The Hunters and the Prey - Chapter Forty-Two

Author: Milady Drgon

Ianto suspiciously eyed the enormous clear glass jug that Phil was carrying in both arms. It was filled with a slightly glowing blue liquid, the stopper sealed with thick white wax.

"What is that?" he demanded, even as he was motioning his fellow Wizard into the dining room, so he could put the heavy jug down. It hit the table with a solid thud, the liquid sloshing about gently.

"That," the Void Grand Master indicated the jug, managing to look undeniably smug even as he was stretching out his back after having carried the thing up from Ianto's casting chamber where'd he teleported in, "is a Truth Bomb."

Ianto's mouth fell open. He didn't have to look at Stephen, who'd been there for about half an hour already, to know the Great Wizard was just as surprised by that answer. "And what do you intend on doing with this 'Truth Bomb'?"

"I intend to have all the Wizards to Quorum, seal all the doors and other ways for air to get in and out, and then break the jar and ask just who in the chamber is Hydra." The smugness changed into pure mischievousness. It was a good look on his normally serious friend.

Ianto's mouth fell open further, but this time because… "That is bloody brilliant."

Stephen chuckled. "It certainly solves a lot of your problems."

"I can't take all the credit," Phil admitted proudly. "Daisy made the mention in a different context; I just ran with the idea. She also helped me with the equations and the brainstorming, as well as climbing the mountain at nearly dusk for enough nettles for the actual mixing. Oh, and she played distraction while I removed every single lemon in Andrew's pantry."

"Yet another reason to regret the decision not to take Daisy on as a Novice," Ianto sighed. The more he heard about the rather remarkable young woman, the more he did wish he'd decided to take her on. Pepper was indeed very lucky to have struck while the iron was hot, as it were.

Besides, he had Pietro as a Novice now, and Ianto suspected he was going to be just as promising as Daisy; Pepper really had the best nose for amazing Novices, so trusting in her suggestion of Pietro had only been the right thing to do…even though he'd hemmed and hawed about it for a little bit. Pietro's academic records bore that out. Ianto was looking forward to teaching that boy everything he could.

"You sleep, you weep." Phil was really being insufferably smug this morning, although Ianto supposed he deserved to be. He also looked well-rested, even after he'd most likely been up all hours with this crack-brained yet amazing potion idea that was probably going to solve a majority of their problems and had a new child in the house, one that would most likely be suffering from nightmares for years to come.

Stephen, however, didn't look so fresh. He'd decided to speak to the Baron responsible for overseeing that village where they'd discovered Crystal as immediately as he could, arranging a meeting that had also lasted well into the evening. It had meant a late night for Ianto's friend, and he doubted Stephen had gotten that much sleep once he'd returned home, either. He took the consequences of losing Mordo's friendship seriously, and Ianto knew he blamed himself for driving Mordo away. That was patently untrue; Mordo had made his own choices, but Stephen couldn't help but feel as if he was at fault somehow. Ianto knew he'd be doing whatever he could to fix the damage done by the spread of Mordo's propaganda, in his need to make things right.

"It's a good thing we've already sent out all the notices," Ianto commented. "We can enact this plan of yours tomorrow morning, at the beginning of Quorum."

"We still have a few things to prepare," Phil said. "We'll need to strengthen the wards about the chamber, and make certain we have the place completely sealed…the last thing we want is for everyone in the building to suddenly feel the need to tell the truth."

"That could be awkward," Ianto agreed.

"But what about the three of us?" Stephen wanted to know. "We'll be in the Quorum as well."

"Ah ha." With a flourish, the Void Wizard pulled three small vials from a pouch on his belt. "These are the antidote. All we need to do is drink it just half an hour before the Truth Bomb is set off. We'll be protected from its effects."

"You do realize there are some ethical considerations involved," Stephen said seriously.

"I do." Phil lost a lot of his smugness. "I'm willing to take responsibility for it, if it comes to that. We can use my old reputation for ruthlessness and focus any anger onto me. I gave it thought last night, and while I like to think my fellow Wizards will understand, I also know I'll be making some enemies with this. If you both want to pretend you're affected as well, I'd understand."

"No." Stephen took one of the antidotes. "It's all or none in this."

"Agreed." Ianto accepted the second. "We stand together, or we fall together. We need to show a united front when we do this. Besides," he sighed, "sometimes it's better to ask forgiveness later than to ask permission before."

