Chapter
3 – The Tilting Pitiless Scales of Justice
My allies and I gather the
information we have after our investigations to see what we can do about The
White Collars.
Giving the table to Raymond, he
says, “Bastards were able to kill themselves before we arrived, and those that
didn’t somehow managed to do it when we locked them up. As for the evidence,
someone managed to gain access to the precinct and destroy it. I’m sure it was to
send a mocking message to us. I’m going to be lining up every single person in
the building at the time for questioning because of how much of a mess this
is.”
“Heads are going to roll,” Ralph
adds.
“The mayor, Darcy, and I have come
up less than short as well. We haven’t heard from some of our contacts and
received their body parts in the mail with warnings,” Lancetto explains.
“They did the same thing to my
mom,” Kane interjects. “All this effort is useless.”
“I have to agree with the kid,”
Klinge admits. “My people can’t get anywhere near the group without risking
their lives and the lives of their loved ones. Their homes and property have
been vandalized, and they’ve received threatening letters where they work.”
“Tell me you have something,
Timeo,” Mayor Jeph says.
“I do. I have names and faces since
not all of them used masks during their private meetings, and they trusted in
the security and secrecy of their group. Still, it’s nothing we can use to
legally put them away because they have contacts within the prison, just in
case they want to escape or use it as a pseudo-base of operations.”
“I’m sure you know of a way of
getting to them,” Darcy says.
“It’s not one of the more
legal-minded among us are going to like. I’m sure they don’t want me to tear
the prison apart to find them, along with political and law enforcement
offices. They also have contacts in the poor, middle class, and rich areas alike,
so the best course of action is to cut off the head of their operations, then
kill the pieces of the still squirming body.”
“I don’t like it, but I say you
should do what you have to and tell me where you’re going so I can tell my
people to look the other way,” Mayor Jeph says.
“I’m glad to see someone in
politics is willing to do the right thing,” Kane points out.
“I’ll let you know when that
happens. For now, Kane and I will find the center of their operations, and
then, we’ll go from there.”
“What do you want the rest of us to
do?” Darcy asks.
“Make them think you’re scared and
have given up on your pursuit of them. Keep yourselves and your loved ones
safe. Let us handle the rest of this,” I say to my friends.
“Are you sure?”
“It’s the right move, Darcy,”
Lancetto says. “There’s nothing much else we can do that L’Obscurité can’t do
better on his own. We’d just be burdening his mind with worry if we got
ourselves in more useless danger.”
Darcy looks at me helplessly and
nods her head in acceptance. While my friends arrange plans to keep one another
safe, Kane and I leave the meeting to get to work. Outside, a mailman hands me
a letter. Strange, it’s morning, and the mail doesn’t come in until the
afternoon. Opening the letter, I see the Coronamento Corporation seal at the
bottom, a golden crown, along with an address.
“They could be working with The
White Collars. We may have been found out,” I say.
“So what? Even if we go to that
address, they can’t harm you. You’re invincible,” Kane says.
“Yes, but you aren’t, nor are my
friends.”
“Don’t worry about me. I’m willing
to die if it means bringing these criminals to justice. Let’s go there together
and see what they want.”
“Alright, but be prepared for the
worst.”
“I always am.”
Kane and I go to a construction
site that Coronamento owns and is working on. Today, it’s eerily quiet with not
a person in sight. We go into the only building that’s completely built and see
if anyone is there. Inside the building, we find two managers standing near a
large TV screen. Looking into their memories, I see that they’re the people
waiting for us, and the screen is meant to be a way for Giovanni Coronamento to
talk to us. They’re a bit nervous since they know about my powers, but they
also don’t seem to have bad intentions for us, and just want to help us for
mutual reasons. For these reasons, I manifest Kane and myself in the room,
which they expected to happen, and try not to be too startled by it.
“Mr. Severe, we’re glad that you
accepted our request to see you. Our boss would like to talk to you, but I’m
sure you already know that,” one of them says before turning on the TV.
Soon after, Giovanni Coronamento
appears on TV. He’s a well-dressed man with slicked back hair, green eyes, and
an always confident face as if he has the world in his hands.
“Mr. Severe, or should I call you
L’Obscurité? You can transform back into your normal self here. We know who you
are, and I have this place watched by my men,” Giovanni says.
Kane and I look at each other, and
he nods to me to let me decide for myself since he doesn’t know if I should
trust him or not. I transform into my normal self as a courtesy.
“Thank you. Ah, I see that you like
to dress up in a suit and tie like me, no matter the occasion.”
I smile and say, “I do run my
family’s business and have to keep up a good public image, after all.”
“That’s true. Given your powers, I
had to meet and talk to you like this, but don’t think that I have bad
intentions for your friends and you. I want to work together to get rid of The
White Collars or at least cripple their operations here. My motive for doing
so? I’m trying to build a busy in your city, and it’s in our shared interest.
Boys, you can hand him the USBs.”
The two men give me two USB drives.
“What are on these? Information
about The White Collars?”
“That and some of my own secrets
that I’m willing to give as a show of trust. I want us to work together in the
future. You’re on my list of superhumans that can seriously damage my company,
so I don’t want to get on your bad side at all.”
“Giving me a list of secrets you’re
comfortable with me knowing isn’t much of an olive branch.”
“You’ve seen me on TV or the
internet and must know about me. We share the same faith, so there’s no reason
for us to fight and all the reasons to work together for the same goals, making
the world a better place.”
“I’m more of a smaller-scale kind
of man. My city is the only thing that I need to change and protect right now.”
“Understandable, but you’ll come to
find that the larger world will influence Meridian and you’ll have to move out
of your comfort zone sooner or later.”
“I’ll consider it when the time
comes.”
