11/21 (wolfram & hart) - Charlie McGee, Lindsey McDonald. WHO: Charlie McGee, Lindsey McDonald WHERE: outside Wolfram & Hart WHEN: November 21st, evening WHAT: back in black RATING: PG-13 STATUS: COMPLETE
LINDSEY MCDONALD
While the buildings around were still showing damage from the big battle, Wolfram and Hart rose tall and pristine in the night sky. The law firm had gotten the worst of the damage, but the mystical forces that were the Senior Partners had built it in no time flat. And once the building was finished, the best young lawyers were recruited from the best law schools across the country. Genius librarins, linguists, engineers, and demonologists. And there had been one spot left to fill.
The Senior Partners decided on a controversial candidate. He had been hard to contact at first, but once they had laid out the deal on the table, the acceptance was quick and the contract signed.
From lawyer, to renegade, to the firm's CEO in a matter of years. Lindsey McDonald had been a golden boy for Wolfram and Hart, devious, vicious, and driven. They had appealed to the betrayal Lindsey felt and the need for vengence. Once he'd agreed, his life had been returned to him.
Lindsey loosened his tie as he passed through the front door and into the cool night air, away from the hustle and bustle of the law firm for a few moments. It wasn't regret, but it was a hell of a lot to take in after returning from death. He stood away from the building, listening to the sounds of the Los Angeles traffic. charliemcgee CHARLIE MCGEE
Charlie had only been in town for one day and, already, she was liking this place more than half the other places she'd been to recently. It was easy to both stick out in this city should she choose, but also fade into the background when it became necessary. A perfect place for someone with her unique abilities, in fact.
Having spent the better part of the morning crashed in an abandoned building where she'd temporarily set up shop so to speak, as well as stopping by the place where she'd left her bike to speak with the owner - and to her surprise found the bike still there and already on its way to being repaired - Charlie had decided to investigate Los Angeles a little more. The cover of darkness brought with it a slight chill so she donned her most favored possession - a leather jacket she'd lifted off some guy in a poker match a few years back - and headed out into the night. Her ultimate goal was to find a club of some sort to really let loose and enjoy herself but she'd see what else she came across along the way.
Finding her way to what the citizens had dubbed 'ground zero', the blonde took casual note of the destruction. There were more scorch marks present that were similar to the ones she'd spotted when first coming into town, as well as large piles of debris where she imagined buildings once stood. Surprisingly, though, in the middle of all of the rubble stood one building that was wholly undamaged. There wasn't even so much as a crack in the sidewalk in front of it, nor a single smudge on the large windows.
She spotted the sign out front - Wolfram and Hart, attorneys at law - and couldn't help the slight frown that crossed her face. She'd heard that name before although she couldn't figure out where. Odd, considering the circles she ran in tended to avoid lawyers as a general rule, but the name did ring some bell that she couldn't quite place. With a shrug she was all set to put it from her mind and continue on with her stroll when she spotted someone standing nearby.
The tie told her that he probably worked there but the general look he had about him told her that he also likely knew where in this God forsaken place to have a good time. So she changed direction, heading toward him instead of across the street as she'd originally planned. Eying him closely as she approached, a hint of a smirk flittered across her face.
"Don't suppose you'd know of any clubs in the area that aren't in a state of disarray, would you?" she greeted him, not bothering with formalities. Charlie was hardly a formal kind of person. He'd either know or he wouldn't, it was as simple as that. LINDSEY MCDONALD
After a few minutes of the cool night air, Lindsey's head was beginning to feel less crowded and capable of actual thought. He breathed deeply the Los Angeles air, most likely contaminated with god knew what, but he didn't give a damn. He'd lived, died, and lived again. Dying again wasn't a concern of his.
The feminine voice drew him out of his thoughts and he turned slowly to regard the pretty young blond that was approaching him. Lindsey studied her for a brief moment, out of habit. She looked young, but that didn't mean much in Los Angeles. Street savvy, maybe.
