Sebastián pulled into the Cathedral’s parking area, killed the motor, and checked his watch, 8:15am. Interviews were starting this week, and he was unsure how they were going to go, given what he’d read about the ‘team’ in the dossiers provided by Phi. As he collected his things, and made his way into the Cathedral proper, he wondered if they would all pass, and how he could break it to Phi if one, or more, didn’t. Some of them would be fine, but others….. well this was a lovely collection of personalities, to be sure.
As he entered his office, he caught himself asking his assistant who was first on his schedule today. It was definitely going to take some getting used to, not having an assistant. Thinking of her reminded him of an old patient he needed to check on, he picked up his phone and dialed her number, his schedule forgotten for the moment.
* * * * *
Luke—Nemesis—had opted to try something new. He’d made his way into the Northshore area of Eastwood, found the appropriate ‘abandoned’ warehouse, and promptly used his access code to enter the place. The warehouse looked semi-used, as it was supposed to, mostly as a storage area. In fact, inside the warehouse was a large shipping container. Luke maneuvered his motorcycle closer and found the not-so-hidden but not-so-obvious keypad there, as well. With a metallic hiss the doors slid open, revealing a dimly lit tunnel going down at approximately forty-five degrees. He chuckled and gunned his bike.
The tunnel stretched for almost a mile, the entire bit (after the entrance) lit as well as any street at night, with periodic guide lights along the walls and the overhead halogens providing ample illumination. The tunnel, he knew, was an old subway service tunnel from which the tracks had been removed. Quick and dirty paving had been done along the main track, but it still had the feel of a back-road highway. Nevertheless, in short order the signs came up letting Luke know that he’d reached the underground garage beneath the Cathedral. He again had to stop and enter an access code—getting out was much easier than getting in, thankfully—and rode slowly into the garage.
After parking his bike near the Conquistadors’ hover-cycles—he really needed to take on for a spin one of these days—Luke double-checked his equipment and utility belt out of habit. Assured that all was in place he took the elevator down a floor to the labs, where Sebastian had his office. He checked his watch: 8:30am. He withdrew a folder from his satchel and knocked on Sebastian’s door.
Sebastián was behind his desk, going over his old patient’s files when he heard the knocking. Closing the files, he walked over to the door and opened it to see Nemesis standing there. “Hello, come in please.” Stepping to the side, and gesturing casually into his office. It was decorated nicely, just enough artwork to make it seem professional, but not too much that would clutter the place. There were two seating choices, an oversized easy chair, and a black leather fainting couch. In front of his desk was a pair of more standard chairs, for guests who were not ‘in session’. “Normally my secretary would be greeting you, and asking if you’d like a drink, but given what’s at stake here, I opted not to bring her for this job. So… would you care for a drink?” he smiled as he asked.
Luke chuckled and pulled down his mask as he entered. “No, I’m good, thanks.” He brushed a hand across his short hair, matted somewhat from the neoprene-and-flex mesh head covering. He gestured with the folder in his other hand. “I brought that stuff you gave us, the questionnaire and stuff.” He walked over to the desk and set the folder on the edge, then took one of the standard chairs in front of the desk. “How are things going so far?”
Reaching for the folder, and opened it up, flipping through it as he spoke. “It’s going fairly well, I’ve almost got this place how I want it, and the safe I’ve ordered should be installed by the end of the week.” Taking one last glance through, he closed the folder and set it on his desk. “I appreciate you taking the time to fill these out, and so swiftly too. I also appreciate the trust you’ve put into me, that all of you have. It is not an easy thing, baring your secrets to one you do not know well. I understand you cannot force trust, it has to be earned, hopefully it will be earned sooner than later. That being said, I have something to share with you.” His voice hesitated as he spoke, as he reached into his desk and pulled a dark lump of what appeared to be metal. Holding it in his hand, he focused his will upon it. A slight bit of strain showed upon his normally calm face, as the object changed. His mere thoughts removing the dark stains, the dirt, and the aging. After a few moments, what was once a twisted black lump of metal had been restored into a gleaming Hudson City patrolman’s badge. Exhaling slowly, he set it down on his desk. “I too, have something I wish to keep private.”
Luke’s eyes narrowed briefly as they darted between the badge and Sebastian. He sat forward in his chair and regarded the team’s psychiatrist from beneath raised brows.
“Since you and I both know you weren’t a cop I assume you’re going to explain what you just did.” Though his countenance portrayed curiosity his words were flat; he was uttering a statement, not a question.
Well that was well received, good job, Sebastián thought to himself, as he reached for a piece of paper from his desk. “This ability I have lets me increase or remove the effects that time has on an object.” As he spoke, the piece of paper in his hands began to yellow slightly, and it cracked around the edges, some little bits crumbling away to dust. “I picked the badge because I thought given your history it would be more significant, have more of a lasting impact. I think for my future interviews I will just pick a neutral object, perhaps that will be a better idea.”
Luke’s chin touched his chest and he chuckled humorlessly. “I don’t know why I’m surprised.” He looked back up. A small smile still touched his lips but they didn’t reach his eyes. “I’ll be assuming from this point on that all of you can do something.” He shook his head and took a deep breath.
