The day after Cleo's party, she teleported Joey and Courtney to the old Legion HQ for the meeting. Darius had made supper for them to take, and had expressed that he wanted to come too, but had been forbidden. Something about eating icing at Cleo's birthday party getting him in trouble and confined to the Underwing for a week.
A woman was standing outside the door, waiting for them. Joey couldn't remember who she was for the life of him, but Courtney seemed to know her and she let them in. Louise was inside, along with the two Legion members they were meeting with. Knight and Barrier Maiden? That sounded right.
The three of them put the food Darius had made on a table and everyone dished up and sat in a circle, seeming to wait for someone else to make the first move. Finally, Louise cleared her throat.
"Well, since nobody else seems to want to speak up, I'll start. We're here about the James problem. Anyone have any ideas?"
"Throw him to the military? Let them deal with him?" Barrier Maiden's flat voice carried surprisingly well in the room, and everyone looked at her in shock. Well, everyone except Cleo.
"Aren't you his number one enabler?" Courtney asked. "What the heck happened to make such a 180?"
"I'm his girlfriend. Of course I'm supposed to support him no matter what he does. But after everything, he's lucky I haven't dumped him." Maiden scowled as she stirred her food absentmindedly.
"That is not what being a girlfriend means," Louise said with a sigh.
"It is according to what I've been taught. And now once again I find myself sick of some moron with a big head who's supposed to be successful and a great catch and all that. At least my mom doesn't know about this relationship, so she can't berate me for screwing it up. This time, though, I might be done with this song and dance for good."
"I can't get over how different you act now," Knight said, looking at her nervously.
"I'm dropping the pretense. I guess Louise is partly to thank for that. The other part is finding myself in our current situation. Military after us, for good reason, and no one with any sense to correct the idiots trying to justify that we're still the good guys. Unconditionally the good guys, all because some purple weirdo chose us to have powers."
"It's not having powers. It's what you do with them," Courtney said firmly, nodding. "I talked to my sergeant yesterday, and Prime is still in solitary. He's not sure what the plan is for him; he might just be stuck there."
"They offered him a way out," Cleo said, idly spinning noodles around her fork.
"Huh?" Knight asked, looking at Cleo in surprise. "Okay, who are you, how do you know that, and who invited you?"
"Call me Port. I work with Lightning and Jumper," Cleo replied flatly. "I have clairvoyance abilities, so I have a pretty good idea how Prime's faring. And it's not good for anyone. Either he rots in solitary or he joins the military and acts as their spy in the Legion. Which would very quickly end with all of you getting arrested. Don't ask me which version's more likely, because I couldn't tell you. I can't see the future very clearly."
"How long have you guys been hiding her?" Knight asked, glancing around the room.
"Since the last Phantasma attack I guess?" Joey said with a shrug. "I didn't know who she was at the time, but she's the only reason I got to Achilles in time. Since then, we've become friends. I...did mention her."
"The anonymous informant," the unfamiliar woman said with a nod. She must have read Joey's lack of recognition because she chuckled and held out her hand. "Jo. Alchemist. Kind of the Legion's shadow at this point. Basically I make potions for them in case anyone gets in too deep."
"Achilles can't really go to the HEU anymore, can he?" Courtney said with a sigh. "What a mess we've gotten ourselves in. And now Prime might turn military spy?"
"Depends on his mental fortitude I think," Cleo said with a shrug. "How long do you think he can handle isolation torture?"
"So we should bust him out?" Knight asked. "That's what Achilles and Light Master are gung ho about."
"I can't see that ending in any way except every single one of you getting locked up. Or maybe killed. Hard to say."
"We are not breaking into the prison," Maiden said firmly. "Lightning, is there anything you can do?"
"Not really," Courtney said with a sigh. "I'm ex-military. And they really don't like me."
Joey glanced subtly at Cleo. She could probably get Prime out easily with her power. The bigger question would be the ramifications of doing that.
"So..." Maiden sighed and stared down at the table. "Should we make a deal with the military?"
"I don't know," Courtney replied sadly. "As much as I want to say that would be a good idea - working with them and all - the organization is kind of corrupt. It's why I was fired. If you made a deal, there's no telling what they'd demand in return. I'm still in contact with my old sergeant because he's a good person and I trust him, but I don't know who else I'd trust. Especially the higher up the ladder you go. If the Legion were to meet with the military, I'm sure it would be handled by a general or one of the colonels. It would be fine if it was the First or Second Division since they're less corrupt, but I think you'd be more likely to deal with the Third.
"Heck, I'm not even sure I can guarantee the Second Division wouldn't screw with you. From my understanding, the Second General might just be in the Third's pocket. And considering the First has like no power, I really doubt you'd deal with them. You might save Prime by dooming yourselves."
"Are there no other options?" Knight asked. "Like, are you guys a loose group of vigilantes or do you have someone protecting you too?"
Courtney, Joey and Cleo all paused, glancing at each other warily.
"Our benefactor might save Prime, but you'd likely be doomed to a worse fate than what the military would have you do," Courtney finally said, clenching her fist on the table. "None of us are working with him by choice."
"He's the Executioner," Cleo added gravely. "He killed Phantasma and Hot Rod. And others. We've managed to strike a deal that's kept Prime alive so far, but his policy for some time was that any Miracle bearer in prison would die."
Knight and Maiden's faces paled, while Jo frowned in thought. Louise put her head in her hand and let out a long sigh.
"Is that why you quit living with Lillie?" she asked, glancing at Courtney.
"Partly. The other part was to protect her from people like Team Chaos. Well, to try to anyway. Thanks to Port, I can probably move quickly if she's ever in trouble again - or if you're ever in trouble - but I figure it's best to keep trouble from finding you in the first place."
"What is the goal of this Executioner?" Jo asked. "Eliminate all of us altogether?"
"Maybe. I couldn't say for sure," Courtney replied. "I do know he tried to assassinate Ferry in broad daylight. I don't know what lengths he's willing to go to. Just that we've managed to convince him to hold off for the time being."
Silence fell over the room. Maiden and Knight glanced anxiously at each other.
"I'll try to talk to him, I guess," Maiden said slowly. "Achilles I mean. I get the feeling that if we don't stop things soon, we might find ourselves on the wrong side of your Executioner..."
"Do you want me to go with you?" Knight asked.
"No. I think this is something I have to do on my own," Maiden replied. "It was one thing when the stakes felt lower. Now, though..."
"Then shouldn't I go with you?"
"No. It's best if only one of us gets expelled if things go wrong. Jo, if I get booted, can I crash here?" Maiden looked at Jo anxiously.
"Of course. As long as you need. You've got the password."
"Thanks. And with that, I think Knight and I have to run. He's due for patrol soon. I...would like it if we had another meeting sometime soon, though." She glanced around the room with a fragile smile on her face.
"Sure thing," Courtney said. "I'll leave you my number. Jumper, Port, let's go too."
"I'll wash and return the dishes to you later," Jo offered, starting to pack up the empty containers.
"Don't worry. I think we've got it handled." Courtney gathered the dirty dishes and leftover food while Joey helped.
He glanced carefully at Maiden and Knight as they left, hoping they didn't get in too much trouble.
