Explosions and much more [Seraph and Red]

It took a little time, a minute at most before he realized that sitting around and drinking coffee drinks was a little boring. Watching those guys try to beat the snot out of each other would have been a lot more interesting really...or stab the snot out of each other, he wasn't so sure at this point. Regardless, curiosity was something that kept him from just sitting there and so he would act upon that curiosity. Setting the now empty cup down, he removed a few crumpled bills from his pocket and set them down on the counter, some kind of tip or whatever it was that baristas got these days. Burying his hands into his pockets, he walked out of the building now wondering how he could follow the blonde and their conspicuous stalker. There was of course just walking around until he found something, but that didn't work really.

So he would have to try something else to find his source of entertainment, whatever that was. They couldn't have gotten a few blocks away, but then there was the whole things about direction that made all of this annoying when he had to think into it. Luckily people talked and so he followed those talking people, and within two minutes he found them. "Looks like someones going to shoot someone. I could stop it buuuut....they look like they'll be fine." So instead he waited to see what happened next.

"Well I hope you can forgive me for not trusting it. Quite the reputation surrounding him. I'm sure he's got little time or want for a meeting with the leader of Seraphim without the right incentive." The Seraph said, trying to play it cool. Honestly he was in fact slightly intimidated now that it had been all over and done with. All he was left wondering though is where that kind of guts came from. He almost pissed himself thinking back on what could have happened. It was times like this where he really, really hated being a hero.

"But now I have the incentive I need. You... I need to meet with "Red Tide" as soon as possible. It's a matter of his national security and his own personal welfare." He said before drawing out and holding a Seraphim cell phone out for Daniel to use. If Daniel used it or his own it was of little importance. "Don't let him teleport within thirty feet of us. The jammer locked onto you will mess up the receptor and...well he might have arms and legs mixed up when he arrives." He explained, trying to inform him of the traps side-effects. Looking over he couldn't help but look right at Espada, though the mask hid his glare. Turning back to Daniel he eagerly awaited news of some kind, looking to Daniel's shadow as his mind wandered.

Ok, now it looked like he was calling his very busy, and very Lucius, boss to come meet with this kid. Rather random honestly, but random things tended to happen in this world of teleporters and uncircumcised shadow dudes. Daniel sighed, waved his hand when offered the phone, and took out his own.

"As much reason as you have given me to trust you, i think you can understand why i would rather use my own." Daniel said as he dialed Lucius' number. It was actually one of Hector's, but it would function the same.

"Hey, yeah....yeah it's Daniel....... Yes I'm at that coffee shop again........... No, no. We have had this conversation before....... Ok....ok. But I'm calling you because there is this kid here, he has a sword and looks angry. He says he is the leader of Seraphim and wants to meet with you.... I can't just teleport away.......because he has a thingy. Yeah, probably..........speak English not science. Ok look, let's just....just come over here ok. You've come halfway across the world for less.... I don't care if you're having dinner with the Russians, this kid wants to kill me. He says it's a matter of national security...... I don't think he wants to talk to me....yes i know the chief of staff is supposed to take care of this. Ok....ok great. Don't teleport too close or legs and arms will be mixed up and stuff...... Yeah I'll order you one." Daniel said with his back turned to the male. It seemed Lucius wasn't really pleased to be pulled from what he was doing, but he was coming none the less.

"Let's go back to the shop, it's a better meeting place then a dark alley, even with the hole in the wall." Daniel said as he walked off toward where he was previously, ordering another Turkish coffee for himself and a Panini for Lucius, as well as a square glass with a few ice cubes in it.

In moments the villain would appear outside, dressed quite ordinary for a man with such a reputation. A simple button up and tie, as well as his reading glasses that he took off as soon as he walked in. He had a tired look on his face, and he sighed upon seeing Daniel and likely Seraph, who waved him over with a smile. The man had clearly been working the equivalent of four or five jobs the last few weeks.

Without saying anything, Lucius sat at the table the two were likely at, not even acknowledging the boy was sitting across from him. He opened a flask he dug out of his pocket, returning his glasses there as he did, then poured a good two shots of scotch into his glass. After that, he took a long, extended bite of his sandwich and a drink of his alcohol, then spoke.

"And why do i have the pleasure of meeting such a renowned lad this evening?" He said, sarcasm in his voice slightly, but then again he always spoke like that. He was indeed asking a serious question.