Sebastián nodded very slightly. “That would probably be a safe assumption, all things considered.”
“Okay, you, uh, manipulate time, is it? Just on an object or people and places, too?” He spread his hands. “Just what you touch or can you do….um….” he gestured at the badge. “…that…at range? Don’t be shy about telling me the basics. It’s good to know these things. You know, just in case.” Just in case of what Luke wasn’t saying, but the double entendre seemed clear enough to one versed in the intricacies of DiSantiago intrigue.
Sebastián smiled, and chuckled good-naturedly. “Well, this is supposed to be your interview, not mine. However in the interest of fairness and disclosure, I can do it at range, but I generally touch it just because it seems to feel right, I can’t explain it. As for people, frankly I’ve been really hesitant to experiment on people. What with the whole Hippocratic Oath and all.” He pushed his chair back and walked over to the bar, and poured himself a drink. “I mean… I would love to know if I could age, or de-age a person, but I honestly cannot say what would happen if I tried. I also have a few other things I can do, within the realm of time manipulation, but again, this is your interview. We can schedule another meeting if you care to do so, to discuss them.”
Raising his glass to his lips, he sipped, his eyes looking at the man seated at his desk. “Why do you do it? Why do you ‘walk the night’ so to speak, fighting crime?”
Luke chuckled. “I actually get that a lot.” He spread his hands in a self-deprecating manner. “Because if I don’t, who will?” He shrugged. “Same reason I became a cop, really. Maybe it was too many movies as a kid, too much Robin Hood and Three Muskateers and John Wayne, but I’ve always been the guy willing to stand up for what’s right.” He grinned broadly. “I got knocked down a lot for it, too, at least early on, but…” he trailed off thoughtfully, then shrugged again. “I just want to leave the world a little better than it was when I came in. Or at least not any worse.”
Setting his glass down he fixed his gaze on the man before him. "Luke, it IS ok for me to call you Luke, yes?” Luke nodded. “Luke, that is a fantastic story, and I'm sure when the press interviews you, you can use it."
Walking back to his desk, he sat, and locked eyes with Nemesis. "Let me be frank. She may hate me for telling you this, but I don't think I'm telling you something you don't already know. My sister wants you, that much I've gathered from speaking to her. You are important to her plans, to all of this." He swept his arm wide, as if to encompass the entire Cathedral. "There is nothing you could tell me, short of admitting you were a serial murder or rapist, that would jeopardize your position on this team. So please, be honest with me, and I will return the favor."
Luke studied Sebastian for a moment before answering. “I know it sounds trite, but it’s the truth.” He shrugged. “I had a bit of a hero complex growing up, always trying to help my friends, stop bullies from bullying…that sort of thing. By the time I was old enough to know better I wanted to be a cop.” He smiled. “I blame my parents.”
He shifted a little in the chair. “But if you’re asking if there’s more to it, of course there is. There’s a thrill that comes with putting on the costume. I have fans. Cops don’t have fans, but masked vigilantes do. And there’s something liberating about being able to get away with just a little bit more as a mask than as a cop. I mean, I still try to build a case, you know? I leave evidence for the cops whenever I take someone down. If I can, that is. But there are no more warrants, no more rules and regulations. It’s like I get to follow the spirit of justice instead of the letter of the law, and that…” He smiled, but this one was a smile of pleasure. “That really is…it’s just cool.”
"Holy shit... this guy is for real, an honest to goodness Boy Scout, let's see how long it lasts." Sebastián thought to himself. "You make mention that you have no more rules, or regulations, yet you still leave evidence when you can. Why not just dump the unconscious body in front of the nearest police station and call it a night? What about those criminals for whom there is no evidence, or the evidence is something normal people should not see?"
Luke shrugged. “If I can’t leave evidence for the police…” he trailed off, thinking. “I guess just making the attempt is enough. It has to be enough, you know? Sometimes the fact that they’re caught and dumped unconscious is enough to send them the message. Make it unpalatable for them to continue doing whatever it is they’re doing. I try to do the best I can with what I’ve got. And just because I’m not following all the rules doesn’t mean that somebody else doesn’t have to.” He shifted in his seat. “Let’s say you catch a guy but there’s no evidence of the crime. He walks away, pissed off and ready to try again. If you leave the evidence, though, now the cops have to do something. They can do something. More, there’s now a record of the crime.. It gives the system something to work with, something to build on, and as broken as that system may seem on occasion, it’s still the only one we have. I’ll work with it when I can, but if the system fails I’ll adapt. I’ll choose doing the right thing over the legal thing every time.”
"Be careful, start flaunting the law and those boys in blue might be looking for you." he said with a smile. "Personally, if I was a cop, I'd much rather have someone like you, or Soldier Boy taking care of the heavy stuff, and leaving the traffic stops and jaywalkers to me."
Luke smiled. "I know what you mean. I mean, I understand it, but I'm not flaunting the law. It's more like...I pick up where the law leaves off. I supplement it, not supplant it."
