129 - The World's Greatest Detectives? (Patreon)

It was nighttime in the park again.  This time, all of Aurora Legion gathered under the streetlamp.

A puff of smoke appeared before them, fading to reveal Elise.

“Query: Has Aurora Legion decided to help this unit?”

Wonder Knight nodded.

“We still don’t know what’s going on but…your friends are in trouble.  So we’re going to help.”

“Relieved Gratitude: The unit thanks Aurora Legion.  Assistance is greatly appreciated.”

Wonder Knight couldn’t help but give the cyborg girl a smile.

“We’ll save them, Elise.  I promise.”

“Affirmative.  Query: Does Aurora Legion have a plan?”

Wonder Knight slowly shook his head.

“We don’t have enough information yet, do you know more about what’s going on, Elise?”

“Requesting Clarification: The answer to that query depends on Aurora Legion’s current intel.  How much does Aurora Legion know about the current situation?”

“Just that surge, what it’s doing to villains, and that it might be harmful.”

“...Reluctant Follow-Up: And…is that the extent of Aurora Legion’s knowledge?  Aurora Legion has not collected any further intel from ILS resources?”

The rest of Aurora Legion froze…and averted their gaze.  Wonder Knight, being a man of strength and will….managed not to glance away.  Barely.

“We…um…came straight here to let you know we were going to help?  So, um, we, uh, h-haven’t investigated yet?”

Silence hung in the air for a minute.

“...Concerned Statement: This unit no longer feels relief due to Aurora Legion assistance.”

“Oh come on!”

———————————————————————————————————

Captain Hot Devil stood in a rising elevator.  Soon, he heard a bell chime and the doors opened up.  He stepped out into the Director’s Office.

He nodded at the familiar face.

“Acting Director Wilson, thank you for meeting with me.”

The Acting Director smiled as he grabbed Captain Hot Devil’s hand and shook it.

“Pleasure is all mine, Captain.  What can I do for you?”

“I’m looking for Director Green.”

Acting Director Wilson heaved a sigh as he glanced back at the stack of papers on his desk.

“...as am I…”

He turned back and heaved a sigh.

“I’m sorry, Captain, but she’s undergoing a covert operation at present.  Details are on a need to know basis, I’m afraid.”

Captain Hot Devil looked him in the eye.

“And if I need to know?”

Acting Director Wilson met his gaze.

“That depends on what your need is.”

They locked eyes for a moment before Captain Hot Devil sighed.  He may be a veteran hero…but at the end of the day he was just a guy who threw punches.  Acting Director Wilson was a former government agent Director Green trusted to run the show.

If he tried to play games, it was clear who would win.

So he’d do things how he always did.

And leap right into it.

“I’m concerned about Londyn Green.  I have it on good authority that she’s in trouble, possibly in regards to her emotional state.  I am not willing to give up until I’ve checked on her myself and ensured she’s all right.”

Acting Director Wilson raised an eyebrow.

“Who’s your source?”

“I’m not certain as to his full identity, but I trust him.  With my life…and with the Director’s.”

Acting Director Wilson made eye contact with Captain Hot Devil once more.  This time, it was the Acting Director who blinked first, heaving a sigh.

“That’s quite the vote of confidence, Captain.  Still, I can’t give you the Director’s location.  Mostly because I don’t know it either.”

“But you could find it out.”

“You overestimate me, Captain.”

“Do I?”

“...Look, Captain, I’ll admit I’m worried about her too.  Something definitely happened, I’m not sure what.  But she’s the Director.  She asked me to do a job, so I’m going to do it.  I can’t just defy her direct order, or her trust in me, even for you, even if I want to.  We just have to trust her.”

Captain Hot Devil glared at the man for a while longer.  Eventually though, he hung his head, heaving a sigh.  He turned to leave without another world.

Just as he was waiting for the elevator…

“Captain…while you’re here, could you do me a favor?  I haven’t seen much of Dr. Fraser recently, would you mind looking around for him?”

Captain Hot Devil tilted his head before his eyes widened.  He nodded.

“...I’ll see what I can do.”

“Thank you.  Take care Captain.  I hope you find him soon.”

Captain Hot Devil smiled as he stepped into the elevator.

“I’ll find him.  Whatever it takes.”

———————————————————————————————————

Aurora Legion was sneaking through the halls of the ILS HQ, making their way to…

Ok, they had no idea what they were doing.

It turns out…Aurora Legion had pretty much never done any intelligence work.  Director Green and the ILS always had all the mission intelligence ready for them by the time they were called in.  Occasionally they had to dig through a mission site to secure objectives or find leads, but even in those cases they already had an idea of what they were looking for.  And once the area was clear, ILS agents would arrive to assist.

So here they were, looking for some kind of ‘archive’ or unoccupied terminal they could start searching for.  What were they searching for?

To be determined.

…

Even though she wasn’t here, they could practically feel Elise’s evaluation of them dropping with every minute as the twitchy teens creeped their way through the halls.

Of course, they were also extraordinarily nervous.

They were working with Nemesis!

That practically made them villains right now!

