"Leon." James held his phone to his ear and spoke, "Is he ready to begin?"
"He has been ready to start ever since you left. I didn't think it would be so soon, however." Leon said with an annoyed tone, pausing for a second, "He's asking where you want him to go?"
"For now, tell him to come to this address." James messaged the address to Xavier's penthouse, "If he is going to bring things with him, make sure he hides them. Also, if he insists on wearing the mask, he will have to enter underground."
Leon chuckled, reading the message, "The Financial District. You have some powerful backers."
"My backer is someone you will be familiar with. Afterall he was just in the news after being released from custody." James could hear Leon take a sharp breath.
"New Horizon."
"No. Only Xavier. I hope that won't be a problem for you?" Leon stayed silent, not answering straight away. In the background, he could hear a pen scribbling on some paper.
"There are no issues." Leon coldly said, "But one question. Did he do the bombing? And be truthful."
"No, he knew it was going to happen, but didn't do it. The guy who did it is the same one we are chasing." In the background, James heard a pen snap. "I'll see you soon." James hung up and called Jeremiah. Waiting a few seconds, he heard his tired voice on the other side.
"I'm off duty now. What?"
"I know you are going to work with the NPSD, but I was wondering if you want to be kept in the loop about what's happening." James heard Jeremiah sit up and groan.
"What do you mean?"
"Xavier and I are going to move soon. Now, everyone in the force hates me, you included, but you are also the only guy who I feel is willing to at least work with me to an extent, other than the Captain. If you're willing to meet me, we can at least keep damage to a minimum."
Jeremiah chuckled, "You want me to keep the force off your back whilst you do this."
"Can we not talk in circles just once?" James said with an equally annoyed tone to Jeremiah, "I know you're already willing to use me, and you know I will use you. Let us just drop the bullshit. Will you come or not?" Jeremiah snorted in amusement.
"Where?"
"Xavier penthouse. You should know where that is?" With the location, Jeremiah hung up. Putting his phone away, James moved to the living room and sat down, watching Xavier hold a leaf over his pet lizard, pulling it away every time it tried to bite, before finally giving it to it.
"Done?" Wiping his hand with a nearby cloth, he took a seat opposite him, "You got yourself a few people when I was away. I feel betrayed." Xavier frowned after speaking in a sulky voice. It made James ' skin crawl as he turned away.
"Don't speak like that again. It's gross." Xavier smiled and shrugged.
"Who are they?"
"The Chicken and Jeremiah. They'll make up for the muscle we lack. I'm sure you have some people in New Horizon that can make up for it, but we should try to delay using that as long as we can." Xavier proudly smiled, looking at James. If he still had eyes, James was sure they would be burning with a look that a parent gave a their child when they did something good. It was sickening and made him wonder how Xavier actually saw him as a person.
Was it friendship, mentorship, or amusement? Or was he a good tool that had proven itself better than he thought? James thought and came to the only answer that made sense. 'It's likely all of them.' Xavier had no friends, as far as he could see. Fredrick was the closest thing, but the old man would always be at arm's length, always seeing part of Xavier as his successful experiment.
Waiting for them, the two sat silently. The elevator door broke through that silence after ten minutes, with Jeremiah stepping in first. Acting as if he owned the place, he walked into the living room and stared at Xavier with a distrustful gaze before looking at James.
"I should have expected him to be here." Jeremiah sat down, looking back at Xavier, "Isn't it rude to invite a guest and not even offer a drink?" Xavier looked between James and Jeremiah before laughing.
"Forgive me, do you want a drink, sir?" Playing along, Xavier asked with a small smirk, finding everything about Jeremiah amusing.
"No," Jeremiah said with a cold tone, slightly angry that his jab didn't faze the man. "What is it that's so important?"
"We're waiting for another person." On cue, Xavier's phone rang. Picking it up, he listened and finally spoke.
"Let him up. He's a guest." Hanging up, he looked to the door, "He's here. But my people are on edge now. Luckily, he didn't come through the front door, or the police would have knocked down the door." Xavier looked to Jeremiah, "Promise you won't arrest my guest." Jeremiah stared behind him. James could feel the air vibrating as Jeremiah's ability activated to full effect in anticipation.
The elevator door opened, followed by two pairs of footsteps. Leon turned to the corner first, followed by Jack. Getting up, Jeremiah's fingers twitched as he readied himself to be attacked. It wasn't based on any of Jack's crimes but an intuitive feeling that the person before him was a killer. Noticing the intent, Jack brazenly stepped forward, hitting the barrier around Jeremiah. James rose to stop it, but stopped seeing Xavier stick his hand out and shake his head.
Jack collided with the barrier, slowing down to a snail's pace. Despite his outfit slowly being worn away by Jeremiah's ability, he never stopped trying to move, unfazed by the ability. Leon moved next. In the kitchen, the drawers rattled as cutlery flew forward, hitting the barrier and coming to a stop. Although Xavier sat with a cold, analytical gaze, hoping to see more, James knew better and got up.
"Can we calm down, please?" Neither stopped, and James sighed. Stepping forward, he hit Jeremiah's barrier and clicked his tongue, "We are all here for the same reason. Stop and sit." Once again, his words fell on deaf ears. Looking at Xavier, the prophet smiled and got up. Walking around, he signalled James to come to his side.