"Can't say that I do," Lindsey replied. "Closest was a club a few streets over, but it got flattened when all hell broke loose a few months back." He shrugged his shoulders. "A lot of places are still getting back on their feet." charliemcgee CHARLIE MCGEE
What might almost pass for a half-disappointed look crossed her face but she shrugged it off. If she couldn't find a place that offered a good time, she'd just have to make some herself. "Yeah," she replied with a shrug of her shoulders, "I figured as much."
Glancing toward the only building not at least partially flattened, she nodded in its general direction. "What's the deal with this place, then?" she questioned, her hazel gaze seeking out his. "It looks like it didn't even get a scratch." LINDSEY MCDONALD
He was expecting that question. Wolfram and Hart stuck out like a sore thumb, with no damage done to the building. No one seemed to remember that the place had been one of the many reduced to rubble, but that was fine. It took less explaining to give a reason why it wasn't damanged. Built from the ground up in a matter of days? Much harder.
Lindsey glanced back at the building, a few windows still lit up from those working late. How often his had been one of those, still was. "When it comes to money, builders get motivated real quick," he replied with a hint of a smirk, looking back to the young woman. "And being built well in the first place." charliemcgee CHARLIE MCGEE
Charlie's own smirk rivaled his, part of her believing him and part of her feeling there might be more to the story than what he was telling. She'd seem some of the buildings that had been destroyed. They had come with a solid foundation and still weren't immune to the damage that had been wrought. She found it hard to believe that this one was any different.
Money being a good motivator, however? That she understood all too well. There were two things in the world that made people move mountains. Money, and power. If you offered someone enough of either, they'd do whatever they could to get it. Charlie had learned that lesson at a tender age and had no shame in exploiting it when the situation called for it. She didn't have much money, really, but she had a lot of power.
And it didn't hurt that she was cute, either. Because right alongside money and power came the close third: sexual appeal.
"Hrm," was her non-committal answer, tone clearly showing she didn't care all that much. She was finding herself less interested in the building where the guy was employed so much as the guy himself. There was something about him that just spoke to her. She wasn't sure what it was, though, and found herself curious and wanting to explore it further.
"What about you?" she asked bluntly. "It's pretty obvious you work here but you don't really have the look of most of the people I've seen in this town. Lucky enough to miss out on the battle or do you just have some pretty thick skin?" LINDSEY MCDONALD
"Me?" This time Lindsey did turn away from the street, taking a few steps to the side, diagonal to her. Not to walk into the building, but a circling motion, wondering why she would want to know about him. Hundreds of employees at the firm, but then, he was the only one standing outside.
"Both, you could say," he replied, thinking of a way to best phrase his answer. He'd been dead for the entirety of the fall out. "Went through the first few levels of hell till something took me out of the game and woke up afterwards to the result of hell on earth." He looked past her, towards the crumbling buildings. charliemcgee CHARLIE MCGEE
"This isn't Hell on Earth," Charlie repeated almost instantly with a slight snort. "I've seen Hell on Earth. This place is an Utopia in comparison." In fact, she'd been personally responsible for creating Hell on Earth for the Shop. She preferred not to think of that, though. The memory alone could send her emotions into a tailspin and the results could easily become deadly for anyone unfortunate enough to be near when it happened.
"Well, I guess if you're going to work for a company," she added after a second, "it'd make sense to work for one with the ability to get up and running faster than anyone else in town." A brief pause then she extended her hand. "I'm Charlie, by the way. Charlie McGee." Her lips curled into a partial smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "I figured if I was going to ask so many questions, you might as well know who it was that was doing the asking."