Right now Sebastian really wished he had popcorn, because moments like this always called for popcorn. Of course he could take a more active part within all of this but then again that may end up with more swords being stuck in his face, and well....not exactly how he wanted his day to go. Something was said about some Red Tide guy, which just lead to a bunch of period jokes that no one on their right mind would appreciate after a certain point but he would make them. It wouldn't feel right if he missed such an opportunity to do that anyway. For some reason the masked dude sorta just looked at him again, making this slightly awkward when he put some thought into it. Within a few minutes someone else joined the fun however, likely this living period joke waiting to happen.

Looked pretty normal now, rather than some supervillain like he was expecting but then again sometimes people did disappoint you. Within that short span of time they were back at the shop, with him just sitting at one of the tables serving as a fourth wheel, which made them a car. Hopefully not anything lame, because then he couldn't even drive the damn thing. While there was time he ordered himself another of those drinks because they were damn good, and then the eavesdropping continued.

"We've been contracted to wipe you and your supporters off the face of the planet." The Seraph said instantly, not warming up into it, not gently beating around the bush and obviously not really taking much care for his own safety. Of course the Seraph was ever vigilant, though he wanted to see just how this "red" held up to his namesake. "It's not a death threat, it's not to get you irate. Contrary; I've gone through red tape and I've bypassed a ton of channels to get a chance to get to you. But before I say anything else we need to make a promise, right here, right now... No lies."

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  "Whatcha doing?" A voice spoke up as someone positioned themselves between Espada and his targets of interest. The person was tall with slightly raised, air-blown hair and a black knit jacket on over a white shirt.

Lucius' eyes boringly moved from his meal to the boy in front of him as he raised his eyebrows. He had a perfect poker face on, not showing any emotion and in all honesty showing more interest in his meal and drink then anything else. He could have pulled the arrogant 'Good luck with that muhahahahaha' card, but how cliche was that? People didn't take him seriously because he bragged about his power, they did because he never revealed it until it mattered.

"Alot of people have been contracted to remove me from this realm of existence. Entire armies and multi-billion dollar companies, as well as a few reality manipulators, are out for my head. A few kids in an LA hero group are nothing, even if my old friend Lucifer is in on it." Lucius said, sipping his drink and generally acting casual about this whole thing. He made sure to use Silus' hero name, out of respect if anything else.

"But I'll humor you. And to note, i always keep my promises. So tell me, what is it?" Lucius asked. He wanted to get this over with honestly. He felt as if he had infinitely more important things then this to do tonight, but here he was saving Daniel's ass again.

Well, eavesdropping was the plan but some unknown person decided they wanted to get in his way. Well by in his way, it was more catching his attention by appearing out of nowhere, likely through some weird kind of teleporting. He had weird teleporting, so that made two of them really, but then again his attention was more on something else. "Creeping. Umm....who are you. Wait, scratch that I don't care." He said with a shrug, genuinely not caring at that point.

Now he had to be blowing smoke. He had reality manipulators out for his head, yet he was still here? No, that wasn't right by any means and Seraph knew it, or at least was convinced of it. The sheer fact he was still alive was living proof of it. Though the man proceeded to say he always kept his promises. Though Seraph wanted to call him out on the reality manipulators comment...though he promised from that moment on...not this one. Is "I'll humor you" even a way to agree to a promise? That was of little consequence he'd have to assume. After all, despite his desires this man had the high ground. He'd have to go off of his good grace.

"Lucifer is the only reason this warning got through to you. So make sure you send him a Christmas card or whatever but it's going to take more than a name-drop to derail this." Austyn said, matter of fact an very objective, trying not to let his emotions cloud him in any way. "Well I'm afraid this is quite different than you believe. Seraphim has more than a three hundred members on staff and that's just public level associates, and more than a couple multi-billion dollar corporations and political rivals are volunteering military support and mercenaries." He spoke truthfully there were a lot of people that didn't want Lucius to retain power, and while Austyn was oblivious to this fact...one of them just so happened to be the founder of Seraphim and the very reality warper whom saved the man from death not all that long ago. Austyn sighed and leaned back in his seat, knowing in his mind that this was entirely factual....but still not enough. The burden on his own heart was too great to talk such a tough game. Even objectively, it was not feasible to mount the attack on the country.

