Chapter 6

It didn't take the police a lot of time to reach my place after Matt left. Within 5 minutes I was cuffed and in the car to reach DEA. I had decided to keep mum until Matt got me a lawyer. I didn't know what to say and had no ready-made plans to get out of this situation. Which was stupid in hindsight. I could have gone on a run but I could do that even after getting convicted. Here at least I had a chance to come out scoot-free and get my name cleared.

-x-x-x-

It was half an hour after which I felt Matt reach Brockton bay again. He was within my range of power copying too. I switched his power to Perfect Mind.

After some time I was in the interrogation room. Two Agents sat in front of me.

One of them stated, "Do you know why you are here?"

"I was read my rights to keep quiet or else I would have inquired about it earlier.", I replied lamely.

I started thinking. Would Wilson betray me? No. He had done lots of crimes and would be going in for a long time either way if he was caught. I had been nothing but polite and helpful to him. He won't fuck me over.

"You are under charges for smuggling and distributing a Schedule 1 drug, Marijuana, in US borders. How do you plead?"

"Not guilty. Never seen that stuff. I would like to consult my lawyer now before I speak anything anymore."

So only Steve had ratted me out. Why would he do this? Oh. He saw me as a powerful guy only when I had help from other people. If no one helps me I will be pretty powerless. Not enough. Need more details. His knowledge about my power? I can give a single power but can't take it back or change it. That explained why he would not fear me. But why would he betray me?

Fear. He feared that I would end up doing more crimes that would end with him and his daughter ending up dead. Hmmm. So he didn't want anything to do with me but feared that in my anger I might hurt him and his daughter. Did he found this way to be best?

"Look here, mister. We have a solid testimony from your own man that you are one of those supers. That you have been planning to smuggle by using your powers.", said the agent again. I ignored him.

A guy with Perfect Mind would have not made that mistake. Planning was paramount in these situations. So what plans did he make?

Ah! Matt had a ticket to New York with his family tonight. He reckoned that he would have been last-minute preparations and would not meet me. My only parahuman support would be missing. He knew I kept all my stash at home. So there would be evidence too. Thinking back his acting was marvelous. I would not have been suspicious had I not had a copy of Perfect Mind too.

Not enough. I would have easily broken out of jail. He must have known that. Oh. He would have pleaded for high-security jail to contain me. That would have worked fabulously. If no one was ready to break out of jail with me. How would I run? Excellent planning. On my side that is. Thank god I kept my power copier part hidden. God knows what crazy plan he would have come up with to counter that. Thank god I only gave out Surgery to Frederick to heal all the other members of our group.

-x-x-x-

Matt came through to get me the best-damned lawyer. She was a parahuman too, a very young one at that. A Social thinker. She had a power where she can weigh in different arguments and just know which argument would get her the best result.

"Miss Adams. Thank you for your help today. I don't know how I would have gotten out of this mess. I don't know why my friend will claim that I am a drug smuggler.", I said.

Ya, She didn't know I was not innocent. She would have tried her best to get the truth out of Matt but would have failed. Having Perfect Mind is a blessing.

"Your welcome. I was wondering how you were able to pay such a hefty fee for my services?", Liana Adams asked.

A trick question. I do not believe that she wouldn't have asked the same question to Matt. She was scary smart and suspicious about us. Matt was standing just beside me but I can't ask him what he had said. I have to keep my eye contact with Liana. As soon as I break my eye contact to look at Matt, the game will be up.

So what did Matt say? Hmmm. so he wouldn't have said something completely false. That would make it very difficult for me to come up with the same lie. So some truth. What will it be?

Club! He knew I was going to invest the money to start my club. So something related to the club. What about it? Oh, I know.

"We are planning to start a club of our own. We had a few investors who already made an initial deposit for the same. I guess he might have dipped into those funds. Can't have the main man behind the bars right?", I said. Bad pun I know but she would be reassured of my innocence.

We bade goodbye to her and made my way to my home. Matt's flight to New York had already flown. Now what to do about Steve? He can't be allowed to contact Liana Adams. She was smart and perfect for my future operations. Can't have Steve ruining such a good opportunity for me.

Ah! Voodoo it is! I got a photo of Steve and gave him to Matt. Death by heart attack will be least suspicious in such a high-stress situation he had found himself. Won't you say?

Voodoo - As the name suggests Voodoo allows esoteric effects to apply to victims who's accurate photograph or doll the perpetrator has.

Note: The idea for the power of Liana Adams comes from Hive Daughter's Ad Lib.