high or what?”
“The seers say that you’re telling the truth.”
Cordelia blinked. “You tested my ‘truth’ about my desire for expensive clothes?” Cordelia chuckled her shoulders shaking. “You’ll be looking spacey a lot, if you keep that up. I know what I want and designer clothes are a major want. I’ve always been more comfortable in real silk and cotton, not those fake blends that I’ve had to buy in discount stores recently.”
“You believe that.”
“Believe what? I know that, Geez.” Cordelia walked to the wall. “So, do I get the wardrobe of my choice, I want to choose. Granted, I’ve only really seen you and Lilah, but I just don’t trust either of you to choose my outfits. I will admit, Lilah was okay in the shoe department, but she was way too suity for my taste and YOU” Cordelia pointed. “Way too ‘little girly'”. Cordelia smiled.
“You are.”
“Cordelia Chase.” She beamed giving a mock bow.
Polly just stared.
“Geez, okay, no shopping sprees right this minute.” Cordelia shrugged and started to pace. “So what? Does the test come to me, or do I go to it. Getting bored, here.”
“It’s time.” The little girl scrambled to regain the purpose that Cordelia’ s babble dragged her from. “And we can see you, remember.” The little girl glared.
“Whatever.” Cordelia flicked off the other being’s look. “Time’s a wasting.”
***
Cordelia ignored the lawyer that was escorting her from the white room; instead she concentrated on her neglected nails.
“This way.”
Cordelia gave another disgusted glance at her bare and chipped nails and followed the man into a large conference room. “Nice room, ewwy occupants,” wrinkling her nose at the row of cloaked beings lined up against the wall.
She leaned into the young male lawyer that had escorted her. “Are we shooting them because of their bad taste in clothing. I’m all for that.” She whispered to the startled lawyer.
“Ms. Chase.”
Cordelia turned away from the nervous young lawyer that ran as soon as he was released from Cordy’s presence. “Who are you?” She said to the middle age well dressed man that had spoken.
“You may call me Linwood.”
“Oh, Lilah’s boss.” Cordelia shrugged.
“Yes.”
Cordelia glanced around. “So, when will this test start?”
“We are waiting for two more. Ah, here they are. You know Lilah and well of course you recognize Mr. Wyndiem-Price.” Linwood stood as the couple entered the room.
Cordelia narrowed her eyes at Wesley. “Employment change?”
“I’m not sure you could actually call it a change as I was previously unemployed.”
Cordelia nodded. “You shouldn’t have betrayed Angel then you would’ve still had a job.”
“Isn’t that what you’re planning to do- that’s what the firm wants you to do, isn’t it?”
“Pfft, they don’t want me to betray Angel exactly, just help him across the street, so to speak.”
“And you’re willing to do that? I find that difficult to believe.”
“Is this the test trying to convince you?”
“Partly.”
“They do know that you betray your friends, right? That your not exactly trustworthy yourself.”
“I believe my motivations are understood.”
“Oh right, get back at Angel because he tried to kill you.”
“Partly but mostly I had no where else to go. You do, what’s your motivation.”
“Well, avoiding anymore pain is a big one. But mostly because I want to.”
“You want to?” Lilah spoke up. “Since when?”
Cordelia gave a slow blink to the other woman and a small smirk grew on her face. “Scared I’ll be promoted over you.”
“Only doubtful as to your change of heart.”
“Hmmph. Not much faith in the ‘convincing’ abilities of the firm, are you. Believe me, they have some doozies. Let’s go through the list, 48 hours strapped in a psyche ward- nowhere to hide from Vocah’s visions, my brain hi-jacked and the whole Job number being played out on my body, gross, then there was the time they tried to steal my eyes, and I’m sure there’s been plenty more, but those come first to mind, not to mention what happened on the top floor with little Miss Scary Moppet. I figure, my association with the Powers hasn’t brought anything but pain and for what- sure they gave me the nifty- glowly thing, but haven’t been real helpful in what it means or what to do with it- Wolfram & Hart can and will. Then, of course, there is the money. “
Cordelia turned to Wesley. “How much are you getting paid?”
“Compensation has not been discussed at this stage.”
“Wesley, how many times have I told you, you don’t take a job without seeing the money first.”
Wesley pushed at his glasses. “So, you’ve been tortured and now you want money.”
“Yeah, Wesley, it’s not like me wanting money is a new concept” Cordy scrunched up her face,” being tortured isn’t really a new concept either. Well, I’m tired of it. It hurts and I deserve more than being the first one everyone wants to maim or kill to get back at Angel. Come on Wesley, you know me better than anyone, even Angel. Remember the real me, the one before I got dragged into the hopelessness of helping the hopeless loop. They’ll always be there, I can’t stop it, and it’s time that I go back to what I do best.”
“And what would that be?”
“Wesley, please, looking out for me of course.
“So, Queen C is back.”
“She never left just got lost.” Cordelia turned to Linwood. “Are we done?”