"But you're right...Our chances of success would not be favorable. As much as I ... am pained to admit it.... it's not the right way to lead them. But the more I thought about it, the more I fought I realized just how much damage we could do to you. I realized that we could in fact do it... we could take down the devil himself. But then I asked myself the better question... who is the devil and why am I taking him down?" Seraph then reached into his cloak, just past the armor and into a pocket in the back of the poncho-like cape and removed a manila folder, opening it and revealing it's contents. Seraph did his research apparently, noting several resources at Lucius' disposal though nothing Lucius kept hidden. Just enough to show that this "esteemed lad" was on the right track to actually making a half decent leader himself. One unique thing in the folder just so happened to be a piece of paper that laid out a rather impressive plan to annihilate Lucius and his resources, though the estimated casualties were virtually the entire countries population as well as ever Seraphim operative. This note was circled in red pen several times and in scrawled out letters were the words DEVIL IN DETAILS!

"When we finally managed to get Lucifer to trust us and got him away we made a plan. The only plan that would work. As I said I began to ask myself that question on the page. The only way to trap you, the only way to get you would put both the country and everyone on both sides in the appropriate position to be wiped out..." Austyn said with a sigh and passing the folder to Lucius to peruse at his leisure. "I don't know about you but... A man who takes over a country without a single drop of bloodshed is... well...it means Lucifer may be right about you. It also means I'm more inclined to believe one of our potential contractors wants to wipe out a LOT of metahumans in one fel-swoop." Austyn fell silent a moment, allowing absolutely anything Red entered to sink in.

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"Oh, good. So then you don't mind that I've replaced your drink with Arsenic. Sweet." The young man said with a smirk and walking over, sitting himself down, snapping his fingers and a shroud of mist cutting off Lucius, Daniel and Seraph from the rest of the diner, allowing them ore privacy from the shadow being. "Voyeurism is creepy bro."

Well well well, it seemed this boy was a little more then Lucius had thought. Not an issue in Lucius' eyes, as he knew just as the Seraph did the only way to get to Lucius was through millions, and even then it was tough to say if he would go down. This wasn't tooting his own horn, it was fact. Not to mention the backlash. A country that a 'villain' had just took without bloodshed destroyed by the worlds supposed champions, and how was he the bad guy again? He wasn't doubting Seraphim had the resources.....they did. They could come up with an offensive against him, but it was impractical considering their moral stance....at least their public one.

Lucius had taken the folder and fanned through it as he listened to the teen, it covered nearly everything.....nearly. But still, it was enough to potentially cut him off and kill him, or otherwise topple his power. But the brute force of it all. This would be looked at as a massacre, a full scale savage invasion of a otherwise peaceful country. Were they really so against his ideals as to wipe out innocent people just because they were connected to it?

"I must say, I'm impressed. Not what i would do against myself, but then again i know all the details. You have a fine future ahead of you, boy." Lucius said with a grin, setting down the folder and taking a drink of his beverage. He thought everything over for a moment, it only took a second with his mind, but there was an easily caught period of total silence.

"Those who fight monsters may become monsters themselves. I know that one all too well. Make no mistake Seraph, i am a devil, but not the devil that needs taking down. You'll find yourself quite close to him as you near his gates, but sometimes that's the sacrifice we have to make." Lucius said, pausing for a moment before continuing. Regardless of him taking the country without bloodshed, Lucius knew he wasn't an entirely good man, and what he had just said illustrated it.

"The Agency or whatever new anti-meta group is the rage nowadays are likely one of the people contracting you. They are the type to send mostly superpowered children to slaughter their own kind while they eat popcorn on the sidelines. I'm glad you're smart enough to know when you're being manipulated, and morally righteous enough to know that no matter what the headlines say, this isn't right. Both good qualities for a leader.

Regardless, what exactly are you saying? It isn't a surprise to me that someone would want to wipe both of us out, the truest fact in this world is people hate change, and we represent it. So thank you for the warning, but as i said, i know the caliber of people I'm up against." Lucius finished, now waiting for a response. He didn't know if the kid had any idea who the Agency was, but that's why he included the next bit. Any smart person could figure out he was speaking of an anti-meta organization. He had to admit this was a more interesting conversation then he had expected......but in the end the only thing he found out was that his enemies were using children to get to him. Was there no sense of honor in this world?