Phil looked relieved. Ianto could understand why he would feel that way, with his and Stephen's agreement to stand with him in this he wouldn't have to face the Quorum alone. He'd worked long and hard to bury the Dark One, and it was obvious he hated being reminded of his past. Especially since he was giving serious thought of staying as Grand Master, the better to put into practice his idea of cleaning things up and exposing the lies told about the Voids. His need to save the children from his own fate was a driving force in the man, and Ianto heartily approved.

Yes, the Truth Bomb was a perfect tool to use in this situation, and Ianto believed exactly what he'd said about asking forgiveness or asking permission.

This was the responsibility of being a Grand Master: doing what most would consider distasteful for the greater good. It seemed as if Phil had already accepted that.

And Hydra couldn't be allowed to propagate any further within any of the Orders. He didn't need to have the gift of prophecy to know that this could potentially tear the Wizard Guild apart. It could bring the war that Master John had thought he'd prevented with that spell that cut off all magic. Hydra needed to be stopped, and there were times when desperate measures were called for. This was one of those times; he'd lived long enough to recognize it as such.

"I think it would help if we also laid down some ground rules," Stephen suggested. "We let the entire Quorum know what's going to happen just before we break that," he waved toward the 'bomb', "and we make certain that everyone swears not to use the situation for individual interests. Because, if you consider it, this would be the perfect time to ruffle feathers and open old wounds by asking questions when an enemy is compromised."

"And," Ianto added, "with the three of us protected against the potion, we can monitor things until it wears off."

"Which won't be long," Phil assured them. "Making a potion this large and capable of dispersing in air means that the potency is a lot less than with a potion that's taken internally. I'd say we'd have about a quarter hour before the effects begin to fade."

That made sense. "I'd love to know how you and Daisy came up with the means for it aerosolizing enough to effect the entire Quorum hall."

"Stop by anytime. I still have all the equations on the blackboard I was using back at the Keep."

Ianto was quite sure those equations were going to be impressive, and made a mental note to do just that. Perhaps he could get Phil to write them all down and let him have a copy? That sort of prodigious work deserved to be copied for posterity.

"By the way," the Cardinal Wizard changed the subject, "how did Crystal do last night?" He was concerned about the traumatized girl, and hoped she'd had a fairly peaceful night in her new home.

A soft, fond smile graced Phil's features. "She actually slept through the night, although I suspect that had more to do with exhaustion than any feeling of comfort she may have had. I anticipate it won't always be that easy. She woke up in time for me to make sure she officially met Daisy, Clint, Melinda, and Andrew, and to reassure her that they could be trusted while I was gone this morning."

"That's excellent. I hope she settles in quickly." That little girl deserved happiness after everything that had happened to her in her very short life. "While you were sleeping, Stephen was busy."

"Managed to get the ball rolling on the investigation," Stephen reported. "I spoke directly to Baron Alexander Waverly, the sitting Baron for Uncelas, and he was outraged by what's been going on in his Barony. He's promised for a full inquiry into things, with certain sanctions for that village. He was sending his court Wizard, Master Illya Kuryakin, to look into the possibility that Crystal wasn't the only child this had been done to, and his Knights' Commander, a Lord Sir Napoleon Solo, to discover who Crystal's parents are and to make certain they're prosecuted for their part in the affair. The Baron has already had the dissolution of parental rights forms written up, and he'll have them couriered to me as soon as they're signed and approved. I informed him that you intended on adopting her, Phil, and he would like to speak to you when you have the time."

"I don't see why that can't be today, and I'll take Daisy along with me," their Void friend answered. "I'm guessing the Baron would also want to speak to Crystal."

"He would, just to make certain this is what she wants. Plus, she's our only witness so far, and even though she's a child she can give evidence. I hate for her to go through that, but they'll be as kind as they can, I'm sure."

Phil didn't look happy, but he nodded in agreement. "I can get the paperwork done as well while we're there, that way the Baron won't have to go through you. You've got enough on your plate without overseeing the adoption proceedings as well."

Stephen gave him a grateful nod. "I'll accompany you, that way I can check in on the progress of the investigation as well. I get the distinct impression that Baron Alexander will be only too happy to let us curse whoever is responsible. Apparently, he has a fine sense of justice and doesn't like the idea of children getting hurt."

