James stared at the advertisement that came back, ignoring the chaos around. Thinking of Xavier, he wondered how much he could really trust him. He knew that Xavier didn't think like a normal human. After experiencing his ability for that second, he could understand why, to an extent. Being able to see through time would make anyone unable to live in the present, never experiencing life normally. Most lived to avoid their death, but Xavier had likely experienced himself dying numerous times, changing how he saw it.
For anyone living like that, after a while, they would do everything to avoid the inevitable, no matter who they had to work with. It didn't mean Xavier didn't like him; in fact, James knew Xavier treated him as one of the few people he could call a friend, but to Xavier, a friend was different from others.
James mind paused as he looked to the ground. Sighing, he collapsed into his hand. 'Am I any different?' When he thought about it, besides Peter, anyone he could have called a friend, he would only stay close because they were useful. He may have been able to drink and laugh with them, but deep down, he never let himself get closer than he wanted. Xavier was the same, but used debt as a way to keep people close.
Taking a deep breath, James clicked his tongue, wondering why he was hesitating now. Maybe he couldn't trust Xavier completely, but he was his only ally, and going forward, anyone he wanted to help him would be forced into danger. It was the only way foward afterall.
His gaze hardened as he thought about it. Jeremiah, so far, was a maybe to help him, even if they acted separately, but he needed muscle, someone suicidal enough to throw themselves into danger, but also had a deep enough vendetta to actually be willing to act. Only one person came to mind, and although he didn't like it, he knew that he was outmatched. After getting up and going to his car, James sped off to Maryland.
------------------
Getting out, James looked around and saw the same group of men standing on the street corner outside of Chicken Head's hideout. Brazenly walking forward, James raised his hands to show he was not a threat and came before them. "Danny wasn't it."
Danny looked James up and down, glaring at him with a cold gaze, "The guy from before. I saw you on the news." Danny flashed his belt, showing his gun, "Didn't tell us you were a cop before?"
"I wouldn't have got a meeting if I did. Would I?" Danny smirked and lowered his shirt, "Besides, I'm not a cop anymore; however, out of good faith, I'll show you this." James reached into his pocket and pulled out his ISD badge. Snatching it, Danny's eyes widened in horror as he took a step back. The men with him moved for their weapons, but he quickly stopped them, throwing a hard look, wondering if they had gone crazy.
"He ain't done anything to warrant an ISD investigation." The men tensed up hearing Danny say the ISD. With a hand he tried to keep steady, he handed the badge back.
"I'm not here under official orders, don't worry. Chicken Head is a criminal, but not one who warrants the ISD. How would they put it?" James smiled and looked deep into Danny's eyes, "He's a nobody to the state." With a smile, James politely said, "But he is useful and someone with the same enemies as the ISD."
"Give me a minute." Danny backed up and took his phone out, making a call. He paced back and forth, waiting for it to answer. "That cop from before is here.... No, no, no, that would be dangerous." Danny looked to James," He works with the ISD now. He wants another meeting with him." Dannny was silent for a second before nodding, "Understood." Hanging up, Danny turned to James. "They will let you in, but hand over your weapons before we enter." Looking behind him, he spoke, "You see anyone like him come, fire a shot."
The man nodded and moved out of the alley, onto the open street. Taking his gun out he sat on the curb and lit a cigarette, watching. James handed over his weapons and followed them down the alley, towards the reinforced bunker he was in last time. The heavy iron door opened, and stepping in, he only saw the white-haired man, sitting where Chicken Head sat last time.
The door closed behind them as the white-haired man smiled, "Why is the ISD here?"
"This would be easier with a name." Placing his hand on his heart, James smiled, "James Graham."
"We know. You were all over the news." The man stared at James and clicked his tongue, seeing he wouldn't talk without giving a name, "Leon. Now, why is the ISD here? We pose no threat to national security."
James looked at the stack of cash neatly wrapped in clingfilm and chuckled, "Of course not." Moving forward, James wasn't as nervous as last time, taking a seat ontop of the cash. Although being tied to the ISD limited what he could do, it also gave him perks. No one had to know he was essentially acting alone and would always be more tense than him. "I have a mission. One that involves the Gentleman, and the Secretary Parker has given me the okay to use any means."
"Who?" Leon looked to Danny as he opened his phone and searched for the woman. His face paled seeing the details about her. Leon didn't need to know anymore that she was someone high up within the ISD. Leon took a deep breath and looked up at the ceiling. "You wish to use him as a weapon. Is that why you're here?"
James could tell even with the protection his position gave him, that if he answered wrong, Leon wouldn't hesitate to kill him, a weirdly protective, murderous intent in his words. James stared at Leon and smiled, "Yes." He couldn't lie, feeling that would be worse. Leon closed his eyes and frowned.
"He is not a weapon, sir." His words were lathered with blood. James saw his hand reach out towards the wall, making the numerous metal tools shake.
"No, he's not. He's a man who wants revenge. Am I wrong?" The weapons stopped shaking as Leon calmed down, "Think of it like this. I am giving him a chance to do that. All I ask is that he does what I say?" Remembering what Xavier said about hate, he didn't realise when he started to act and think like him. Seeing how Leon reacted to his words, he couldn't help but agree with Xavier. 'Hate really is the strongest motivator.'