"Noooo, I think I would care about that. That stuff is pretty deadly." He said nonchalantly, eyeing his drink but not touching it yet. Couldn't really tell if the guy was shitting him or not, though hopefully the latter because he really wanted that drink. If this were one of those lame shows with the blonde lead and he were said blonde lead, well drinks would be thrown in faces, but that wasn’t the case. This was however a world where people were obsessed with his junk, so who knows how the day will unfold. Suddenly however there was an obscuring fog, right when the conversation was getting especially juicy too. "A lot of things are creepy bro, like you for example." He noted thrumming his fingers on the table. "I might not be the brightest around but I can tell when someone doesn't want something heard. Makes me want to hear it all the more you see. So I gotta ask, what exactly are you tryin to hide?" Made sense, considering they weren't trying to let him listen in but the question was who this guy was with.

"What I'm getting at is that I don't want this to happen. I'm going over the contracts and we've implanted moles. But all of this is actually a secondary reason for meeting. The first is to address and issue that is an even bigger threat to you." Austyn said before sighing and taking the folder, flipping it over and opening it to a picture of Ryan and pushing it in front of Lucius. He'd watch Lucius' expression to see how seriously he took this, or more over how he laughed it off or simply acted indifferent.

  "Ryan Lester. What do you know about him? What's your relationship to him?" Austyn asked, giving Lucius the way to talk and depart what he was willing to part with.

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"Who knows? Maybe I'm not hiding anything. Maybe I just wanted the attention." The person offered with a shrug though they sighed and gave up on the front of being likable as this person drummed their fingers against the table. "I'm just someone trying to keep my bosses personal business his own...that and in a way...I'm protecting you too." He said very matter of fact as he sat down, taking a mountain dew bottle from his knitted black jacket, the hood back and the sleeves longer than they should have been. "He does seem a bit obsessed over YOUR skin after all." they noted with a sigh and looking about, as if expecting someone else to pop up.

"A wise decision, do get back to me if you find anything. These are my people being threatened after all" Lucius said, showing at least enough interest in the threat to ask for updates. But then the conversation moved on to something.....rather unexpected. The folder was turned over to reveal a picture, one of a boy he knew all too well. He didn't know about Ryan being a bigger threat then nukes to Belarus and thousands of metahumans, but yes, he was a topic of concern....and guilt. Lucius pushed the folder away and sat back, taking a long drink as if getting ready for the rest of the conversation, setting the glass down with a moderately loud clang against the table.

"No lies..........right? I know everything there is to know about that boy, his power levels, personality, living situation, current location...... You could say he's on my watch list, but not because he's a threat to me or because he did something to me. The reason he is, is because i killed his mother." Lucius said in a razor sharp tone, letting that soak in, calculating every movement to Seraph's reaction. He was trying to read the kid, trying to figure out why he would even ask about Ryan. He most definitely knew it was about the woman, that was the only meaningful connection he had to the hydrokinetic. So, seeing how the Seraph took him straight up admitting to her murder would be crucial.

"But while we're on the subject, why don't i ask the same questions? And maybe add another....... Why do you care? Lucius said, now more tense then before. His brows were narrowed as if in deep thought, and his eyes pierced who they looked at, asking the questions just as he voiced them.

They were probably hiding something, despite the maybe that suggested they werent. That was one thing that he could tell if nothing else, but he couldn't help wondering really. There were secrets afoot and Sebastian wanted to learn every single one of them, so he would have to go the extra mile to learn about them. However, well this guy had his interest as well, enough so that he would humor them by talking anyway. "Protecting me too? Wow, how sweet of you."He noted with a chuckle, now curious of which two were this guys boss though something told him it was the one with the sword. They drew a mountain dew from seemingly nowhere, but it might have just been somewhere in their  jacket, not like he was staring anyway. The mention of their obsession with his junk just sent him into a speal of laughter, but then again that was just too funny not to laugh at. "Oh he is." He said trying to recover from the brief bit of laughter. That did answer the question of who their boss was. "You lookin for someone?" He asked taking note of them around for someone or that was how it looked to him.

"He's attempting to enter our family, our group and our lives. His unnatural hatred of you makes him questionable as to moral inclinations. There's no better judge of character than the person they despise most." Austyn said plainly. Okay so the whole killing his mother wasn't exactly a surprise. Let's face it, Austyn knew how to keep up on current events. Knowing why someone froze over HIS city was part of the job description. But moreover there was almost a callousness to it. Something that Austyn himself found almost...strange. Was he so isolated from those events? It was his mother as well, wasn't it? He knew he should feel something. Anything. But nothing came. Not a tear, not a smile. Emptiness to a stoic's heart. In fact he felt more from Lucius saying he knew Ryan's "power level". What was this guy a DBZ villain? It took an incredible amount of restraint to keep Austyn asking him if he'd classify Ryan as a "Freeza". Why did he get the feeling Lucius just set him on a very dangerous habit here.