Never mind that no one here could possibly know they had decided to work with Nemesis.  Nor the fact that Aurora Legion had every right to be in the HQ as proven high-priority heroes and no one would question them.  In fact, the majority of the staff would be happy to help them with any sort of request and wouldn’t think anything of it.

The only thing that could possibly cause any suspicion…was Aurora Legion’s attempts to avoid causing suspicion.

“Aurora Legion, what are you doing here?”

Someone or perhaps several screamed.  Everyone agreed later that they would not specify who.

“C-C-Captain Hot Devil?!  Y-You scared me, bro!  What are you doing here, I thought you were retired?”

“...I’m just doing a favor for some old friends.  How about you kids?  I thought you were back at the Academy.”

“T-That’s…w-we’re just…um…”

Chronolock jumped as her phone buzzed in her pocket.  She had a text.

“Helpful Statement: Captain Hot Devil is currently an ally.  Aurora Legion may request assistance instead of…whatever Aurora Legion’s current behavior is.”

Chronolock’s eyes narrowed.  She was about to start typing a response when…

“Preemptive Response: This unit hacked past Academy firewalls during initial contact with Aurora Legion.  Aurora Legion obviously were aware this unit would access their phones as well, correct?”

Chronolock’s left eye twitched.

“How would you even contact Captain Hot Devil, much less get him to work with you?”

“Condescending Explanation: Because this unit actually had a plan and competent intelligence gathering protocols.  Sarcastic Recommendation: This unit recommends Chronolock cease conversation and save her romantic partner from further embarrassment.”

Chronolock barely held in her scream.  She instead channeled her feelings into her elbow, which she drove into her beloved romantic partner’s side.

“Ow!  What was that for, Chrono?”

Chronolock just held her head as she stepped forward and looked up at the Captain.  At his strong muscular body that had saved her life, the wide back standing between her and the Atomic Herald’s rays before he had carried her to safety in his solid arms…

“C-Captain, it’s n-nice to see you…”

Someone next to her coughed.

Chronolock cleared her throat as her beloved romantic partner stared at her.

“Captain, we were trying to investigate that big surge that happened recently.”

Captain Hot Devil nodded.

“Got it, the ILS having you investigate?”

Chronolock slowly shook her head.

“No but…something about this doesn’t seem right.  Dr. Ueda told us she’s deeply concerned about what’s going on…and what effect it might have on those affected.  Since the League doesn’t seem to be doing much about it…we wanted to at least figure out what’s happening ourselves.”

“I see.”

Captain Hot Devil crossed his arms and closed his eyes.

He sighed.

“Well, come on then.”

“Captain?”

“I’m working on an investigation of my own.  From what I’ve learned…we might be looking for the same thing.”

He then mumbled under his breath.

“Though I sincerely hope not…”

———————————————————————————————————

Captain Hot Devil sighed as he walked into a room with a reception desk.  Aurora Legion ‘hid’ by the doorway.  Well, they didn’t seem to want to tell him what they were hiding, so hopefully everyone just wrote it off as kids being kids.

“Hi Stacie.”

“Captain!  It’s been a while!  How are the kids?”

“Doing well.  Samantha wants to transfer to the Academy though, not sure how to feel about that.”

The receptionist smiled warmly.

“You should feel proud.  She clearly looks up to you.”

Captain Hot Devil made a wry smile.

“I guess.  Not sure I want this life for her, but I guess I’m not one to talk.”

“Well, she’s still young, and the Academy has more than hero programs, you know?  Well, anyways, what can I do for you, Captain?”

“I’m looking for Dr. Fraser, have you seen him?”

“Ah, no, not for a bit.”

Stacie glanced around and motioned for Captain Hot Devil to come close.  He leaned over and lent her his ear as she whispered.

“He got called to the main HQ in New York last time.  Director’s orders, I hear.  Please keep it quiet, it’s all very hush hush.  I wouldn’t tell anyone other than you, Captain.”

“Appreciated.  My lips are sealed.”

“Take care Captain.”

“You too, Stacie.”

With that, he turned back and walked out, Aurora Legion staring at him wide-eyed.

“Let’s go”

“Captain, you just asked her?!”

Captain Hot Devil shrugged.

“We’re heroes, not detectives.  Best to leave that to the experts.  Stacie there knows everyone who comes in and out of this place.”

“B-But…”

“...Look, I don’t know what you kids are up to.  Only that you’re making it blatantly obvious you’re up to something.”

He sighed as the members of Aurora Legion looked away.

“Let me ask you this: do you believe you’re doing the right thing, whatever it is?”

This time they nodded right away.

“Then you have nothing to be ashamed of.  So hold your heads up high.”

Aurora Legion stared at him as he resumed walking.  Slowly, they nodded to each other and followed after him.

Author’s Note:

Everyone, I’ve done it!  I finally did it!  I created a situation where Elise would drop the ‘Condescending Explanation:’!  My primary goal with her speech pattern has been fulfilled.

Almost.  I still need to figure out how to get her to call someone a meatbag…

Well, her evaluation of Aurora Legion has been dropping in real time…

Anyways!

Can Aurora Legion restore Elise’s evaluation of them?  Can Captain Hot Devil track down Dr. Fraser…and whoever he may be with?  Will Elise call someone (probably Void) a meatbag?  Tune in next time, to find out!