Leon stood up and walked to the door behind him. Putting his hand on the handle, he paused and looked to James, wondering why he didn't follow. Going behind Loen, he opened the door to a dark room, the only light a dying lightbulb that flickered. On the floor, Chicken Head sat, crossed leg, holding his head, staring at his mask in front of him.
Turning around, his empty eyes saw Leon before locking onto James. Instantly, they sharpened as he sprang up and dove towards James, grabbing his throat and pushing him to the ground. The grip around his neck tightened as he desperately tried to push him off.
Staring into his empty blue eyes, he saw the freckled face of the man beneath the mask. His dirty blond hair was a mess, and his features were chubby, still filled with baby fat. But the most striking thing was his eyes. They were empty, but inside them was an unchained rage that hid an endless sadness.
"Jack." Leon grabbed Chicken Head's shoulder, seeing he was about to choke James to death. "He is here to see you?" Jack's hand shook for a second before he removed his hand and moved over to his mask. Lovingly stroking it, he put it on. His body noticeably relaxed as he turned around and left the room, taking a seat in the chair Leon sat. Pulling out his notepad, he wrote.
'Why did you let him in?'
Holding the note for Leon, the man stiffly smiled and helped James to his feet, leading him out of the room.
"Revenge after what he just said to me. I know you don't like people seeing you without the mask, but he needed to see." Leon took a place behind Jack and watched as James retook his seat ontop of the money, his calm arrogance gone. "Also, I wanted him to know his position meant nothing to you." Jack went to write, but Leon stopped him and spoke, "He's an agent of the ISD." Jack nodded and stopped writing.
Staring at him, James couldn't help but feel the man before him was a completely different person from the one who choked him. He was eerily calm. If he hadn't seen his eyes, James would have thought the man was a seasoned crime lord who wouldn't flinch at anything. But he knew that wasn't the case. Instead, it felt like he finally had a shield to protect him from everything.
'What do you want?'
Jack wrote, holding the notepad up to James. Looking at it, James took a deep breath, wondering if it was the right thing to do. What Jack needed wasn't revenge but help, serious help to overcome or at least live with whatever happened to him. The path he was walking would never satisfy him, even if he got to the Gentleman. 'Has that day with Skylar changed how I see things?'
Thinking to himself, he pushed it aside and looked, staying silent. 'Why am I hesitating?' He had already ruined Rose's life for his own gain. He had killed George and sinned in the most holy place he had ever been. Why did he have to stop now, when the man before him would jump at the chance he could give?
"How much do you know about the Gentleman's organisation? I'm not on about his criminal society but the one he works with in the shadows." Leon narrowed his eyes, wondering what James was going on about, but James paid no attention to him. Seeing Jack remaining unmoving, he struggled to read what he thought. After a few seconds, he wrote.
'I know he has something. Unknown what.'
"What I am about to tell you is a matter of national security." James looked behind him at Danny and his henchman. "They can't hear. I would not like Leon here either, but I doubt he will let me be alone with you." Jack looked at James and, seeing he was serious, nodded to Danny and the other to make them leave.
The heavy door slammed shut, and with the three alone, James sighed, "First thing, I am not making anything up. What I am about to say sounds like a lie, but it is not." Leaning forward, James interlocked his fingers. "There is a way to achieve Godhood. There are many ways, but the Gentleman and his group are doing it through a place called The Doorway, more formally known as Zoktis Home. We believe there are five keys to open it, and they have a majority of them."
Leon scoffed and shook his head. As he was bout to speak, Jack raised his hand and stopped him, "The Gentleman isn't leading this organsiation however. It is led by a man with the ability to control time. We have one of his associates in ISD custody, but he will not stay in it for long. When you saw me on the news, that was a cover-up for that man's arrest."
Jack stayed silent and wrote. Taking a while, he eventually lifted it up.
'You want help? If so, can I kill him, or is that not allowed?'
Even if Jack didn't fear James, he wasn't stupid enough to block the ISD from their investigation. James smiled, "I have been tasked to use any means, bar those that jeopardise national security." Getting up, James stood before Jack, "I am asking you, if you will be a weapon I can use, to hunt him like a dog."
Jacks shoudlers bounced up and down as he silently laughed. His fists curled and uncurled, and James felt like he could see a massive grin under his mask. Calming himself down, he wrote.
'The ISD nor police will arrest me for it?'
"The ISD most definitely won't. As an ex-law enforcement, I can assure you, the police will put a warrant out for your arrest, but it will get lost in the system. No one cares for him there." James watched as Jack slowly nodded to himself. Writing he held up the final note.
'Only the Gentleman. I do not care for anyone else.'
James smiled and nodded, "That is all I ask. Are we done here?" Jack nodded. James asked for a paper and a pen. Taking them, he wrote his number. "Call me so I have your number. I'll be in touch." Leaving, James heard Leon follow him. Closing the door behind him, Leon grabbed James's shoulder and brought his mouth to his ear.
"He may happily agree for a chance to act, but know he isn't your weapon." Leon coldly said, and James turned and met his gaze.
"I understand," Leon nodded and looked to the heavy door.
"Word of advice. I don't know if you give people nicknames, but if you do, never, and I mean never, call him Little Chicken. I say this as much for you as him. He won't butcher you; he will make you wish you never lived." Leon tapped James's shoulder and nodded, returning underground.