CHAPTER 19

Alex huffed out a breath as the Granbull barreled into him, slobber trailing from the giant canine's pronounced lower jaw. Hierro shrieked somewhere off to Alex's left, and there was a flash as the Bronzong fired off a pulse of silver-gray light. Alex flipped over a trash can and seized the lid as he slid to a landing. The Granbull charged in for a second pass, and after spinning out of the way, Alex slammed the metal cover into the side of the brute's head. The Granbull gnashed its jaws and turned to snap Alex's hand off only to be drop-kicked by Hierro.

"Nice one," Alex gasped as he struggled to get his breath back.

It was collection night in Avenbrooke again, and one of the Baron's capos had gotten a bit rowdy while exacting his toll from the proprietor of Alex's favorite bodega. He and Hierro had managed to get the drop on the bastard, but the advantage of surprise had only lasted an instant. His Granbull and Bronzong had fought back hard. After a night filled with keeping the peace in Avenbrooke, Alex and Hierro were starting to flag and were hard-pressed to gain the upper hand.

A whistling of air snapped Alex back to attention as the capo swung a metal rebar. Alex acted on instinct, and his hand shot up to catch the club as it arced towards his temple. He locked his arm and gritted his teeth as he held the metal bar in place. His arm arched under the strain, but a second later, Alex had settled into the right stance and threw his weight behind his counter attack, snatching the rebar out of the mobster's hands and spinning on his heel, knocking the man's legs out from under him.

The air in the alley brightened as the man's Bronzong prepared another attack, but Hierro jumped into the air and grabbed one of the arms coming from the top of the steel type's head. He swung the bell-shaped pokemon around just as the Bronzong released its pulse of light, and the attack slammed into the chest of the enforcer's Granbull. The canine dropped with a groan as Hierro slammed the Bronzong into the ground. Alex used his batons to stun the capo and let out a long sigh. "I think I'm going to be feeling that one in the morning, buddy."

"Hawlucha Man."

Alex and Hierro whirled to the mouth of the alley where a man in an expensive suit stood with his arms folded. His muscular pectorals and biceps strained at the buttons and sleeves, and Alex dropped back into a fighting crouch. "Giordano. What do you want?"

The Baron's number two man waved his right hand in a dismissive gesture. "I'm not here to get in your way. If I was trying to stop you, I would have done it while your back was turned." He walked into the alley and delicately stepped over a puddle, careful not ruin his imported leather shoes. Giordano reached down and grabbed the unconscious capo by the back of his collar. "Mancini." He smirked before dropping the man unceremoniously back to the concrete. "This hothead could use a little time in Redstone to help him cool off."

"What do you want, Bruce?"

Giordano shrugged. "The boss asked me to bring you in for a face-to-face." He jerked his chin towards the mouth of the alley. "I've got a car waiting."

"How do I know this isn't a trap?"

"Kid, believe me, if the boss wanted you dead tonight, I'd have put a bullet in your back while you were busy with Mancini. The Baron just wants to talk, and he's insisting." He unbuttoned his suit jacket and spread his arms. "Look, I'm not even armed."

"All right," Alex said. "But Hierro rides with me, not in a pokeball. And I'm not wearing a blindfold."

Giordano shrugged. "Whatever, kid. Not like we're doing anything illegal." He glanced at Hierro's talons. "Just try not to ruin the seats."

Alex and Hierro slid into the backseat of the black town car idling in front of the alley while Giordano settled into the driver's seat, his scarred hands wrapped over the steering wheel. When they took off and Alex was able to reassure himself that Giordano wasn't going to turn around in his seat and shoot them both, he allowed himself to relax against the cool leather seat. Tucked into a shelf on the door were a few water bottles from an expensive brand, and after checking that they were factory-sealed, Alex popped the caps off two of them and passed one to Hierro.

They slid through the streets of Avenbrooke, and Alex could see the flashing blue and red lights of police sirens as the officers of the Eleventh prowled the streets to ensure the Baron's collection night proceeded without any unnecessary injury. Giordano's face was an impassive mask as he drove out from the city center towards the docks and the warehouses the Baron controlled.

When Giordano stopped the car in a brightly-lit parking lot and opened one of the back doors, Alex warily stepped out into the light, his hands on his batons. He engaged the heat sensor on his mask, but as far as he could tell, only the three of them stood in the lot, and no assailants waited masked by the glare. Alex let Giordano lead him to the door of a small warehouse and open the door. All the boxes and crates had been pushed to the side, leaving a large open rectangle of floor space with a table in the center. A white table cloth and a small candle gave it a veneer of civilization, and Carlo Pirozzi sat at one of the four table settings.

