Dashing Devil Omnibus 2: Books 4-6, page 26
Boyd really tried to keep the smugness he felt from his tone, but was afraid a little of it might have slipped in. He couldn’t help it.
‘I know it’s difficult, but wear the mask for just a bit longer,’ Mindy cautioned him.
Archangel twisted his head to the side and snarled, “You can’t arrest me!” His badly broken leg flopped out to the side at an ugly angle that no leg was meant to go. An injury like that would be agony for someone like Archangel, and likely amplified his enraged state.
“Shut up!” Victory Seeker lifted and slammed the blond buffoon’s face back into the dirt and stone of the valley floor. “He most certainly can, you idiot!”
“Should I cite the clause for you?” Boyd asked with a skepticism that bordered on but didn’t quite cross into sarcasm. “It’s covered extensively in the third chapter of the first volume of the Hero’s Handbook—which is required reading. The entire chapter is pretty much dedicated to how I’m not only able to arrest you right now, but that I am expressly required by The Authority’s laws to do so. Heroes not being excluded from these laws is even repeated in large bold font, several times.”
“That doesn’t—” Archangel tried to deny the reality his actions had him facing.
“I can’t believe you would try to kill the man who just saved your life!” Hope shouted Archangel down as she landed beside Boyd.
“Shut! Up!” Victory Seeker snapped, glaring at Hopewing as he said this, though he bounced Archangel’s head off the ground with each shouted syllable. “Do not say another word,” the handler growled at the man still wriggling in his grasp.
“Not a single word,” he seethed at the idiot he was supposed to manage as the man’s handler. Victory Seeker could hardly miss the little pink camera drones that were everywhere, recording the event—even if it wasn’t going out live.
Victory Seeker looked up at Boyd, a forced placating smile plastered on his face. “Devil, please be reasonable. You must understand that, even in this situation, you can’t arrest a Hero who is held in such high regard. He was simply upset that you upstaged him. He’s prone to overexcitement but he is in training to control his impulses. His many fans would be crushed to see a Hero with so much potential be arrested over such a small thing.”
Victory Seeker’s placating smile faltered into a grimace when Boyd’s lips split into a savage grin.
He’d fought to hold it in, he really had. But as soon as the words ‘you can’t’ had crossed Victory Seeker’s lips, it felt like his other self, who was still pulled up over his shoulders like a cloak, surged forward. No, that wasn’t right. Boyd had submerged himself back into his other nature.
“Arrest the idiot!” Silvie snapped.
Mindy must have warned her to keep quiet, because Silvie’s cheeks turned a bright pink and she stared at the ground, sinking down until she hovered behind and was shielded from view by Boyd’s broad back.
In the relative calm, Boyd had started feeling his Bonds once more. He sensed fury and embarrassment as they warred in his lover across their Bond. Boyd sent calm and his love in a slow, steady stream back down it to Silvie. Her features settling into a cold mask, Silvie rose to hover a dozen feet above and a few feet behind and to Boyd’s right.
He most certainly could arrest Archangel right here and right now. The fool had committed criminal actions and Boyd had at least forty surviving drones that had captured every moment of it. Hell, it was likely he had billions of witnesses to the man’s first crime. Plus, while Boyd still didn’t know the nature of what had been said, he was certain the golden turd had been the one very publicly dragging Boyd’s name through the mud.
Comeuppance might just be what the doctor ordered. Unfortunately, that would sour Boyd’s plans for the would-be World Hero.
‘Keep your eyes on the prize,’ Mindy encourage him.
“You’re right, of course,” Boyd agreed in a reasonable tone. “Archangel’s pitiful attempt at assault really was a small matter. I was attacked by a civilian with a vibro-blade not long ago and I honestly think that unpowered posed a larger threat. I guess it’s true what you always used to say… ‘if they don’t know what they are doing, even S-Ranked Heroes are about as much of a threat as a newborn puppy’.”
Boyd had paraphrased many of Victory Seeker’s more eloquent speeches to make it easier for the pup in question to understand.
