The Hunters and the Prey - Chapter Twenty-Eight

Author: Milady Dragon

"Well," Ianto said, leaning back in his chair, "do we have any idea how we're going to track down whoever Hydra has in Void Order?"

Phil sat in the visitor's chair opposite the desk, while Stephen lounged on the sofa that Myfanwy usually used as a nest when she was in the office with Ianto. Today, the three dragons were out in the front room, in their traditional dragon pile, and the Cardinal Wizard could sense just how much Myfanwy enjoyed having the two other dragons with her. She was becoming fast friends with Lola, as she had with Agamotto, and it would only be a matter of time before all three dragons would be practically inseparable.

Stephen's Cloak was hovering in the background, just on the edge of Ianto's vision, and not for the first time he was amused by the Cloak of Levitation's antics as it noticed him looking and the lower edge of the Cloak waved at him jauntily.

"I've thought about it," Phil answered, "and one way would be to use Truth potions on those we might suspect of collaboration."

"That's the entire Void Order," Stephen pointed out. "We'd have to make enough Truth potions for over one hundred-fifty people."

"Maybe not," Ianto mused. "We can disregard students and Novices…"

"I can understand the students, but how do you come up with that about the Novices?"

"Because every Master I met at Hydra's base had an attendant Novice, except for Pierce, and he never had one even before being outed as the leader of a Void cabal," Phil pointed out. "Now, certainly, Masters can have more than one Novice, but I got the distinct impression that it was a one on one deal."

"At the very least," Ianto said, "we can try that on the accredited Masters within the Order first. That would cut down the amount of potions needed to sixty. Still, that's a lot of work."

"How good are you two at potion making?" their Void Wizard inquired.

"I'm fairly good at it," Stephen admitted. "And Ianto's had more experience than the two of us combined."

"It's still not really one of my strengths," Ianto admitted. "I can make do, but I'm more of a spellcaster than a potions' maker."

Phil smiled slyly. "Something you're not good at, Ianto?"

Ianto chuckled. "I'm not perfect, despite what others may say."

Stephen laughed as well. "That's not what Jack claims."

"Jack's just a wee bit biased." One of the many things his husband, when it came to Ianto himself, was biased. Honestly, he loved it, not that he'd ever admit that. Especially in front of Jack, who would run with it and never let it go.

"There are also charms that might do the trick," Stephen got back on track.

"This is true." Ianto considered. "In this sort of case, charms aren't as efficacious as potions, but a temporary geas might work."

"I…don't care for using a geas," Phil said slowly. "I've…seen it done, and it wasn't pleasant." He looked as if he wanted to speak further, but didn't, instead saying, "I will if it's the last resort."

Ianto had a feeling he already knew why Phil didn't care to cast a geas on anyone, and it had to do with Clint and Loki. He wasn't about to bring it up, however. If he was correct, it wouldn't have been a good idea to rake up old recollections like that, especially since his new friend didn't want to talk about it.

"I think we need to clear the Heads of Void Order first," Phil suggested. "I have a feeling that Mistress Elena isn't Hydra, just from her reactions during the last Quorum, but she could just be a very good actress."

"No, I tend to think her reactions were true." Ianto pinched his lower lip in thought. "Once we have the senior Masters cleared, you're going to need to appoint a new Head of Order for the Western Lands, Phil."

The Void Wizard nodded. "Also, there's something I thought of last night, that…worries me."

Stephen sat up a little. "What is it?"

"We haven't considered the notion that it's just not a Void Wizard we have to look out for."

Well, shit.

Because he was correct, and Ianto was a little mad at himself for not thinking of it. Yes, every single Wizard so far attached to Hydra had been Void, but there was no guarantee that was the case for every member of that cabal."

Stephen cursed out loud. "You have a point."

"Have we been able to get anything out of Werner von Strucker?"

"No, Phil," Ianto answered. "But then, we haven't really had a chance to really question him yet. He's still locked up in the detention level of the Quorum Hall." He gave a little grin. "Daisy wanted to talk to him. I told her it was a very bad idea."