Giordano cleared his throat and glanced down at Alex's batons. Alex scoffed. "These stay with me. If this is just a little conversation like your boss says, then I'll keep them holstered. If it's not, then I'm not taking any chances." Giordano glanced at his employer, and the Baron gave a tiny nod. Giordano shrugged and motioned for Alex to take a place at the table.

Alex had just started to move when a commotion outside made him whip around. Another car had pulled up, and two of the Baron's enforcers were manhandling a third man out of the car. The bound man snarled and swore, his silver-gray hair floating around his face. It took Alex a moment to recognize the Ronin, but as soon as Avenbrooke's other vigilante had been released, he whirled on his captors. "Give me my fucking sword!" he roared. "I'll gut every single one of you fucking bastards!"

Giordano leaned down. "I did say the boss was insisting. Aren't you glad you came along willingly?"

Someone tossed the Ronin's broadsword at his feet, and the older man wrenched it out of its scabbard. His captors drew their guns, but Alex hurriedly stepped between them. "Easy," he said, putting his open hand just in front of the Ronin's chest. "Take a second to breathe. I think they really just want to talk."

"You're here too?" the Ronin hissed. "Dumbass, they're just going to execute the both of us."

"If they were going to execute us, why did they give you back your sword?"

"For fuck's sake, kid. I've just spent the last four months executing the Baron's goons. Why the else would they bring me out to the docks?"

From within the warehouse, Pirozzi heaved a theatric sigh. "All of this talk of executions is going to put me off my dinner. I assure you that if I wanted you dead, I would have done so already and spared myself the trouble of setting this up. Gentlemen, if you're quite done causing a scene, would you please come take a seat?"

Alex glanced at the Ronin and shrugged before turning towards the warehouse. The swordsman grumbled something under his breath and flicked a pokeball at the ground. His Samurott appeared in a burst of light, and after hesitating for another second, he followed after Hawlucha Man. Alex sat down and rested his elbow on the table, knowing full well it was bad manners, and also knowing that he knew would irritate Pirozzi. The Ronin dropped into the next chair, leaning his sword against the table. Hierro and Muramasa crouched behind their trainers. With a wave of the Baron's hand, all of his men except Giordano left the warehouse.

"Now then," the Baron said, pouring himself a glass of dark red wine. "In light of all the confusion lately, I thought it might be a good idea for us all to sit down and have a little chat." He gestured towards Alex and the Ronin's empty glasses. "Would you care for a drink?"

"I'll pass," Alex replied.

"Got any beer?" the Ronin asked.

Pirozzi sighed. "For Arceus's sake, it's not poisoned. But fine, suit yourself."

Alex pointed at the fourth chair. "We expecting company?"

The Ronin pulled out a flask and poured a generous helping of strong-smelling amber liquor into his glass. "Is there some new hero running around I don't know about?"

"Not a hero, no," Pirozzi said. "But he does like to make an entrance."

A shadow in the corner of the warehouse abruptly receded, revealing an utterly nondescript bespectacled man in a slim suit. "I suppose that's my cue, yes?" He walked over to the table, a Xatu fluttering along behind him. "James Stocks, gentlemen." He held out his hand, though no one shook it. His bland face shifted, turning up into a mocking grin. Behind his glasses, his eyes hardened to cold flint. Alex felt a shiver run down his spine, though he wasn't entirely sure why. "But maybe you know me by another name."

"Lust," the Ronin growled.

"Precisely," Stocks said, affable once again. "Carlo, I would love a spot of that wine."

The Baron stopped just short of pouring out a measure, and instead passed the bottle to Lust. Alex noted the calculated power play, and Pirozzi's refusal to let Stocks make a servant out of him at his own table. "So why the fuck are we all here?" the Ronin finally said.

Pirozzi opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, Stocks held up a finger. "We are here, gentlemen, because unlikely as it may seem, we are all for the moment on the same side."

"Care to explain that?" Alex said.

