Awake PT 2
The busy chattering and marching noises of people walking in and out of the company's lobby was proof that all was back to as it were- business as usual. Lucifer walked in rather sluggishly, wearing a pair of shades on his black suit. His desire for a good night's sleep was eventually thwarted by an adamant Henry who kept bickering throughout the night. It began immediately Lucifer told him about his latest situation.
LET ME OUT!
WHAT DO YOU PLAN TO DO WITH LILA?
ARE YOU REALLY THE DEVIL? PROVE IT.
Lucifer did his best to ignore him but Henry didn't stop bickering.
ALL OF THIS IS JUST A DREAM. Yes! I'm probably having a nightmare disorder FROM THE EXPLOSION and I'm going to wake up any moment from now.
"Shut up, Henry," Lucifer had warned.
Why can't you let me go?
Let me out!
Henry's nagging drowned out in the early hours of the day as he soon grew tired as was Lucifer.
"Good morning Dr. Bates," Tony voiced out loud as he approached Lucifer. "You look awful." He said with a disgustful stare and offered up his pumpkin spiced latte as a solution to Lucifer's dull aura.
A gulp of the beverage was enough to quench the dryness off Lucifer's throat as he spoke out.
"Thanks, also your boss is an ass," he grimaced.
"So he is still in there? Fascinating!" Tony gaped in awe. "Can I speak to him now?"
"No, you can't." Lucifer retorted as he marched onto the elevator while Tony followed in irritation. This time they were alone.
"Why not?" Tony demanded with a glare.
"Your boss and I agreed last night that I should remain in control of this vessel for the meantime. That means you can't talk to him," Lucifer said before taking another gulp of the beverage.
"You mean Dr. Bates agreed to that?" Tony shot a stare in skepticism.
"Well, there was no way he could object to it, just like you couldn't object when I made you my assistant." Lucifer's lips curled in a smirk. "But of course I plan to be generous- I will say what every Henry says as a response to you while he hears you directly so that way you communicate to each other."
Tony rolled his eyes at Lucifer's remark.
"Yeah, highly generous," he mumbled under his breath with a frown in hopes that Lucifer wouldn't hear him but it was the opposite.
"I heard that." Lucifer grinned.
Tony looked away fear, suddenly recalling his boss was now the prince of darkness. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to."
"Oh, yes you did," Lucifer replied immediately. "Listen to me Ash, never apologize when you don't mean it. It helps no one."
Tony sighed in relief.
"How is he doing at least?" He asked.
"He says he is fine," Lucifer answered. "Although he doesn't like the idea of being caged in his mind."
Tony agreed with a nod. "No one does, although I can't say I can relate."
The elevator dinged and slid open. Lucifer let out a soft chuckle as they stepped out into the hallway.
"He wants to know how you're doing. I told him last night that both of you were the ones to survive the explosion without any serious damage," Lucifer added after Tony gave him a puzzled stare. "So, how are you doing, Ash?"
"I don't honestly," Tony replied as his expression turned sour. "I keep having these nightmares that make me feel like I should have died that night. But I want to believe I'm getting better." His countenance brightened almost immediately.
"Tell him it gets better, and that I'm here now," Henry said to Lucifer.
Lucifer did as Henry had commanded. His words brought a certain warmth to Tony that he almost envied. He could sense a cordial connection between Henry and Tony beyond boss and assistant that he admired. Tony could confide in Dr. Bates about almost anything and would expect a warm response in return. Never had he been regarded with love and compassion, only fear. He reasoned it was because that was how he related to people.
Just then an unstrange voice came charging at both of them as soon as Lucifer had conveyed Henry's message.
"Thank goodness I ran into you!" Dr. Simon said. He seemed unsettled, with beads of sweat gathered around his bald head.
"Good morning Dr. Simon--"
"Save the formalities for later, Henry. We have a situation on our hands right now." The doctor chipped with his face rid of all expressions except worry. "The rest of the board are in the board room waiting already."
"Alright then, lead the way doc." Lucifer gestured with a hand. "I'll see you later, Ash." He spoke up to Tony as he and Dr. Simon walked away.
"Okay, boss," Tony replied.
The board room was filled with stiff and brooding faces that sat across each other. Quite a few members were missing from the meeting asides from Cortez, Lucifer admitted. Altogether, they were eight in number including a face that was strange to Lucifer.
"Good morning Dr. Bates." The man stood, his clean-cut beard and the smell of his cheap cologne catching Lucifer's attention.
"Who's the goofball?" Lucifer said I'm his head while forcing a fake smile at the man.
"That's Mr. Ryan Wilson, the company's financial officer," Henry replied.
"Wilson!" Lucifer's fake smile stretched as he spread his arms out wide. "It's been a while."
"Yes, and I'm sorry we are meeting in such terrible circumstances."
Lucifer turned to Dr. Cortez, looking puzzled. "What is he talking about?"
"Take a seat Henry," Simon advised as he did the same. "You can begin now Wilson."
Wilson remained silent until Lucifer sat down.
"Alright, so the company has been in great turmoil in the last few days, I'm sure we are aware."
"What is he talking about?" Henry asked Lucifer as Wilson pauses.
"Continue," Lucifer said, ignoring the voice in his head.
"This has resulted in a heavy downside and now the company is at the brink of financial ruin and is fresh meat for anyone who's in the mood for a hostile takeover. In other words gentlemen, we need money else we're through."
Lucifer heaved a sigh.
"Don't we have any reserve cash to sort these debts out?" He asked.
"We flooded that money into your mirror bridge project, sir," Wilson answered.
"Then I'll fund us the money personally, I should have enough to cover it." Lucifer fired almost immediately.
"Uhm, that won't be feasible, I also invested my money in the project," Henry confessed.
"You fool," Lucifer muttered out loud.
"I beg your pardon?" The financial office glared.
"Not you," Lucifer replied. "So what do you suggest should be done now?"
"I know I am probably barking at the impossible but we need the money urgently and I only see two ways we can solve this before any harm is done; either convince your board members and former investors to come back or find a bigger investor to come to your aid. You would have to give a speech too so we can calm the press. In the meantime, I have drafted a list of employees that should be laid off to cut back expenses in the meantime so we stay afloat." He brought a notepad from his briefcase and handed it to Lucifer.
Lucifer glanced at it and passes it to Dr. Simon, not sure how to react to the list. Dr. Simon on the other hand was furious, like the rest of the board members who saw the list afterward.
"These people were celebrating yesterday, and now we fire them today? It's not fair!" Simon flipped. "And the bastard still got out after everything we did?"
"What are you talking about?" Lucifer straightened himself on his seat.
"You didn't hear also?" Simon asked.
"Hear what?" Lucifer demanded impatiently.
"I guess I was the only one then. Detective Pamela called me this morning to tell me Cortez was declared innocent and released by the FBI and that the case is no longer in their hands."
His statement made Henry boil in rage, a feeling that Lucifer matched with greater intensity on the outside.
"I'll make sure he gets what is coming to him, and this time there won't be any Police to stop me, I promise you that Simon."
"I believe the more important issue here is how to raise the cash, Henry." Dr. Herman reminded eyeing Lucifer.
"Yeah, of course. That won't be an issue, I will get an investor within a week." Lucifer bragged.
Everyone in the room looked stunned.
"You must be joking!" Henry echoed. "Where would you get that kind of money and support from?"
"From my friends, Henry," Lucifer replied in his head.
"What friends? You don't know anyone here."
"The ones I made in prison."
Lucifer's words were not only shocking but frightening to Henry. His mind wandered back to moments ago when he suggested he was having a terrible nightmare. This time he prayed it was so.