Archangel squirmed under Victory Seeker, Boyd’s taunting having the desired effect.
“It seems like you should train this one up a bit,” Boyd said jovially. “He might even have a modicum of potential. But as he currently is, I’m afraid Archangel is simply an embarrassment to the title Hero, don’t you think? I mean, Heroes can’t go around breaking The Authority’s laws like this. As much as I would like to let this go so his potential isn’t wasted…”
Archangel finally flashed out from under Victory Seeker, porting a few feet to the side. He had line-of-sight teleportation, which is why his handler had kept his face in the dirt. “I’ll kill you, Corr—Ooof!”
Archangel was tackled by a dark gray blur once again. “I’ll fucking kill you! You can’t stop me!” Archangel shouted at Boyd before trying to turn his head and whine to his hander, “You can’t do this to me!”
Victory Seeker kept shoving the unruly brat’s face into the dirt as the idiot dug his hole deeper and deeper.
Boyd’s grin settled into place. It was less savage, but no less pleased. He continued laying out the bait—for now. Given these unexpected developments, he judged that he could most likely complete his hidden objective for this mission. Still, he had to do it just right.
Then a whole new opportunity raised its head, as a sleek glossy-black grav-sled streamed overhead and began to settle down nearby.
Chapter 27
The grav-sled was marked with New Eden’s seal and The Authority’s official markings.
“Ah,” Victory Seeker said, relief flashing across his features, “Director Stafford is here. I’m sure he will clear this right up.”
“I’m sure he will,” Boyd schooled his expression, worried that if he let his excitement show it would warn Victory Seeker—who really should be smarter than to feel relief at their Director’s arrival.
Boyd stood at attention and waited, ensuring his expression remained blank. If the man acted as Boyd expected he would, they had a lot to be excited about. Of course, an Authority Director coming out this far was unexpected.
The Director didn’t keep them waiting. The grav sled had only just settled to the ground before the side facing them slid open. Stafford strode out on long legs, his immaculately shined black oxfords unsuited and unaccustomed to the rough valley floor crushing gravel as he approached. He was a tall man who kept in decent shape and carried himself well. It kept him looking young, especially in his immaculate midnight blue five-piece suit.
Four heavily armed non-Powered officers accompanied him, their very large pulse rifles at the ready but not quite aimed at Boyd. The demonic Hero could tell they wanted to aim their pulse rifles at him by the way the four men’s heavily tinted faceplates had locked on him.
Boyd snorted softly to himself. It was Silvie they should be worried about. Boyd had never sensed murderous intent like this from her before. It was directed at Archangel, not the Director, but still—hot Damn!
To be fair, the idiot had tried to kill him. While Boyd hadn’t taken the attempts all that seriously, Silvie sure seemed to. Despite the cold mask she wore, he half expected her glare to literally burn a hole through Archangel with an accidental discharge of her eyebeams.
‘I keep reminding her you weren’t in that much danger,” Mindy told him.
New Eden’s NPOs wore primarily white uniforms with gaudy golden armor that Boyd could only describe as tactical breastplates. At least this ‘armor’ appeared to lend them some protection and included hardened compartments to store various sorts of equipment. Boyd honestly liked the design, but the reflective gold it was made from ruined it for him. He shifted his gaze from the NPO’s back to the person they escorted.
Director Stafford had sandy brown hair in a close-cut classic style that worked well with his stark features. His eyes were a dark brown, verging on black, and a bit beady as they peered at Boyd from his otherwise not unattractive face. The man was a clean-shaven and well-kempt professional.
“Dashing Devil,” his voice was friendly, though his expression remained a stiff mask, “thank you for saving New Eden.”
“No thanks are required, Director Stafford,” Boyd responded with his professionally good-natured tone. That one had taken many hours of practice. “The Devoted and I were just doing our job.”
“Even so,” Stafford replied promptly, continuing in his friendly tone, “on behalf of the citizens of New Eden, we thank you.”