“Of course. Again, thank you for
the chat, and happy hunting. I hope we can work together again soon and see
each other in person in the future.”
The TV turns off by itself, and
Giovanni’s men thank me as well before leaving. Kane and I bring and go through
the information we have. At first, they’re surprised to see us back so soon and
the reason for doing so, and even more surprised by what’s on the USBs.
“So, there’s really no by-the-book
way to get this done,” Raymond says while rubbing the sides of his head.
Jeph says, “Timeo, look, if you’re
going to do anything, we’ll-”
“Are we really going to do this?
Giovanni wants us to be as alegal as he is, either by allying with him, acting
completely above the law, or both. He benefits in all scenarios,” Raymond
points out.
“What’s the point if the law is
upheld if The White Collars keep getting away with the vile things they do
daily in our city, in our home? Exceptions should be made in scenarios like
this.”
“I feel like I’m always hearing
that. I want to know where the line is drawn, so the city doesn’t erupt in
chaos if they have a problem with the law in way or another.”
“The line is drawn here,” I
interrupt. “When they cut off every chance to legally put them away. When they
torch evidence, and threaten, bribe, and kill people to hide what they’ve done,
and then use every underhanded ‘legal’ method to get away with crime when convicted,
including using prison as a pseudo-shelter. Giovanni may be suspect, but he’s
honest, and he's shown us much of his inner workings and plans for Meridian and
the world with the files he’s given us. I don’t see a good reason why we can’t
keep him at arm's length so we can benefit from a partnership with him, while
also keeping a close eye on his activities.”
“Alright, alright, fine. Just keep
me in the loop about what is happening, and try not to get too messy with what
you’re doing,” Raymond says.
“Thank you, chief.”
Kane and I leave once more, while
everyone discusses the information found and what they can do to help. We head
out to a place that Giovanni gave us, which is said to have the people who know
where the center of The White Collar’s operations is. His people have only
gotten this far in getting the information about since they’re still new to
this area and don’t have enough resources or people to pursue them further, and
The White Collars kept delaying his efforts to do so through their usual
methods. This area of Meridian houses the rich and upper-middle class of the
city. If you were new to the area and didn’t know anything about it, you’d
think it wasn’t connected to the city at all because of the low crime compared
to the city and being a self-sustaining area that keeps to itself. Some people
in the suburbs even denounce being part of the city and view people there as
living dangerously, while those in the city view the people in the suburbs as
soft, overly-rich losers.
The houses are in an old Americana
style that gives off the feeling of old American values and living the American
dream. Taking Kane around the area, we investigate the addresses and businesses
we were given and find our targets. They may seem like normal people farming,
doing arts, and spending time in the community, but I see their sins as clear
as day. Some pretend to be working for the poor while living in luxury and
doing the bare minimum to prove it. They told their people in the city that
they are traveling to gain more money and support as they relax and live the
good life out here.
Before we begin our assault, I tell
Kane, “No, killing, just like last time.”
“Again? Even here, where we see the
worst of the worst out here of all places?” Kane asks.
“I’ll need them alive for what I’m
planning.”
Seeing the grin on my transformed
face stops Kane from saying anything else. He smiles as if knowing
exactly what I’m going to do. First, I transform into a familiar face for each
of them so that they listen to me and gather in one specific place for an
“emergency meeting”. Second, once everyone is in one place by the town square,
I enact my devious plan. All the operatives of The White Collars see that their
flesh stretching towards one another, and soon enough, they become a large ball
of still living, mangled bodies. The sight and screams of pain get the
attention of the people of the town, who either flee in terror or look at it in
stunned morbid amazement.
I laugh loud enough for everyone to
hear and manifest myself in my full transformed state in front of them.
“Behold, these are some of the most powerful men and women in Meridian who pull
its strings to suit their favor. They do not care who they hurt or kill as long
as they get what they want. You may think you know them or that their motives
are just, but they hide behind a shroud of compassion and friendship and
deserve their fate!”
The ball of flesh starts rolling
towards the city. As it rolls, tendril-like arms stretch out from it to ensnare
others along the way who deserve the same fate, such as associates of The White
Gloves, non-associated criminals, and those who knowingly profited from The
White Gloves, but never shunned what they received or denounced them for their
methods. When we’re far away from sight, I bring Kane to the top of the ball
and then call Raymond to let him know what’s happening. Funnily enough, he
acknowledges it and then hangs up. Soon after, Darcy calls me.
“Everything is set up and we’re all
safe, my love. I see what is happening through what my people are showing me, and it is beautifully morbid. A true work
of art,” Darcy says.
“This piece isn’t finished yet, but
will be once it’s in the city. With all eyes on it, I’ll cripple The White
Gloves since I know where their leaders are hiding,” I say.
“I look forward to it.”
After hanging up, Kane says to me,
“I didn’t expect this, but I’m pleasantly surprised by it.”
“I’m glad you are. As you can see,
there are worse fates than death that can serve our purposes more than if we
just killed them. This ball of filth will act as a distraction while we go to
the prison.”
“That’s where their leaders are?
It’s a sly idea.”
“It is. I was surprised to see it
in the memories of these people, but at the same time, it does make a lot of
sense for an influential and powerful group of people to hide in. It’s not
enough to have people and influence in government, police, business, and all
classes of society. If you own and run the prisons, you can use them as
recruiting grounds, private meeting areas, and safe havens where law-abiding
officers, heroes, and vigilantes can’t prove you’re breaking the law if you’re
in a place where the law can’t really punish you further.”
“What about us? What are we going
to do?”
“I said the law can’t punish them
further, but we can. Now will be the time to take justice into our own hands
for the sake of Meridian and her people. Oh, and given the people we’ll be
facing, you don’t have to show mercy. Spare no one.”
Kane laughs along with me and
says, “It’s judgment day, baby.”
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