The ride to Quinstin goes smoothly. Rorschach and Isaiah quickly fall into a familiar rhythm of joking and making digs at each other. I leave them to that and spend the ride reading over the file I brought with me. Nicholas’ debt belongs to the O’Rourkes, an Irish crime family that focuses on gambling, loans, and pitfighting. Vivienne is going to be disappointed she missed tonight. Unfortunately, Curtis’ file doesn’t have any other information on the family. It doesn’t matter much. They weren’t part of any of the research I did into any of the real powerhouses in Quinstin.
Isaiah pulls into a gas station parking lot, and both of my minions get out and go inside. We’re in the suburbs that surround Quinstin but not yet in the city proper. At this time of night, there are no other cars here. From the backseat, I can see the Quinstin skyline lit up—large skyscrapers grouped in clusters. The city is set up in a bit of an odd way. Like the layers of a jawbreaker, but with the cost of living going up, the deeper you get toward the center. Both the BNA base and the Heroes’ Union headquarters are also located near the center of the city. We’re going to have to be very careful tonight. There’s bound to be Capes on patrol.
The realization of where we are is beginning to set in, and I’m shocked at how seemingly reckless this plan is. Am I making a mistake? Am I being influenced by these foreign pieces inside of me? We need a lawyer, and Nicholas Holmes is the perfect candidate, so going after him is a necessity. But only bringing Isaiah and a noncombatant to a city full of people who would kill or capture me if they learned of my power is risky. No, I’ve accomplished much more with a lot less. This plan is sound, and I can’t fail. All we have to do is focus on the goal and the steps necessary to extract it. If we run into opposition, I’ll crush it like I always do.
By the time Isaiah and Rorschach emerge from the gas station, I’ve centered myself. Both of them have drinks and snacks in hand. Did they ask me if I wanted anything? If they did I didn’t even hear them while I was circling the thought drain. To my right is the bag of stolen money from the bank. We’ll use that to pay off Nicholas’ debts. Instead of thinking of it as a loss, I’m considering it an investment in my lawyer. With Vivienne securing funding through the gang, this is just a minor setback. Avoiding a fight is paramount to getting in and out of Quinstin without attracting attention.
“Hey, Nobody, we didn’t grab you anything because your helmet doesn’t seem to have a mouth hole or a straw attachment,” Isaiah said.
“Do not worry about it. I’m not hungry at the moment,” I said.
“Well, now that the snack situation has been handled, where are we meeting this lawyer of yours?” Rorschach asked.
“Before we meet with him, we need to take care of something. Rorschach, what are the parameters and limits of your ability?”
“Two hundred and fifty is the most I can do while still being able to process the information from all of them. As far as I can tell there isn’t really a limit on the size of my creations. I can’t change the size of a creature, either; If I make a bird, it needs to be bird-sized. With the amount of ink I brought, the best I could do would be butterflies. If you want birds, I’m going to need a fuck ton more,” Rorschach answered me.
“Birds would be preferable. It is a bit of a needle in a haystack. I need you to track down a gang, but I do not know where they are. I can help narrow it down, but it would still require an extensive search by you,” I said.
“With what I brought, I can make twelve birds. Any more than that, and we’ll need to rob a Staples. What exactly am I looking for?” Rorschach inquired.
“There is an Irish criminal family called the O’Rourkes. They are small fries who mostly act as loan sharks. They also run pitfights in the basements of the bars they own. The problem is that I do not know which bars they own, and Quinstin has over two hundred bars that are considered Irish pubs,” I responded.
“You said that you could narrow it down, right?”
“Letting you know only to check Irish bars is me narrowing it down,” I said.
“Are you fucking shitting me?” Rorschach said angrily.
“Rorschach,” Isaiah warned.
“No. Over two hundred fucking bars? It would take me weeks to canvass the city with the full number of birds I can create, and that’s if we don’t bother to hide what we’re doing from everyone. Unless I’m mistaken, you really don’t want anyone to know about you. Well, me sending a giant flock of ink birds all over the damn city is going to attract a ton of attention. That plan is fucking stupid, and I won’t take part in a plan with a zero fucking percent chance of succeeding,” she said through gritted teeth.
Isaiah whips a gun out, putting it in her face. “Nobody isn’t Veritas, so watch your mouth when you talk to him.”
That is an overreaction that I need to correct quickly. “Relax, Isaiah. She brings up valid points, and any of you are free to raise any concerns you may have. I will ask you to be a little more professional with your complaints. But your concern is noted, and we can reverse the order of tonight’s adventure to allow us to work around both your low ink issue and my need for anonymity. I preferred to handle the O’Rourkes before visiting the lawyer, but I do not mind doing it the other way,” I said.