"Then, why don't we arrange to go after lunch? I'll need to collect Daisy and Crystal, since I sent them shopping in Triskelia Town, so with the time difference we might catch them just after breakfast time."

"Where are we going?" Jack's voice popped into the conversation.

Ianto glanced toward his husband. Jack was leaning against the archway wall, arms crossed, smirking fit to burst. Although that smirk dropped a little when he noticed the enormous jug of glowing magical potion. "And what is that?" he asked curiously.

"That," Ianto grinned, "is a Truth Bomb. We plan on using it in the Quorum tomorrow."

Jack looked impressed. "That's a stroke of genius, really."

"Blame Phil for it." Ianto corrected himself when he noticed Phil's mouth opening to correct him, "And Daisy."

"And we're going to the Barony Uncelas later today," Stephen answered the original question. "I'm sure Ianto's already explained to you what we found there."

Any humor that had been on Jack's face faded. "He did. I just can't believe there are assholes out there who would take that sort of thing out on an innocent kid." His eyes darted toward Phil. "Although we had enough proof of that already having happened in the past."

"The Baron would like to talk to me, apparently," Phil said. "He wants to make sure Crystal really wants to live with me and Daisy, and if we're good enough to look after her. I can't blame him one bit; after all, that little girl has been through far too much for anyone to blindly trust strangers with her well-being."

Not for the first time, Ianto really wondered about the disconnect between Phil Coulson and the Dark One. Everything he'd ever heard of the rogue Wizard had been of a heartless bastard who didn't care who he hurt.

The man standing in his dining room was directly the opposite from the Dark One. Phil Coulson was a caring human being who'd raised one daughter into becoming a remarkable young woman, and was about to take on another child who'd been damaged by the very people who should have loved her. He'd found a cause in protecting children and changing opinion of Voids so that this would never happen again, using his own personal experiences as examples. He'd taken on the position of Grand Master temporarily, but then decided to remain in order to make the changes that needed to be made.

Phil had claimed that he'd done a lot of evil as the Dark One. Ianto didn't doubt it. However, there was also good, with the actions he and his people had taken at Buda-Pest as the prime example of that. The Void had chosen him to become Ianto's opposite in power and in near-immortality and, while Ianto couldn't know what the Void's rationale had been in that decision, everyone was considering this punishment for past misdeeds.

Ianto was beginning to doubt that.

He could see just how much good Phil could do, if given enough time. With the Void forcing its own version of immortality on him, it was giving him that time. Both the Void and the Deep Ways had their own consciousness, however there was no way of ever knowing what either one intended. All they could do was make the most of things and move on.

However, there were three of them now. Jack as the Deathless, with Ianto himself to support him and love him for as long as they both lived. And then there was Phil, who would one day be alone…well, not totally alone, because they were his friends and would support him no matter what losses he sustained over the long centuries of their existence.

And, perhaps one day, Ianto would be showing him how to sever the connection that the Void had forged, just as Daffyd, Ianto's out-of-time counterpart, had done when he'd lost his own version of the Deathless to the Silver Devastation, to live a normal lifespan and to die a natural death.

Jack was nodding at Phil's comment. "That just goes to show what a decent Baron that is, looking after even the most innocent of his subjects. I'm sure he's probably pissed off about not catching this before it got out of hand."

"Exactly. I can't blame him for that, and I know Daisy and I will do our best to convince him we're willing to do everything possible to make Crystal a part of our family."

"And what about Clint?" Ianto inquired. "I understand that you two haven't been together that long…"

Phil nodded. "I told him what happened, and that Crystal would be staying with us, but we haven't honestly talked about him adopting her as well, even though I'd like him to. And, after last night he's going to have his hands full for a bit."

Jack was frowning. "I know he was bothered about accidentally killing Raina's dragon…"

His husband had let Ianto know last night about what had happened during their capture of Daniel Whitehall. He could understand; the death of any dragon was terrible, but what Clint had done hadn't been his fault. There had been no way any of their group would have stood up to Raina's mind control magic. Killing her had been the only way to prevent a larger disaster, and her dragon had been unintentional collateral damage. While Ianto really hated that term, in this case it was the correct one to use.

The smile that grew across Phil's features was equal parts fondness, awe, and joy. "He was, until he had a very special visitor last night…"