Years earlier, she wouldn't have given her real name. She had been in the papers so much during her childhood, following the fallout with the Shop, that she didn't want anyone know she was 'that' Charlie McGee. As time passed, however, she found she garnered less of a reaction from people when they discovered her identity. Very few people had memory of the events of the 80's that had led to the Shop's exposure. Even fewer people believed them to be true nowadays. So unless the guy was some kind of paranormal expert (who just so happened to work at a lawfirm, nonetheless), she figured she was safe. LINDSEY MCDONALD
"It's not now," Lindsey answered simply. He remembered standing in that basement seconds before Lorne had pulled the trigger, hearing the faint howls and growls outside. The Freak Parade making their ascent on the entertainment capital of the world. What happened after that, he wasn't sure, stuck in a black oblivion until Wolfram and Hart had resurrected him.
"Exactly." He reached out to take her hand, a few steps further. Now he could see her better in the faint light and there was something familiar about the girl that he couldn't quite put his finger on. His handshake was firm. "Lindsey McDonald." He negated to add his position within the firm. He preferred judgement on what he was able to do rather than titles.
With a name, the recognition grew. "The pyrokinetic." Lindsey called a spade and spade and put things out in the open rather than dance around the bush when it suited him. But there was a slight expression of surprise on his face as he regarded her. But that was about the extent of his knowledge, gleaned from a little intel Wolfram and Hart had posessed at a time when he was researching for another case. "I guess the pleasure is mine then." charliemcgee CHARLIE MCGEE
Charlie's eyebrow rose a little higher, faintly surprised and more than a little annoyed. It would figure that her luck had her running into someone who recognized her name. She should have known better, really.
"You must have one hell of a memory," was her reply, tone even if not a little wary. This was usually the part where people started wanting to know if any of it was true and asked for a glimpse of what she could do, or they freaked and ran away. He didn't seem to be doing either, though, which surprised her a bit.
Drawing her hand back after the shake, she stuck it in her pocket and fiddled absently with the necklace sewn into the lining. It was one of the few things she had that had belonged to her parents, something she'd found when she'd returned to the site that had been her own little personal ground zero. She didn't wear it, not wanting to risk losing it, but kept it close to her for purely sentimental reasons.
She was about to take her leave when her own memory finally caught up with her and she sighed. "Wolfram and Hart," she stated flatly. "I just figured out where I knew that name from. You people were the ones that tried to get me to sign a contract after everything went public. New York branch, I think it was." Smirking in a humorless fashion, she tacked on, "I guess that clears up a few things. That place is about as much of a typical law firm as I am a typical blonde." LINDSEY MCDONALD
"Have to in this line of work. You forget something, you lose the case," Lindsey replied as he tapped his temple. "Though when there is someone of your level of ability, it's not something easy to forget." No doubt there was a file with her name on it, someone to be regarded with interest.
His eyebrow rose, not in surprise, but further interest. From her tone, there seemed to be no love lost. "Ah, New York." Lindsey smiled pleasently, crossing his arms casually over his chest. "I hate to speak ill of fellows, but the NYC branch has never been known for its couth. You'll find, Miss McGee, that we are much more eloquent in our dealings."
And when Lindsey saw something that could be beneficial, he went after it like a man posessed. "You're right, we are not the typical law firm. Our services extend beyond providing legal counsel, but I assume you know that considering you have dealt with us before." He regarded her quietly for a moment. "Is it just chance that brought you to LA?" charliemcgee CHARLIE MCGEE
"Charlie," she responded with a slight grimace. "Just... Charlie. Miss McGee makes me feel like a kid dealing with those damned Shop agents again." She shook her head slightly then grinned a little.
"My bike broke down," she answered simply. "I figured I'd see what this place had to offer while I was waiting on it to get fixed. I may decide to settle here, though, I haven't made up my mind just yet." Which was true. She was planning on staying in town for at least a few weeks, no matter what else, but she didn't feel the need to tell him that.
"So is this the part where you try to convince me to sign on the dotted line, too?" she questioned after a few seconds of simply watching him. Charlie, much like Lindsey, saw little reason to beat around the bush about most things. "Because I have to say, for the record, I really don't like lawyers as a whole. Individually you guys tend to be okay, but toss a bunch of you in the room together and somebody is getting shafted." LINDSEY MCDONALD
"Charlie," Lindsey repeated, noting the lack of formality. So he had her interest, maybe only a slight hint of it, but it was something.