“Just one more thing, kill him.” Motioning to Wesley.
“Kill Wesley.” Cordelia turned and contemplated the intended target. “I don’t know- do you have a sword I could borrow? So far, the glowly stuff has only killed slimy, slithery things- I know, maybe I could kill her,” pointing to Lilah, Cordelia’s hand started to glow.
“Enough.” The little girl materialized in the conference room. “Well?” she turned to the row of soothsayer. The cloaked figures nodded once in unison. “Good. Cordelia, you have passed.”
“Duh. Can I get this thing out of my neck now.”
“Not quite yet, its readings also indicate that you are telling the truth, but as a precaution we’ll leave it in for now.”
“Hmmph.”
Wesley stepped closer to the young woman. “Cordelia, if I may ask, what are you going to tell Angel about where you’ve been? You tell him that you were kidnapped by Wolfram & Hart, he’s not going to be in the mood to be sympathetic to the firm.”
“Oh, that’s easy- the Powers took me. Skip came to me, talking about duty and destiny and zip I was floating up like some cheesy angel. Only, they didn’t want to promote me to help Angel in his mission, they wanted me to leave him and when I refused they kept me prisoner. He’ll believe it. Geez, I did at first. His anger will be directed towards the Powers not Wolfram & Hart.”
Wesley nodded, impressed. “It will work.”
“I know.” Cordelia smiled.
The little girl turned to Wesley. “Mr. Wyndiem-Price, it seems that you also have been truthful- but you are also anxious, why is that?”
“Queen C has always had the power to scare me.” Wesley kept his eyes on Cordelia.
“Of course, I’m the original vicious bitch.”
Wesley shook his head and turned to the little girl. “I believe that the term ‘the bitch is back’ is appropriate.” Wesley chuckled. “Lilah may very well be in danger of having stiletto heels trample her as Cordy climbs the corporate ladder.”
“Possible, the pointy heel is making a come back.” Cordelia smiled. So, now what? Angel?”
“I thought you wanted to go shopping first.”
“Clothes.” Cordelia’s face lit up. “Yes. Oh, and Polly, salary- you haven’ t mentioned it yet, but I expect it to be quite high, plus I’ll need a 401K and insurance and a car.” Cordelia followed the little girl out of the room. Cordelia paused and called out over her shoulder. “Wesley, takes notes if you’re going to work for Wolfram & Hart make sure you get what you deserve.”
“I will, Cordelia.”
***
“You’re quiet, Lilah. Fearful, that Cordelia will usurp your position with the firm?”
“I still can’t believe it.” She shook her head towards the door as Linwood and the soothsayers left.
“Linwood accepts it as does that little girl, who is she or better yet what is she? She seemed to command even your boss.”
Lilah shrugged. “The occupant of the white room.”
“A demon?”
Again Lilah shrugged. “She’s powerful and scary, that’s all I know.”
Wesley gazed settled on the opened doorway. “A senior partner?”
“Like, I said I don’t know and don’t want to know. Are you leaving?”
“I’m stopping to see Connor first.”
Lilah nodded. “I’ll be late. Linwood wants me to open Cordelia Chase’s ‘personnel file’; I don’t see why we can’t use the old one, just change labels. Friend from foe.” Lilah shook her head, still not completely convinced about the young woman’s change of heart.
“I wasn’t aware that I expressed any interest in your plans for this evening.”
“You know this game you’re are playing is getting old.”
“Who’s playing?” Wesley left.
Part 16
Wesley paced up and down the aisle of the church, stopping when he heard Angel’s voice directly behind him.
“How is she?”
“As beautiful as ever. In fact, she reminds me of the teenager I first met in Sunnydale. In looks and attitude.” Wesley sighed.
“Wesley.”
“She passed their test. I believe her. Whatever happened up in the room has turned Cordelia back into a superficial, self-absorbed, money-oriented young woman that she had been.”
“Cordy was never like that.”
“Angel, she was and you know it or would if you hadn’t spent the whole time in Sunnydale obsessing on Buffy.”
“I know Cordy.” Angel growled, paying no attention to Wesley’s observation.
Wesley shook his head and tried again. “Angel, she’s happily gone shopping. Probably deciding on the most expensive and best outfit to start her new mission in, which is to betray you. She’s dangerous.”
“So, they’re letting her go.”
“Angel, did you hear what I said.”
“I don’t care. I’ll get her back.”
“You won’t have to- she’s going to come to you with a story that the Powers had kept her prisoner for all this time, that they wanted to separate you two. She will try to put a wedge between you and your mission. You can’t trust her.
Angel, I don’t know what they did to her- she mentioned a lot of pain, more than the other experiences of pain she’s listed out. Angel, she just may have met her tolerance level. I don’t know if we can get our Cordy back. Good god, what did they do to her?”
Wesley lifted his head. The vampire had already left. Wesley signed deeply, worried about what was to come. Wesley dragged his feet out the church, his mind racing through all possible spells that could help counteract Cordelia’s conditioning.