The Baron made a gesture, and Giordano let a man in a white suit jacket into the warehouse. The man pushed a cart with a large covered serving dish. The four men at the table were silent as the waiter uncovered the platter, revealing a large roast served with a variety of greens and potatoes. The waiter carved up the roast, plated it, and served it to the four men around the table before pushing his cart back out the door. As soon as the waiter left, the Ronin lifted his plate and dumped the contents on the floor, where his Samurott pounced on it. Alex glanced back at Hierro, and the Hawlucha shook his head. Cooked meat didn't often agree with Hierro's stomach, so Alex gently pushed his plate away.

Pirozzi sighed as he cut up his slice, taking small elegant bites, while Stocks set upon his food with a relish. Alex allowed them to eat for a moment before clearing his throat. "Mr. Stocks, you haven't answered my question."

Stocks sat back, wiped his mouth with a cloth napkin and took a sip of wine. "Right, back to business then." He folded his hands on the table. "As you all know, the Sins recently had a transfer of power. The new leader at the top of the organization is a powerful esper known as Marinette, though she prefers to be called Dominion. Dominion has the power to infiltrate and influence our thoughts, making the other Sins puppets to her will. For now, Avenbrooke has been spared, but we can't be sure how long that will last."

The Baron nodded. "I would like to believe that the prowess of my men and the strength of my organization is what is keeping Dominion at bay, but I'm not arrogant enough to seriously consider it. It is much more likely that she simply sees no value in taking Avenbrooke yet."

"You two," Stocks said, gesturing towards Alex and the Ronin, "have defended Avenbrooke for some time against both the Baron and any incursions the Sins have made. Mr. Pirozzi naturally wishes to preserve his own interests here, and Dominion poses a threat to that should she ever turn her attention on this borough."

"You mind if I smoke?" the Ronin said.

Pirozzi narrowed his eyes. "Yes, actually I—"

"Well," the Ronin replied, already lighting a cigarette, "go fuck yourself." He exhaled a plume of smoke not quite in the Baron's face. "Anyway. How do we know you aren't here on your boss's orders? Her whole deal is mind control, right?"

Stocks raised an eyebrow. "It is a valid question, and while I have given assurances to Mr. Pirozzi that I am acting of my own free will, neither you or Hawlucha Man would know that. You must understand that for all of Dominion's great psychic power, there are measures that can be taken to shield your mind from an esper's influence. My power comes from information, and I could lose my leverage if an esper could glean whatever they wanted from my mind, or bend me to their will. I had undergone a strict regimen of mental training years before Dominion arrived in Clarus City, and I can reliably shield my mind from her. To the best of my knowledge, none of the other Sins have the training I do. I allowed Dominion to think she had won me to her cause so that I could work against her from the inside."

"Why the hell would you do that?" Alex asked.

"She killed Marcus Braun."

"So this is just revenge for your old boss?" The Ronin took another pull on his cigarette. "I don't get it. Sounds like Dominion is a stronger player on the board. Why not back her play?"

"Marcus was my partner."

"Loyalty among crooks, huh?" The Ronin slouched back in his chair. "I always thought you all were his subordinates."

Stocks raised his right hand and flexed his ring finger. A simple gold band sparkled in the light of the electric candle at the center of the table. "He was my partner." Stocks' eyes hardened again, and his mouth contorted into a snarl. "She slaughtered my husband. One way or another, I'm going to bring that bitch down." He took a deep breath and had a sip of wine, bringing himself back under control. "Very few people know about my connection to Marcus. The other Sins were kept in the dark. If anyone knew, they could have threatened me to get to Marcus, and we would not let that happen. But at this point, there is no need to keep the secret anymore." He let out a mirthless laugh. "Ironic that the heroes of Avenbrooke are some of the first to know the secret that would have destroyed me just a few months ago. Strange bedfellows, indeed."

"So where do we stand?" Alex said. "You've got your vendetta, the Ronin and I have our duty, and the Baron has his interests, and since all of those are in line, we're just going to be allies now?"

"I thought it might be prudent to ensure we were all on the same page," the Baron replied, refilling his wineglass. "When Dominion makes a play for Avenbrooke, my men will work to beat her forces back, as I'm sure you and the Ronin will."

"And how does Lust play in?"

Stocks smiled. "I'll feed you or the Baron information about Dominion's plans when I receive it, and you can pass that along to your own allies to sabotage her efforts. You may have already gathered this, but Dominion is certifiably insane, and her plans are as erratic as her behavior. She is incredibly paranoid, and disseminates information on a strictly need-to-know basis, relying on her psychic powers to quash any questioning of orders or dissent in the ranks. But from what I can gather, her efforts have been focused on pushing dream dust."