With the unofficial but never ignored formality between a Director and a visiting Hero who just saved their bacon out of the way, Stafford continued in a much less friendly manner, “Now, about Archangel…”
“Archangel currently stands charged with unauthorized access into a marked area of engagement and attempted assault of a Hero who was in pursuit of their duties,” Boyd reported. “Victory Seeker is currently restraining him, pending transfer to the appropriate authorities. He will be transported to Glorith City to stand trial, as that is the home city of the Hero he assaulted.”
Boyd remained at attention as he reported the situation to Director Stafford, keeping his face free from emotion and his eyes forward and fixed to a point a foot above the Director’s head. He didn’t want to give anything away. Stafford was supposedly a very sharp man.
“I am aware, as we have drones in the area as well,” the Director explained, which Boyd tacked onto his list of infractions. “I can’t let you arrest Archangel today—he is too vital to the ongoing defense of New Eden. As a Director of The Authority in charge of the city’s defense, I must pardon Archangel of all charges you leveled against him.”
“Ha!” Archangel cheered, his face still pressed into the dirt, “Told you!”
“Shut up!” Victory Seeker hissed, slightly lifting and then smashing the man’s face into the dirt.
“You have the ability to do so, Director Stafford,” Boyd admitted in his steady and controlled response. Just one more step and he could let the grin that threatened to overtake his face loose. “Please state your name, position, and intent to make it official. I will then close the case file against Archangel.”
‘Oh, that is too good!’ Mindy crowed in Boyd’s head.
Boyd allowed his eyes to shift to Victory Seeker, who was studying him with a concerned frown. The man truly had an unnerving ability to read people. It wasn’t a Power, just training, practice, and a lifetime’s experience.
“Peter Stafford, Director of New Eden,” Stafford complied with Boyd’s fairly standard request without much thought.
It was commonplace for Heroes to ask for orders to be made official in this way. Boyd saw the moment when Victory Seeker realized the mistake that his Director was making. Fortunately, it was just a moment too late to stop him from saying, “I am pardoning Archangel of all charges and ordering his release as he is vital to the ongoing defense of New Eden.”
“Thank you, Director Stafford,” Boyd replied, finally allowing his grin to show. “I am Dashing Devil, Captain of The Devoted out of Glorith City, serving under Director Davis. I regret you inform you, Director Stafford, that you now face charges of Aiding and Abetting a potential Powered Criminal through the use of an Unauthorized Pardon.”
“Excuse me?” Stafford hissed.
Boyd was glad this man was always going to be an enemy because The Devoted had certainly made a terrible first impression.
“My apologies, Sir,” Boyd even sounded like he meant it. “Please allow me to explain. Clause thirty-two of The Authority’s Charter establishes a Director’s pardoning rights. Article seven establishes that only the Director in command of the Hero Team who established an Engagement Area can pardon persons who commit crimes within said Engagement Area.
“Section D of article seven allows the Director of other cities to pardon a Hero who reports to them, under the condition that they specify that said Hero is vital to their city’s defense. It does, however, require that Aiding and Abetting charges automatically be laid against any Director who does so. It is meant to serve as an anti-corruption measure, Sir,” Boyd explained the rules clearly and simply.
“You do not have the right to arrest me,” The Director seethed, his eyes narrowing in fury.
“You are correct, Sir,” Boyd agreed. “Nor do I intend to. As I said, section D of article seven is meant as an anti-corruption measure. As a Hero, I don’t have the expertise required to investigate you for corruption. Section D only requires that I, as the highest-ranking member of Glorith City’s personnel on site, inform you of the charges. From here, I will turn the investigation over to Director Davis so that he can assign people with the required expertise to handle it.”
“How dare you!” Stafford seethed, but Boyd had returned his eyes to the point a foot over the Director’s head so he missed the full effect of the man’s glare.
He was sure it was either icy or fiery. The level of rage in his voice would only allow it to be one or the other.
‘Frosty,’ Mindy chortled, ‘definitely icy.’
“Again, my apologies, Director,” Boyd said with obviously faked remorse.