Isaiah puts his gun down and puts Nicholas’ address into his car’s GPS. Rorschach doesn’t seem too upset by having a gun pointed at her. Did she not believe he would kill her, or is there some underlying factor I am unaware of? The ride to Nicholas’ building is similar to the ride to Quinstin, with the two of them joking again and sharing snacks. Their relationship is baffling, and I do not understand it. It is unlike any relationship I have witnessed. The farther I get from New Farford, the more apparent it is how little I actually know about people and relationships.
Nicholas’ apartment building is in an expensive neighborhood, and Isaiah pulls into the garage. There is a security guard in a booth as we pull up. The ground has several holes from which large metal cylinders jut out. Each one is over five feet tall. The guard walks over to us, gun at his hip and whistling a tune.
“I trust the two of you to handle this,” I said from the back.
Isaiah’s Mustang has tinted windows, so the guard shouldn’t see me. If he does and makes a move, he will die.
“Evening. May I ask the purpose of your visit?”
How will you get us inside? Show me the cunning mastermind Vivienne thinks you are.
“Evening. I’m actually here to visit a friend, Nick Holmes,” Isaiah said.
“ It’s a little late for that, don't you think? Would you like me to call up and let him know you’re here?”
“It’s actually a bit of a surprise, me being here. The two of us haven’t seen each other in a bit, so I brought him a gift,” Isaiah said naturally.
Isaiah leans back, letting the guard see Rorschach. She bites her lip sensually while staring at the security guard.
“Ahhh, that kind of gift. I’m sure Mr. Holmes would love that surprise. I know I wouldn’t mind a turn. Head on in,” he said as the cylinders lowered into the ground.
We drive around, passing luxury cars, while looking for the guest parking. Isaiah’s vintage Mustang actually helps us blend in as we park behind a pillar that puts us in a blindspot of the cameras.
“I should castrate him for acting like I’m the town whore that everyone ‘gets a turn with.’ And I should twist your dick off for insinuating I’m a motherfucking prostitute,” Rorschach said.
“Listen, easy, I needed to get him to let us inside. I might be interested in taking you up on that offer, though,” he chuckled.
“Go fuck yourself.”
“So, what should I bring, Nobody,” Isaiah asked, ignoring her.
The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
“I don’t expect violence or resistance. We’re aiming for slight intimidation, just enough to make him open to listening to my offer,” I said.
“Wait, does this lawyer we’re meeting not know that we’re coming?” Rorschach asked surprisedly.
“Correct. The man we are visiting has unfortunately caught the eye of a very bad man. Thankfully, Isaiah and I solved that problem for him. In fact, I believe he will be so grateful that he will jump at the idea of working for me,” I answered.
“Oh, I bet. Can’t help but feel sorry for the guy; anyone who runs into you has their life trajectory altered forever. I can handle the cameras from here and send two birds with you. Once you get the address, I can send them over to get eyes on the place,” Rorschach said.
“Excellent. Show me what you can do.”
Rorschach exits the car and opens the trunk to grab her ink. She pulls out a three-gallon jug of water that’s full of ink and puts it on top of the trunk. I turn around in my seat to watch what she’s doing. She takes the lid off and puts her open palm above the jug. Slowly, a stream of ink floats up to her palm, forming a large sphere the size of a basketball. It pulses with power, rippling in her hand. One by one, exquisitely crafted and lifelike butterflies crawl out of the orb and flutter around her. She continues creating them until the orb is no more, then extracts the remaining ink into another sphere. Silently, two wet black beaks burst through the liquid globe before the rest of the inky crows' bodies emerge.
The crows perch themselves upon the shoulders of their creator, twisting their heads back and forth at our surroundings. The slight look of wetness and pitch-black eyes are the only indicators that those aren’t real crows. Her outfit and creatures cut a menacing figure. Coupled with Isaiah’s physical presence and my discordant voice modulator, we are quite intimidating. I expect this to be simple: Nicholas is not a part of our world of violence and danger. He is a basic man beholden to his vices. Vices that I will exploit to my favor.
The cyclone of butterflies explodes outward, each fluttering off in every direction. I focus on one of the insects as it lands on top of the lens of a security camera nearby. It crawls into the middle of the lens and bursts into ink, covering the camera completely. That is a remarkable use of her ability. All around the garage, butterflies are bursting to cover the cameras. I step out of the car as Isaiah tosses an earpiece at Rorshach.