"Yeah, make sure you know all that the place has to offer. There has been more than one wannabe actress or actor or musician that has been chewed up and spit out by this place." He tapped a finger against his chin. "But you seem like the type who has been taking care of herself too long for that, so you might make this city work for you."
And there was the tricky part. "No, it isn't," Lindsey replied. "That would be moving too fast, even for me." The smile was cocky, arrogant, yet that of a man very assured of what he could do because it had been proved. "Well, if you decide to make a deal, you are in luck. I don't need a bunch of lawyers in the room with me. I have the power to make a deal all on my own." charliemcgee CHARLIE MCGEE
Charlie gave a soft bark of laughter. "Arrogant with enough power to back it up," she commented. "I think we might just be able to reach some kind of agreement. The last bunch just tried offering me ice cream then threatening me when I turned them down." She smirked. "Not a very good choice, on their parts, though I guess that goes without saying."
Not that she'd hurt the lawyers. Too much, at least. A few minor burns, and a blown up car was about it. Considering all she'd been through weeks before that, though, she'd been extremely generous.
The sound of a siren made her glance toward the street out of idle curiosity. Once the fire truck had passed, she looked back to Lindsey. "So, what kind of deal are we talking about?" she questioned. The fact that she was still talking to him about this showed she had at least some kind of interest in the subject. After all, she wasn't a kid anymore. The older she got, the more she found having allies might come in handy. And if she chose to stay in town, having allies in the form of Wolfram and Hart would be a wise move on her part. If they brought enough to the table to hold her interest, of course. LINDSEY MCDONALD
He almost rolled his eyes, but thankfully caught himself before he did. Despite his misgivings about the NYC branch, he couldn't exactly stab them in the back. Well, not until he could find a good way to do it where he wouldn't be implicated. "That would be their problem. Inability to handle clients," he replied.
Lindsey glanced towards the siren, his gaze following and his head turning slightly to follow the vehicle until it was out of sight. "Employment," he replied easily after a drawn out moment. "The full benefits of a Wolfram and Hart employee, from the standard paycheck to free legal services, among other things." charliemcgee CHARLIE MCGEE
Truth be told, Charlie didn't give a damn about the free legal services. She rarely, if ever, broke the law in such a way that she was caught for it. And on those occassions where she had been caught? Well, it was awfully hard to keep a pair of handcuffs on someone who could melt the metal with just a glance.
Of course, she did have a few things on her rap sheet. One or two busts where she hadn't been able to get away without causing more damage than she'd felt was worth it, and a couple of times during a brief period of her life when she had tried not using her powers at all. Even those charges, though, had ended up reduced or dropped altogether so really, she derived no real excitement from the idea of a free lawyer on call. Even if they happened to be one of the best in the business.
The idea of a steady paycheck, however, was very appealing to her. She had held very few real jobs in her life. Most of the time she got by on her looks and by having a quick hand and ability to create a diversion. After all, very few people paid attention to their wallets and purses when the bench they had been sitting on suddenly erupted into flames, for instance.
She kept all of this to herself, of course, and her expression as close to neutral as positive. She wasn't an idiot. She was a pretty good poker player and knew she had some tells. She also knew that, if Lindsey McDonald had half the clout he seemed to have, he would be able to spot those tells in a heartbeat. But that didn't mean she had to start grinning like a lovestruck schoolgirl at the thought of steady income.
Instead she focused on the major unknown so far in their conversation. What she would need to do in order to earn said paycheck.