Tapping on a keypad on the wall, he grabbed James's shoulder and spoke into it, "Suppress my entire apartment." Xavier turned to James. "Use your eyes." Narrowing his gaze, he looked back and activated his ability. After a few seconds of speaking, the elevator opened, and a dark purple cloud washed over the room, avoiding the two and the lizard.
Glass shattered all around, followed by the cutlery Leon controlled slamming to the ground. The three were the final to collapse, falling to their knees. The power vanished after a few seconds, and the elevator doors closed. Xavier coolly walked between the three and clapped his hands. "Stop being savages and take a seat." His voice was calm as he went back to James side, seeing his stunned look, "Did you think I didn't have protection?"
Making his way to the sofa, Xavier glanced at his kitchen and saw the mess that had been made. With a sigh, he sat down and looked at the three. Slowly getting up, they looked at Xavier with cold looks.
James followed and stared. After a moment, the three did as told, with Jeremiah and Jack staying a noticeable distance from each other. "Now then." James words didn't help ease the tension as he looked between the three. Looking at Jack, he smiled, "We're going to start hunting the Gentleman. As you know, he has an organisation around him, but the heart of it is too strong to deal with. What we need is to destroy the support network around him and, eventually, bring him out of hiding. Whilst I am sure Jack would love to storm into his manor, the fact he hasn't done this means he knows it's a fortress within the city." Jack nodded, taking a few deep breaths, "I also know you have a lot of money at hand. Are you willing to use it to hire help?"
"Excuse me." Leon cut in before Jack could answer. Looking at Xavier, his eyes hardened, "Seeing where we are sat, why don't you ask him to fund you. Sure, we have a couple of million, but him. This place alone must be thirty, forty million?"
"Thrity eight." Xavier said happily, "But I won't be using my money. Not yet atleast. The moment I step into the open is when the Gentleman uses all his resources." Leon went to speak but was stopped by Jack. Taking out his notepad, he quickly wrote soemthing.
'You can have it. Tell me where to go.'
James half-smiled and nodded, "Everywhere you can think exists. We need to force him out. I will be helping, as will Xavier, in the background." Taking out his phone, James pulled up the picture of the people on his wall, "However, if you see any of these people, it is best you don't attack. They are in the Gentlemen's inner circle, we believe, and are likely to be dangerous."
Jack stared for a second before nodding. Jeremiah finally spoke up, understanding what was happening, "James. Are you actually planning a war in front of me?" Jeremaih scoffed and looked at Jack, "And using this animal for it. I get he is... surgical, but how many innocents have been caught up in his actions."
Jack slowly rose, being stopped by Leon's touch. Sighing, James looked at Jeremiah, "I know." Clenching his fist, James frowned, "But I am desperate. Tell me, who should I ask to fight the Gentleman? Will you do it? Will the entire force be willing? I trust you, Jeremiah, becuase you have too much pride to be bribed. There are a few others as well who are fine, but the rest are not. We both know how corrupt our colleagues are. What's stopping them from shaking our hand whilst holding a knife behind their backs?"
Jeremiah went to speak, but stopped and looked at Jack, "But this man James. I thought there were lines you wouldn't cross."
"I don't like it, but even if he hasn't told me why he does what he does, I know he has a hatred inside of him that will never be swayed. No matter what is offered to him. I don't need to know the reason, I just need to know I can trust he won't betray me." Staring deep into the mask's plastic eyes, James smiled, "Will you?"
Jack's fists curled, making his leather gloves crackle. Shaking his head, he pulled out his notepad and wrote, holding it to Jeremiah.
'He is a butcher. His men butchers. They deserve everything.'
Jeremiah took a deep breath, feeling the deep hatred in the writing alone, "I know that, but you ruin people's lives who aren't involved." Jack paused, holding his pen over a fresh page.
'You can do something about it now, or wait until I'm finished. When I am, I won't fight back.'
Jeremiah weighed up the choices but held off, folding his arms, "I will hold you to that." Jack nodded and put his notepad down. Seeing everyone on the same page, he smiled to himself.
"Then we can start." Pulling the photo of Maria up, he showed the group, "She seems to be the weakest link out of them all, as well as the easiest to get to. Now she will have guards on her after what I did that day." James looked to Jeremiah, "Could you delay the force if we strike?"
Jermmiah took a deep breath, "That's stepping on our toes, James. She is one of our targets."
"Let us have her first. I promise she won't be harmed if you do. We will use her to question Cain, and after that, we will leak where we are keeping her. Use that as a pretext to keep her in custody. We both know you have the power to do that if you deem a threat to her safety is high enough." James watched as Jeremiah thought on it. Although part of him wanted Jeremiah for his strength, another part wanted him because he knew Jeremiah was willing to do what it took to finish his mission, even if it was slightly underhanded.
Taking a deep breath, he clicked his tongue, "I don't like it." James nearly frowned, but held off as he spoke again, "But it is the best way to go. Finding evidence that she is involved in anything criminal will take too long. But you have at most five days before I will be forced to move. After all, you just admitted you are going to commit a crime." Jeremiah grabbed his head and groaned, "I can't believe I'm agreeing to this." Saying to himself, Jeremiah covered his eyes and slouched.
James turned to Jack. "Go wild. Draw all attention to yourself. That's all I asked. If you need targets." James looked to Xavier, who smiled, "He will guide you." Jack nodded. James stood up and sighed. Rubbing his hands like he was trying to clean them, he turned his back on the four and hid the apprehension in his eyes, knowing there was a chance he would fold if he looked back.