"Thanks for that." Phil's expression was fondly exasperated. "My child tends to jump feet first into things sometimes. I know she's trying to help, but…"

"Were we ever that young?" the Grand Master of Great Order asked.

"If so," Ianto said dryly, "I'm old enough to pretend I don't recall it."

"And I was determined to be completely and totally evil at that age." Phil shrugged. "I didn't want to be, but I was really quite good at pretending."

"So good," Stephen pointed out, "that there are people who still shiver when someone says, 'Dark One', in too loud a tone. You've become the Boogeyman to a lot of people, Phil."

Phil minutely flinched at that. Ianto couldn't blame him; looking at it in a particular way, none of that Dark One business was really the man's fault. His parents had had him firmly convinced that Void Wizards were evil, just because they were able to manipulate what was colloquially known as the Deathforce, and it had affected a young Phillip Coulson at a very early age.

On the agenda, after Hydra was done, was to begin some sort of re-education program, so that such misinformation wasn't passed along ever again.

"We're going to need to call another Quorum," Ianto said. "We need to get everyone in the same place. Usually, we don't mind if a few Guild members don't show up, but in this case we can't be sure that anyone who can't make it is simply avoiding being found out."

"How long does it usually take to have the entire Guild recalled?" Phil asked.

"I think the last time it happened was right after the flooding that the reappearance of Genosha caused and, back then, there was only really about a dozen of us, and we were all based in Gateway at the time, not counting students and the Genoshan Wizards." Ianto shrugged. "It hasn't occurred since."

"And Genosha wouldn't join in anyway, even now," Stephen added. "They've never agreed to the Guild system."

Genosha had hidden itself away to preserve their own magic, but in the end it hadn't worked. Wizards had become rare there, only the most powerful ones bound to the Royal Family. Magic was also coming back there as well, but it was at about the same rate as the rest of the world. Those Wizards had declared themselves beyond the Guild system, which was a shame…Ianto's old friend, Charles Xavier, had done his best to get them to rejoin the rest of the Wizards in building the Guild, but they hadn't agreed. Genosha was still just as insular as if they were still magically cut off from the rest of the world.

Charles had done what he could. But, in the end, he hadn't been able to sway his lover, King Erik, that opening up Genosha's borders was the best thing for their people. It was his greatest failure although, in the end, he'd been accepted back by his people and his exile revoked. And he'd stayed in touch with Ianto, helping as much as he could behind the scenes, not wanting to risk King Erik's ire once more.

"We should send the notifications out," Stephen replied, "because by now word will have gotten out to every Guild member about what's going on. It might make it easier to get them all here for the full Quorum because of Hydra. This is something that needs to be addressed with everyone, and not just the majority."

"I think I want to speak to von Strucker," Phil said. "Perhaps he'll talk to me. If we can get the name of the person who let him into the Quorum…"

"That would definitely help." Ianto thought that was as good a plan as they could have. "In the end, it might be practically impossible to clear everyone. We'll have to track down the members of Hydra we do know and hope we can get them to spill their secrets."

"That's going to be the easiest thing to do. Maybe we should make the Truth potions for them?"

Ianto met Phil's eyes. "That would make sense. Are you good to do that?"

"Certainly. I have a dab hand at potions, to be honest. And it'll be a bit of payback; Garrett showed up as I was starting a Transfiguration potion, and it was ruined."

Ianto flinched. "Ouch." Transfiguration potions were fiddly, and would fail at the drop of a pin. They were worse than souffles. "You can have first crack at him, just for that."

"I'd gotten to adding the kingsfoil…"

Kingsfoil was a very expensive herb, and one that wasn't to be found in the United Kingdom. In fact, Ianto thought the only place to get it fresh was in the mountains of the Middle Kingdom. He could certainly understand why Phil was so put out.