"Any junkie on any corner of the city could tell you that," the Ronin grumbled.

"But that's only phase one. Apparently, one of the side effects of dream dust is that it gradually weakens the user's mental defenses, leaving them open to psychic suggestion. It seems likely that Dominion's ultimate goal is to create an army of somnambulists. She also has been looking into radio transmission waves, perhaps to boost her own psychic range. She has expressed an interest in brokering a deal with the Kuromori, and I fear it will not be long until they fall under her control and are brought into the fold."

"I have realized that allowing dream dust to gain a foothold in Avenbrooke was a mistake," the Baron added. Alex noted that he was careful not cop to his own efforts in pushing the drug. "I have instructed my men to forcibly shut down any chemists producing the substance."

"What about the people already addicted?" Alex said. Behind him, he heard Hierro shifting, and could sense that his partner had puffed out his feathers. "Or the people you were using dream dust to control? What about Pierre?"

The Baron raised an eyebrow. "Mr. Espalier's situation is unique and has been seen to personally by me."

"So you're still using it to control him?" Alex didn't bother masking the scorn in his voice. "You filthy hypocrite. You're no better than her."

The Baron's icy calm finally broke, and his knuckles turned white around his steak knife. "I bring you here and serve you food from my own table," he said slowly. "You scoff at my hospitality and disrespect me at every turn. All of this, I was willing to overlook in consideration of our common goal. But now you insult me to my face, and I won't stand for it any longer. It's time Augustus and I taught you a lesson in respect!" He flicked a pokeball out, and his Empoleon appeared in a flash of light. Alex and the Ronin jumped up from the table, sword and batons in hand. Hierro and Muramasa exchanged a glance, and the Samurott whirled on Giordano and his Blastoise while Hierro prepared to spring at the Empoleon.

Alex prepared to jump forward and strike the Baron's arm with his batons before he could draw that pistol Alex saw hanging from a harness in his jacket. Before he could move, Stocks flicked his fingers, his gold wedding band flashing. "That's quite enough." His Xatu's eyes flashed, and Alex found he was locked in place. The Ronin ground his teeth as he struggled to move his sword, and the Baron hissed out a string of curses. Hierro had already leapt into the air, and crashed to the ground. Stocks glowered at each of them in turn. "I had hoped you three would be able to talk like civilized people when the fate of our city was on the line. I thought we were all in accord that Dominion needed to be stopped."

"I'm not working with him," the Ronin snapped.

"Damn right," Alex said. "We may have a common enemy, but that sure as hell doesn't make us friends." He was still locked in place, but could move his eyes toward Stocks. "If you want Dominion brought down, then you'll give us your information when you have it."

"My boy, your negotiation skills need work."

"I don't negotiate with crooks."

"I see." Stocks folded his arms. "Even if you don't agree, the enemy of my enemy is my ally. When I learn more, I will be in touch. But for now, I believe we are finished here. Moira, if you would?"

The Xatu's eyes flashed again, and Alex had the sensation of being stretched out and yanked off his feet. An instant later, he dropped into a patch of brambles beneath a highway overpass. Alex would have jumped to his feet, but Hierro appeared in the air just above him with a sharp crack, and knocked Alex flat again.

"That motherfucker," the Ronin snarled as he struggled to extricate himself from a thorny bush.

Alex helped the swordsman to his feet as Muramasa snapped his fangs and tossed his crested head. The Ronin worked to soothe his partner while Alex picked burrs out of Hierro's feathers and checked his suit for any damage to the nanofibers. "I guess that wasn't a total loss," he said. "Now we've got someone on the inside of the Sins' organization."

"And he confirmed that Dominion is mad as a hatter," the Ronin said. "So I'm going to take anything he says with a grain of salt. Stocks may be a smart, but when his boss's left hand doesn't know what her right hand is doing, I doubt anyone else will." He fixed his ponytail and strode past Alex.

"Where are you going?"

"It's still collection night, kid. I'm going to go show the Baron what I think about his lesson in respect." The Ronin's eyes hardened, and Alex had a good idea of what he had in mind. "Don't get in my way. I'm not in the mood to hear you get high and mighty tonight." With that, he turned and stalked off.

Hierro cooed and gave Alex an inquisitive look. "I don't know what the next move is," Alex said. "This is bigger than me, bigger than Avenbrooke. I think we need to talk to Jiro."