“Thanks. Garage is completely dark. Are you guys taking the stairs or the elevator?” Rorschach asked.
“Elevator, we are here to make an entrance after all,” I responded. I’ve been walking up and down stairs constantly.
“I’ll take point, just in case. I’m bulletproof, and you’re not, Nobody,” Isaiah said.
“Do you mind if my crows sit on your shoulders? It’s easier than having them stay flying around you and it can be a vantage point to watch your back,” she said.
“I do not. Lead the way, Isaiah.”
The crows glide over to my shoulders, and Rorschach gets back into the car. Isaiah pulls his hood up and ties his bandana over his face before he opens the door leading to the elevators. Isaiah presses the button, leaving us to wait for our ride. If there are people inside the elevator, Isaiah will have to knock them out quickly. It is past two in the morning, so there should be little foot traffic at this time of night. The elevator dings as the doors open, revealing an empty cabin. Fortuitous. Rorschach’s remaining butterflies swarm inside, and several splatter themselves against the cameras.
The inside of the cabin has a mirror for the ceiling and a porcelain tiled floor. The interior aesthetic is gold, and the buttons on the display are clear with Roman numerals. All of this is so wastefully affluent. Is the point of the design only to attract the kind of tenants who would like this or to steer away the poor? By seeing where he lives, I’m getting a glimpse into Nicholas Holmes’ personality. To live at the very top of such a luxurious building tells me he values the optics of wealth more than the actual wealth.
The sounds of light operatic music through the speakers accompany our ride to the top. The crows are so quiet that I forget about the two passengers on my shoulders. The ding of the elevator brings me out of my thoughts. Two of Rorschach’s butterflies leave us and promptly disable the cameras in the room. The top floor has a lobby with a few pieces of modern furniture and fake plants. There are chairs shaped like eggs and couches that have no backs. There is only one door leading from the lobby, and it’s a white oak door with cream-colored molding. The floor has a large sky mosaic on it illuminated by the glow of the recessed lighting in the ceiling.
Isaiah walks across the lobby, his boots echoing with every step. I wait inside the elevator's doorway; Isaiah wants to make sure it is free from traps. What a dutiful hound I have. It's better for him to get shot or blown up; he is superhuman, after all. He jiggles the handle, testing to see if it’s locked. He puts his ear to the door, listening for something. After a minute of listening, he thumps his fist against the door. I assumed he would pick the lock or disable the security system if there was one. This is far less sophisticated than I thought it would be. Isaiah waits patiently for a few minutes before he starts knocking on the door again. This time, it’s much more frantic and aggressive.
“Open up, Mickey sent us,” Isaiah yelled through the door.
Mickey? Who is Mickey? I hear someone yell back through the door and then some shuffling before it opens. Nicholas Holmes has russet brown skin, is clean-shaven, and has short, curly black hair. He’s wearing nothing but boxers and a plain white t-shirt over a frame that says his ideal breakfast is cigarettes, black coffee, and a line of cocaine. Not handsome, but not ugly either. Once he’s cleaned up, he probably looks quite impressive in a suit. His appearance has no impact on what I have planned.
The man’s eyes widen in shock when he sees Isaiah. Before I can blink, Isaiah’s hand is around Nicholas’ neck. Rorschach’s remaining butterflies leave me, heading into the lawyer’s apartment. Isaiah lifts the man up and walks into his apartment, but not before flashing me a thumbs-up behind his back. I count in my head to a hundred and twenty before I make my entrance. This will be our introduction and will set the tone for our relationship. Intelligent, resourceful, and menacing is what I’m aiming for.
His penthouse loft is spacious, with stairs on the right leading to an overhanging balcony housing what must be his bed. The small kitchen is cluttered with Chinese takeout boxes and empty liquor bottles. Isaiah and Nicholas are sitting in the center of the apartment on two ivory-colored sofas. There’s a matching lounge chair facing the two of them. They saved me a seat.
We all sit in silence as I observe Nicholas. Isaiah has his gun drawn and pointed at the lawyer. The man is confused and clearly anxious. My helmet, mixed with the gun and Isaiah’s attire, has him unsettled. He’s avoiding looking at me. My helmet does seem to induce fear and terror in people. As I watch him fidget with his hands, I realize it isn’t me that has him so uncomfortable; it’s the birds. The two crows have sat perfectly still on my shoulders since we entered. Is he afraid of birds?
“Good evening, Mr. Holmes,” I said.
He flinches at the sound of my modulated voice. “Why did Mickey send you two? I paid last week,” Nicholas said.