"I have some, if you need it for the next attempt," Stephen volunteered. "I got it to try my own Transfiguration potion, but then never got around to concocting it. Wong accuses me of being wasteful with my funds so if you want it, maybe he won't glare at me anymore when the subject comes up."

Phil laughed. "It sounds as if your Wong and my Melinda would get along far too well. But yes, if you're willing to part with it. Perhaps when I have some free time I'll make the attempt."

"Phil," Ianto leaned forward, resting his forearms on his desk's blotter, "there's something else I wanted to speak to you about."

The Void Wizard motioned to him to continue.

"I know you said you'd give up the Grand Master position as soon as Void Order was cleared of Hydra, but I really wish you'd reconsider."

That earned Ianto a frown and a head shake. "Ianto, you can't even think they'd want to keep me on, especially since my past has come out of the woodwork. None of the Voids are going to want the Dark One in charge; my reputation as being evil is too strong to overcome. They'll want to get rid of me as soon as they can. Also, I don't want it. I don't want the power being a Grand Master gives me. The responsibility doesn't bother me, but it's the whispers that are bound to crop up about the Dark One lusting after the prestige and power of being Grand Master."

"I think," the Cardinal Wizard said, "that if you do a good enough job of digging Hydra out of our midst, that they'll want you to stay."

"And you have the sheer power to hold the position against all comers, should someone challenge for it," Stephen pointed out. "You are, quite literally, the most powerful Void Wizard in the world at the moment. The Grand Masters are supposed to be the ones with the most magical ability as well as the morals to keep from going mad with the power the position entails. You're not going to do that, because you don't want the job. You're perfect for it."

Phil was very uncertain, and Ianto couldn't blame him. His past played against him, and the Cardinal Wizard knew it would be a very long time indeed before that past would be forgotten. Until then, there may always be the question of the Wizard's motives in accepting the Grand Mastership, that he'd only taken it because the Dark One was power-mad and wanted to control his own section of the Guild. Ianto knew that wasn't the case at all; if there was anyone less likely to make a power grab, it was Phil Coulson, just because of that very notion. He had no desire to be in charge of anyone, let alone Void Order, and was perfectly willing to give it up.

He was, in fact, perfect for the position. Stephen was correct in that assertion.

Phil Coulson was like Ianto, himself, that way. He hadn't wanted to be Grand Master of Cardinals, and yet he'd taken it on because he'd known he was the one least likely to enjoy having it. Even Stephen didn't really care for being Grand Master of Greats; he'd been a medical man until an accident had taken the fine motor skills from his hands and had ended his career. Now, he was perfectly happy in his library, studying magic and teaching the next generation. He took his duties very seriously, though, and had accepted his responsibilities when he'd been called to take them on.

"None of us really wanted this," Ianto pointed out. "But we serve the best way we know how."

Phil slumped a little in his seat, looking tired. "I'll make a deal with you. If, when we're done with the Hydra issue, the entire Order votes for me to stay, I will. If not, we find someone else to take over."

"Agreed." It was a good deal, especially since Ianto didn't think he'd come in on the losing side. He had a good feeling about Phil and his becoming a well-respected Grand Master.

"I agree as well," Stephen echoed. "However, I think you may find you'll be in that position for a long time to come."

"You have an awful lot of faith in me."

"And you don't have enough faith in yourself and your order, Phil. You have a lot to offer, and it would be a waste of that potential if you let yourself believe you're not good enough."

Ianto knew that Stephen was correct. Phil would do a lot of good for Void Order, but he simply didn't have enough confidence in both his order and in his own abilities. It would be up to him and Stephen to show him that he was the right man for the job.

But then, Phil had been treated very poorly by the very people who should have loved him. Ianto could only hope that both Daisy and Clint would be able to prove to him that he was perfectly capable in handling whatever the Order threw at him.

And he still had to prepare what Clint had asked him to.

That, above anything else, would do a world of good in proving to Phil that he wasn't a product of his past. That he could rise above the Dark One and be something even greater.

There were a lot of people willing to show him that he was so much more than his past.

And Ianto was one of them.