  "Unfortunately this is where he come into a small bit of a conflict. Because Ryan won't stop until he's killed you. Lucifer's even trying to dissuade him but there's no avail. But the problem isn't that. I don't doubt you'd wipe the floor with him. The problem is that there's two of them now. One wants you to pay, the other wants to see you suffer and die. I want something...quite a bit different." The Seraph sighed before looking down at the pictures and contemplating what he had said thus far. He hadn't lied. He hasn't blurred the truth or in anyway deceived Lucius. He was truthful. He didn't ask much. Though perhaps he had misheard Lucius. That was always a possibility. But he answered why he cared, and Ryan's relationship with him was rather self-explanatory by the comment of Ryan trying to join the group. His mind lost itself as he carefully mauled over possibility and what he had already said. What he was about to do...

  Was this really the only way? Something inside him stirred and gave way to a single thought.

Yes

 So there was only one thing he could do now. He'd have to risk everything to keep it. He'd never done this before. He was horrified. He was scared even if he didn't let it show. His heart was racing, partially hoping Lucius wouldn't ask him to elaborate, that he could forget this whole thing and just Lucius kill them. But that wasn't what he wanted either. So for the sake of his brothers...the one he hasn't even met yet.... he'd have to give up his most guarded secret.


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"Yes, the frequency on my comm went dead... He's not really obsessed with it by the way. He's just socially awkward and can't let go of things that startle him. Not that it- you saying it caught him off guard and so he- okay seriously what the Hell?" The young man said before reaching up and pulling a little bud from his ear, looking over it for a moment and inspecting it. Then tapping on his lower jaw near the front right he began to make a noise as if he were at the dentist's office.

  "This isn't.... good?" He asked, almost questioning it before looking around and letting out a rather sharp whistle. Immediately a head popped up from over a sign on the Dairy Queen next door. The person whistled back in a strange rhythmic fashion that sounded like a songbird of sorts.  "Dude...are you doing that?"

What followed was not an answer to Lucius' question.......at least not a direct one. He got the information in the end, but the way the teen answered made Lucius wonder. It mattered little in the end, the situation was clear. This boy......he was the third. It had always been a possibility but Lucius hadn't gone deep enough to actually confirm it, mostly because he believed they would never find each other. Coincidences seemed to favor long lost family members it seemed.

The clear next phase of this conversation was to ask what the Seraph wanted. But....Lucius felt something. He saw it, if only slightly. The boy was rattled, why? One might even be able to use the word afraid. Could have been his mother, but why didn't he act like that as soon as Lucius said it? That made little sense, he had been staring down a man that had killed thousands and was painted as the devil himself and was unphased till now. There was something more personal to this, and despite the fact it would bring the boy discomfort Lucius was too interested to stop now.

"All men want something, Seraph. I would be delighted to know what it is you desire in this life. Maybe you've never even thought about it, but that's all the more reason to tell, and tell honestly." Lucius said. He wondered about this boy, why he wasn't filled with the youthful rage of his brothers or the goodie-two-shoes ideals instilled by the media. He was professional and intelligent, which made his true purposes for not flat out being against the man at the other end of the table all the more interesting.

"It takes a lot more then guts to sit across from the man who killed your mother and just talk, and for doing this i respect you. I haven't had the chance to say this to anyone I've wronged, but I'm sorry, as much as that doesn't cut it. I assure you, i won't lay a hand on your brothers, even if I'm on the brink of death. I will also make an effort to avoid any contact with them, but revenge lust is a terribly hard thing to break. I'm afraid we will meet eventually." Lucius said. He truly didn't want to hurt the boys, not after he did what he did to them. If he had to, he would let himself be beat to a pulp while trying to convince them.

"Socially awkward huh? Explains why he runs around in a mask with a sword." Espada noted with a smirk, shrugging and resting his elbows on the table. Maybe they had Batman syndrome or something along those lines, made a lot of sense when one put thought into it. They seemed to be doing something, problems with their headset. "Havin some technical issues?"