He had no reason to want to be on this man’s good side. “I don’t dare do anything, here. I am simply informing you of the charges that have been automatically filed against you, per section D of article seven. I am sure you are free of corruption and therefore have nothing to worry about. It’s not like you’ve pardoned this same Hero of seven excessive force charges filed against him in the last six months.” Which was why Section D worked in this case.
Stafford had allowed pardoning New Eden’s ‘Golden Boy’ to become a habit, immediately nullifying any charges without thought to whose jurisdiction he might be standing in. Boyd had bet on the overconfidence most high-ranking political figures automatically assumed—which almost always paid out.
Boyd finally dropped his eyes and met the positively arctic glare the normally tallest man in the room shot up at him. A smirk toyed at the edge of Boyd’s lips as he quietly added, “For future reference, you could have demanded custody of the criminal be transferred to you and he be allowed to continue his duties during the investigation and trial—which we both know would have gone nowhere. It was in pardoning him that you tripped the anti-corruption measure.”
Stafford held Boyd’s eye for a moment. His ineffectual glare—at least against Boyd—intensified, as if he was trying to will Boyd to back down. With a growl, he eventually spun on his heel and marched back to his grav-sled without another word.
Boyd felt triumphant. Stafford would make an excellent peace offering for his own Director. The Devoted’s Captain did not relish having to explain what they had done without communicating that plan to his handler or their Director. At least now, he had something that might soften the fact that they were seeking forgiveness instead of having asked for permission.
‘Better to ask forgiveness than permission’ only got you so far, after all. Sometimes you had to present a gift along with your apologies. The Last Dragon’s corpse would make a great present, but Boyd thought Davis would appreciate the ability to perform the equivalent of a full cavity search on Stafford’s operations in New Eden even more.
Now, he needed to secure his own quarry.
Boyd dropped his stiff at-attention stance as Stafford’s grav-sled lifted into the air and zipped back towards New Eden. Turning back to Archangel and Victory Seeker, he saw the latter dragging the former into a seated position.
“Hopewing, come heal Archangel,” Victory Seeker snapped.
Boyd held out an arm to stop Hope from jumping when her handler barked at her.
“Hopewing is currently on temporary assignment with The Devoted and not under your command,” he said. “I wouldn’t allow our handler to speak to any of my team like that, so I’ll thank you for being polite and using a more appropriate tone with someone on my team.”
Victory Seeker’s cheeks turned a ruddy hue as he visibly struggled to control his anger. After taking three deep breaths, glaring at Boyd the entire time, he tried again. “Hopewing, please come heal Archangel’s leg.” That done, the handler reached down and roughly straightened the would-be Hero’s broken leg.
Boyd was sure that didn’t feel good.
Archangel confirmed it hurt with a cry, “ARGH! Fuck, old man! Arghhhh… why didn’t you just let her do it?!”
“Because,” Victory Seeker seethed, “you’re little stunt has created massive problems. Remember this pain before you consider disobeying orders again.”
“Hopewing, please,” the older man all but growled, biting off the clipped words.
Victory Seeker’s tone would normally make Boyd frown, but now his devilish grin split his lips. For one, his other self seemed to be in the driver’s seat at that moment, which was surprisingly… not that scary. Boyd didn’t feel powerless or like he was out of control. He got the sense that taking the wheel back wouldn’t be all that hard if he wanted to.
Either way, his other self was enjoying the fact that Archangel was in pain. For another, their old mentor’s barked order at her friend and onetime lover had really pissed Silvie off. While he didn’t like that someone had pissed her off so much, it afforded him the opportunity to make her happy by enraging her offender.
Victory Seeker’s narrowed eyes snapped back to Boyd. “The mission is complete so she should be released back to New Eden’s command.”
Boyd sucked a little air through his teeth as he shook his head and spoke with false sincerity, “Tsk. Tsk. I would love to, but the mission isn’t complete. You see, two unauthorized Powered entered the Engagement Area and one of them attempted to assault a member of my team. This firmly labels the pair as hostiles, and both are S-ranked, at that. The mission can’t be considered complete until that is resolved.”