“He didn’t. That was a lie in order to get you to open the door. Mickey is the perfect name for an Irish piece of shit criminal to have. I figured there was a fifty-fifty chance that someone on O’Rourke’s payroll was named that. Looks like I guessed correctly,” Isaiah said.
“If you aren’t one of the O’Rourkes, then what are you doing here?” Nicholas whined.
“I am here because you caught the notice of a very bad man.” I toss his file onto the coffee table in front of him.
He opens it, leafing through the pages. “This is a complete breach of privacy. Are you stalking me? Did you make this?” Nicholas asked angrily. His tone flipped in a second.
“No, I am not the one who created that. But the good news is that there is only one copy, and you are holding it. If you choose to destroy it, then all records of your illicit activities go away,” I said.
He goes quiet, his tension easing as he digests my words.
“But the person who created this file is still out there, free to make another one, correct?” He asked me.
“That is unlikely,” I answered.
“And why is that?”
“That’d be because he is fuckin’ dead,” Isaiah chimed in cheerily.
A bit of subtlety would go a long way. I would rather not admit to crimes to people who are not part of our organization, but Nicholas is joining us tonight. He will join, or we are going to be faking a suicide at dawn.
“Did you kill them?”
“Do you want to know the answer to that question? The burden of knowledge can be heavier than you imagine. Just know that a lot of people will sleep much easier at night after tomorrow’s morning news,” I said.
“Fair enough. I can take a hint. So what, you broke into my apartment complex in the middle of the night to tell me you have saved me from some Sword of Damocles that I was unaware of? And I’m supposed to believe you’re an altruistic Cowl who did this good deed out of the kindness of their heart?” Nicholas said sarcastically.
He is more relaxed now that he knows we have no relation to the O’Rourkes. Does he believe that we are less dangerous than them?
“Altruism is the habit of martyrs and fools. You can believe whatever you would like. I did all of this to serve as an introduction between us. You may call me Nobody, and I would like you to take me on as a client,” I said.
“I’m not a defense attorney; I’m a contract lawyer. I’d be practically useless in court.
“Nicholas, I am well aware of what type of lawyer you are. It was not by chance that I came to you. I am in the process of building a company and having a man with your area of expertise will help ensure everything is above ground and notarized. Your proclivity for illegal extracurriculars makes you the ideal candidate,” I said.
“Are you blackmailing me?” He said defensively.
“No, I am genuine in my desire to be one of your clients. As a show of sincerity, I’ll even free you of your debt to the O’Rourkes. How much do you owe them, and where do they operate out of? I will negotiate with them on your behalf, and you will never be bothered by them again. How does that sound?”
“It sounds far too weighed in my favor to be real. You have given me the only proof of my admittedly harmless crimes, handled the only person who knew about them, and now you’re going to wipe away my debt to the O’Rourke crime family. You did all this for me to accept you as a client in what you claim is a perfectly legal capacity. It’s hard to believe there isn’t something I’m missing, some hidden catch,” Nicholas said.
“You could give us a discount on your services if you’d like,” Isaiah added.
“While a reduced fee would be nice, it is not necessary for us to do business. I am operating in good faith with you because I am a professional. As a contract lawyer with flexible morals, you represent a wonderful opportunity to accomplish some plans I believed would be out of reach for some time. As you mentioned before, I am a Cowl, and that carries with it a stigma that greatly reduces the avenues in which I can engage to establish a foothold for my company. Let me prove my competence, and we can finalize our partnership after I take care of your problem,” I said.
“Okay, I would like some time to think it over. The O’Rourke’s main base, so to speak, is located underneath a bar called Doublin’ Down over on Briggan Ave. That’s where they all hang out and where they host the majority of the fights you can bet on. I’m only in the hole forty thousand to them,” Nicholas responded.
Isaiah stands up first, walking to the glass doors that lead to his outside balcony. He unlocks them and opens them wide, causing the two passengers on my shoulders to take off into the night. Rorschach will find the bar and let us know what we’re walking into. Nicholas jumps as the butterflies stir, having been still the entirety of our conversation. The butterflies land on Isaiah’s massive frame, catching a ride on the man. Forty thousand is not a small debt but the value that Nicholas represents is incalculable. Neither Isaiah nor I speak until we’re in the elevator descending.
“Rorschach, keep an eye on Mr. Holmes. I would hate to go to all this trouble just to get stabbed in the back,” I said.
“She’s already ahead of you; she left four of her butterflies inside his apartment,” Isaiah laughed.
If he betrays my goodwill, I will throw him off the top of this building.