Subtext? We don't need no stinkin' subtext!
Hell is what you make of it Part 2 by Killerweasel
Rated NC17
Note: It's Lindsey and Gunn. Could take place after Time Bomb.
For a moment he didn’t say anything. “We’re still helping people.”
If I was in a really nasty mood, I would have asked him for examples, but
I think he would have had to really think long and hard about that before
coming up with a single one. They might have been cutting down the number
of demons and other assorted evils who provided the firm with profits, but
that wasn’t exactly helping the masses.
“You ever hear this one? ‘He that fights with monsters should look to himself
that he does not become a monster.’ Nietzsche said that. I want you to think
for a moment. Have you become the monsters yet? Because from where I’m looking
you lot are on the edge and you’ve got nowhere left to turn. One more push
and you’ll all be lost for good. Do you understand that?”
He’s looking at me as if this is the first time someone’s ever thought about
this. “None of you were cut out for this kind of thing, to work here. I take
that back, Angel is perfect for it. He barely keeps his dark side in check.
I’ve seen that dark side first hand, and he wasn’t even Angelus then. Every
time I got grabbed by the throat, hit, or slammed into walls, that was who
he really is. The rest of it is just a mask he wears.” I don’t think there
was a separate person inside of him known as Angelus. He was always that man;
he just covered it up very well.
Gunn sighed, and it was so full of pain that I really wanted to do something,
but I didn't really know this man. I highly doubted he wanted to do some kind
of bonding either. "They don't have a clue what you'll be going up against
if Angel keeps this up. But you do." He turned and looked at me, confusion
on his face. "Don't know exactly what upgrade they stuck into your head, but
I'd like you to try something for me." I leaned back against the wall. This
was all information I had researched for months, and if I was right, he would
be able to pull it almost out of thin air.
"Close your eyes and try to access any data on the Senior Partners, anything
at all. It could be memos, images, or rumors." He gave me another look, but
did what I asked. I could see his eyes moving around under the lids, like
he was experiencing a dream. Then he gasped. Bingo. "Now, while you've got
that fresh in your mind, cross-reference what you've found with Babylon and
Atlantis." This time the noise was more than just a gasp and Gunn actually
started to fall over. I put my hand on his shoulder to keep him steady. His
breathing was growing ragged and his face looked gray.
"Breathe for me here, nice and deep. Try to relax. They aren't here, not yet,
you're safe for the moment." When his eyes flew open, I could see the fear
there. Now he knew. "That's why people don't fuck with the Senior Partners.
It's suicide. Angel has no concept of how powerful they really are, or what
they are capable of. But you and I do." I ran my hand through my hair. Angel
never had a fucking clue.
"What I saw, that all really happened?" I nodded. There were other things
that they had done, but those two instances had the most information. "Those
people didn't stand a chance." No shit. I think I'd been trying to get someone
to understand that since I came back to LA. "What about us, do we stand a
chance?"
I snorted. "Sure, you stand a chance. There's always a chance that somehow
you might be able to pull something out of left field and actually manage
to do them some damage. But kill them? I don't think it's possible. What will
happen is they'll be very pissed off. When the Partners get pissed off, whole
cities end up paying the price." LA would be a gaping maw in the earth by
the time they were finished.
"He won't understand this, even if you try and explain. He's already hell
bent on whatever plan he's got up his sleeve. I know it, you know it. There's
only one way to really stop him, and I don't think any of you would be able
to do that. But you need to seriously put things into perspective now. What’s
one life, or unlife, against the entire population of Los Angeles? Champion
or not, it would save millions. 'The needs of the many outweigh the needs
of the few or the one.'"
For a moment I thought he was going to punch me, and I didn't blame him one
bit. If I was in his shoes, I'd punch me. But then the glare softened a bit
and he ran his hand over his scalp. "Did you just quote Spock at me?" I had
to fight to keep from smiling. "And are you saying what I think you're saying?"
He's not a stupid man, wasn’t before they screwed around with his brain, he
knew exactly what I'd said, but just wanted to be sure I meant it.
"You heard me. Someone needs to deal with him. I'll be the one to do it if
none of you are up to something like that." I didn't hate Angel, at least
not as much as I used to, but if it saved the city from destruction then he
was dust in the wind.
Disclaimer: The characters/concepts of Angel belong to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, et al. No infringement is intended and no profit is made. All fic and essay are copyrighted to their authors.