"Employment is a pretty vague term," she pointed out. "There are certain things even I won't do." Well, that wasn't entirely true. Aside from, perhaps, hurt children or animals, there was very little Charlie wouldn't do if the price was right or the mood struck her. That didn't mean she would feel right doing those things on a regular basis, though. LINDSEY MCDONALD
"Which is understood," Lindsey added calmly. "I think we could use your services in negotiative situations." Read negotiative as forcing the hand of the opposing party into giving up their stance or at least rethinking it. No, not harming people, at least not until they knew her limits.
"I'll be blunt with you. Sometimes a little scare is good when the other side won't back down. No harm to another person, of course," he said, holding up his hands to forestall arguement until after he was finished. "But sometimes it is handy to have an untraceable ace in the hole."
There were very few he would be this honest with, but Charlie had a talent that he could forsee Wolfram and Hart benefiting from immensely. And she wasn't stupid, oh no. He wouldn't play her off with heartfelt sentiments and faked honesty. No, he was going to give it to her straight what the firm would probably want from her and leave her to make up her own mind. charliemcgee CHARLIE MCGEE
For once, Charlie didn't have an instant reply ready. Part of her was shocked he was being so forthcoming with her. From her experience, when it came to her powers especially, people tended to dance around the subject. The fact that Lindsey was letting her know, up front, what would likely be expected of her was a breath of fresh air.
She didn't believe that the demand to harm someone would ultimately come up. When you could set anyone or anything on fire, eventually the anyone aspect became center stage. But if it wasn't the primary focus of her employment, if in fact Lindsey was actually speaking the truth and not just seeming to do so while lying through his teeth, then he definitely had her attention.
So after a few moments of pondering, she finally gave a small shrug of her leather-clad shoulders. "I guess there's no harm in at least seeing it on paper," she stated. It was as close as she was going to get to agreeing to anything in such an informal setting. She might not like lawyers very much, and she definitely didn't trust them, but even she understood that an official meeting with an official contract would be in her best interest if she decided to get on board. Agreeing to anything without a contract in front of her to set it in stone would be akin to idiocy on her part.
"I'm not promising anything," she clarified after a second. "But if you want to write something up, I'll come in to look it over." Which was the most he was going to get from her at this point in time. In Charlie's opinion, it was one hell of a victory on his part. Whatever bosses he answered to should be pretty impressed when it was all said and done.
"And I'm only working with you," she tacked on, almost as an afterthought. "You stick me in a room with some flunky, I'm going to flatten the building and half the people inside." No need in pretending otherwise. They might have the power to re-build in a matter of days, but that didn't mean they wouldn't get the message. LINDSEY MCDONALD
He waited. Patiently. Good things came to those who waited, but the saying never indicated the moral condition in which those people were. Rushing her could possibly tilt the scales in the direction opposite of what he wanted it to go and he felt no need. They were calmly talking.
"Of course not. I wouldn't expect anything less," he replied confidently. "I can have a contract drawn up in two days personally, if you would like to return to the firm then. I will even go over every detail with you so that you know you aren't being hoodwinked and answer any questions you might have." Since she was accepting honesty so well, he still had no further reason to lie or temper the truth.
"Understood. I will make sure the contract reflects that. I'm sure the CEO is allowed his fair share of hiring picks." Lindsey smirked. Stepping out for a breath of fresh air and now he was negotiating a new, potentially powerful, ally for himself. At the moment, Wolfram and Hart was merely a background to work with. "You'll work for me alone." charliemcgee CHARLIE MCGEE
Charlie stared at him for a second. Then she laughed. "CEO?" she repeated. "Well, I guess when you said you could make a deal on your own, you weren't kidding, huh?" With an amused shake of her head, and feeling a small surge of respect toward Lindsey at this recent revelation (not because of the title he carried but the fact that he didn't try to use it to make himself seem anymore important than just an average lawyer at the firm), she added, "And I guess I'll see you in a couple of days. It's was nice meeting you, Mr. McDonald."
Then with a small wiggle of her fingers in a form of goodbye she turned, and headed back down the street. This pitstop had been unplanned and had turned out better than expected. Time to see what else the city of angels had to offer.