“We’re clear,” Andrea said.
Ducking into the portal, Felix stepped into Dimitry’s office. Victoria was standing near the door, Andrea in the corner of the room, and the Fixer right in the middle.
Dimitry was sitting behind his desk, glaring at the remains of what looked like listening devices on his desk.
“Clear, Kit. I’ll flip you a text when it’s time to come back,” Felix said, looking back through the portal.
She opened her eyes, nodded her head, and the portal winked out as if it had never existed.
“Evening Dimitry,” Felix said.
The loan shark looked the same as ever. A little older maybe. Touch of gray in his temples.
He was aging and fast.
“Felix,” Dimitry said, looking up. “While I’m thankful for this,” he said, indicating the devices. “I can’t say it’s good to see you. You never come without mixed news.”
Felix had to nod ruefully at that. “True.”
Taking the seat in front of Dimitry’s desk, Felix sat down and got comfortable.
“Found ’em,” the Fixer said.
Felix glanced back at the woman and lifted a hand. “And?”
“Skippercity government spy. Slipped in a month ago. Been feeding information to the police, Skippercity, and… the guild of Heroes,” said the Fixer.
“Pop a vessel and let them die easy,” Felix said with a sigh. He put his attention back to the loan shark. “Suppose that answers that. I wasn’t sure what was going on, but that does explain a few things.”
“Done. Everyone else is clean, though not entirely loyal,” the Fixer said.
“That’s not unexpected,” Dimitry said, shaking his head.
“No. It isn’t, but we’re here to fix it,” Felix said.
“Here to kill me then?” asked the loan shark. He seemed resigned. “I’ve been wondering if you would since the incident with the money drop.”
“Huh? Why would I? That had nothing to do with you, and everything to do with a robbery,” Felix said dismissively. “No, I’ve come to make you a job offer. You’ll not be part of Legion directly. You’d be more of a… satellite organization. Same benefits as Legion, actual pay structure, non-disclosure agreement, and restrictions. Just not Legion in name.”
Dimitry lifted his eyes and met Felix’s. “And why should I turn over my organization to you? Hm?”
“Because I don’t want your organization. I want it to remain as it is, but to support it, and know that it isn’t a loose end for me,” Felix said. “Right now, it’s a liability for our relationship. The moment we turn your organization into a branch of Legion, you can expand.”
“I can’t even begin to believe that this would all come without strings. So let’s skip to the part where you tell me what I can and can’t do if I took your offer,” Dimitry said, leaning back in his chair.
“Well. Since everyone would receive a salary, I imagine you might not need to go so deeply into criminal enterprises. At least, not the petty things. I’d say your only limitation is… don’t bring down too much heat. Operate as you see fit, and be sure to benefit Legion whenever you can,” Felix said.
There was a thump from the other room, followed by some muffled voices.
“Ah, that sounds like you’re going to have a visitor in a moment,” Felix said, looking backwards to the door.
“Yes,” Dimitry said flatly. Getting up he walked to the door and opened it. “What is it?”
Someone said something back that Felix couldn’t quite make out.
“Okay. Dump the body. We’ll send his stuff to his widow,” Dimitry said, and then shut the door. He laid his forehead against the wooden frame.
“That was the traitor?” he asked.
“Yes,” said the Fixer. “They were hired and directed expertly on how to infiltrate your organization. I couldn’t get much in the way of who ordered them, as it seems their mind was cleaned. That was the only one so far though. There may be others, if not everyone is here.”
“I… yes. Not everyone is here,” Dimitry said. “I have your word on all that, Felix? Exactly as you said it?”
“That you do. I even brought a non-standard Legion contract. Specifically for you and your people. It’s not written in lawyer speak. It’s fairly straightforward. Though I do have to have you sign a non-disclosure agreement before you see the contract,” Felix said.
“And I’ll be the head of this… satellite… organization,” Dimity said, unmoving from his place at the door.
“You would be. You’d answer only to me,” Felix said.
Dimitry fell silent.
Felix let it grow. Silence was his weapon. His friend.
Ever his ally.
“I’ll sign,” said the newest member to be of Legion, and the first employee of the Legion’s satellite group.
“Probably should come up with a name for your department.” Felix paused to open his messenger bag and pulled out the non-disclosure and set it down on Dimitry’s desk. “There’s the first one.”
Dimitry came back over to his desk. With a heavy thud, he sat down in his chair and picked up a pen. Without reading the document, he signed, and slid it back across the desk.
“Good, good. And here’s the contract,” Felix said, picking up the NDA and replacing it with the contract they’d drawn up for Dimitry.
Again, Dimitry signed the paper without bothering to read it. Sliding it back towards Felix, Dimitry slumped into his chair.
“What’s next then, boss,” Dimitry said.
Felix smirked at that, and then attempted to make the changes to Dimitry he’d called “The Buildup” package.
Power Upgrade: The Buildup
Expand for List (Over 100 items)
Upgrade?(180,250)
He already knew what the cost was to make the changes he wanted. It was a cost he didn’t want to pay since he’d had to convert a number of gold bars to dirt to get the points to make the change.
“As part of the contract you just signed, I’ll be modifying you to a degree,” Felix said, looking up at Dimitry. He could have just made the change without worrying about it. In this case, Dimitry had signed without even knowing what he was signing.
“I… what now?” Dimitry asked.
“Modifications. I’m going to give you some super powers. Strength, extra speed, low grade regeneration, resistance to injury, slow the aging process, and boost your ability in general. You’ll also go back to about thirty-two years in age,” Felix said, giving the man the summary version of the extensive list of changes.
“You can do all that?” Dimitry whispered. For the first time that Felix could remember, Dimitry sounded unsure.
“Indeed, and you’re about to go through it. Brace yourself, I understand it’s a bit of a… thing… I guess. Anyways, here we go.”
Felix hit the button.
Dimitry went limp and slid out of his chair, curling up into the fetal position on the ground.
Raising a brow, Felix turned his head to Andrea. “That’s done then. Let’s start pulling everyone in one by one and having them sign. Once they sign, we’ll give them their non-Legion Legion rings. If anyone disagrees or doesn’t sign… well…”
Felix shrugged his shoulders instead of concluding his sentence. He didn’t have the luxury of time. Which meant he couldn’t be gentle about this.
So many things to do, and never enough time.
“Of course,” Andrea said, hesitation in her voice. “Though… when we’re done… can we go get some food? I’m hungry.”
“Yeah. We can do that, Andrea.”
Two hours, a mass of signatures, and a single death later, and Dimitry’s entire organization was incorporated. Felix left instructions for him on how to recruit new people.
He also gave Dimitry a desktop terminal that was encrypted and locked for Legion personnel, and was part of the Legion network. This was to be how he kept in touch without making it obvious. Felicia and Mr. White had taken extreme precautions to protect the terminal from outsiders, theft, or hacking.