Sebastián flipped through a few folders on his desk, before looking up at Nemesis once again. "As for the rest of the team, while I can't reveal details to you, I will advise you if I feel any of them are having difficulties adjusting to their new responsibilities, or if a particular event has troubled them extensively. For the time, I am satisfied to keep their visits unscheduled, and casual. Again, if something should arise where I need to see any of them more regularly, I will be sure to let you know. If you notice anything, or if you think someone needs to see me, please send them in. "
Luke nodded. "I still don't know them all that well, myself. Don't be surprised if I start asking you what's normal for someone. Until I get a read of these guys it's going to be..." he paused, chuckled. "Well, let's just say it should be interesting."
Sebastián opened his mouth to reply, caught himself for a brief moment as he puzzled through something, and then continued. "I will, of course, tell you what I am able, without breaking confidences. You'll need to know who can handle being sent into a burning building so to speak, and who is better suited to aid the people on the outside." He paused once again, appearing to struggle with something before continuing on.
"I do have a bit of an odd request for you, one I should not be making. However I get the impression that perhaps you and I would be on the same page in this so I am going to ask." he said, looking at the man seated opposite his desk.
Luke nodded to show he understood and acknowledged the seriousness of the request and gestured for Sebastián to continue.
"I would greatly appreciate it if you could limit, or even prohibit my sister from going out 'in the field' if you understand my meaning. I will concede that saying no to her is difficult, even impossible at times. I simply feel that she isn't ready for that, might not ever be ready for that. " Taking a breath, Sebastián paused, and let what he'd just done sink in. Phi wouldn't be happy if she found out, but he'd rather her be mad at him and alive, instead of beaten up or worse in the city.
Chuckling, Luke leaned back, visibly relaxing. "No problem. I agree whole heartedly. I don't intend for her to be a regular fixture in the field." He paused thoughtfully. "I can see several scenarios where she might be useful on investigations, but no, I don't expect her to be in on anything dangerous." He smiled. "I'll include her just enough to make her feel useful, but she won't be a part of any teams where I think there's going to be a fight."
Sebastián relaxed visibly, and took another sip from his drink. "Excellent, excellent. That is exactly what I was hoping to hear, thank you for understanding. I do greatly appreciate it." He tipped his glass and finished the rest of his drink. "That was my main concern, currently. Since you've addressed it, I can rest abit easier. Was there anything you needed to discuss, any problems or concerns you have?"
Luke paused for thought, then shook his head. "No, I don't think so. Well, nothing outside what one would expect from a masked vigilante leading a team of superheroes in one of the most crime-ridden cities in America."
He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Actually, there is one more thing." He again fell silent, marshalling his thoughts.
"I need to know that you're professional ethics are securely in place." He met Sebastian's eyes and the psychologist noted an intensity he hadn't yet seen. "I need to know that we can trust you implicitly. You more than almost anyone here can hurt us if you so chose. Hurt us as a team and as individuals. I need to know, both for my sake and that of the others, that your professional ethics and team loyalties come first."
Sebastián looked back at the hero, and nodded. "You see me, and you see the name. You don't know me, so you assume I'm just another DiSantiago. I understand your concerns, I don't appreciate them, but I understand them."
"This team is as important to me as it is to you, for different reasons. This is my sister's project, she's put so much of herself into it, she would be devastated if something happened and she lost it. There is absolutely no chance I am going to do that to her. I will move Heaven and earth to make this work for her. Also, this is my first big job, my first time on my own. I'm not about to throw my entire career away by sharing things I shouldn't."
Luke mulled that over for several moments before nodding. "Fair enough." He leaned back with a half-smile. "But for the record, if I thought you were just another DiSantiago I doubt either of us would be sitting here." He distractedly picked at an invisible something on his leg. "I put a lot of faith in Phi, so by extension I tend to give those she trusts the benefit of the doubt. I thought it best to make sure we were on the same page, though."
He paused, then slapped his hands on his thighs and made move to rise. He stopped just before leaving the chair. "I think we're good, then, unless you need anything else from me?"
Sebastián watched curiously as the man picked at his pant leg, and thought to himself. "Either this guy is really fastidious about his appearance, or that might be a tell. If it is a tell, what is it telling me. Definitely need to observe more and see if I can solve this."
He smiled and shook his head "I think that's good for today, was nice to finally sit and talk to you. My door is always open should you need me, and you have my cell number. " He stood and extended his hand across his desk.
"I do indeed," Luke said, standing. He shook Bastian's hand with the same firm-without-being-challenging grip he used at their initial meeting. "And you know how to find me should anything come up you think I should know about." As he turned to go he paused and smiled.
"For the record, I think Phi picked the right guy for the job. Glad to have you on board, Doc."
Comments
Okay, I put this up here
Okay, I put this up here (finally) so that we won't lose it again. Hopefully we can pound this out pretty soon
Nice job guys.
Nice job guys.
--
Imagination is the seed of intelligence. Nourish it and watch it grow.
Nemesis should have killed
Nemesis should have killed him while he had the chance.
Nice post, though.